A Survival Guide For New Mums

Its been 11 weeks since Fletcher has been around and in those 11 weeks there are a few things I have found to be essential in surviving these first few weeks with a newborn! So I have decided to share those things in the hope it will help other current new mums or as a reference for people to come back to when they have their first child.

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1. Coffee. This is your new best friend. It will keep you awake when you feel you should be asleep. Its your fuel. You won't have time to eat like you were during your pregnancy. I cannot stress enough how good coffee has been to me. My advice, invest in a large jar of high quality coffee. You will not look back.

2. Dry shampoo. I love the person that first thought up dry shampoo. Batiste is a heaven sent tool. There is limited time in a day that you get to yourself with a newborn. Washing,drying and styling your hair takes a backseat. Dry shampoo therefore steps up to be a vital tool in making yourself look presentable day to day. (Smashing tool for a little daily volume boost too!)

3. Concealor - I have preference for rimmels wake me up under eye concealor. When I don't have time to put a full face of makeup on I just chuck on some concealor under my eyes to cover those sleep deprivation revealing bags!! Again a tool just to make you look more alive, even when you don't feel it.

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4. Biscuit/crackers - because you just don't have time to eat properly. I love a good Ritz cracker, something I can snack on throughout the day and gives me energy to get through till dinner time. Possibly here it would be more sensible to eat something like nuts that are healthy and provide you with the energy to get through a day as well. Or alternatively when you get a chance a bowl of porridge will also sustain you for a lengthy period.

5. Blankets - blankets for him (trust me, there are never enough) and blankets for you. To snuggle up under on the sofas to get that nap in, whilst your baby is sleeping too. After all they say you should sleep when they are. Which isn't always possible unless you want no clean clothes or a clean house, but you take it when you can.

6. Primark. Thank you primark for providing Cheap clothes to bridge the gap between maternity clothes and your old clothes. When your maternity clothes become too big, primark is smashing for cheap trousers that bridge the gap when you are still looking weight but nothing else you own fits!

7. Lush bath bombs and bubble bars. Perfect for that occasional relaxing bath you do manage to get when the other half is home to look after the baby. Lush particularly make my favourite bath bombs and bubble bars. I also love the seasonal varieties you can get. My favourite item from lush is 'the comforter' bubble bar smelling sweet like some candy I used to eat as a child.

These few things have literally been my lifesaver in these early weeks of being at home with a newborn. I hope it may help some other people in those early weeks with a baby. It does get better I'm told!

Is there anything else that has proved vital to anyone else during the early weeks with a newborn that I should know about?

Love,

Kelsie xxx

Review; Gro Hush Baby Calmer

The Gro Hush is a product by The Gro Company, a company i became aware of when i fell pregnant and began shopping around for items for my baby. I stumbled upon their Gro swaddles and have since fell in love with them. ( my favourite is the woodland print one which you can get HERE)

The Gro Company were kind enough to send me the Gro Hush to test out on my Newborn. I was super greatful seeing as i love sleep and knew i would be lacking in that once Fletcher was born. 

The Gro Hush is a baby calmer that plays white noise in the sounds of a mothers heart beat, rain on a tin roof and ocean waves. Me and brad have decided we could fall asleep to the rain one far to easily. The white noise is played at 75 decibels which is a tested safe sound level for babies.

Fletcher has a restless patch everynight from about 8 to 11ish! The perfect time to test out the Gro Hush on him. it takes a little while for him to be soothed and i have found he most prefers the rain sound (like his parents hey?! ) I have also taken to using it to get him into a deep sleep by leaving it near him on his bouncer. It turns itself off after 10 minutes so i have found it is great for this. So far the Gro Hush has been great, i am a tad concerned that he will just get used to it and it will stop having the same effect on him, but for now what a handy little gadget for every new mum! (And it comes in an adorable little travel case, reckon the grandparents will aporeciate this too!) 

You can get a Gro Hush Baby Calmer by following this link - http://www.gro-store.co.uk/gro-hush.html

Also have a browse at the other products (i have my eye on the Gro-Egg!)

Have you ever used anything from The Gro Company? Is this a product that you would consider using on your baby? Let me know in the comments! 

Toodles 

Kelsie xxx

The Pregnancy Truths

Having given birth just 4 weeks ago i now feel a lot more like myself ( even wanting to dye my hair crazy colours again, i've refrained so far) i now feel it may be an appropriate time to reflect on those lengthy 9 months and give you the truths about pregnancy, basically what they dont tell you!

1. You may not get morning sickness. 

I had absolutely no morning sickness at all. A lot of people realise they are pregnant because of morning sickness. A lot of people realise because they are late  for their period. I was part of the latter. I didnt throw up at all. There was one time where i took some whitebait out to a table (was a waitress at the time) and it smelt so awful that i almost almost threw up. But i didnt. Im pretty thankful for this. You mah get sick, you might not. 

2. At around 30 or so weeks pregnant or possibly earlier you will just pop and your belly will start looking significantly bigger. This is also the time you maybstart getting stretch marks (time to purchase those creams!) 

Again i was quite lucky that i really didnt get many stretch marks. I did a post all about then HERE. 

3. Be prepared to be tired, ALL THE TIME. I napped so much during my pregnancy. Trust me make the most of it. Sleep is rare with a newborn. 

4. Everything will get bigger. That acene in friends were they say her boobs, feet and bum will get bigger. Well rachel aint lying. My feet swelled so badly towards the end of my pregnancy. I took to waddling everywhere. Wide fit shoes are also a dream here! Thankfully the swelling on my feet went away really quickly and i an back in ny old shoes. Some women's feet dont ever return to their old size! 

My fingers swelled so badly i got carpel  tunnel syndrome (basically numbness and pins and needles in my fingers and down my arm). My fingers swelled so much i couldnt take my rings off and they started digging in. Left them hoping they would be alright afterwards. Update swelling has reduced in my fingers but my knuckles have put on weight (yay!) so rings are still firmly in place but no longer digging in!

5. Not all women enjoy pregnancy. I hated it. I didnt feel like myself. I didnt feel like i was 'glowing' at all. Hated it all. Plus it was a super hot summer and i just felt awful. Obviously i am mega happy now, i love and adore Fletcher. 

There are just a few things i found out about being pregnant. There are some more things i realised whilst being pregnant but these are some of my most notable! 

Did any of this surprise you? Have any of you had a baby and had a similar pregnancy experience? 

Toodles

Kelsie xx

DIY ; Chocolate Chunk Biscuits

I decided the other day to do some baking, as being pregnant and stuck at home a lot of the time means I get very bored and this filled some time in what could have been an incredibly boring day for me, also I want to be like monica in friends and be the mum that makes the best cookies! These aren't really cookies more biscuits which I think makes a nice change from cookies every once in a while.

You will need;
115g Butter (at room temperature)
55 g caster sugar
140g all purpose flour

Half a bar of Chocolate or generally however much you fancy putting in!

Method ;

1.Preheat the oven to 170c (I have a gas oven so adjust depending on what you have)






2. Cream together the butter and sugar using a spoon or electric mixer (of which i have not yet purchased one for myself! Tis on the Xmas list!)

3. add the flour in and stir or need until it makes a semi firm dough. Add the chocolate chunks also at this phase

4.Using your hands, roll the dough into balls and place on a baking tray. Flatten all the balls down with a wet fork (a la picture)

5. bake in the oven for 20 or so minutes.

6. remove and transfer to a wire rack to cool down and then munch away!

Let me know if you try these biscuits and what you think. My fiance loved them which is surprising as he does not really like sweet things all that much, yet he ate loads of these!

Toodles

Kelsie x

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Pregnancy Update #5 - 35 Weeks

How far along? 35 weeks. 37 more days until my due date!

Maternity clothes? Yep, mostly just living in leggings when I am at home, just comfort and I am constantly hot

Stretch Marks? Yes, trying to keep them at bay though!

Sleep? Surprisingly well, finding it harder and harder to fall asleep but once I am there pretty much down for the whole night 

Best moment this week? Catching up with friends and Brad's parents. Buying ourselves a new fridge freezer. Also my lounge finally feels pretty much complete after picking up some of Brad's stuff from his parents house. 

Miss Anything? Alcohol. just alcohol at the moment. Also wearing normal clothes and seeing my foof when I look down. 

Movement? Lots, can feel him stretching out a lot. Its like having a little alien in your stomach

Food Cravings? Chocolate still. Bananas also at the moment. 

Anything making you feel sick/queezy? Nope, feeling fine :)

Gender? Little boy! 

Symptoms? Itchy skin on my bump. Swollen fingers, can not get my engagement ring off now :( its not cutting off my circulation yet, hoping I can just leave it and it will all be alright. Get pins and needles or achy fingers a lot at the moment


Belly button in or out?  IN :D

Happy or moody? Happy, very tired though

Looking forward to? New fridge freezer. Visiting my grandma. also I'm full of anticipation for wintery nights filled with fairy lights and cinnamon scented candles!

Toodles

Kelsie x

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What's In My Hospital Bag? Baby Edition

As I said in my previous post a couple of days ago, I was splitting these into two posts, otherwise I think it would be ridiculously long. This is what I am packing for my baby boy! Again I must apologise for the poor quality of my pictures I must have been very tired that day! 

All of this is so cute and blue, I am so excited for him to arrive already! 

1. Baby blanket and swaddle cloths - To wrap him up in and bring him home in. The blanket was actually hand knitted by Brad's auntie which I absolutely adore. 
2. Baby wipes - Kind of obvious this one, however, I do know that some hospitals don't allow you to use baby wipes and prefer cotton wool and water
3. Booties and scratch mittens- Baby essentials shall i say. The shoes were actually a gift, and I believe we picked up some mittens from mamas and papas.
4. Sleep suits and bibs- Again gifts but these are pretty plain and standard though!
5. Hats - The woollen one was again a knitted gift from Brad's auntie. I adore this so much its so cute and with our Snowboarding background is just perfect! The other hat I got here as part of a set. 
   
6. Cotton Wool - In case baby wipes are not allowed!
7. Muslin clothes - for sicky times, burps etc.. 
8. Socks- These are so cute and small. I found these ones on Mamas and Papas website (adorable)
9. Cardigan - Knitted again by Brad's aunt
10. Toy - a gift from my sister, when I initially found out I was pregnant

I have also packed new born nappies, but you don't really need to see that. I'm so fully excited for his arrival now. I'm dreading the labour pain (trying not to other think that) but I really really want to be skinny again now! 

Toodles

Kelsie x

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Pregnancy update #4 - 34 Weeks

How far along? 34 Weeks

Maternity clothes? no new ones since last week, but i am taking to wearing some of my old clothes (i particularly liked baggy clothes before i was pregnant) especially round the house.

Stretch Marks? A couple. Have a few now just slightly appearing on my boobies but have been using stretch mark products. See my previous review post on these products here

Sleep? Getting crazy dreams now, but actually sleeping really well. Only getting up a couple of times a night to wee.

Best moment this week? My midwife appointment where she said I could have him as soon as 37 weeks (3 weeks away!) as she thinks this would be easiest for me to give birth to a healthy little boy! Very exciting stuff. Just need to get my self prepared for the rest of the week. Also Sons of Anarchy is back!

Miss Anything? Dippy eggs and still Alcohol. Can not wait for that first beer!

Movement? seems like he is doing back flips, he's got his head down towards my cervix now and his feet just seem to constantly kick out the side of my body! Very uncomfortable!

Food Cravings? Chocolate still. Anything sweet. Also new found love of bananas, I just have to eat them when brad isn't around!

Anything making you feel sick/queezy? Nope not really, got a bit of a cold at the minute anyway. I still can't seem to handle the smell of tuna at all at the minute

Gender? A Boy

Symptoms? Tired and exhausted, let me tell you stairs are a very big challenge when heavily pregnant! Pins and needles in my hands!

Belly button in or out? Still in!

Happy or moody? Really happy. Very giggly days at the moment. We have both been a bit poorly, so down in that front but not moody really.

Looking forward to? A Friends surprise leaving party from our previous place of employment this weekend, going to be lovely to catch up with some friends.

If I am able to have him in a few weeks I will be very excited. I want him to come earlier rather than later.

Toodles

Kelsie x

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