The Hardest Job In the World

Franky is 9 weeks old and my god how time has flown by, I have no idea where the last 2 months have gone. I’m so in love with my little man, but having a baby is without a doubt the hardest thing I’ve ever done, and I’m not just talking about Labour!

It is exhausting, relentless, frustrating and challenging but rewarding and amazing all at the same time.

The first few weeks of Franky’s life were one huge blur of hormones and exhaustion. I cried several times every single day. Sometimes I knew why, sometimes I didn’t, but either way the tears came.

I think I was totally unprepared for just how difficult being a first time mum to a newborn was going to be.

‘’Having a baby will be the hardest job you ever do’’ they all said. Yeah, but it can’t be THAT hard otherwise people would never do it, or at least never do it more than once would they, I mused.

I could laugh at my naive thinking now.

In the early days, we would be up every hour throughout the night, changing, feeding and soothing him. No sooner had we gone through all this and he’d fallen asleep, he’d wake up hungry and we’d have to start all over again.

It wasn’t any better during the day either as he wanted to be attached to my boob ALL THE TIME.

I was in pain from labour, sore from feeding this little person relentlessly 24 hours a day and shattered from having no sleep.

‘’Sleep while baby sleeps’’ everyone told me. Easier said than done when you need to eat, drink, clean or go out during the short periods of time when they’re asleep and peaceful. I don’t know about you, but I find it impossible to sleep on demand!

Then he got colic and would scream from 5pm-10pm relentless every night. Feeding, winding him and giving him cuddles did nothing to help and I often felt like I was losing my mind. 

The only thing that every soothed him was a car ride, so every night at 11pm I'd get into the car in my PJ's and we'd drive around aimlessly until he fell asleep.

I'd then carry him upstairs in his pram suit and place him gingerly into his moses basket, still in his pram suit and just pray he wouldn't wake up. 

BUT, it has got easier.

To begin with, I didn’t feel like I knew this person, despite him being in my belly for 9 months. I didn’t know who he was, what he liked and what he didn’t.

Now, I feel like I know him.

I know that he loves cuddles, looking out of the window of the car from his car seat when we go out, bouncing in his rocker,  being sung to, having a bath and totally adores having long massages after!

I can now tell the difference between his cries, something at the start I never thought I’d be able to do, but he really does have a hungry cry, an ‘I’m just grumpy  cry’ and a ‘I’m tired’ cry, which really helps me to figure out what I need to do to make him happy again. 

I also know when he’s happy, as he kind of pants and coo’s at me, which melts my heart every time.

A couple of weeks ago I was giving him a cuddle and I caught a glimpse of a smile. 

Not a windy smile, but a proper smile. He smiled not just with his mouth but with his eyes. I knew I hadn’t imagined it and within a few days, he was smiling regularly. 

This tiny little gesture fills my heart with a joy I never knew could exist and made, and continues to make all the hard parts so worth it.

He can now go 3-4 hours between feeds during the day and is fairly content to entertain himself in his moses basket or rocker, just staring at the world in wonder, giving me time to shower, eat, tidy and do bits and pieces, such as write this post! Rewind several weeks and I never thought I’d get this time to myself!

In fact, last night, Franky had his last feed at 10pm and didn’t wake up until 6:15am! My first night of unbroken sleep in 9 weeks AND when I got him out of his moses basket, I got a huge smile too.

Being a mum is the best thing in the world and the hardest, but I feel so lucky to be Franky’s mum and am excited to grow and learn with him and watch him become his own little person.

Ewan The Dream Sheep: Review

When Franky was about a week old, during the peak of the sleepless nights and restlessness, I found myself googling like a mad woman in the middle of the night, ideas and products that could help settle him so I could get a few precious zzzz's!

After scouring the Internet and twitter, I came across Ewan the dream sheep.

Rave reviews claimed that this little purple faced sheep could really help settle my baby. I was sold (and desperate!)

Ewan arrived and took his place in our lives 24 hours later and I've never looked back. 

"But how does it work and what does he do?" I hear you ask. Well...

Ewan isn't just a cute cuddly toy. Oh no. He emits soothing sounds at a low base frequency and a calming pink warm glow, which when combined, help settle babies and toddlers into a peaceful sleep.

He has a button in each of his legs that when pressed, turns on the pink light in his chest and emits one of 4 different sounds.

One leg plays a heartbeat and womb noise, another the sound of a vacuum cleaner, another one sounds like rain and the fourth is a harp, each combined with the gentle womb sequence.

You can chose to have the sounds on either loud or quiet ( I always have him on loud as it seems to have better results), and the pink light is emitted with each track.

I placed Ewan in Frankys Moses basket at bed time and selected the womb and heartbeat track. I watched as his eyes stared at the gentle pink glow coming from Ewan's chest and he lay gentle listening to the music.

Within just a few minutes I watched his eyes become heavy until he fell soundly asleep!

I was gob smacked- every night before I had had to rock him to sleep in my arms and hold him until he was in a deep sleep before putting him in his Moses basket. This time, he went off by himself and quickly!

I use Ewan every single night without fail now to help settle him into a peaceful sleep and his current favourite track is the harp- which sends me to sleep nicely too!

The only slight negative is that each track only plays for 20 minutes at a time before going off.

Sometimes Franky isn't quite asleep by this point and its a race to scramble out of bed and grab Ewan's leg quickly to start him up again before Franky notices!

That said, it's a tiny inconvenience compared to the benefits Ewan offers and I wouldn't be without him!

I would recommend Ewan to any new mum, or mum-to-be and would definitely classify him as a product you "need" when buying for baby! 

Ewan the dream sleep costs £29.99 and is available from the Sweet Dreamers website. 

28 Weeks 4 Days: Baby B Has Hiccups!

At 28 weeks and 4 days, I had a peculiar feeling in my tummy for about 7 or 8 minutes.

I had felt it before but couldn't for the life of me figure out what it was. Basically, it felt like I had a throbbing pulse in my tummy, quite low down, way past my belly button, actually, more in my bum to be precise!

 It was a reoccurring feeling of pulsations, in an ongoing pattern which lasted for between 3-6 minutes.

 It felt really odd, I assumed at first it was the baby kicking, but it was too gentle for a kick and also it was in exactly the same spot time after time.

I had ignored it on the previous occasions I felt it but this time I was a little weirded out so decided to google it.

I didn't really know WHAT to google, so I actually typed the words ' Pregnant and have a weird pulsing in my bum'' (Yes, really...)  and guess what?

It turns out it is the baby hiccupping! How I hadn't thought that this could be the explanation  I have no idea, but there it was, and the more I thought about it, the more it made sense!

Baby B had bloomin’ hiccups!

It was Soooooooo sweet and made me feel extremely close to my little one, imagining them hiccupping away!

28 Weeks Pregnant & Baby Is Transverse

So Today I am 28 weeks and 3 days preggo and I had another midwife appointment.

I’ve been feeling extremely uncomfortable for about week now and was looking forward to speaking to the midwife to see if this was normal at this stage.

During my examination where she feels the baby, measures my bump and listens to the heartbeat, I made the mistake of asking what position my little on is in. Turns out part of the reason for my discomfort is that Baby B is currently Transverse. 

Cheers Baby!

Basically, it is laying across my tummy horizontally rather than head down, vertically. I have a head in one hip and a bum in another! GAH!

I was pleased as at least I knew my why the sides of my bump felt so uncomfortable, but felt mildly panicked as if the baby stays in this position, I won’t be able to give birth naturally, which terrifies me.

I was re-assured baby still has plenty of time to turn, so I’ll try and stay optimistic and hope that baby gets a wriggle on and moves out of my hips!

Sleep? What’s that?

So, pregnancy, I have a bone to pick with you.

I was under the impression that sleepless nights only came ONCE the baby had arrived. I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure that I didn’t sign up for sleepless nights just yet. So why do you plague me with them so?!

Sleep Issue 1: OK so firstly, I have to pee like, every 90 minutes. It’s pretty much clock work now. I know that If I go to bed at 10:30, I’ll be up at 12pm, 1:30, 3pm, 4:30 and then 6pm, just before my alarm goes. It’s not fun, but that on its own would be somewhat manageable, it’s all the other stuff too which makes sleeping so much harder!

Sleep Issue 2: The thirst. I realise that this could possibly be a contributing factor to Sleep Issue 1, but after various tests I have concluded that it matters not if I drink a thimble of water prior to going to bed or a litre of the stuff, the 90 minute rule will still apply. That said, why is it that I can make it through the day on a relatively normal quota of liquid, but by the time I lay my head to rest in bed, I’m suddenly possessed by a thirst demon that demands I drink my weight in water before I’m allowed to close my eyes? I find this just plain weird.

Sleep Issue 3.  I am hot. ALL the time. I’ve been sleeping in a sheet since about week 12 and it’s now November and I’m still in a sheet, terrified of the sweats that will inevitably overcome me should I dare to snuggle into a duvet. Even with just a sheet I’ve been knows to wake with a clammy neck, its grim. Aaah Duvet, you are banned from my side of the bed for the foreseeable, and I’m missing you so much!

Sleep Issue 4. Then there’s the sleeping on your side thing. For a (former) tummy sleeper like me, this is so un-natural and uncomfortable! If it wasn’t for the waking every 90 minutes to pee, I’d be awake having to turn onto my other said to remedy my dead leg, torso and arm, which is completely floppy from where I’ve been leaning on it. Joy.

Sleep Issue 4: Dreams. Oh the pregnancy dreams, they are pretty damn vivid and I’ve actually managed to wake myself up on more than 1 occasion because I’ve been talking so loudly, out loud to myself. (My poor hubby!)

So Pregnancy, a little heads up would have been great is all I’m trying to say, given that I had plans of storing up as much sleep as possible ahead of Baby B’s arrival!

And if one more persons utters the words ‘It’s your body’s way of getting you ready for the sleepless nights when your baby comes’, I won’t be held accountable for my sleep deprived actions!

Does any of this ring a bell with anyone else, or is it just me?! 

Bump Pic! 27 Weeks 6 Days!

This week has proved itself to be really boring and un-eventful.

I'm feeling quite big now, heavy and tired so work is beginning to become a drag, ESPECIALLY the commute!

Maternity leave still feels like its a long way off (I'll be 34 weeks when I go) and I sometimes find myself wondering how on earth I'm going to keep going until then!

Indeed, I felt so uncomfortable on Sunday evening, that despite being sat around in my PJ's and it being about 9pm in the evening, I drove around to my parents house.

I really wanted a cuddle and was feeling emotional. They only live around the corner so it's not like I had far to go, I just wanted a hug!

Heartburn is really starting to blight my life at the moment, nothing that I do seems to help and I'm spending a fortune on Gaviscon, which is revolting!

I'm thinking about speaking to my GP to ask if there is anything stronger than Gaviscvon that I can take to help ease the pain, maybe then I'd feel a bit more comfortable.

Bump Pic! 23 Weeks 3 Days!

I'm on holiday in Cyprus AND Mr B felt baby B move for the first time this week!

Just as our plane landed in Paphos I felt him/her kicking so grabbed his hand quickly and placed it firmly on my tum. He hadn't been able to feel anything before but he definitely did this time!

 It absolutely made my day that could finally feel him/her too!

The baby's movements continued all week too- I don't know if it was because It was the first time in weeks I'd spent a decent amount of time laying down and relaxing, but every time I lay down he/she would wriggle and kick me!

By mid week I actually managed to catch on video, about 20 seconds worth of movement- just tiny little ripples of my tummy, but it was amazing and made me smile!

It was lovely just to take time out the two of us (well, three of us if count spud!) and I really tried to make the most of it, given that it will be our last holiday together as a couple for some time! 

The 20 Week Scan & 20 Week Bump Pic!

It finally arrived, the day for my 20 week scan and I was so excited I barely slept a wink the night before!

I was excited mainly, but also If I'm honest, I was pretty damn nervous too. By this point, the sonographer would be able to see if there were any real physical problems or abnormalities with our baby as they would be looking at EVERYTHING in such depth.

I Tried to put my nerves to one side and just be excited about seeing our baby again and see how much he/she has grown!

We've decided to not find out the gender, despite how much I'm desperate to know (I’m extremely impatient) so we were hoping we wouldn't see anything on the scan or that the sonographer wouldn't accident slip up and reveal the sex!

Baby B, doing his/her best to not get a decent shot!

We needn't have worried, and the scan was incredible.

Our baby looked like a proper baby and I was so shocked to see how much they had grown in just 8 weeks!

The scan was really thorough, they checked the function and positioning of the heart, including looking at the arteries in and out of the heart, they checked the stomach, kidneys, bladder and liver too. They measured the skull, the length of the baby and we even got to see it’s little feet, with it’s perfect toes! It was incredible, and everything looked just fine!

We came away on cloud nine and couldn't stop looking at the photo of our little baby, a photo which took almost as long as the appointment to get! Each time the sonographer tried to get a decent profile shot, the little blighter turned it’s head away! 

Guess it’s not a poseur like its mum then! 

In other news, bump is still growing nicely and is looking gradually more and more rounded!

Bump Pic! 19 Weeks!

I feel like Bump has really popped this week and become more rounded! I feel a bit more confident in the way I look now, as I think you can see I am ion fact pregnant, and not just podgy!

I haven’t felt Baby B moving very much since my first flutters last week, apart from one evening when I was laying down and felt what I thought was another flutter.

Thing is, I know that my placenta is anterior and because of that, it will be cushioning some of baby’s movement and kicks, so I may not feel proper movement for a few more weeks yet. Boo!

Skin is still pretty bad, though at the moment (touch wood) I haven’t had any more HUGE ones developing, I’m just working on trying to get rid of the ones that are still plaguing me!

It’s my 20 week scan next week and I am EXTREMELY excited, if a little apprehensive too- I hope all is Ok and well! 

Natures Purest Bears for Bibs: Design a Bib for Charity Bear

Baby products company Natures Purest is calling on mums, dads, siblings and grandparents to get creative and design a bib for a special edition bear which will be sold in support of Bliss, the special care baby charity.

Budding artists can submit their design to be in with a chance of seeing it produced on a special edition charity Hug Me ‘Bear for Bliss’. The winner will also claim a £250 Natures Purest voucher!

A limited number of 300 bears will be produced with the chosen design and all profits from the special edition bears will go to Bliss, giving vital support and care to premature and sick babies in the UK.

The winning designer, as chosen by the Natures Purest’s Facebook fans, will also receive a £250 voucher to spend on their range of toys, bedding and clothing for babies made from 100% organically-grown cotton.

The special edition bears will go on sale next year to coincide with their launch of a new range of clothing for tiny babies.

Email Charlotte@naturespurest.co.uk for this application form!

 Visit www.naturespurest.co.uk for more details. 

For an entry form Email Charlotte@naturespurest.co.uk  with the subject ‘Bears for Bliss’ or call 0116 279 2901

So what are you waiting for people! Go get designing!

Entries close December 2^nd.  A shortlist will then be added to Natures Purest facebook page for a public vote in December.

Mummy & Little Me Champneys Springs Retreats

As my pregnancy has progressed, I've found myself becoming gradually more and more tired, heavy, achy, narkey and generally in need of a good pampering!

I'm acutely aware that soon I’ll no longer be able to see my feet, let alone give myself a manicure, assess the size of my tree trunk legs, let alone shave them, and yes while pregnancy is undoubtedly one of the most incredible gifts from nature that you can experience, it can also be bloody hard work.

I cannot count the day’s I've got home from work, wishing I could be whisked away for a weekend of pampering bliss....

Well, If this sounds like you too, you’re going to love what I have to say!

Fancy a weekend away at a beautiful spa? A spa where the focus is on you and your baby? A spa retreat which is midwife led and allows you to be revitalised and relaxed while being surrounded by professionals?

Yep, me too, and this place does exist thanks to Mummy & Little Me Retreats, an essential pregnancy care and pampering break for you and your baby.

In conjunction with Champneys Springs in Leicestershire Mummy & Little Me bring you the best in essential pregnancy care and well-being all in one weekend. 

Included in your weekend is:

A one or two night stay in a superior twin room with a nutritious breakfast, lunch & dinner.

The full use of Champneys Springs Facilities

A one to one appointment with Alison Brown, their expert Midwife

A Full body pregnancy massage

Pregnancy care and childbirth classes

Feeding & Baby care classes

Hypo-birthing class

A Maternity photo shoot with a free photo included

A goodie bag with £75 worth of luxury gifts

It is essentially, the perfect spa weekend away for any expectant mum, where you can combine relaxation in gorgeous surroundings  with the opportunity to gain invaluable information about your pregnancy, birth and baby care from on site experts.

Pregnancy can be hard ladies, and this fabulous weekend is guaranteed to leave you feeling relaxed, rejuvenated and empowered to continue your pregnancy armed with a whole host of knowledge (and a fabulous goody bag too may I say!)

 Mummy & Little Me Retreats are now taking bookings for Saturday 25^th to Sunday 26^th January 2014. Places are limited, so confirm now with a deposit of just £150. All prices are based on a superior twin room. The price per expectant mummy is £425.00. The price per friend sharing a room (not expecting) is £99 and this includes all their meals, dinner, breakfast and lunch and accommodation. Single Supplement £30.

For more information head over to the Mummy & Little website now. 

Bump Pic! 18 Weeks 1 Day!

Bump is continuing to grow at a good rate, I felt him/her move for the first time at 18 weeks exactly (Read about this HERE) and I'm feeling good, apart from a god awful break out of spots.

I'm talking, really bad, cystic acne.

I'm still sort of at the stage where I feel podgy and fat rather than pregnant, and that coupled with my AWFUL skin is making me feel extremely self conscious.

I know it's hormonal as I only ever get them on my chin, and it doesn't matter how good I eat or how thoroughly I cleanse, they keep appearing.

The cystic ones last for bloody AGES too!

I'm going to do a separate post on my battle with this hormonal chin acne when I can pluck up the courage to post a photo of it in all its awful 'glory'! 

Gah! Hormones have a LOT to answer for!

16 Week Midwife Appointment

I have been so looking forward to this appointment as I'll be able to hear my baby's heart beat for the first time, hopefully!

After being asked to oblige with a urine sample and blood pressure test just to check all is ok, I hop onto the bed and wait to hear those precious beats!

The cold gel is smeared on my tummy and the midwife begins to look for the heartbeat.

My placenta is anterior (at the front of the uterine wall) so I didn't expect her to pick it up so fast, but there it was! Clear as a whistle! It was the BEST sound EVER!

All too soon it was over and the Midwife started to fill me in on what was going to happen from here.

She told me that at 25 weeks I should get in touch with my GP who would put me in touch with my local community midwives, who I would see for my future antenatal care up to and after the birth of my baby.

At 28 weeks I needed to come back for routine blood tests, and that on my way out I should book my 41 week appointment.

At that point I asked her to repeat what she had said as I thought I'd misheard her. 

'Yes dear, your 41 week appointment, book it on the way out. This is in case your baby is not here by then and we will induce you'.

Hold up, I thought. I'm only 16 weeks, so you're saying I won't see you now until either I'm giving birth, or being Induced?

Correct.

WOW, Ok now I'm scared! I'm not even 1/2 way through my pregnancy and I've been told I wont be seeing another midwife at the hospital I'm due to have my baby in until I give birth!

Thankfully my mum clarified that I WOULD still be seeing a midwife, just in my case it would be a local, community one rather than having to visit the hospital every time!

Phew!

Cravings!

So, I started off my pregnancy craving Wrigleys Juicy Fruit Gum (from about weeks 8-13), which I didn't feel too bad about as I didn't actually swallow or eat any of it.

This new craving is, however, FAR less waist friendly!

I've developed an insatiable taste for Pizza Express American Pizzas and this started around week 16!

I had 3 last week alone, and nothing else hits the spot quite like that Pizza!

Oh, and the shop bought Pizzas wont do- they have to be the ones made in the restaurants! This baby is proper fussy! Hehe!

Have any of you had any cravings? 

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. 

My First Baby Purchase from Not On The Highstreet

It is so tempting as soon as you get that confirmation that you’re pregnant, to want to go out and buy gorgeous baby stuff. At least it was for me!

I waited patiently until my 12 week scan before I finally gave in and bought my first ever baby item, and I love it!

Say hello to this gorgeous little item from Not On The Highstreet!

For those of you that have never heard of Not On The Highstreet, where have you been! This is by a long way, one of my all time favourite online stores!

It stocks a HUGE range of different items and brands and they stock the most amazing, unusual and unique gifts!

This yummy little body suit is from Simply Colors and is 100% customisable! You can chose the size, the style, if it has long or short sleeves, the colour and the print colour too! You can then have whatever text you want written on it across 3 lines!

As we won’t be finding out the gender of our baby, I went for a very neutral white suit with yellow writing and thought that ‘50% mummy, 50% daddy, 100% cute’ text was just too cute so had to have it!

I thought it was a real bargain too, to have a totally bespoke bodysuit for just £15.50!

Anyway, allow me to suggest you go and take a look at all Not On The Highstreet has to offer. It has TONNES of amazing baby brands on there too, so you (and your baby!) will be spoilt for choice! 

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?