If you are a mom-to-be or a new mom, you will, obviously, worry about the wellness of your child constantly. And it is natural to want the very best care for your children. But finding harmless, toxin-free, and natural products to cater to the needs of a newborn is quite difficult. That’s why Priyanka Chaudhary Raina gave birth to Maate, a baby care brand in India that focuses on providing natural, sustainable, and consciously curated products for your little ones. Ms Raina founded Maate along with her husband, cricketer Suresh Raina.

We recently spoke to Ms Raina to know more about the brand, her journey as a mompreneur, and how Maate is working to improve the mom and baby care industry. Here’s what she had to say.

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Being a former banker and engineer by profession, how did the thought of starting a baby and mom care brand come to you?  

“When I became a mother of two kids, I became aware of the need for trusted baby care products. I always wanted the best for my babies, from the food they were eating to the products I was using on their skin. Another driving factor for me was my passion for raising awareness about mother and child care in India. I started to understand the importance of harmless, toxin-free products and providing the safest and best care to my child. That was when I gave birth to Maate with vegan and authentic products. The authenticity of the brand was of utmost importance to me, so I looked deep into Indian culture and practices rich in wellness solutions.”  

How do you juggle between managing your family, spending quality time with your children, and handling your business?

“First of all, I believe in staying organised and prioritising your time. It’s very important for me to stay on top of all my tasks and deadlines while making to-do lists every day. Secondly, it helps to embrace flexibility. Being a parent, one will know that not everything goes according to plan. I’ve learned to be flexible and adapt to unexpected changes in my schedule or my children’s needs. And prioritising my own wellbeing through exercise, meditation and even a few minutes of quiet time helps me to be better available for my family and business. Lastly, the support system which I have built around me is always there to lean on. I can always reach out to my loved ones for help with taking care of my children and household. For my business, the support from my mentors and colleagues goes a long way!” 

Maate is an all-natural baby and mom care brand. How important do you think it is to teach children about sustainability from a young age?  

“For me, sustainability is an important issue to address through my brand and I believe it is really important to encourage our children to develop lasting habits which will benefit future generations. Once we start incorporating sustainability into our daily lives, it will become easier for children to adopt the same values. The trends in the baby care industry are changing and parents are becoming more conscious of the products and ingredients they are using for their baby’s delicate skin. Maate provides parents with peace of mind knowing that they are using premium products that are free from toxins and harmful chemicals. To reduce its carbon footprint, Maate uses plastic-free, 100 percent recyclable, and reusable bottles along with chemical-free paints for the bottles. Even the cartons used to package products are made from paper and high-grade, toxin-free ink. The brand stands against lamination and sealing with plastic tape.”  

Good quality, sustainable, and budget-friendly baby and mom care products weren’t accessible till very recently. What changes have you seen in this space since you started?

“The baby care industry is rapidly evolving and growing. There is a noticeable shift in the purchasing behavior of the parents. Although a number of babycare brands are available in the market, only selected ones focus on natural ingredients and sustainable packaging. It has been a pleasure to see parents focusing on more safe, sustainable, toxin-free, and effective products and prioritising health and development needs. The trend towards natural and vegan products is not only limited to adults to use on their skin now. Parents are also becoming more aware of the benefits of these products on their baby’s skin.” 

You and your husband not only share parenting duties, but you’re also business partners. How do you separate the two? Do business disagreements ever trickle into the home?

“My husband has been the biggest support system for me. He is an amazing husband and father and always makes it a point to be available for his family. As a business partner, he never fails to inspire me. He has always communicated and shared his thoughts on the business while lending an ear to my concerns and always settling on common ground and considering the best for our business. We both have dedicated time blocks for our work and family and adjust our work schedule around the needs of our children.”

So, if you’re a new parent or going to be one soon, explore Maate for healthy, effective, and natural solutions for both mom and baby.

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