Giving birth can be a pretty scary experience for a first-time mum. And for Sumayya Sarwar, the experience took an unexpected turn when "the process happened at lightning speed" in the summer of 2018.
Sarwar, who spends her time between the UAE and the UK, and was in England at the time, found herself giving birth to her daughter in an Uber, while en route to the hospital.
“It was quite funny really,” says the former dentist. “On the birth certificate, the location of birth is the road’s name.
"A lot of people have asked me about the experience and my husband and I were actually quite calm because everything happened so quickly. You realise that it's happening and you just have to deal with it. You are in the moment."
There were a lot of apps tailored for children's activities and to help children connect – but nothing specifically for mums
It did leave her with an important lesson, though: “As a first-time mum, I was meticulously planning every detail, but I soon found out that nothing goes according to plan,” she says. “The experience definitely set me up for motherhood by showing me how unpredictable it was.”
It was also an experience that led her to create Mama ME – the UAE's first community app for mums and mums-to-be. Sarwar moved to the UAE in October after the birth of her daughter, and realised that being away from her support network (much of her family lives in Manchester) could be overwhelming and isolating.
During her first year as a new mother, she started doing research on platforms that would help her connect with other mothers. What she found was a gap in the market. "There were a lot of apps tailored for children's activities and to help children connect – but nothing specifically for mums. That is how it all began."
Sarwar enlisted the help of a friend for the technical aspects and set about designing an app that took eight months to develop. The result was Mama ME – a free application that connects like-minded women across the Emirates.
The app clusters users according to geographical location, interest and age of children, helping to connect women who have more in common. It also has a community forum in which mothers and mums-to-be can ask for advice, share information or simply "get anything off their chests" – on topics ranging from breastfeeding and postnatal depression to disturbed sleep and teething.
“Those first few years of motherhood feature such a deep learning curve and not having a network can leave you feeling lonely. This way, even if you do not have your parents or family around, you have other women,” says Sarwar.
The app has a stringent verification process for each user to make it more secure, with Sarwar monitoring conversations to ensure they are appropriate. As she puts it: "I want Mama ME to be a safe space for all mums, a warm and welcoming community for them to browse topics they want to learn more about."
She is definitely doing something right – when the app launched in early April, it got about 200 downloads in the first week. Sarwar had actually planned for a later launch, but the onset of the coronavirus pandemic and the social distancing regulations that followed led her to speed up the release.
"Mums usually have meetups and time spent outdoors at playgrounds and the like – but all of this has been wiped away because of the Covid-19 outbreak," she says. "That is why connecting people through apps like Mama ME is more crucial than ever before.
"That sense of loneliness can get overwhelming, especially for mums with young kids. And, as everyone is spending more time on their phones, I thought it was a good time to get the community together.”
While the UAE's creative community has been coming together to provide residents with online services as they self-isolate – from virtual workouts to digital quiz nights and online improv sessions – Mama ME has also been doing its part. The app has been running a series of free live and interactive Q&As on its Instagram, so that mothers can engage with experts such as midwives, child psychologists and counsellors.
“These online sessions have been very well received by the community,” says Sarwar. “It’s amazing to see social media bring together all these experts and create a lovely nurturing female space.”
ENGLAND SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Jack Butland, Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope
Defenders: John Stones, Harry Maguire, Phil Jones, Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Gary Cahill, Ashley Young, Danny Rose, Trent Alexander-Arnold
Midfielders: Eric Dier, Jordan Henderson, Dele Alli, Jesse Lingard, Raheem Sterling, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Fabian Delph
Forwards: Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy, Marcus Rashford, Danny Welbeck
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Match info
Manchester United 1
Fred (18')
Wolves 1
Moutinho (53')
The five pillars of Islam
Defined benefit and defined contribution schemes explained
Defined Benefit Plan (DB)
A defined benefit plan is where the benefit is defined by a formula, typically length of service to and salary at date of leaving.
Defined Contribution Plan (DC)
A defined contribution plan is where the benefit depends on the amount of money put into the plan for an employee, and how much investment return is earned on those contributions.
Biog
Age: 50
Known as the UAE’s strongest man
Favourite dish: “Everything and sea food”
Hobbies: Drawing, basketball and poetry
Favourite car: Any classic car
Favourite superhero: The Hulk original
ALRAWABI%20SCHOOL%20FOR%20GIRLS
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The National in Davos
We are bringing you the inside story from the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, a gathering of hundreds of world leaders, top executives and billionaires.
The bio
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite travel destination: Maldives and south of France
Favourite pastime: Family and friends, meditation, discovering new cuisines
Favourite Movie: Joker (2019). I didn’t like it while I was watching it but then afterwards I loved it. I loved the psychology behind it.
Favourite Author: My father for sure
Favourite Artist: Damien Hurst
WHAT%20MACRO%20FACTORS%20ARE%20IMPACTING%20META%20TECH%20MARKETS%3F
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
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Political flags or banners
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Bikes, skateboards or scooters
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20IPHONE%2014
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Essentials
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Malaysia Airlines all fly direct from the UAE to Kuala Lumpur and on to Penang from about Dh2,300 return, including taxes.
Where to stay
In Kuala Lumpur, Element is a recently opened, futuristic hotel high up in a Norman Foster-designed skyscraper. Rooms cost from Dh400 per night, including taxes. Hotel Stripes, also in KL, is a great value design hotel, with an infinity rooftop pool. Rooms cost from Dh310, including taxes.
In Penang, Ren i Tang is a boutique b&b in what was once an ancient Chinese Medicine Hall in the centre of Little India. Rooms cost from Dh220, including taxes.
23 Love Lane in Penang is a luxury boutique heritage hotel in a converted mansion, with private tropical gardens. Rooms cost from Dh400, including taxes.
In Langkawi, Temple Tree is a unique architectural villa hotel consisting of antique houses from all across Malaysia. Rooms cost from Dh350, including taxes.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs
Engine: 2-litre 4-cylinder and 3.6-litre 6-cylinder
Power: 220 and 280 horsepower
Torque: 350 and 360Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Price: from Dh136,521 VAT and Dh166,464 VAT
On sale: now
How England have scored their set-piece goals in Russia
Three Penalties
v Panama, Group Stage (Harry Kane)
v Panama, Group Stage (Kane)
v Colombia, Last 16 (Kane)
Four Corners
v Tunisia, Group Stage (Kane, via John Stones header, from Ashley Young corner)
v Tunisia, Group Stage (Kane, via Harry Maguire header, from Kieran Trippier corner)
v Panama, Group Stage (Stones, header, from Trippier corner)
v Sweden, Quarter-Final (Maguire, header, from Young corner)
One Free-Kick
v Panama, Group Stage (Stones, via Jordan Henderson, Kane header, and Raheem Sterling, from Tripper free-kick)
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
MATCH INFO
What: 2006 World Cup quarter-final
When: July 1
Where: Gelsenkirchen Stadium, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Result:
England 0 Portugal 0
(Portugal win 3-1 on penalties)
