Latham Thomas founder of Mama Glow

“I believe a woman should dress for the dreams she has.”
Latham Thomas

She’s a cross between Superwoman and Mother Earth, loves couture and kale in equal measure and bumps bellies with celebrities like Alicia Keys, Rebecca Minkoff, Venus and Serena Williams, but is one of the most genuine, down-to-earth people on the planet. She’s usually found in a fabulous hat and killer heels and always accessorized with a huge smile and contagious energy. Latham Thomas is a celebrity wellness maven, birth doula, author, businesswoman, yoga teacher and Mom among her myriad titles. Her Mama Glow empire (mamaglow.com) has completely transformed the birthing scene, helping women become the best version of themselves and give birth to happy, healthy babies.
Her book “Mama Glow: A Hip Guide to Your Fabulous Abundant Pregnancy” is a best-seller and she has become the go-to guru for all things motherhood. She even launched a film festival in 2011 with the support of Christy Turlington Burns and Selita Ebanks and a Salon Series with Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein.
Latham offers inspiration, education and holistic services for expectant and new mothers. Her most recent lifestyle venture Ritualista at Lathamthomas.com turns the ordinary routines of everyday life – think: eating, travel, self-care, style and general wellbeing – into something sacred. She also happens to be the mother of 12-year old DJ prodigy and entrepreneur DJ Fulano.

This glowing goddess sat down with BWB’s Rebecca Leffler to talk about balancing supermotherhood with superfoods, her daily self-care rituals and the true secret to glowing from the inside out.

We offer nutrition support, yoga, and birth doula services for expectant mothers as well as an array of events.

BWB: What exactly is a Mama Glow ?

Mama Glow is an abundant radiant energy that comes from within. It’s my company, but it’s also a movement. We are about women embracing optimal wellbeing during pregnancy and beyond. We offer nutrition support, yoga, and birth doula services for expectant mothers as well as an array of events. When I was pregnant with my son 13 years ago, I was looking for resources in holistic maternal health and realized they didn’t exist in the way I saw fit. I instinctively knew that women need hand-holding when they are moving through a life-event like birth and wanted to provide that level of support for clients.

If you don’t mother yourself first, then you don’t have the energy to give your best to others or the world.

BWB: You focus a lot on the importance of self-care for women during pregnancy …and always! How do you practice self-care on a daily basis? What are your favorite rituals?

I practice self care daily, but moment-to-moment as well. I check in with myself. Your body is the arbiter of what’s safe, so when something doesn’t feel good, and you do it anyway, then that is self care malpractice. I started a self-care movement called Glow Time to incorporate into your daily living. For me that includes: massage therapy, hot baths, dance class, lathering in shea butter, a hike in nature and gardening. Glow Time is essential because it gives us space to relax, play and enjoy respite. If you don’t mother yourself first, then you don’t have the energy to give your best to others or the world. Women need outlets of pleasure to reduce stress and help maintain wellbeing.

BWB: What’s your favorite breakfast recipe?

My go-to breakfast changes by season but I love my morning Açaí bowls. I incorporate cacao nibs, coconut butter, frozen blueberries, frozen cherries and I blend with coconut water or filtered water. Once nice and well blended, I put into a bowl and add a dollop of Anita’s cream line coconut yogurt, hemp seeds, and homemade granola.

I use Tata Harper skin care and live for the Regenerative Cleanser, I also love the Carrot seed oil by Naturopathica, and I’ve completely fallen in love with the entire line of products by Good Medicine Beauty Lab.

BWB: What does your beauty routine look like? What beauty products could you not live without?

I love taking time for beauty. I love non-toxic beauty products and won’t use anything on my face or body that isn’t chemical free and cruelty free. I use Tata Harper skin care and live for the Regenerative Cleanser, I also love the Carrot seed oil by Naturopathica, and I’ve completely fallen in love with the entire line of products by Good Medicine Beauty Lab, I got through winter using their Rain replenishing oil wash and their Clarity awakening face cream. I actually love the entire line. I wash my face starting with oil cleanser then I exfoliate, use floral toner, then cream and following with oil. I do this day and night.

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We also really love The Optimist cleaning products, made by a mother and eco-activist.

BWB: What natural cleaning products do you use or recommend for households with kids running around?

I use the Murchinson and Hume line of products for home. I love the scent and find them affective for cleaning. We also really love The Optimist cleaning products, made by a mother and eco-activist.

BWB: What are some of your favorite kid-friendly snacks?

After school every day I make my son a chocolate shake- cashew milk, Dutch processed cocoa powder, cacao nibs, pitted dates, cinnamon, and cardamom blended with ice. He loves this, I also make him a mango shake with dried mangoes cashew milk, ice, and cardamom. I love flax crackers and dips like guacamole as a snack. And of course fresh fruit slices are always a great option for a snack and we always have fresh fruit out as an after school snack option.

Everyone should take a class with Sifu at the USA Shaolin Temple, and water cycling class at AQUA in Tribeca.

BWB: It’s not always easy to stay fit in a crazy city like N.Y.C. What are your favorite places to stay healthy in your hometown?

Well I am lucky to have a gym in my building, which I don’t use so often because I love exercising outside. I live on the Highline, so in the Springtime I go on the high line in the early morning to exercise and on the rooftop to do yoga. I teach yoga but I enjoy checking out some classes around town with my friends. Everyone should take a class with Sifu at the USA Shaolin Temple, and water cycling class at AQUA in Tribeca. I enjoy engaging in different types of exercise.

BWB: What are your favorite kid-friendly vacation spots?

I really love Tulum, Mexico and Costa Rica, where I spent a lot of time when my son was 2-3 years old. Portugal is also a great place to bring kids as well, I fell in love with a place called Areias do Seixo where a lot of families vacation.

It’s a great time to start a sister circle and connect with women who are your elders in mothering, who can teach you a thing or two about the process.

BWB: You’ve written books on this topic and have an entire website dedicated to it, but if you had to choose one piece of advice for new moms, what would it be ?

I wish someone told me how much fun it would be! Your life is transformed and you have this amazing new best friend and it’s awesome! But on the flip side, no one tells you that you will loose friends, the people you expected to come through for you, do not so. It’s a great time to start a sister circle and connect with women who are your elders in mothering, who can teach you a thing or two about the process. Keep your sister circle close!

I think the idea that you need to eat for two is one of the misconceptions that is slowing starting to fall away to the wayside. Moms need an extra 300 calories per day.

BWB: What is the biggest misconception about pregnancy in your opinion?

I think the idea that you need to eat for two is one of the misconceptions that is slowing starting to fall away to the wayside. Moms need an extra 300 calories per day (a smoothie or piece of toast with almond butter) after the second trimester. The baby is made of what’s already in your living tissues, not what you are eating right now. So learning to eat well and stay balanced helps to keep mothers feeling their best.

BWB: You’re also about to give birth…to another book! Tell us more!

I am really excited about the new book – “Own Your Glow: A Soulful Guide to Luminous Living and Crowning the Queen Within” it’s a guide for women to explore and reclaim their genius. It will come in time for International Women’s Day in 2017 on Hay House.

You can look at www.LathamThomas.com or check out my instagram for more magic www.instagram.com/glowmaven.