38 Week Update

These updates are getting few and far between now - I'm not sure how many I'll actually have left. The days are absolutely dragging in, but the weeks are flying. I cannot quite believe that there is only 2 weeks left until my due date. Honestly, I don't know where the last few months have gone. I'm so excited to meet little bub, and for my pregnancy to be over, as we all know I've not exactly enjoyed it, but as I get towards the end I am getting more and more anxious about motherhood. I'm guessing that's completely normal though - it's a big change. I've also brought the start of my maternity leave forward - I was due to work right up until 39+4, but I was absolutely floored this week. I can't explain how exhausted I was, and it just didn't seem like the smartest of ideas to push myself that far that close to my due date. My work is relatively easy, but the 5am starts and lack of sleep was less than ideal, so it was time to make a decision for my health rather than my bank balance.

I've well and truly ballooned at this point - I'd been eager to try and gain as much weight as I could in the past two weeks, just on the off chance Baby J's slow growth was down to my food choices, so I've been shovelling in the food, and I think it's very obvious by this picture - I am no longer all bump by any means! Earlier today I had another growth scan: I had mentioned in my 36 week update that during my scan the midwife had expressed a few concerns about Baby J's growth.

Wednesday Wish-list: Baby Fashion

Let me start off by saying that this is not a newborn fashion post by any stretch of the imagination: whilst all of the clothes listed here do come in newborn size, it’s safe to say I won’t be subjecting a newborn baby to a stiff collared shirt and a bomber jacket any time soon. 

 One of the funnest parts of being pregnant so far (let’s be clear, there hasn’t exactly been an abundance of them) has been planning out little outfits for the new baby. Anyone who says otherwise, is probably lying. I started off this post gathering white and baby blue sleep suit after white and baby blue sleepsuit, and quickly realised I’d much rather have a look at clothing for when he’s a little bit older, and when I can dress him like an ‘old farmer’ as the other half would call it. Here’s my picks for little Baby J’s first winter:

1

Milk Sleepsuit, £26.95
This is just cute - no justification needed here. If you haven't already, definitely check out Buddy and Me. Some of the items on there are crackers, plus these sleep suits are 100% organic cotton and extremely eco friendly!

What's In My Hospital Bag?

I've now watched countless videos and read blog post after post detailing the content's of everyone's hospital bags - as I get closer to my due date I want to feel as prepared as possible, and a big part of that is having everything I need ready for when I go into labour.  I've left packing my bags extremely late - I'll be 38 weeks as of Friday, but it was such an easy task to put off, labour didn't feel real, in fact it still doesn't, so the drive to pack my hospital bag just wasn't there. I very nearly gave the midwife a heart attack when I told her this last week though, and she suggested it was maybe time I got ready to have this child which will inevitably make an appearance this month.

Breastfeeding?: I'd Rather Go on a Night Out

The Bottle Vs Breast debate is not one I had any had any desire to partake publicly in - mainly because I feel so strongly about it - as I didn't want a post to degenerate into a rant. Quick clarification - I feel strongly about the debate and how publicly it is disputed, NOT about my stance in the debate. I recently came across an article though, and felt I couldn't hold my tongue any longer.

I was intrigued - with so much hype around the Bottle VS Breast debate - and what with everyone and their nan appearing to disapprove of sole bottle feeding - I'd have assumed the British rates would have been higher. By title alone, this article confused me. Societal influence has been evident during my short pregnancy, but not in the way this title suggests.

6 Things Not To Say To A Pregnant Girl

When someone finds out they are pregnant, everyone wants to offer their opinion - it is a well known inconvenience of pregnancy. I say inconvenience because although people simply want to help, some will take any opportunity to pass down every golden nugget of information. They do mean well, but often these golden nuggets are the last things you want to hear whilst pregnant. Pregnancy is such an individual experience and will be unique to every person, and because of this there's so many different ways to agitate a hormonal pregnant lady. We are irrational, it happens. I think there's a few key areas that should be completely off-limits for open discussion: long story short, if you happen to see me within the next 2 weeks, I beg of you, do not make any of these comments. Just don't.

1. 'Your 8 months pregnant? But I'm fatter than you are!' 
This is in the exact same boat as 'Woaaah your bump is massive'. You may think this is a compliment and that you are making me feel better, but you are not. My weight gain may not be all that significant to you, but currently I'm feeling like I fall somewhere between a post-gobstopper Violet from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and a baby whale - so it's definitely significant to me.

Wednesday Wish-list: Changing Bags

If someone had told me this time a few months ago I'd be trawling the internet for fashionable changing bags - I'd have told them exactly where to go! I've been toying with the idea of the Yves Saint Laurent Monogramme bag for the best part of two years, and this year was the year I'd finally succumbed to allowing myself to buy one. Too bad I fell pregnant and my priorities changed... My priorities have changed, but my taste hasn't. I really don't like changing bags that look like changing bags - there's my brutal truth. So I set out to find one that I could be happy to have with me as much for a nice lunch or shopping with the girls and baby J but would be durable for the sheer grossness it'll probably be faced with...

Here's my finds:
1.  Storksak Emma Bag £230.00 
I feel like this bag speaks for itself: pebble leather, go-to black shade, the look of a designer back, with all of the practicalities of a high end changing bag. It’s machine washable, and comes with a padded changing mat and hundreds of convenient storage. This is the big thing - it looks like a normal bag, which is what i want, but has all of the good points of a changing bag. I love a designer bag, but there’s no point in stuffing smelly nappies into a pristine Yves Saint Laurent. The Storsak bags have a designer look, but durability that is necessary with a baby.

Myrtle and Maude Mumma-To-Be Tummy Settling Pack

Morning sickness is a bitch.
There is absolutely no way around that unfortunately. Around three quarters of all expectant mothers experience morning sickness in the first trimester - wether that be just the discerning feeling of nausea, or wether your unlucky enough to be spewing up your guts on the Number 9 bus three days a week... Either way, it's not fun, albeit most girls just accept it as an unfortunate symptom of pregnancy.

Recently though, I came across the Myrtle and Maude Mumma-To-Be Tummy Settling Pack, and I'm beyond impressed. Myrtle and Maude is a newish company that I have no doubts will be a go-to for Expectant Mothers before long. They've created a tummy settling pack, made from all natural ingredients, which is supposed to reduce the effects of sickness and ease one of the less fun parts of pregnancy. I'll say from the start that this post is no way sponsored - I'm just really impressed by the brand as a whole.

The pack comes with three products - all in delightful packaging, clean and minimalistic.

36 Week Update

Well folks, I've almost made it! I'm 36 weeks pregnant, one week away from full term, and it's crazy to think in just 7 days time, little bubba will be fully cooked. My last update was at 32 weeks, and prior to now, I didn't really have much to update on, hence leaving so long between. I've made no secret of my easy pregnancy - I can hand on heart say I was all but unaffected until 35 weeks or so, but it would appear that from then I'm getting all of my symptoms in one go. At this point, it is now just a waiting game, and whilst I'm praying baby J makes a somewhat early appearance, instinct tells me he'll still be in there for a while yet. For now though, here is my run down of the past month of pregnancy...

Quick mention - who decides to take update pictures in an XS sports bra and Size 8 joggles?? Squeezing into these every few weeks is becoming a struggle...

Wednesday Wish-List: Sleep Essentials

It goes without saying that a newborn comes with a list longer than my arm of 'kit' it requires - pram, nursery furniture, clothing, bathing, changing... The list is never-ending. Like a lot of other soon to be mums, I've spent a lot of time compiling wish-lists and scouring websites to tick off some of these items, and after talking about it with a few other soon-to-be-blogger-mums, decided to compile these into various wish list posts. Wish-list Wednesday's will go live every Wednesday - believe it or not, with a specific theme, and my picks for it. I'd say everything else is fairly self explanatory, and everyone's links will be left below for you all to check-out!

This week, our theme was Sleep Essentials. Newborns sleep a lot.. 16 to 17 hours according to the ever reliable google, just not all at once unfortunately, so new mums don't get anywhere close to that. It's a common anecdote that mum's don't get to sleep, and I for one am not looking forward to this at all, so I've looked into trying to find any products that could possibly help prolong the time that I also get to sleep for. Here's my picks for this week:

1. SleepyHead Deluxe Baby Pod £110.00
I'll be the first to say I am a band-wagon junkie... Anything with any hype tends to go straight in my basket, forgive the pun. I've heard so many good things though about the SleepyHead that I just can't help but want to join the club! So many people swear by it - it's marketed as a 'multi-functional, portable baby bed you can take anywhere', but more-so than that, it can be used within a bed. So it fits comfortably into a cot/moses, and is more comforting for a baby. I'd love to know if these truly are worth the hype, as they are a steep price for the sake of addition on to a moses/crib/cot etc, but if they work then the £110.00 would be truly worth it!

2. White Wicker Classic Waffle Moses Basket £55.00 
I’m an old softie at heart - whilst I’m set on a co-sleeper for my, I absolutely adore the look of a typical moses basket. The white wicker of the IzziWotNot model is traditional and timeless and although I know I’m having a boy, truly would suit a boy/girl. Although I’m set on the co-sleeper for my ‘night-time’ pick, I will be looking for a crib or basket for downstairs, and this one is definitely top of my list. This is just beautiful to look at, more than anything else. It looks unique and intricate, but still traditional, and I can just imagine how cute it would be filled with the white bedding, a little blue teddy and Baby J. It goes without saying that because it’s a moses basket I’d have to also buy a stand, but they can be picked up relatively cheap, so it’s not too much of an issue.

3. Winter Warmer GroBag 34.99
My mum swore by Gro-Bags with my brother - not necessarily the Gro-Bag brand, but 'baby sleeping bags' as I always called them, so I always had the intention of using them with my child. After researching a bit, I'm definitely eager to try the official Gro-Bag brand, as the quality just seems so much higher than others. In this post I've popped in the Winter Warmer Grobag, as we live in Scotland, and I'll have a winter-baby, so temperature regulation will be key. A grobag is safer, as the baby can't get tangled in blankets, it can't kick them off and get cold and can help with comfort and security. Also, just look at the penguins!!

4. SnuzPod £199.95 
If you frequent Twitter, you’ll probably have come across a SnuzPod before, it seems to have taken over social media quite a bit, and quite rightly so. It is essentially marketed as a safe-alternative to co-sleeping, which is one of the main reasons it appeals to me. The ability to be closer to my baby, have feeding more convenient, and the fact that the SnuzPod stand is rockable really does tick a lot of boxes. If I had one negative, it would be the price - in comparison to a typical Moses Basket. As for a safe co-sleeper, it’s great value, but as an alternative to a Moses Basket, it is slightly steeper (I do still think it is worth it though…).

5. Personalised Teddy Bear £15.00
If you've not checked out the 1st Years website as a pregnant woman, then your doing it wrong. I'm sorry, but you are. If not to buy anything then at least to coo over the adorable babies! I stumbled across this over twitter, and fell in love originally with the Personalised Dressing Gown, only to find this and fall in love all over again. Baby J needs one of these for the cot, it's a necessity... Also, I can't help but think this would make such a lovely baby shower gift, even if the first name isn't known, I'd have loved one with 'Baby Brown' written on it, such a lovely momento.


6. Vienna Swinging Crib £84.99
This crib has an aesthetic that falls somewhere between the Moses Basket and the Co-Sleeper options. It’s not your typical modernised co-sleeper, but it is modern enough that it has a completely different look to a Moses Basket. I do like a crib, for me though I’d much rather the classic Moses Basket look, or the benefits of a co-sleeper crib, and this one doesn’t offer either. What does appeal though is the fact that it swings, that may well be a lifesaver for a baby that won’t settle.

And that's my picks! It goes without saying that every baby is different, and some of these may work, some of them may not, it'll be a case of trial and error. If none of these intrigue you, by all means, check out the links below - there's plenty other options from the other girls that may be more akin to what your looking for! I hope at least one of our posts will help you!

 

Until next time,

Third-Trimester Woes

I've been relatively symptom free for most of my pregnancy - I cannot complain. I've not been plagued by morning sickness, I have no intense cravings for pickles and my general pain is subdued if not barely there at all. I've been lucky, yes, but that doesn't mean I've been entirely unaffected by pregnancy. This third trimester especially has brought a few unwanted aches and pains, albeit  unrelated to my physical health....

1. Socks are just a no-go.
I can still see my feet, sure, I just can't get anywhere near them. Imagine a beach ball is permanently glued to your abdomen. I say glued because there is absolutely no give or take here whatsoever, it's just there. Reaching anywhere below kneecaps is something akin to a military operation - putting on socks in the morning can only be likened to a hard core Tabata workout and will require a 6 minute recovery period immediately after.

2. Shaving the lower body is now just a hindrance. 
If I can't reach below my knee caps, it goes without saying that shaving my lower legs is all but impossible. At this point I'm still doing well to stay well kept, but shaving in the bath requires lifting my legs in ways I didn't even think was possible at this stage, and I legitimately hit the breathless stage before I've even done one shin. Even with my efforts - the other half has made many a Chewbacca comment in the past few weeks.

If that wasn't bad enough, lets not forget that keeping your lady parts neat and tidy is now all but impossible... Attacking at your crotch blindly with a sharp implement is not my idea of a relaxing pamper night, and if it wasn't for the prospect of consultant appointments I would be well and truly embracing the natural look.

3. Baby hiccups are NOT cute.
At first, by all means, bubbas hiccups are adorable. It makes the little growing entity within more of a person and less of a little raisin, as I liked to call him in the first few months. A few months later though, and I'm sick to the back teeth of them. The only way I can think to describe them is like a permanent ticking clock deep within... I can't sleep with a noisy clock in my room, I focus in on it so easily, and baby hiccups are so similar to that. Just a regular, incessant ticking, which does my bloody head in!

4. More time is spent counting down than doing anything else.
I was always counting down, from the get go, but I'd say the minute I hit 35 weeks I turned into a walking, talking calendar. Right now (8:49am) I've already given myself my daily pep talk based on babies arrival being

- 4 weeks on Friday
- 12 more full working days away
- 2 mondays left to work
- 3 episodes of Great British Bake Off

For all I know I'll go 2 weeks over my due date, but if I do, I'll get through just creating more countdowns.

5. Bubba gets on your nerves, literally.
I had bad cramp in my calves during the second trimester, only during the night, I'd wake up feeling like my leg was falling off and wishing death upon myself. Right now though, I'd welcome that back. Recently I've been experiencing the weirdest sensation in my lower back/legs - imagine a dead arm but across the entirety of your lower body. I'm guessing bubba shifts onto one of my nerves, causing spasms, but every time it happens I'm forced to drag one leg looking like a slightly worse for wear pirate...

6. You pee, a lot.
By midday I'll be on upwards of 20 toilet trips, with no exaggeration. I spend more time walking to the toilet at work than doing anything else.

I'm reluctant to call these symptoms - to me, symptoms require pain, and I'll be the first to proclaim that I'm relatively pain free. I'm uncomfortable and impatient at this stage, but not in pain, so I'll gladly deal with these niggles for a few more weeks. If you've been pregnant, what were your final trimester woes? Praying I can make it through the next 4 weeks as comfortably as I have done so far, but I feel it's only fair my luck may be drawing to an end. Fingers crossed for me. Thanks for reading guys,

Baby Shower Haul

DISCLAIMER: I'd originally decided against this post, just on the off chance some people would take it as bragging, or something like that. But after talking to others about it, I realised that folks like hauls, and I like talking about the bits and bobs that I got, so it would be silly not to share. Disclaimer - I'm not bragging, I have amazing friends and family and I'm very grateful to have received these things! Also, this is a very picture heavy post! Apologies...

I received a ridiculous amount on the day of my baby shower - everyone was overly generous, and I was beyond taken aback! I've chosen just *some* of my favourites to share below, for fear that this post would be pages and pages long had I decided to share everything.

Baby Showers are Underrated

If you read my blog post on Saturday, you would know I was completely dreading my baby shower. If you've not read the post; you can find it here, but the basic gist was that I was frankly dragging my heels at the thought of a shower. Dread equal to first day of school/orthodontist check-up/smear test dread. To quote 'If I'm honest, a baby shower is my worst nightmare!'... I can now say I've came safely out of the other end of my shower, and I can whole-heartedly say it was one of the best day's I have had throughout my entire pregnancy. Everyone - myself included - was in such good spirits, and you can't help but feel an overwhelming sense of support by the end of the day. I've never felt in a better position to be having a child than I did that day.  I had my doubts, that much I was obviously very vocal about, but nearly every one of my doubts was squashed on the day, and my expectations were completely surpassed. My doubts about the day were laid clear in my previous post, so I thought it would be a good opportunity to revisit them now...

What's In My Pre-Baby Bag?

I love reading 'What's In My Bag?' post's for no other reason than I am a nosy so and so! If I'm honest I can't really think of any specific thing that is all that interesting about them, yet I'd gladly read a thousand - sometimes the most mundane posts are the most entertaining. I never had any desire to do one though, given that my bag is an absolute tip 90% of the time and contains absolutely nothing of interest to absolutely anyone, I hate to say. I did realise today though that the next few weeks will probably be the last few weeks that I can have a bag packed like this - as opposed to filled to the brim with dummies and muslin cloths alike.

My current bag is just a cheap and cheerful number from New Look - I thought it looked so much more expensive than it was, and it fits so much in it, without looking too big and bulky. My MacBook Air (13inch) fits in it like a glove, and there's still plenty room for the rest of my riffraff, of which you will see there is a lot of! I only got this bag recently, and it looked like a nice high street version of the Chloe Faye bags every celebrity seems to have these days. As much as I love the Chloe ones, I'm fairly sure the £1300 pounds may be better spent on my unborn child, so I'll settle for my £22.99 New Look bargain! They also have other colours if the Emerald isn't your cup of tea, it's definitely worth a look.

I'm Dreading My Baby Shower

I never wanted a Baby Shower. Let me make that clear. If I’m honest, a baby shower is close to my worst nightmare, but it’s the first grandchild, and I’m the first of my friends group to fall pregnant, therefore I’m not really getting a choice in the matter. When everyone asks if I’m excited for my shower, they ask expecting the same answer - yes; super excited. But I’m not. And here’s my reasons why.