Hospital Bag Checklist

Good Evening, Everyone :)

Like I mentioned in my baby information post I wanted to do a list for all the new time mothers who are packing at the moment.
It's solely based on my experience and I have to mention that I was only kept in the hospital for 24 hours after birth as Oscar managed to latch on and have a feed and all the checks were fine as well.
I don't know how long they keep you in the hospital in any other countries so bare that mind when you read my list.
I know there are loads out there anyway, but I thought it would be good to have a personal view of things :)

Things for the Mother

Labour clothes and shoes - wear them there so you wouldn't have to pack them with you
I went into labour in a  jersey dress and sandals. I wore the dress for the whole of labour as they do check you very often it would be annoying to keep taking your trousers off. I also wore the dress during the delivery...I actually threw it away rather than bringing it home and washing it. I intentionally wore something I wouldn't mind getting ruined. Blood sweat and tears.
The sandals I wore to get to the hospital I used to get around after the delivery, I only wore my packed slippers to get to my bed from the shower, so they were useless really.
Sandals wouldn't probably work if you're having a winter baby though :D So you might need a change of shoes. Bring flip flops instead of slippers though, as you can use them under the shower as well.
Towels  - I mean the ones you use after a shower. Pack a smaller one for your hair if you have long hair. It's unlikely the hospital has hairdryers and you don't want to have dripping wet hair while taking care of a baby.
Underwear - Forget the disposable ones. If you have a natural birth there will be blood and normal underwear hold the maternity pads much better. Also finding a bin in a ward is not as easy as you might think :D So put the dirty ones in a plastic bag...
Sleep shirt - Bring a long stretchy shirt that will be comfortable to sleep in and put on and take off. If you are breastfeeding just pull it up, weather you are in a private room or in a ward with other women you can just pull the curtains up for privacy
Basic hygiene - Shampoo, shower gel/soap, face wash and a toothbrush and toothpaste. I doubt you want to spend ages in the shower to condition scrub and then moisturise yourself :D
Maternity towels - you really don't want to forget these. I do recommend you asking the midwives for the hospital ones though, they have got the best stuff :D
Going home clothes - Something comfortable. I took a pair of leggings a long tank top and a stretchy sweater...they worked very well.
NB! your stomach will look like you are still pregnant. It's now soft but you do need something stretchy rather than stiff. Check my post partum update posts to get an idea where you will be in a matter of weeks/months
Make-up - this is completely a personal preference. I just felt like I needed a bit to make myself look better. If you do decide you might want some the next day or for guests or those first pictures then again basics...bb cream/foundation and some mascara did it for me.
Whatever you do decide or not decide to pack....I will tell you this...bring a lip balm or Vaseline or some lip gloss...anything to keep your lips moisturised. You will lose a lot of water during delivery and labour with sweat and everything else and you will get dry and cracked lips. SO BRING LIP BALM
Snacks - Bring a few. I was one of the strange one who was not allowed to eat during labour as they thought I am getting diabetes and my sugar level was very high. Also if you have epidural you are not allowed to eat. But the snacks I packed came handy after the delivery after I had been starved by the hospital staff for about 40 hours :D I'll tell you...a chewy nut bar has never tasted as good as it did once I got to the post-labour ward :)

For the Baby
A hat - all the hats you will get will be too big, but it's still good to have something covering the top of her fragile head. Socks and mittens are useless.
2 Sleep suits. This will get you through the night. I would've been fine with just 1 until the morning but the staff decided to give O a bit of formula milk (again with the diabetes, they wanted to see if my breast milk will affect his sugar levels...it didn't) and he was not having any of it. It all came out in a sticky mess in the middle of the night so I had to change his clothes.
2 short/long sleeve vest tops. A baby needs an extra layer.
Also on a ''fun'' side note. One of the ladies in my ward decided to soil herself (it was probably due to epidural, but still)and the midwives opened all the windows. I was cold...let alone Oscar..he was covered in about 4 blankets.
Honestly, thinking back on my labour and delivery I am getting slightly angry...I gave birth in Birmingham Women's Hospital and honestly staff there...there is a lot of room for improvement.
Nappies - I brought the whole pack of 36, I probably used 5. To be honest in those first hours they really don't do much. He did do a sticky black poo in the hospital though.
Baby wipes - everyone will tell you not to use wipes and use cotton wool instead....I'm telling you to send those people where the sun don't shine :D
You have just given birth, you are in a strange place, and your little wonder they call baby has just had the stickiest poo you will ever see...you do not want to go looking for a kettle to boil water...then wait for it to cool to the right temperature...then find a bowl to put the water in...then find a bin and 100 cotton wool balls to clean up that tiny sticky mess.
5 wipes will do the same job :D
Muslin Cloth - bring 1 (I packed 3...I don't know why) just in case there is a spit up
Cosy Blanket - A nice cosy blanket is a must. I took a cellular one, because that's what they tell you to do, but made D bring a nice fleece one the next day.

A Camera - It's something we didn't take since we don't actually have one :D but we both had our phones.
They also tell you to take chargers but I have to warn you to charge everything you go to the hospital because you are not allowed to plug anything in the walls as it may affect the apparatus in the hospital.

And this is literally all you will need/use
I packed a whole lot of useless things like breast pads (unless you are leaking already I doubt your milk will come in the minute you give birth) If you are still scared, bring 2 rather than the whole pack I did :D
I also took a grooming kit for Oscar. I thought I might need a hair brush if he has hair and nail clippers...the last thing you will be doing to your baby is brushing his hair, and their fingers are so tiny you will not be attempting to clip their nails anytime soon :D plus their nails are so thin they won't do any permanent damage.
Don't bring the scratch mittens. Actually don't even use them...ever :D they are horrible. The two pairs I bought I now use as mittens when the weather is colder and he is not wearing his onesie.
And socks are also pretty useless :D

The only reason I am telling you to pack less stuff is that it will then be easier for you the find the stuff you actually need.
And again I remind you that this is based on a one night stay. But even if you have to stay for longer have your husband/friend/mother/sister/partner bring you the extra things the next day. It's all about making your first hours easier for yourself.
Everything will be new and scary already why make it hard as well by having to rampage through your massive suitcase.

Hope you found the post useful :)

Stay tuned

xoxo

Baby Update

Good Afternoon, Everyone :)

My friend Kadi recommended to write a post about where I get my pregnancy/baby information from and what blogs I follow. So this is what I'll do and I'll also add some information that I was given and found absolutely useless :D And if you are one of the lucky ladies, who is expecting your first child, you might be packing/thinking of packing your hospital bag, so I'll quickly go over what I packed and what I actually used and needed :) And a few unseen pictures of O :)

His first outing :) he is probably just a week old, and we went to town to meet my parents for a coffee

Back to the post .
I don't actually follow any blogs but there are a few I usually check these days.
When I was pregnant I read this blog by Anna Saccone Joly pretty much every week, because she was expecting her second child while I was pregnant with Oscar, and I loved reading her weekly updates, while keeping up with her first child Emilias progress. Now, instead of reading her blog I watch her husband vlogs on youtube about their family life. Their videos are the only ones I actually watch on youtube pretty much every day, as he posts a new video every evening :)
Another blog I started reading while I was pregnant is The Honeybee by Andee Layne. She wasn't pregnant anymore, but I loved how her blog is about her life and fashion and healthy eating/living with some parenting and baby updates about her daughter Ava. I still check back on her blog every now and then, but don't really follow it that much. She posts some really great fashion advice :)
A really good parenting blog is lovetaza rockstar diaries. It's about a christian couple with 2 children living in New York. The woman Naomi who is writing the blog is actually pregnant with her third now. How exciting. And she is also doing weekly pregnancy update posts :) I really love the style of her blog and the way she writes. I also love her little section called Eleanorism or things Eleanor says??? one of those :D and it's a segment she does about what her daughter does and says..it's really funny. Children come up with the funniest things :D
A quite a funny fact about the 3 blogs I do recommend/read is that all these ladies are from different places. Anna is from Ireland (they live near London now) Andee lives in the orange county and Taza lives in New York. I know orange county and New York are both in America, but they are like 2 different worlds really :D On a side note, I too went to New York and also California :) Los Angeles to be exact, but we did drive there by the coast line from San Fransisco so I can say I've seen more than people that have just flown straight into LAX.
I might actually do a throwback post about my travels ( I was only there for 3 weeks, but still) in America once I get a hold of the pictures we took there...It has been nearly 2 and a half years and I still haven't seen all of them. My friend had the camera and she is just the shittiest person to get pictures from :D
But that's all from the blogs side.

When I was pregnant I signed up with pretty much every single baby update website possible :D It's actually quite cool, you just enter your due date and the website sends you weekly updates on what to expect, most of them continue doing them after the birth, so that is also great. I like it a lot :D
I'm not going to go through of them all, but here are the 3 I like the most :)
www.babycenter.co.uk ( I actually use the US site rather than the UK one)
www.emmasdiary.co.uk on top of sending weekly updates they also have great offers and competitions. I got my baby show tickets cheaper with a code they sent me :)
www.bounty.com they are the people who give you the maternity and family packs that you can collect from Boots, Argos and now I think Asda as well. I still need to get my family pack :D
They send you ZHAMAZING offers on all baby stuff. Great discount codes and weekly updates. Now that I have Oscar I get monthly baby updates rather than weekly.

The latest pic of him smiling in his cozy footmuff. I got it from amazon and it's by Kaiser

Imagine the scariness of getting an email saying...''this will be your last pregnancy update email'' :O Week 40, this is when it gets real :D

And I also used Google search a lot :D And went on the page where ever I thought I'll find the best answer. I loved the forums, as they had real mothers giving their views and answers.

Since everything is so technical these days I did get a baby app. I actually paid for mine, but there are so many out there that you can get for free.
The one I got for my computer was called Pregnancy Plus by Health and parenting. And it would show the progress and how the baby looks, the development and all that jazz. I checked it every week. The great thing about this app is that it continues until week 42, which can easily happen with pregnancy ( I was 6 days overdue)

I also got the Parents Pregnancy and Baby Guide app, that continues up to your baby being 2 years old :) I had not actually looked at it since getting Oscar, but now after writing this post, I'll will go and see what to expect in the upcoming weeks.

Obviously every baby is different, but these apps and updates give you a good outlook and overall information, so you wouldn't be surprised.
And I got one more app, and it was the contraction counter...that was very useful :)

Now to the part where I'm going to tell you about what information I found completely useless as a first time mom.
''THE WHOLE COURSE IN THE HOSPITAL''
When we were there and even after I just thought it's amazing that I took it, and I loved the information, and I loved the woman who gave the course. She was just really positive and gave us loads of information about pain relief (her view was that there is no need for pain relief if you know what is going on)
We were told that contractions are just muscles working to get the baby down and out...In reality it is nothing like muscle work.
I know you should not get stressed out and think of the pain...I was in labour for almost 2 days...and pain is the only thing you can think about. There is of course also tiredness and hunger with such a long labour. Once I got the epidural at 4am ( That was 24 hours after my first contraction) I was not allowed to eat anything...I gave birth at almost 8pm which meant that I didn't have any energy left to do the vigorous job of pushing out a baby since I had only had water for 16 hours.
I did write about my whole labour in the delivery post (I'll put a link for it below with all the rest of them as well :))so I'm not going to go through all of it, but I think the course just gave a very optimistic view of what was going to happen and when it actually did it was kind of a shock as it was all really unexpected and I felt completely unprepared.
It's a good thing the course was free as I would've asked for my money back :D

It's all worth though when you get to have this little munchkin :)

The Hospital Bag
I packed for god knows what :D Most of the things I packed I didn't even need and in all honesty they were in the way of me trying to find the things I did need.
Breast pads - Unless you have leaky breasts already when you are pregnant, there is little chance you will get them in the hospital. I was only in the hospital for 24 hours though after birth and my milk came in on the 4th day. I packed about 20 breast pads :S Next time I would only pack 2 to make them into a warm compress, as you can get sore nipples, if you  breastfeed.
Maternity disposable briefs :S I got them with the whole pack and thought they would be amazing, in reality I did feel that I needed more support down there. Pack about 5 pairs of underwear suitable for the massive pregnancy pads.
I also found that the pads they give you in the hospital were much better than the ones I brought, so take advantage of the nice staff and bag yourself some free ones :D
A whole bag of toiletries -  I only used shampoo and shower gel and also a face wash. There was no point having the conditioner and body cream and face cream and every other little pot and cream I packed. I did use a bit of make up though, I used my Estee Lauder bb cream and a mascara on the next day, just to make myself feel like a human again.
Towels - If you have long hair take an extra towel for your hair. Also take some flip flops for the showers unless you are in a private room. I was in a ward with 3 other women and the showers were horrible. I used my slippers that they tell you to take but they got wet after the shower and for the rest of the day I was wearing normal shoes (we had to go for checks with O and you have to go get your own food ...D got me mine )So instead of slippers bring flip flops.
Dressing gown - didn't pack one actually and I also didn't need it.
My sleepwear disaster :D I got a long sleep shirt from Primark when I was pregnant and it seemed to fit nicely, but after birth I think my body was just really bloated all over and the buttons would not button and I ended up being really uncomfortable. I would've been much better with a long stretchy old t-shirt.
And I also packed way too many things for O. I could've been fine with 2 sleep suits and 2 vests for the extra layers plus a hat and a nice blanket. I had D bring a fleece blanket for him for going home...they tell you not to use fleece blankets, so I brought a cellular one, but O has been sleeping with fleece ones and he is happy with the softness.
The grooming kit with a hairbrush and nail clippers :S Why did I pack it? I don't know :D
There is no need for socks and bibs, especially when you are breastfeeding.
I also didn't use the cooling spray because I forgot I had it :D
And I only had one of the snack bars as I wasn't allowed to eat after they thought I might have developed diabetes in the hospital...in a day ... it wasn't diabetes :D
The one thing they do tell you is not to use wipes and use cotton balls instead. I'm sorry, but if you are in a ward with 3 other women and one sink and no facilities to use a kettle to boil water and all the things they tell you should do then take wipes. I gave up on the cotton balls the minute I took them out of the bag and used wipes instead.
I'll do a separate post about the updates Hospital Bag List just so there wouldn't be anything confusing :)

Someone has got the case of flushing cheeks...does this mean he is teething already :( hello sleepeless nights I guess :D

But that is all for todays information :)

If you have any other questions, leave comment below and I'll be sure to answer it :)

Stay tuned

xoxo

3 Months Postpartum

Good Evening, Everone :)

In the light of Oscar turning 3 months old I figured it's time for my post partum update. I haven't done an update on how I'm doing after the birth in a long time, so I guess it's about time for it to happen.

Over all I am doing pretty great. I actually feel normal again and I think my body is getting used to the lack of sleep or shall I say the broken sleep. 

Some of it is completely my own fault, because I really should be going to bed earlier than I do. Oscar goes down at around 8-9 o'clock and I go to sleep about 2 hours after that. I could blame the fact that I take my shower then and then I have to sort out the bottles and formula for his night time feed, but it wouldn't be fair. In all honesty, all this can be done before he goes down for his night time ''nap''....it's just that grown up time I can't give up. That few hours in a day when I don't have to take care of him. I quite like it, and I'm hoping he will start sleeping for longer stretches rather than me having to actually change my bedtime. 

I have now lost all my baby weight, or pregnancy weight, however you want to put it. I can easily fit into all my old clothes now, but I do feel the elasticity of my stomach has to improve somewhat before I can confidently wear a tight dress or a t-shirt again. I actually miss that I don't have to suck it in...loved that part of being pregnant :D I can easily fit into my size 6 zara jeans (size 2 for US) but I'm much more comfortable in size 8 (size 4 for US)

Ok so, I am actually doing something for my stomach to go back to where it was before getting preganant, not just talking about how I don't like the state I am in now. I am doing a lot of stand up excercises for my abs while I bounce O around, which makes them work even more, as he is my weight :D No excuses being unfit with a baby. And O loves the action anyway so I'm quite lucky in that sense. I also do excercises while I sit on the sofa with him. Half crunches while holding him again...work magic I tell you guys, they really do :D Another thing I have noticed is my arm muscles...bouncing a 6kg baby for hours in a day will make you one strong mama. I am pretty sure I would be able to carry my weekly food shop bags for miles :D

The only thing I must say about all this strength and weight exercises is that my back is taking the toll. I could really do with a nice and painful deep tissue massage to relieve all the tension....maybe next year :D

I have also done a few changes in my diet. Now that I'm not breastfeeding I have stopped eating those extra calories I needed to produce the milk. I think I have gone to pretty much what I did before finding out I'm pregnant, which is having one big meal a day. 

I usually have a light breakfast. I have a yoghurt and a banana or a cereal bar if we don't have any fruit. 

It is very rare when I have a big lunch, or that I have lunch at all to be honest (I know I shouldn't do it, but lunch time passes without me even noticing it most days) The only time I do have a big lunch is when I make something for me AND D. Or if D is making lunch. In this case I keep my dinner light or I have whatever D is having, but a smaller protion.

Most of the days I do have dinner as my main meal though. And that happens around 6-7 pm. After that I snack on either some chocolate or I have some ice-cream. I do treat myself...I'm a woman...I need chocolate every now and then :D

The last thing is a bit of tmi, but hei, what the hell. When I was still breastfeeding I went on the pill that was safe to use during those days. Unfortunately the pill I was subscribed did not suit me at all. And when I say at all, I mean, at all :D I turned into a right old bitch...honestly. It made me so hormonal and not only was I a bitch to D I was also really moody and I even a bit depressed at times. It also made me bleed all the time. I only lasted 28 days and then stopped taking them. And now I can really say that I am much happier and I feel like I am in such a better place. Pills or any other form of hormone to prevent pregancy has never affected me in such way before. And I must say that if you have any history of hormonal problems before, steer clear of this pill called Cerelle. I do need to go see my gp again to get a different prescription, but I'm being incredibly lazy. And lets be honest ... if those pill would be 100 per cent effective, I would'nt have Oscar, so I'm in no rush :D

I think I have pretty much covered everything now :) 

Hope you enjoyed the post, or at least found it a bit informative :D

Stay tuned, follow my blog and leave some feedback :)

I would love some feedback, or maybe a post request

Until next time xoxo

I will try to add pictures. But the selfies just don't do it anymore, so I'll have my sister or my mom take them for me tomorrow :)

40 Week Pregnancy Update

Hello Due date...and I'm guessing by the end of tonight I'll be saying Goodbye Due Date...without the baby.

Here is my 40 week pregnancy update...hopefully the last one for a long long time.

The Sun was shining in from the window, which made my one side fade out a bit. So I'm sorry about that :)

How far along: 40 weeks

Gender: Boy

Weight gain: This will be my last weigh in...I'm almost certain of it. SO the total weight gain in 40 weeks is...drum roll please...24 pounds. I must have either lost weight in the last weeks, when I refused to weigh myself, or gained some and lost some, but in the end, it's 24 pounds, and I know that whatever I gain from now on, will be the baby. This is what I'm telling myself at least.

Stretch marks: I thought I found one around my belly button. But I can't be sure, because it can just be a little redness. I will find out once I go back to my pre preggo size I guess. If it is a stretch mark it's actually pretty annoying, because it literally came in the last few days...I mean come on :D

Sleep: I don't need that much sleep these days. I can easily go through the day on just 4 hours of sleep. I go to sleep quite late 2-3am or wake up for a couple of hours around 4-6am. I think it's my bodys way of preparing for the broke up sleep I will be having due to the baby :) 

Miss anything: I do. I miss wearing my clothes. I miss fitting into clothes and I miss bending down to put my socks on without feeling any pain :D I miss having normal sized feet and fingers. I miss being able to turn in bed without struggling. I just miss not being pregnant now for all the little things.

Signs of labour: Lots of little niggles here and there. Painful braxton hicks contractions, these are actually pretty awful :S I'm just hoping they are actually doing something as well rather than just annoying me. I'm also gettign a lot of lightening crotch, which is annoying, because it's just making me feel like I need to pee ALL THE TIME :D Other than that it's really nothing serious. I haven't had all the real signs like the ''show'' or my waters breaking.

Best moment of the week: It was a pretty uneventful week to be honest with you guys. I haven't done anything, and it's just all been very normal. I think normal is good :D Actually this one could be reaching my due date :D I've made it, how amazing is this...now it's just a matter of days

But I'm off to my friends engagement party now, so you guys enjoy your day and I will enjoy mine :) 
xoxo

39 Week Pregnancy Update

This could be my last pregnancy update :o Most probably it's not going to be but IT COULD :D
I have been so bad at blogging, I have just been so lazy, and feel like nothing has happened really. But now that I think back on the week I actually have been quite active and I actually have done quite a bit, which means I've just been too busy to write it down :D
On Sunday we went to D's parents house to celebrate his and his brothers birthday, which was nice.
On Monday though I had my midwife appointment. She measured me again and decided to send me for a growth scan in the hospital, because the measurement came up the same as two weeks ago. On the scan though it turned out, baby is growing mighty fine and there is no reason to worry. I will have another appointment on the 11th of August just to check the growth again, given I haven't had the baby by then.
Tuesday I cleaned again and Wednesday I had a quick trip to town to get all the bathroom essentials again that I'd ran out and Thursday I had lunch with my friend.
Most evening though, I've just been taking it easy. We've watched a couple of movies, had food and just enjoyed the summer evenings :)
That has been my week, and since I am still so comfortable It has just been a nice chilled out week with no stress and it's just been normal. NORMAL...surely not for long :D

How far along: 39 weeks

Gender of the baby: Boy

Signs of labour: I have been having quite a few braxton hicks contractions daily since Sunday. They say that they will mostly happen if you've been in the same position for a long time and will subdue once you move around, but I just have mine at random times, doesn't matter if I'm walking or sitting or standing. And they will just go away on their own. They are painful, but the pain is comparable to light menstrual cramps, which is just like dull pain and completely bearable. They say you will know once the contractions are real and I think that is true, because I know these ones I've been having are not. I've also been having a bit of pressure down there. it's just a heavy feeling as if someone is resting on my pelvis :D
I have not had any real signs of labour, but I guess you never know. I mean it can be really sudden or you can start having little hints weeks before labour. I'm not getting stressed out on when he will decide to come, because I still feel perfectly fine, which means I have no point complaining. I've been pregnant for 39 weeks, surely I can last another 1-3.

Miss anything: I haven't deprived myself of anything while I've been pregnant, so there really isn't anything to miss. Actually I miss being able to button up my trousers and fitting into my shoes :D Other than that I don't think I'll be doing anything right away after giving birth. A lot of people might say drinking alcohol, but I've had a glass of red wine every now and then, so I'm not gasping for it :D Also since I'm going to  breastfeed I've gotten myself used to the idea that I won't be drinking after the birth either. And that is absolutely ok with me.

Best moment this week: Having lunch with my bestie Aunty Ruby. She is not my aunt in any way, it's just how I call her :D  I haven't been able to see her for so long. I don't think either of us has had a good enough excuse, it just hasn't happened. So it was good to catch up with her over some nice food and mocktails :)

New things for the baby: I ordered a small clutch changing bag. which will be good to take with me while I'm on the go. Just pop it in the bag. It folds out to be a changing mat and has enough compartments to keep some diapers and wipes in it as well. I think that is all though. We really do have everything for his arrival I think. D also did another online food shop so we have a few things in the freezer ready to be cooked. Just some quick and easy things like battered fish and some marinated chicken...

And on that note I'm signing off. Me and D are going for a spot of lunch and a little walk until it's still just the two of us :)

38 Weeks Pregnancy Update

It's 26th of July and I'm still pregnant. And it doesn't look like it's going to change any time soon :D So maybe I was wrong. I don't even know why I had this day in my head....oh well. It's probably best he holds on for a bit, until the weather gets a bit cooler, because I struggle to keep myself cool, I would not have clue how to keep a baby from over heating. Okay I do have a clue. I've done some reading just in case, but it is definitely easier for him in my belly :D 
This week has gone really fast. It was D's birthday and I have actually been out and about more often. We've gone to the cinema and I've met my friend for dinner yesterday, which got followed by a few non-alcoholic beverages around Brindely place. She was driving so couldn't drink alcohol either so I had company in that department. And all in all it's actually been a really good week as I've kept myself busy. I need to plan out the next 2 weeks as well, so time will go faster.
Another thing is that my parents finally bought tickets to come visit us in August, and even though they are only coming for 5 days I can not wait :) It's only going to be my parents and my brother and then my sister will visit us some time in October. But 3 out of 4 is pretty good I think. 
Also it's Ds brothers birthday today, so it's probably best I' not going to give birth today, because no one wants to share their birthday :D 

This is what the bump looks like these days :)

A little 10 weeks comparison for you guys :)

How far along: 38 Weeks

Gender of the baby: Boy

Weight gain and measurements: I've given up on the weight thing for now because it is just too hot outside and inside, which means I have about 1l of liquid inside me at all times, which will add to my weight, so I won't be getting an accurate number. I will add my fundal height here on Monday once I've had my midwife appointment. I don't remember if I said it last week, but at 36 weeks it was 35 cm. He grows about (my belly)2 cm every 2 weeks so we will see. In one of my weekly newsletter it was said though, that I can kind of expect my belly to stay the size it is now. Which makes me happy if this is the case, because it means I will not get any stretch marks...I still don't have any :)

Preparations: We now have bought all the little bits and bobs we needed. We got 2 changing mats (1 for the living room and one for the bedroom) and I got my nursing bra's. I also got some nipple shields :D to shield my nipples, either from breastfeeding or breast pump. we got a few more lightweight blankets and towels for the little one. And more cotton pads and cotton balls. My hospital bag is fully packed and ready to go....but there is no baby :D hopefully sooner rather than later

Tips and tricks I've learnt: 

• Drinking lots of fluid will help you not get water retention. As long as you keep the drinks to low sugar and non carbonised.
• A little pampering session is a good way to relax. And in the last weeks the less stress the better, to help you get those wanted hormones to go into labour.
• Paranoia is normal. Excpecially when it's your first pregnancy. I though something was wrong every time before an appointment/scan and every time after. I was so sure something happened a minute the doctor moved the ultrasound wand away from my stomach :D I made the doctor actually count all the toes and fingers at my 3d/4d scan :D The trick is to get yourself realise you are just being paranoid and then get over it.
• I'm not sure if walking will get me into labour because I've stayed active through my work anyway. We'll see. I try to go for at least a short walk every day...even if it is a 10 minute trip to tesco for some ice cream.

Sleep: Sometimes I sleep so well and sometimes I can't seem to sleep at all. It's all different every day. I did think once though, that all those trips to the toilet during the night is a good practice of having to wake up for feedings and changing :)

Signs of labour: I am getting lower abdominal pain and a few cramps here and there. I can't stay upright for too long, because the braxton hicks will get stronger then. I have't had the ''show'' yet and the baby is not fully engaged, because he still twists around. I say twist, because he turns sides, but he is not going anywhere from his head down position now, which is good :)

Thoughts: I did think I will have the baby by the end of today, but now I'm thinking there is no way :D D told me to hold it together until he goes on his break from work, but I am aware that me and him wanting something doesn't mean it's going to happen :D 

Best Moment of the Week: Seeing my lovely friend and hearing about her engagement and her asking me to be a bridesmaid. I am so damn excited. I have never actually been to a wedding. They are also planning to have it somewhere warm in Europe, which means it's really more like a holiday. And their date is not set yet, but it's going to be around the time when the little bubba is over a year old :) so we'll be used to parenthood and comfortable with travelling, as I'm sure we would've gone for a few holidays before that already. 

D Has A Birthday

I am a big fan of celebrating my own birthday, but it's not my birthday yet...it is on the other hand Ds' 31st Birthday :) How exciting...he is 5 and 2 months older than me, just in case anyone was wondering. Oh dear, I wrote that down and then started thinking if I was 25 or 26 :D complete pregnancy brain moment there :D I am still 25 though and will be 26 in September the 26th.
I've been trying  to pick up on what he would like for his present this year for a very long time. Last year I got him his favourite bottle of spiced rum, which he still has. And this year......I struggled so much. Now that we are living together I kind of realise that if there is something he wants he will get it right away :D Finally I think I got him the right thing :) and he seemed to like it.
I also got him some oven gloves :D This was obviously a joke present, but he does need them since he keeps burning himself every time he cooks. Anyway the present went down very well, which I'm happy about, because it did take me a while to think of what to get him. 
That was the present part. I also got him a chocolate birthday cake which I completely forgot about until lunch time. I was going to give it to him in the morning, but that didn't work out :D. I would've actually made it for him myself, but he is always at home, and I really wouldn't have anywhere to hide it overnight other than the fridge, and he would find it and it's too hot and it was just easier to get one from Marks&Spencer :D 
For dinner we went for a meal together, which was really nice. Again I could have  cooked myself, but I like celebrating birthdays. Also this might actually be the last time we get to go out for a meal in a restaurant before the baby comes, so it was really nice to dress up the bump for one night and just have chill evening. It is also good not having to wash the dishes at the end. 
So all in all it was such a nice day and a total success. And I think we both needed to get our minds away from all things baby for a bit :) 

This is what I wore.
The dress is from h&m and it's so comfortable. It's exactly the right length and its stretchy and it's summery. I must admit though, the colour and the bump together make me look a bit like a tomato :D
The necklace is also from h&m :)

 I have to add that I was actually wearing shoes, but this hot weather and being so close to giving birth, my feet are swollen. To a complete stranger they might look completely normal, but I can't fit into my shoes anymore. So I have 3 pairs of sandals I can still wear :D

The joys of being pregnant  :D

Just A Little Update

I had a look through my posts, and I realise I'm now almost 38 weeks pregnant, but there is way too many baby related posts. This was not planned, I never really planned to concentrate so much on my pregnancy on this blog, but it seems that's what has happened. 
When I first started writing I figured it will be just a little hobby, I'll keep my 2 friends updated on what I'm doing, but looking at all the stats of the blog, I've realised quite a few more people are interested in what I write :) I still have only a few followers, which is slightly annoying, because I would like to see that people do actually want to keep up to date with my blog, but I guess that will happen in time.
I do also realise I have done little to none advertising for my blog. I only recently joined instagram, where I can share if a post is up. I've tried to start using twitter, but it's just not me. So I can't really be angry that no one really knows about my little blog (not even all my friends know about it). I promise I will change this factor though, as I am planning on advertising ''Life As I Know It'' on a few forums. And since I have mostly concentrated on the pregnancy/baby aspect of my life it will probably be momtobe and pregnancy/baby forums. I'm guessing, even if I don't accumulate more readers then no harm done...I haven't lost anything by doing it.
I can still see myself getting excited about 100 views a day :) 

Going back to being almost 38 weeks pregnant I have found that the one thing that really annoys me is when people try to guess when I'm going to give birth.
The amount of times I get the ''oh your belly hasn't dropped yet, so it will be a while'' is just infuriating. I am a short person. The baby is already really low and has been head down for weeks and weeks now. I don't see him dropping that drastically, because there is just nowhere to go. 
Another one was actually my reflexologist. She actually told me she thinks I'm going to go 11 days over???? WHO THE HELL WANTS TO HEAR THAT?? If you can't see the future, keep your thoughts to yourself :D First of all I lied to her anyway saying I'm 2 weeks away from my due date (I say I lied, it came out of my mouth before I could stop myself :D) so how would she come to the conclusion of 11 days. 
And my pet hate...people saying ''awwwwwww'' 
?
?
?
Just ''NO'' I will walk away in a strut if you say ''awwwww'' to me just because I'm pregnant.

Also...do not comment on the size of my baby bump. You might think it's small, I might feel it's huge, but the midwife is saying it's normal. So don't get me all worked up about saying my belly is too small or too big. You have no idea...really...you don't.

The one thing I have to say is that every pregnancy is sooooo different, and comparing me with all the picture perfect/out of the movie pregnancies is just not fair. 
If you haven't been pregnant yourself then I take it you know little or nothing about being pregnant and pregnancy itself. 

And the last thing is:

Just because I'm having a baby doesn't mean all I ever want to talk about is baby/pregnancy talk. Talk to me about the weather sometimes for all I care. I am still me not just this pregnant woman. 

And on that note I am off to take a shower...because it's time for bed....Yes I am aware it's only 9.30pm...I'm pregnant...deal with it.
What? Just because I don't want you to bring it up doesn't mean I can't whenever I want to :D

What's In My Hospital Bag

I now have everything I think I will need at the hospital. I was just waiting to write this post until I get the last few bits and bobs...which I now have :)
The bag I'm going to take with me is just a big sports bag and I have both my things and things for the baby in it. D has his own bag that he has also packed, I know that there is a spare pillow and some sports drinks for me in there and then just things he might need for an overnight stay.

I might have packed things I don't need in there, but at least I know that when I have forgotten anything, D can always pop back home after the birth and get it for me, because we only live 30 minutes away(talking about getting the train here)...it would be faster with a taxi or car.

Anyway, I have done quite a bit of research on what to bring for both me and the baby, but in the end I've kind of stayed in the guidelines of the list that I got from the hospital and then added a few things I think I might need as well.

My Things

I am bringing two toiletry bags. They are both from Primark and I think they were about 3 pounds each...

This one holds all the washing things I will need. It also has a little hook on it so I can hang it up in the shower.

The bottles are also from Primark. The whole set was only a pound and it comes with labels as well, which is useful, because I could choose which ones I needed.
I am bringing only my toothbrush as D has one in his bag for himself and the toothpaste is actually the one I got from the Mom to Be Bounty pack. It's for 0-3 year old, but I don't really care, it's nice and small and I'll only use it a couple of times anyway.
I also have a soother for him in there, I don't think I'll need it, but I took it just in case anyway. I also have a small sudocreme, which I will use as a diaper cream if I need to...some cotton pads, paracetamol and also a spare pair of contact lenses.

The second one has a few extra maternity towels for me (I have a full pack in the bag as well), disposable underwear and 2 pairs of normal panties. I figured I'll use the disposable ones in the hospital though, because I can just throw them away and don't have to drag them back home.
I also have breast pads, which I think I wont need, because the milk won't come in until a few days, which means I probably won't have any leakage until I get home. And also a bag full of cotton balls for the baby

I will also take my make up bag with me. But I'll  just put it in my bag once its time to go.

Since I'm planning a water birth I won't be needing a delivery gown, I will be taking my bikini top though :D I just think that before he comes out, there is no need for me to be flashing my boobs. My bottom half will be under water anyway so I don't think about that...plus the midwife will be checking the progress every now and then so she will need a clear access.
I'm also taking two towels. A large dark one and a hand and face one.
In case there isn't a birthing pool available (my hospital only has 3) I am taking a baggy t-shirt. I've got one in dark blue from h&m the other day just for that, so I won't mind it getting ruined.

And for the aftermath of the birth. I'm taking slippers and a button down sleep shirt, which will be great for breastfeeding. For that I am also taking a pair of maternity bra. I got this one from Mothercare. It was in a pack of two for 4 pounds in sale. The previous price was 30 pounds :O I'll be honest I would never pay 30 pounds for something that ugly, as necessary as it might be :D

Since it was 4 pounds for 2 pairs though, I got 2 packs in different sizes, because I imagine once the milk comes in my breast will get even bigger :D so I got a pack with a bigger cup size as well.

I am also bringing this breastfeeding scarf. I am not a fan of those capes at all, and this one I got from my friend Kadi as a present, and I think it's amazing. I am aware that in the hospital no one probably cares about me flashing a boob every now and then, but I'm bringing it in case I will have to stay for a bit longer and we will have visitors in the hospital. So when he needs feeding I can still easily do it with the guests there :)

I'm also bringing my laptop and my phone charger. We don't actually have a camera, so we will be using our phones for all the photos. Plus I can also use my laptop to do a few videos of those precious first moment :)
Also bringing this little funky speaker D gave me to take. So will be using this to blast the tunes  .... joking.

I haven't quite decided on what I'm going to wear to come home, because it totally depends on the weather. If it stays like this or if he comes in the next week, I will probably just wear a tank top and leggings and the shoes I go in there with (they will probably be my Dune sandals, because I live in them )
Again I will throw something in the bag once the time is right.

D gave me this water spray, which will come useful before I can get in the birthing pool, or if I can't use it then during the labour.

I've also packed these 4 snackbars. They told us in the hospital to pack some snacks like banana and fruit, but I can't exactly pack those a head of time :D So probably will just grab a banana on our way out, or more likely forget to and have to go to the hospital shop...either way it's not a big deal. (and like I said D has some isotonic sports drinks for me) I will also bring my water bottle and my wallet and phone.

For him I am bringing a whole pack of newborn nr1 diapers ( I probably won't need all of them, but the pack fits into the side pocket so I'm bringing it)

I am also bringing a pack on baby wipes, which he won't need, but I figured would be useful for me and D, when it gets too sweaty and there is no time to get a shower.

Again I'm not sure how many days I will have to be in the hospital, so I'm probably bringing more clothes for him that I need, but they don't take much room, so it doesn't matter.

What else...3 musling squares and a blanket. I'm actually not sure If i will bring this one, because it's too nice :D I might just take a simple one that I don't mind getting dirty.

I'm also bringing this Tommee Tippee grooming kit. He might have long nails and hair, so some of the things in there might come useful. Again it's so small, I don't mind if I don't end up using it.

And the last thing is the car seat. We are not really taking it with us in the first place, because it would be silly, as we don't have a car, so we can't really leave it the car. So D will have to definitely come back home for it in the end. But it's all good.

Almost forgot...I am also bringing a plastic bag, for all the dirty clothes I need to bring back home with me. And a lip balm...apparently your lips get really dry during labour. To be honest this one makes sense, because you are getting rid of a lot of fluids so the first thing that would happen with dehydration is your lips getting dry.

Do you think I've forgotten something? Or is there something I should bring that no one tells you about, but you found useful?
Leave a comment below :)

37 Week Pregnancy Update

I am officially full term now. This is absolutely crazy, although I am aware that it could be anywhere between a day and 5 weeks until he actually makes his entrance to the real world, knowing me after week 40, I will just be counting days not weeks anyway. 

This weekly thing is slightly confusing me a bit lately. So in most cases and according to my app I have now actually finished 37 weeks, and some places/people/forums are saying I'm 38 weeks, which kind of makes sense as well, because my due date is when I hit 40 weeks, not when I finish 40 weeks and hit 41. Anyway I'm just confusing myself even more now :D

All I know is that I am at the last stretch and this is getting seriously exciting now. I keep having dreams that I have the baby or are giving birth, and they are not scary dreams or nightmares, otherwise I would be panicking right now, but they are actually really nice dreams.

Yes I am aware it's not going to be anything like my dreams...or will it :) It is mighty strange though how your mind changes with pregnancy. I mean I went from utter shock of finding out I'm pregnant, to absolute terror of thinking about labour to the point where I am now...absolutely content and ready for this new chapter in my life and I am not even scared of the labour anymore. I guess you might say I AM EMOTIONALLY READY :)

I'm blabbering now, so here is my week 37 baby bump update 

How far along: 37 Weeks

Gender of the baby: Boy

Weight gain and measurements: Fundal height at my midwife appointment was 35 cm. According to the midwife this is all good, but when I look at it, it's kind of on his way off the chart. This only shows the length though, not that he is a massive fat baby :D And D is quite tall as well ( I'm a midget :D) so we can probably expect him to take after his dad. I have gained a pound this week, which is normal I guess. I have heard stories that around this time your weight gain will slow down or stop all together. I'm guessing it's because there is just little or no room for food once the baby has settled into his birth position, but ours hasn't so loads of room for food in my stomach :D Also I think one of the factors for the weight gain to stop or even drop is your waters breaking. Because sometimes it's just a trickle and it might be a week before you even go to labour after they have broken.

Preparations: We found a pushchair. Ok I found the one I was actually ok with ( there really isn't much choice) D agreed and his sister got it for us.
 And it's this one from Mamas&Papas. It's plain black and it came with all the things we need, so a pushchair, carrycot and also a car seat, which won't be getting much use.

I really do like it actually, because it's compact, it's light and it doesn't hurt my eyes. It's also really easy to manoeuvre and really easy to swap all the parts and things :)

Tips and tricks I've learnt: 

• A birth ball is a great buy. It's useful during pregnancy and can be used as an exercise ball later.
• So is a pregnancy pillow. It just makes it so much easier to find a comfortable position to sleep in. And since I'm waking up like 7 times during the night. I need to find that position 7 times as well.
• walking is the easiest exercise to do during the last stages of pregnancy. I know getting out of breath in 2 minutes is annoying, but once that baby drops, it will much more comfortable...oh wait once the baby drops, going for an hour walk while feeling like you're going to pee yourself constantly is annoying as well :D don't give up though...just keep walking :D
• Keep track of your pregnancy. I've found so much looking back at my posts from week 22 that I'd forgotten. And looking your belly grow on pictures is amazing. You don't really notice it until you see how much everything changes throughout the pregnancy

Sleep: Like I said...I wake up a lot...and have been struggling to sleep a few nights, but the pillow makes it better. I've also stopped drinking an hour before going to bed, just to try to keep it under control, but it's been so hot, I'm thirsty all the time, and I think it's just better to drink rather than dehydrate.

Signs of labour: Still getting the period like pains every now and then, nothing too uncomfortable or painful though. D actually got annoyed with me earlier because I'm too comfortable. I guess he wants to see things moving along as well, and I don't really have any signs of going into labour. I have been quite lucky with everything all through my pregnancy though, so I don't think there is any need to worry. I also don't think he is going to come late for some reason, call it intuition. It's not like I'm being impatient it's just a feeling...I guess time will tell

Thoughts: Thousand every minute of the day :D 

Best Moment of the Week: Getting the pushchair delivered. It just marked the time when we actually do have everything we need now :) 

36 Weeks Pregnancy Update

36 weeks today :S time is just flying by. I'm not complaining though. I absolutely can't wait for him to be here. All the preparations are now done. It is actually 7 am at the moment :D I couldn't sleep so I figured I'll get up and finish this post, as I've got plans for later and probably won't have time to do it then. This way I can just upload the pictures before I leave and enjoy the rest of my day. And if I take them before going then at least I won't be in sweatpants again :D
We are actually going to get the pushchair and a few last things for the baby today, so it's really exciting. because these things are literally the last things we need :S

How dusty is my mirror :D ? 

How far along: 36 Weeks

Gender of the baby: Boy

Weight gain and measurements: I have gained 2 pounds this week :D I don't know how or why, I'm not very bothered either. Also they say that around this time the weight gain will actually start to slow down and even if it doesn't...I mean, how much weight can one person gain in less than a month.
Fundal height at my 34 week midwife appointment was 33 cm...that is actually bigger than average, even though I don't really feel bigger than average :D I've got my 36 week appointment on Monday, so I'll be getting an updated measurement and also apparently at this appointment, when your baby is still in breech position, the midwife can arrange an ultrasound....It would be really cool to see the little guy once again before he comes :) But knowing me, everything will be bloody perfect won't it :D

Preparations: The bed is ready to go...I've got the bedmat under the sheet for me (just in case my water breaks in the bed...) and all the little clothes are now washed and ironed. The bath got delivered by our friends(it's so big:D)  I have also packed my hospital bag. I only packed one overnight bag, it's quite big so it fit all of mine and the babies things. I will do a separate post on the bag though as I'll accompany it with another video. And by the end of today we will have a pushchair, either being delivered or we actually have it...I'm not quite sure you can take it with you on the spot...I don't know :D we will see once we get there and actually find one :D

Tips and tricks I've learnt:

• Keeping active will help you have a pregnancy with less problems...I mean I had a pretty intense job and even though right at the end I did sit down quite a lot, most of my pregnancy I kept working, doing around 20-25 hours a week :) They tell you to take 30 minute walks, so I took 6 hour walks at work :D 
• If you keep your diet pretty much the same (if you were really unhealthy before pregnancy, change it obviously :D) but if you keep eating your fruit and vegetables and have a varied diet, then you need less supplements...the only vitamins I take are the multivitamins by Pregnacare throughout your pregnancy ones, that have all the good in them. I don't and don't need to take any extra iron either
•  I keep doing my pelvic floor exercises, but lets be honest I forget about them most days :D still no leaks though...
• Don't spend a lot of money on baby clothes, and organise a baby shower instead (or have your friends organise it for you) It's a great way of having friends over to talk babies and get all the essentials you need for the first few months :) 
• Don't over think it...I know they tell you to call your midwife or the hospital every time you think something is wrong and I'm not telling you not to, just don't think every little sign means something bad. For example diarrhoea in the late stage of pregnancy might mean you're going into labour, as it's the bodies way of clearing its passages for more bigger things to come through :D If you keep thinking something is wrong all the time you will end up hating being pregnant (I'm not saying I love it, but most of the time I don't even feel different). Take it easy and enjoy it. 

Sleep: Some days I sleep like a baby, some days I wake up for toilet breaks and can't go back to sleep for what feels like hours. It feels really heavy to turn as well, which is probably a good thing as this way I don't turn too quickly. But it is getting slightly harder to find a comfortable position. Also, the weather is really hot lately, which makes it even more uncomfortable to sleep...maybe it's a good thing D is a duvet hogger :D

Signs of labour: Still get the lightening feeling every now and then. I know he is not fully settled though as he does still move I'm also still getting period like pains, but they are not strong at all and only come every now and then. No braxton hicks contractions as of yet...or maybe I just don't realise I'm getting them :D
You know how I said I get cramps in the palms of my hands...I realised I sleep with my hands in strong fists :S this is super weird, it's like I'm ready to fight someone :D

Thoughts: I keep telling this to everyone, actually have been for a really long time, that I will go into labour on the 26th of July. No one believes me obviously, I don't even believe myself :D The thing is that the 26th is exactly my 38 week mark, and maybe I just got it stuck in my head that I won't be the one going over my due date. I'm just thinking that everything has felt so normal and good that he just doesn't need to stay in there for much longer :D Then again I won't be disappointed if he doesn't come early. Another thing is that all these talks that first time mothers go over their due date are not based on any study. Actually the studies and researches that have been made on the subject show that there is no difference whether you are a first time or second time mother. There is also no proof that age plays any effect. So I am not actually quite sure where people are taking this information. Just because a few more famous bloggers/youtubers/celebrities have gone over??? It just shows you not to believe everything you hear.
OMG more news, I heard this from my friend Marta yesterday, but apparently you don't get periods when you are breastfeeding. I couldn't believe it. Apparently this is your bodies way of preventing another pregnancy while you still have a little one to take care of....how awesome is that...on the other hand...don't count this to be your only way of preventing an unwanted pregnancy :D

Best Moment of the Week: That last shift at work. It was a pretty easy lunch shift and I actually felt pretty unemotional when I left about it, but it just meant that I'm at the last stretch now :)