Baby B's Baby Shower!

At 31 weeks exactly I had my Baby Shower!

It wasn’t going to be a huge deal or a massive event, I just wanted it to be the chance to get together with some of my girlie friends and family before the baby arrived!

I held it at my home and with the help of my mum, sister and mother in law, we had a lovely afternoon full of yummy food, cute baby related games and plenty of giggles!

I chose a neutral theme with the decorating , as we don’t know if we’re team Pink or Blue, by opting for a range of products from a brand called Ginger Ray, called Rock-A-Bye Baby, which was super cute!

My mum and sister made the most AMAZING cake pops, many of which I added to my guest’s party bags when they left as they were so popular!

My sister did an amazing job with baby games! We had a ‘guess the gender’ with pink and blue bonbons in a jar, ‘Guess the size of mums tum’, ‘Guess how many jelly babies there are in a jar’ and ‘Guess the due date’!

It was really laid back and fun and I received some extremely gorgeous and cute gifts for Baby B, all of which I can’t wait to get to use!

My dress was from ASOS Maternity by the way and is currently in the sale.

Xpanda Bra! The Bra That Grows With You!

One of the most annoying and expensive side effects I’ve found thus far while being pregnant, Is the fact that I’m growing out of my bras every few weeks.

Now, bras, especially nice, comfy ones are not cheap, and its beggaring me having to upsize every few weeks as my bosoms continue on their seemingly, never ending growth spurt!

Where will it end?!

My first Issue is that I was a 34E before I got pregnant, and all big busted ladies out there will know just hard It can be to find pretty, or even practical bras in sizes above a DD on the high street.

Then there’s the price implications. Good bras are not cheap!

So, Imagine my joy when I came across a brand called Xpanda Bra.

 

Now chances are you’ve already guessed what’s so special about these bras already from their name, and yes, in a nutshell, these bras grow with you.

 

Xpanda Bra is a revolutionary new maternity nursing bra with individual adjustable cup sizes, so your bra continues to fit your body changes during and after pregnancy.

 

 AMAZING right.

These side clasps unhook to adjust the cup size!

  This bra is essentially, two in one. Unlike any other bra, you can adjust the cup size to accommodate fluctuating sizes in your breast, either due to pregnancy or breast feeding.

It’s really easy to do, using 3 hook and eye fasteners at the size, you can open up the cup to expand the size, or size down.

Adjust cup size as shown

 

Seriously, it sounds so simple yet is so effective!

The cups have two layers and are 100% cotton, making them exceptionally soft on your skin and have three hook and eye fasteners on the back, so you can adjust these accordingly to suit your changing shape too.

 The bra is wirelesss for extra comfort, but offers underwire level support, which is great when your boobs may be feeling particularly heavy!

The Xpanda Bra is also fab for nursing too, with no need to open the side cup adjustment after unhooking the maternity clip when breast feeding.

I am now a 36 F/G, which varies from shop to shop, so opted for a 36 F/G Bra.

The 36F currently fits on the smaller cup size, but I know in a few weeks I’ll be letting that bad boy out to accommodate my growing bosoms and it’s REALLY nice to know I won’t have to go and find another bra at that time!

I can also vouch for just how soft and comfortable they feel, giving just the right amount of support without feeling restrictive or tight.

As if all of those things alone weren’t enough to sway you, the Xpanda Bra only costs £28.99, which means you are basically getting two, fab quality bras for under £30!

Head over to the Xpanda Bra website to purchase one and for more info, including how to size yourself correctly!

P.S. Please feel free to thank me  once you’ve experienced the joy that is this bra! 

18 Weeks Pregnant and I Felt Baby B Move!

I was 18 weeks on Saturday 31^st August and on that day, I felt what was definitely Baby B, move for the first time!

It was AMAZING!

I was sat in a BMW garage, talking to a salesman with the hubby about buying a new car, and suddenly I was aware of ‘squggling’ going on in my tummy!

It lasted about 20 seconds and felt like something tickling my tummy, while moving around.

This time I KNEW it wasn’t gas or tummy gurgles, this went on for too long and the movements were so, peculiar, I just knew this was my baby!

I was however, in the middle of a conversation with this stranger so couldn’t just stop and shout ‘Oh my god I can feel my baby!’, so I calmly finished the conversation and once outside, rushed over to my hubby to hell him before calling my mum in excitement to tell her too!

They say you may be able to start to feel your baby from 18-20 week is if it is your first pregnancy and I had been so excited about feeling him/her move and knowing for sure it was them!

This was!

I didn’t feel him/her again until Sunday evening and then it was only a very quick, short movement, but it was just as amazing!

I still can’t believe I’m growing a little person in my tummy, it feels quite amazing.

I’d love to hear about when you first felt your baby move; where were you? What did it feel like? 

Bump Pic! 15 Weeks 6 Days

So le bump has officially popped, (a little!) !

Yes I do still have moments where I think I just look fat, but I'm starting to feel rather proud of my slightly protruding belly!

I decided that now is the time to start my battle against stretch marks, so I am religiously applying shed loads of moisturiser to my tummy and hips in the morning and evening. (Ok so its not that religiously and I do frequently forget it in the morning, but I'm working on it!)

Aveeno's Moisturising Creamy Oil is one of my favourite go-to products and I highly recommend it!

You can read my review of this little gem HERE. 

Baby on Board Badges: What's your Experience?

Baby On Board badges. You may or may not have seen these before depending on where in the country you reside.

They are badges that you can pick up from most train stations and when worn, allow other commuters to know that you are pregnant and may require a seat on a train if they are packed.

They are a fairly common sight in and around London and from 8 weeks pregnant, I've been wearing mine.

I had to really, what with severe morning  sickness, the motion of the train was setting off my vomiting something chronic, though many women probably wouldn't wear one until at least their 12 week scan or until such time as their bump becomes really prominent and heavy.

Now, wearing one of these does not guarantee that you’ll be offered a seat. Even from people sitting in the ‘Priority’ seats marked out as being priority for the elderly, pregnant or people in greater need of needing a seat.

I know that there are mixed feelings about women wearing these badges, but for me I have found it a god send, especially as my bump gets bigger, heavier and I find myself tired and achey.

It tells people that ‘No, I'm not just podgy, I'm carrying a child in my belly’, eliminating the risk of embarrassment if someone offers a seat to a woman, only for it to turn out that said woman is in fact, not pregnant. I've seen it happen before, it’s not pretty.

For the most part, people are very kind and have offered me a seat, for which I always make a point of showing how grateful I am with thanks and plenty of smiles. And by the end of a long working day, I really am extremely grateful for a seat.

But what I want to know is, do you/have you ever worn a BOB badge, and if so, what was your experience? Did people take notice or just ignore you?

What do you think about BOB badges? Are they a good idea?

On a similar point, there was a piece on the news just the other week about a heavily pregnant politician having to stand when in the House of Commons as there were no seats and seemingly, no one offered her theirs. The press were quick to jump on this, but what do you think? Do you think people should automatically jump up for a pregnant lady?

Some people were having debates saying it shouldn't be expected that people would just give up their seats for a pregnant lady, where as others argued that it is just common decency. What do you think?

My Maternity Style Q&A Over on the Kate Thomas Maternity Blog!

Hello Lovelies!

I wanted to take a min to let you know that yours truly has been interviewed by the Maternity brand Kate Thomas, and you can find my little Maternity Style Q&A over on their blog HERE!

Check out their maternity collection over at ASOS now too!

Sarah x

Anti Sickness Relief: Cyclizine

I’m not saying I’m a pill popper, but before I got pregnant If i had a headache I’d take a tablet. Ditto with a bit of a sore throat, niggly back, you get the picture.

Not only have I gone cold turkey with smoking, I’ve also done the same with any kind of medication, including pain killers.

It’s been fine, until now. In the midst’s of sever morning sickness I’ve realised that I’m not coping anymore and I may need a little help to get me back on my feet, so when my GP suggested I try an anti sickness drug called Cyclizine, I reluctantly agreed.

I took my prescription home and despite being assured by my GP that it was one of the safest (and mildest) anti sickness drugs to use in pregnancy, I wanted to do my own research.

According to Google, it seems that lots of women take Cyclizine and have no problems, though it doesn’t appear to work for everyone all the time.

I spoke to my hubby and we agreed that as I was 11 weeks now (and was told by the GP that taking this medication after 8 weeks is even safer) that I would give it a go. I had to, I was a mess.

I only had 2 tablets a day, 12 hours apart, and while I still felt nauseaus, I stopped being sick so often, which was a blessed relief.

I was told to take them whenever I felt I needed them, so that’s what I did and personally I’m really glad I chose to take them as I feel they helped me get back on my feet a little.

Obviously, the decision as to whether to take medication in pregnancy is entirely down to the individual, and If I wasn’t so unwell I’d have liked to have been able to steer clear, alas, I did what was right for me at the time.

Have any of you suffered terribly with morning sickness? How did you cope? What are your thoughts on taking medication during pregnancy? 

Week 11: In A Nutshell...

This post will be brief as otherwise it’ll be dull as hell.

In a nutshell, still super sick. Still taking my anti sickness medication. Still feeling miserable.

When. Will. This. End!?

Next week perhaps I though, at around the 12 week mark.

‘’Oh no that’s a fallacy, its often more like 16 weeks and sometimes, women can suffer throughout the duration of their pregnancy’’ says my GP to I. I go home and sob ‘’please don’t let that be me, please let me be cured by next week!’’ through my heaving.

In case you can' picture what a REALLY morning sick person looks like. Here's me. Cant believe I've just shared this photo with the internet. Oh dear. 

Bad times. Hopeful for a miracle to relieve me of this current situation! 

Week 10: Midwife Booking In Appointment

So, I managed going to back to work for all of 1 hour this week. On Tuesday, the day of my 1^st midwife booking in appointment, which I had been so looking forward to.

I dragged myself to work and after an extremely dodgy journey, I finally made it in just in time to throw up my breakfast and collapse at my desk in tears.

My work colleagues took pity on me and sent me home with the instructions to get a note signing me off this week. I felt wretched as I called my GP for an appointment 2 hours later. 

But that was just the beginning of the worst day in my pregnancy to date so far.

I have no idea how, but I managed to get myself on the tube and onto a train home, but by this point my underwired bra felt like it was digging into me, and my sickly tummy couldn't stand the pressure, so there I was, on the 10:20am train home, flapping about on a train, desperately trying to take my bra off, while panting through the sickness and sipping lukewarm water.

I’m pretty sure moans of desperation and ickyness may have left my mouth on that 25 minute journey, the longest journey of my life.

Once home my hubby who was working from home that day ahead of our midwife appointment, put me to bed to rest ahead of my GP appointment. 

Things didn't get any better there.

Sat in a stinking hot waiting room with no air or water to hand I was rocking through the sickness at the clinic and eventually succumbed to my need to throw up right as I was being called in for my appointment.

 This was not a hi-light of my day. Neither was tearfully accepting my GP’s prescription for an anti sickness drug called Cyclizine, which will feature more in my next post.

This is what you book of 'notes' looks like- Keep it close!

Despite my semi-consciousness, we did make it to the hospital for my midwife appointment, though I could tell you very little about what happened as I spent the majority of my time in the loo!

She took a sample of my urine, weighed me and took my blood pressure. She went through (thoroughly) what felt like THOUSANDS of pages of notes about mine and my husband’s medical history while I sat there nodding along, semi comatosed.

There are a LOT of forms that you have to fill in and they want so much detail too! I guess it’s good, better to be armed with plenty of info than not enough, and I was told that I’d need to carry these notes with me at all times, as in the event that anything happens to me or the baby, everything any nurse/doctor would need to know is written there. So keep your notes close by ladies!

I got given one of these too, which was mainly filled with adverts for baby Paraphernalia

 and small samples of various things such as coffee (random) but it is a great, waterproof place to slip my hospital notes into to stop them getting grimey when I carry them around with me for the next 30 weeks!

I made it home from the appointment in one piece, not before having to barge the hubby out of the way when he opened the door to race for the loo before it was game over again. 

Did I mention it was also one of the hottest bleeding days of the year so far this day?

This was not my favourite day by a LONG shot. 

I Never Knew This! : Free Prescriptions In UK When You Are Pregnant!

I never knew that when you are pregnant, you are entitled to receive free NHS prescriptions in the UK!

That said, there’s no reason why I would know, I've never been pregnant before!

It was on one of my trips to my GP when  I was suffering with my morning sickness that I was told that if I filled in a form at reception, that I would received a NHS Maternity Exemption Certificate  in the post which I could use for the duration of my pregnancy and up until the baby is 1 year old!

Touch!

You'll receive one of these in the post. I've removed my Certificate Number for privacy reasons!

Granted, that won’t be much use until after the baby is born as I hope to not need any prescription medication in my pregnancy, but for a year after is brilliant!

Yes, it’s the little things for me, but I never knew pregnant women were entitled to this, so in case you didn't either, now you do!

You can read more about the NHS Maternity Exemption Certificate Here.

4 Weeks Pregnant: Symptoms!

It's really early days but I've been experiencing several symptoms from about 5 days before I got my BFP.

* I've been pretty moody -Not uncommon for me, but I've found myself getting far more irritated and annoyed by little things that wouldn't ordinarily annoy me.

* From about 4 days before I got my positive test I've had what feels like mild heartburn or indigestion. Gaviscon's been helping with that though, thank god!

Life saver!

* From the day before I got my news my boobs have been feeling particularly tender, sore and tingly.

* I've been feeling super tired, no, exhausted!

* I've been going to the loo for a #1 loads, including throughout the night, but seem to have the opposite issue with the other end, if you see what I mean....

I thought it would be fun to post bump photos every other week or so, but as 'the bump' won't be showing for several weeks yet I've decided to only start posting when it does begin to finally pop!

4 & A Bit weeks: Re-testing!

So It's been nearly a week since I got my big fat positive and I've already re-tested about 6 times... Just to make sure...

I can't help it! I got my BFP 3 days before my period was due, so naturally I HAD to test again on the day it was meant to arrive, just to make sure.

I then also had to test several days later, just to make sure again.

Sure, I've got some pretty strong symptoms, such as super painful boobs that let me know pretty much all of the time that I have loads of new hormones flying round my system, but without having had a scan and without having a bump, how can you really know there's a little person in there!

I do need to stop though, at £12 for 2 digital tests its getting 'spensive!

I was chuffed to see on last night's test that it now shows PREGNANT 2-3 rather than 1-2, which reassured me that things were currently progressing OK and I promise that I will stop testing soon! (Maybe...)

Am I the only one or did/do any of you do the same?!

The Weirdest Pregnancy 'Symptoms' I Ever Googled

Any ladies currently enduring their TWW will know what I'm talking about.

The constant 'symptom' spotting that goes on among us is so rife there is even a bloomin' website dedicated to us crazy ladies, aptly called TwoWeekWait  where you can go and obsess over your 'symptoms' with other ladies in the same situation!

I for one was guilty of googling the most absurd 'symptoms' on the quest for my big fat positive, and have decided to put embarrassment aside and show you.

(These are actual questions that I googled, so Please don't judge me!)

 'Does twitching in my eye mean I'm pregnant' - No, It probably meant I was tired, stressed or in need of an eye test. 

 'My top lip is swollen, am I pregnant?'- Er, no- It was a reaction to a lip balm I was using.

'I have a runny nose, am I pregnant?'- Again, no- I just had a cold.

'I have cramps in my legs, am I pregnant'?- No, I just over did it at the gym.

While symptom spotting can drive you mad, It did help me pass the time during the two week wait, which felt like it went on forever!

For the record, the month I actually got pregnant was the month I had pretty much no 'symptoms' at all!

Trying To Conceive Is Hard

Before we got our news, we were TTC for 6 months and while that is a relatively short amount of time, for me it felt like a LIFETIME.

Anyone else who is currently trying for a baby will understand how each month is such a roller-coaster of emotions.

You start off  positive and optimistic

Your period  has just gone and your gearing up for another month of baby making and are sure that this month will be the month it happens.

You anxiously start peeing on ovulation sticks

 You start peeing on your sticks around 10-14 days after your period started and wait to see those two pink lines show up that give you the green light to get baby making! 

A positive result (2 parallel lines) on an ovulation stick means that you're due to ovulate in the next 24-36 hours (though it isn't a guarantee of ovulation). You still believe this is going to be your month. 

You then enter the abyss that is the dreaded Two Week Wait (TWW) WEEK 1

 The two week wait is the longest wait of your life, EVER, until you either get your period or get your big fat positive. I think the TWW should be split in two. The first week is not so bad. You wouldn't be experiencing any symptoms if you were pregnant, and you feel excited about the following week.

You enter the 2nd week of the TWW 

This weeks SUCKS. There is no denying it. By the 2nd week of the TWW you are analysing every niggle and twinge. You stare at your boobs for hours wondering if they've got bigger and are constantly checking to see if they feel sore or sensitive. You also find yourself googling every single thing you are experiencing to see if its a pregnancy symptom and are addicted to the website www.twoweekwait.com   

 At the end of the TWW you then find yourself on knicker watch- every time you go to the loo you wonder if your period has arrived and decide you cant wait to find out any longer, you're going to take a test.

You take a Test

You know you shouldn't, you're only 8-9 days past ovulation and know that even if you are pregnant, you're unlikely to get a positive result, but cant stop yourself anyway.

 Its  BFN (Big fat negative) and you feel horrible and wish you'd never done the test in the first place. But your boobs DO still feel sore, so maybe, just maybe....

You get your period

 And you probably get it on the same sodding day as you wasted £6 on a pregnancy test. Great. Those 'symptoms' you thought you had? Yeah, that was PMS. Mother Nature is a cruel witch and the symptoms of PMS are often similar to those of pregnancy. 

You cry, you feel upset that another month has gone by and you still haven't got the news you so wish.

Then, before you have a chance to mourn, the cycle starts all over again.

I described the whole process as being a Roller-coaster that you desperately want to get off but know that you can't.

If you stop being optimistic, you know it'll all fall apart, so all you can do is carry on, hoping each month that this month will be the one.

Yes it sucks, but when it is finally the month, all of the others fade into the distance and it all feels worth it.

1st Doctors Appointment

So after our exciting news on Sunday, I found myself testing again on Monday, and again on Tuesday (Just to make sure you see- I wonder how long that'll continue!)

I popped into Boots on my way to work on Tuesday 28th and saw a leaflet saying that as soon as you find out you're pregnant, to get a doctors appointment, so that's what I did, and even managed to get one for the same day!

Me and hubby had decided that we would wait until the 12 week mark to tell anyone, so I was super excited to be able to actually say the words 'I'm Pregnant' to someone else! 

It's as if saying them out loud somehow makes it feel more real!

The doc was really nice and congratulated us before running through some general questions such as If I smoke (not anymore!) or drink, or am on any other medication.

He then weighed me (cringe), took my blood pressure and asked me If I'd worked out my due date.

OBVIOUSLY that was the first thing I did and It's February 7th 2014 by the way.

He then asked me what hospital I'd like to give birth in, we told him, and he said that the hospital would be in touch in the next few weeks to arrange our first appointment and scan.

For the next 10 weeks or so we were told that there wasn't a lot to do, just continue to take my folic acid (400mg per day until week 12 is recommended) and just sit tight.

Easy for him to say!

Before we left he handed us the Spring/Summer Issue of Emma's Diary, a little week by week magazine about pregnancy which also has an AMAZING website, which you can find here.

I thought that was quite a nice touch personally!

So, for now all we can do is wait, and hope that I don't suddenly develop hideous morning sickness in the meantime! 

We're Having A Baby!

After 6  months of trying, On Sunday 26th May 2013 we finally got the news we had waited what felt like an lifetime for!

I had actually tested the previous, got a BFN (Big Fat Negative), had a huge breakdown, declared we were going to go private and chain smoked for the entire day.

I woke up on Sunday and something made me think that perhaps I should test. I'd run out of my cheap pregnancy tests (from peeing on all of them for the past 6 months to no avail) and only had my ovulation sticks and two Clear Blue Digital Tests to hand.

Clearly I didn't want to use my expensive, digital tests as I wasn't ready to see another horrible  NOT PREGNANT flash up at me, so I decided to use my ovulation sticks.

I'd heard from some forum that if you are pregnant, you will get a positive reading on an ovulation predictor stick as it registers a surge in hormones (granted not the same as when you ovulate, but hormones none the less) so decided that in the absence of any other cheapie test I'd try that.

I waited to look at the result, completely expecting to see just the one line, only I saw two.

I held my breath and raced down the stairs to find my hubby who was busy in the garden. I explained about the ovulation test and that it could mean I am pregnant, but that I wanted to google more about it first before I wasted a digital test.

Very calmly he said 'Ok then'- I guess he's been used to me being neurotic month after month and just thought it was best to leave me to it!

I googled several articles and read about other women who had gone on to get their BFP (Big fat positive) after a positive ovulation stick and thought 'Right, well I'm going to have to go and try one now arent I!'

I raced up the stairs, grabbed my Clear blue digital twin pack and raced to the bathroom.

I did what I needed to do then sat looking at the screen of the test. I knew from when I've tested before that a little hourglass should be spinning to show the test is working, but I was confronted with nothing. Just a blank, grey space.

'Oh bugger, the bloody test is a dud!' I realised!

With my heart pounding I knew I'd have to try my last test, but now I didn't need a wee!

GAH why couldn't this just be quick and simple! Talk about prolonging my pain!

Some time later I was able to do what I needed to do again and sat on my bed while awaiting what I thought to be the inevitable outcome, NOT PREGNANT.

Several minutes later my hubby called from downstairs making me jump. I grabbed the test of the bedside table and charged out of the door to find him, glancing down at the test as I went.

I almost fell down the stairs at this point, as right there, clear as day read 'Pregnant 1-2'.

So, after 6 months we finally got the BFP we'd been waiting for and spent the rest of the bank holiday weekend in a blissfully happy daze with the impact of how this is such a life changing moment, not quite sinking in, yet desperately excited and nervous to begin the next chapter of our lives and this amazing journey!