Category: Pregnancy & Baby

Pregnancy Diary 34 Weeks

Lisa

Pregnancy Diary 34 Weeks

Pregnancy Diary 34 Weeks – I’ve got a feeling that I’m going to be saying this every week from now on but it’s been a really tough week this week.

Pregnancy Diary 34 Weeks

Sitting comfortably and walking around without pain in my back is becoming less and less. The baby’s movements are really jabby now and quite often make me gasp.

Sitting in the car is the pits it must be the angle of the seat which I’ve adjusted but it seems to scrunch me up a bit and the baby doesn’t like it so tries to stretch which makes me feel like I’m being pinned against the wall.

Sleeping

Sleeping is becoming more and more uncomfortable and I’m waking between 2 – 4 times a night. Once always to go to the loo and the rest either because I can’t get comfy or I have cramps in my legs.

Getting closer to labour

I’ve got a gut feeling that I’m not going to make it to my due date. I keep getting what I think are Braxton Hicks and then the feeling that my waters are going to break. It has me crossing my legs.

I also had the most awful pain during the night the other night, and I really thought that I was going into labour.

Going into labour is not an option at the moment since our car seat hasn’t arrived and our bags are not yet packed.

The planning for this is underway but with birthdays overtaking this weeks head space and energy it’s not yet done.

Baby Brain

I’ve had a bit of a panic this week as our pram and car seat have yet to turn up so I need to chase this since we need to get the car seat installed.

The crib sheets that we ordered also haven’t arrived, but it turns out that although I’d added them to my Amazon basket, I hadn’t actually paid and processed the order.

I know what you’re thinking, but I have definitely ordered and paid for my pram but still no sign.

Maternity Leave

Three weeks to go and counting. It’s not been too bad but I’m knackered by the end of each day.

Slapped Cheek

One of Isabelle’s friends has recently had slapped cheek which can be dangerous for unborn babies. All the info that I’ve read seems to pose a risk for babies under the 20 week mark. I spoke to my midwife and my blood was sent off to Bristol to check for immunity.

The results came back and it seems that I haven’t got immunity to it, but there don’t appear to be any known risks for my baby at this late stage. I may need to have another blood test to check this but I’m just waiting to hear.

Midwife appointments

My next appointment is next week. It’s the labour discussion. Whilst I haven’t bothered with birth plans as such, I would like to give a water birth a go alongside the hypnobirthing that I’ve been swatting up on.

I’m still really nervous about finding birth again. Apparently when you get to your third child I should be experienced enough to know exactly what I’m doing. No! I don’t feel that I know what I’m doing, only that I know it’s going to flipping well hurt!

I fought against the urge to push with Isabelle and fear that I’ll end up doing that again which clearly makes things worse.

I’m worried that I’m going to go into labour and Chris won’t be here.

Development

The baby will be about the size of a cabbage weighing around 5lb and measuring about 45cm.

They should be moving around as usual but the movements will feel different. This is definitely so, the movements are quite sharp and jabby now and I’m getting a pressure feeling that my waters are about to pop at any moment.

He or she’s hearing should be developed and we keep having words about all the kicking, but clearly like the other two it’s falling on deaf ears.

Hopefully the baby will be moving further down in preparation for the birth. I don’t think my bump has dropped down yet which is why all the movements are so significant and jabby. We’re not quite ready yet baby so just hang on in there for at least a couple more weeks.

Until next week.

Lisa x

Missed a week – fear not pop up to the top of the blog for all of my weekly Pregnancy Diary Updates.

Pregnancy Diary 33 Weeks

Lisa

Pregnancy Diary 33 Weeks

Pregnancy Diary 33 Weeks – Not long to go now are the words that reverberate around my head as it’s been said so many times.

Pregnancy Diary 33 Weeks

I went back to work today after two weeks off and it was definitely a shock to the system. The sound of the alarm clock in the morning was not welcome at all. It has also made me think that I wish I’d put in the request for my maternity leave to start sooner than two weeks before my due date. I’ve got a feeling that this baby isn’t going to wait that long.

Braxton Hicks

I’ve been getting Braxton Hicks quite a lot over the past week. My bump goes hard and tight and then I get a feeling that my waters are going to burst. It stops me in my tracks and I get the urge to cross my legs ‘just in case’.

Back Ache

Being back to work means that I’ve been moving around much more so my back has been particularly sore as the week has gone on. I’ve been doing my exercises and resting as much as I can which is difficult. It’s also really hard to get comfortable in bed at night so that my bump is comfortable, the baby is comfortable and also in a position that doesn’t aggravate my back. Not easy to achieve.

Eating

Hmmm way too much chocolate. I blame Easter entirely and Isabelle is such a bad influence.

It’s nice that I can eat normally with regards to everything else though. Apart from chicken still. I am tempted to try a bit of chicken as it is one of our staple meal items, but as the thought of it makes my nose wrinkle I don’t think I’ll bother.

Hospital Bag

As I’ve got this gut feeling that the baby will be early, I’ve started to wash the baby clothes and bedding and also have got out things for both of our hospital bags….just in case.

Pram

Hooray…….We’ve finally decided on our pram.

Whilst I wasn’t in a particular rush to get the pram here in the house, we definitely need to get the carseat here and installed in the car and as we’ve opted for a travel system we needed to get a move on. We’ve opted for the
Ickle Bubba Stomp V4 All-In-One Special Edition Travel System in Blueberry. We love that everything is included and that the carrycot top converts into the seat so it cuts down on having to store a separate carrycot top. It also looks gorgeous so I’m looking forward to pushing that around. It also comes with a carseat and isofix base which is a total bonus!

Apart from this I think we just need to get a baby seat, a steriliser and bottles for just in case the breastfeeding doesn’t go to plan.

34 Week Midwife Appointment

Technically I’m not 34 weeks until Sunday but I saw the midwife, had my blood pressure checked and my bump measured. Thankfully I’ve stayed along the 95th centile line so no need for an additional scan at this point and my blood pressure is fine as well.

One of Isabelle’s friends that we spent the day with last week has slapped cheek so my bloods have been sent off to check that I have immunity. All the info that I’ve read and the advice from the midwife is that the risk only seems to be for babies before you hit the 20 week mark but they’ve been sent to Bristol and will update me when she hears back.

We listened to the baby’s heartbeat which was loud and strong and then she had a jolly good poke around to feel which way the baby was facing. It’s currently head down with its spine along my left side and bum at the top with its legs curled under. It totally explains my lopsided bump as both it’s head and bum are more on the left side.

My bump has yet to drop down at all so it’s super round and very hard.

Sleeping

Not much of this happening at the moment. It’s too hot at night and then I can’t get comfy. When I finally do, the baby obviously isn’t so will wriggle until I give in and move. I know I’m driving Chris nuts as I’m fidgety and restless but I can’t help it.

I had a fairly decent sleep the other night where I played my hypnobirthing tracks when I went to bed which I did fall asleep listening to but I do remember feeling super relaxed before going to sleep.

At this stage I could quite happily have an afternoon nap every day, just to rest and give me a little bit of energy. The chance to do this would be nice!

I do keep having birth dreams. In every dream I’m at home on my own with Isabelle and she helps me to give birth. So far I’ve given birth in the bathroom and on the stairs with Isabelle by my side. I really hope this isn’t the case as I don’t want her to be traumatised for life.

Mum Life

Isabelle is mostly great but one of her less desirable qualities is her persistence, especially when she’s been told no. She’s like a dog with a bone and doesn’t like to back down when there’s something that she wants to do.

We were supposed to go to a parade today (Saturday) and then it poured down so we decided not to go and get some house things done ready for the baby. At lunch time she changed her mind which was too late, but it was the total end of the world. The drama began, it was the worse day of her life, could we invite friends over, could we go to an indoor play area, can we phone people…….No……just no. I’m tired and aching from cleaning and tidying.

No just isn’t an option that Isabelle is willing to consider some days so we butt heads for the rest of the afternoon. Daddy comes home and we eat and then I escaped upstairs to avoid any further conflict.

Development

The baby has reached the size of a butternut squash measuring around 43.7cm and weighing about 4lb 4oz (2lbs less than Ryan). They may already have hair – both of the other two had very very fine hair. Their bones are continuing to harden apart from the skull which stays soft to allow passage through the birth canal.

Apparently I may feel and look very pregnant – ticks for both of these!

Oh and I may feel exhausted and worn out – Tick. Tick!

Until next week.

Lisa x

 

Pregnancy Diary 32 Weeks

Lisa 17 Comments

Pregnancy Diary 32 Weeks

Pregnancy Diary 32 Weeks – were week two of the Easter holidays and I’m loving not being at work! I was told last week by the Physio to do as little as possible so given how painful my back has been that’s exactly what I’ve been doing.

Pregnancy Diary 32 Weeks

We’ve done plenty but I’ve been very selective in making sure that I’m not going too far and also spacing out activities so that I can rest in between.

Isabelle has been great and has been happy to do lots of craft activities as well as having friends over. I did take her to an indoor climbing centre with her friend which was really fun and she had a really nice time.

I’ve knocked dog walking on the head which I do miss but I can’t chase after him when he bolts at the sight of people feeding the ducks so he can beg for bread, and picking up dog pooh when he’s gone halfway down the embankment in search of the perfect pooh spot is out as well. The rain hasn’t helped at all either!

We have rearranged our bedroom and put up the crib next to our bed now. It’s not ideal since if we put it in the right Chris and I have had to swap sides of the bed which is weird, but if we put it on the other side the door may catch it so that’s a no.

We could of course stay on our own sides of the bed but aside from me having to walk around the bed to get the baby out during the night, Chris can’t seem to be able to come to bed without bumping into everything and so the baby is likely to be rudely awoken every night by him.

I had the worse nights sleep since pregnant last night. I couldn’t get comfortable at all, and when I did the baby obviously wasn’t so would have a good old kick and wriggle which went on for most of the night.

I think this is the wriggliest the baby has been to date and hopefully won’t be a sign of how are nights are going to go once he or she arrives.

I did read that sleep patterns are established at this stage so heaven help us!

I picked up my Emma’s Diary Bump to Baby pack yesterday which included:

  • A pack of 22 Pampers Nappies size 1 (4 – 11lb)
  • A sample tube of Bepanthen Nappy Care Ointment
  • A Petit Filous weaning spoon and voucher
  • A £1 off voucher for Pampers nappies
  • Lots of various money off vouchers

I’m going to pop the Pampers Nappy pack into my Hospital Bag as it’s a small pack but more than enough. The cream is also a great size for popping into my changing bag.

Food

Now that my eating is back on track I thought I would share with you what I ate in a day. I’m not going to any particular effort so that you think I’m super healthy as I do eat family size bags of crisps and huge chunks of cheese stood by the fridge if the mood takes me.

Chris I think is equally happy about my returned appetite as he is no longer restricted to cooking without onions or garlic, or making things with too many bits in it!

As well as putting up the crib, I’ve started buying things for both my hospital bag and the baby’s hospital bag and stashing it away.

It’s still a bit early to wash all the clothes and nappies but I’m itching to get this done so that I can fold, and probably unfold and refold. Did you do that? Is it a normal part of nesting? Who knows but it’s something I like to do (only with baby clothes I might add in case Chris is reading)!

Pram

We still don’t have a pram or car seat yet. The pram I’m not so worried about but we need to get the car seat bought and in the car ready.

Hypnobirthing

My Hypnobirthing book has arrived and I’ve started to read it. I’m also listening to the tracks as often as I can so that it sinks into my subconscious so I have as easy as possible Labour. I went for the Catharine Graves Hypnobirthing book and I’ve been listening to the tracks as much as possible which I still feel a little bit weird about, but it’s relaxing so I’m going to keep going.

Hospital Bag

We went into town today to get some more bits and bobs including some more leggings for me, a very unflattering nightie which I will wear during labour or afterwards and the most enormous knickers ever. I also got some nursing bras from H&M where both Isabelle and Chris crumpled into giggling stupidity which Isabelle can be forgiven for as she’s only seven but Chris really should know better.

My washable breast pads also arrived this week so they’re all good to go. Everything still needs to be washed and put away which I think I will do towards the end of next week. I couldn’t believe how long it took us to walk around town today with a few pit stops in between so that I could have a bit of a sit down and catch my breath.

Development

The baby is now the size of a hairy coconut measuring about 42.4cm and weighing around 3.7lb.

According to the Bounty App the baby will have bouts of sleep and wriggle time. There are definite times of the day when the baby has a good old wriggle, especially when I eat or drink something cold. Apparantly they have dreams, not sure how even scientists have managed to establish this but hey what do I know.

The baby may well be in the engaged position. I can’t tell which way the baby is as I get some amazing kicks up into my ribs which I then assume that the baby is facing downwards to then get a hefty shove in the side. Both of mine were breech right up until the last minute so we’ll see which way this one is when I have my appointment in a couple of weeks time.

See you next week.

Lisa x

Pregnancy Diary – What I ate in a day

Lisa 8 Comments

Pregnancy Diary – What I ate in a Day!

Pregnancy Diary – What I ate in a Day! My diet during this pregnancy hasn’t been great. I was so unbelievably sick at the beginning and didn’t want to eat barely anything. Smells have been a particular problem this time. Literally everybody on the planet or certainly that work with me eat garlic every single day.

Pregnancy Diary What I Ate In A Day

Textures have also been an issue this time. I’ve reverted into a fussy child who doesn’t like lumps in her pasta and I could weed out the smallest piece of onion from a mile away.

I pretty much lived on cheese, crackers and crisps. I could also eat fruit and yoghurt if the mood struck.

My evening meals were a basic rotation of jacket potato with cheese, beans on toast and cheese on toast. I also ate the occasional roast dinner but with very little vegetables. Not sure what the not liking veg this time round is all about.

Based on this salty diet I think a lot of people are convinced that this baby is going to be a boy BUT this is exactly the same diet I had with both previous pregnancies and I’ve had a girl and a boy so we’ll see.

Anyhow, it’s so nice to have an actual appetite and not be totally repulsed by food so I thought I would share what I ate today. I haven’t put any special thought into this to make you think that I’m super healthy. I’m off work so it’s probably not as good as it would normally be since I have all day access to the cupboards and fridge.

Breakfast

Lunch

Snacks

Dinner

I don’t think that was too much or too bad.

I think I probably need to eat a bit more fruit and veg but I’ve been drinking a lot of water. It is lovely to be able to cook as well as eat like a normal person again.

Lisa x

What did you wear to give birth in?

Lisa 8 Comments

What did you wear to give birth in?

What did you wear to give birth in? To be fair I don’t think this is something that I ever gave that much thought to. The first time round I was fully clothed with my skirt hitched up as the Labour was so dramatically quick.

What Did You Wear To Give Birth In?

Second time round I had on slouchy pyjama bottoms and then when the time came to push just a vest top on.

I want to have the chance to have a water birth this time round but there is a chance that I won’t like it or I have to get out for whatever reason in which case I will have to put a bit more thought into things to pack and change into.

Last time I forgot to pack clothes to come home in so ended up wearing pyjama bottoms rookie mistake!

So, as you do I had a bit of a google search to see if there are any particular items of clothing aimed at giving birth in.

Hospital gown

I suppose this is one option. I’m not sure I was offered. Hospital gown for either of my deliveries, but I assume you can.

Nightdress

A dark coloured nightgown would be a good option I would probably pick one with buttons down the front so that you can have skin to skin straight away. I would definitely go for black for obvious reasons and it might be nice if you like to walk around during labour.

Tankini or bikini top

For a water birth! Is it a ‘thing’ that people having water births do? I have no idea but it could be an option.

Naked

Hmm not for me. Giving birth puts you in a totally vulnerable position and whilst it’s natural and all I won’t be gallivanting around butt naked!

Birthing Gowns

As you would expect, there are specifically labelled birthing gowns that you can buy on the market which essentially are nightdresses made from lightweight material making them comfortable to wear.

So with this in mind I think I’m going to take vest tops and a nightie and will most likely wear slouchy jogger type bottoms into the hospital for comfort until it all kicks off.

Here are some of the options that I found but I think I will probably opt for a cheapy one from Primark.

Boob Design Nightdress

Nightdress from Boobdesign which is a bit pricey at £39.99 but is a breastfeeding one as well with a feeding panel.

Mothercare Nightdress

Blooming Marvellous Two Pack of Nursing Camisole Nightdresses from Mothercare – £17.60. I think this are a really good option since they have nursing clips for feeding and you get two, both being black.

This Birthing Gown from Happy Mama which can be bought from Amazon for around £16.00. This comes in a range of colours, but I would definitely opt for black and is front opening and back opening as well as poppers on the shoulder for feeding.

Next Nightdress

This Maternity Nursing Slip from Next is a good option for £24.00. It’s a nice length and has a front opening for skin to skin or feeding. 

Asda Nightdress

This lace trimmed Nightie from Asda is a bargain at £10.00. Super stretchy which makes it easy to feed in.

Envie De Fraise Nightdress

I found this site Envie De Fraise which has a lovely range of nursing nightwear, but this one caught my eye for £29.99.

The Essential One Nightdress

The Essential One also have a great range of Maternity Nightwear and Loungewear. This nightdress is £28.99 and has clips on the straps for easy breastfeeding/skin to skin.

With only eight weeks to go until my due date I need to think about packing both my hospital bag and the baby’s hospital bag.

 

Pregnancy Diary 31 Weeks

Lisa 13 Comments

Pregnancy Diary 31 Weeks

Pregnancy Diary 31 Weeks – So I’m now 31 weeks pregnant but feel 41 weeks pregnant. I’m tired – all of the time. It takes me ages to get dressed. My back is hurting and I’m still getting leg cramps, and now I’m getting tightening pains across my tummy.

Pregnancy Diary 31 Weeks

I’ve got 9 weeks of pregnancy left and 7 weeks of work. However, for the next 2 weeks I’m at home with Isabelle for the Easter holidays.

Rest they say – fat chance with Madam Ball of Energy around!

Easter Sunday we totally pigged out on chocolate starting with our own version of boiled egg and soldiers, chocolate throughout the day and a heifer of a roast dinner.

We saw family that day as well so I had a few baby squeezes from my nephew.

Monday brought my sister and mum armed with even more chocolate for the kids to scoff.

Back Ache

Tuesday we went to the Pregnancy Physiotherapist. She asked loads of questions about me and my previous pregnancies. We went through my job and how much walking that I do. I explained that I’d cut down as much as I can but was starting to feel too inactive. She’s recommended that I do as little as possible which might be tricky. I only pick Isabelle up from school on a Monday and Friday but the short walk from school to home which usually takes about 15 minutes has been taking me about 45. I’ve stopped taking the dog for a walk as this was really knackering me out, and my back would ache for the rest of the day.

I am intending to work up until 38 weeks but I may need to rethink this if it gets any worse.

We went through some exercises which Isabelle joined in as well. There was one where I had to get on the bed on all fours and suck in my stomach. It felt really weird to do that since sucking in your stomach whilst pregnant isn’t something you tend to do.

The other exercise was pelvic floor exercises which I should probably be doing anyway. A tip if you are pregnant and suffering with back pain is to clinch your pelvic floor when you stand or get out of bed. It’s all about strengthening the core which should help ease the back pain since all of your muscles and ligaments are relaxed to allow for the growth of the baby.

I did have to snigger at the leaflet that I was given!

Easter Holidays

my Sister-in-law took Isabelle to the cinema, McDonalds and bowling in the afternoon so I got so peace and quiet which was nice.

Wednesday we went to the library to return our overdue books. Chris told Isabelle that they were going to put us in library jail but thankfully we just paid a fine. We then went to Boots to pick up some baby/hospital bag stuff, and that was me totally spent for the rest of the day. I felt so lightheaded in Boots and it’s amazing how many people bustle about not paying attention to the people around them so thank you to the five or so people that barged into me, I hope you got served quicker!

Friday we took ourselves into town to have a bit of a mooch and take in the street entertainment happening in Princesshay. I think the umbrellas are so pretty.

Isabelle made her mark on the graffiti wall and had a chill on a beanbag.

There was a vintage carousel which I thinj she wanted to have a go on, but being seven and oh so cool she wouldn’t have a go.

We did have a turn on in the Kooky Photobooth but we weren’t very quick between the timer to get our props on properly. It was loads of fun though!

There was also a wheel of fortune and whilst I won a free drink at Wagamamas, Isabelle won £50 to spend in Fat Face – Lucky thing!

We finished up by having lunch at Debenhams where we could overlook Princesshay and watch the world go by.

Today we’ve stayed at home and have done a bit of colouring and watching Boss Baby on Netflix which is an actual cartoon series now.

We have done something every day but it really takes it out of me. I feel so tired!

Eating

I can eat most things now, but have to be in the mood for it. Except for chicken not sure why I still feel so repulsed at the idea of it but there we go. EVERYTHING gives me heartburn!

I’m eating quite small portions as I feel super full really quickly.

I’ve been quite thirsty a lot as well which is good because I wanted to increase my water intake anyway.

I’m back on the cheese after my cheese overload. I love picky things like cheese, crackers, cherry tomatoes, cucumber sticks, silverskin pickled onions etc…..YUM!

Sleeping

I’m not sleeping that great now. I can’t get comfy, or I’m comfy and the baby obviously isn’t so starts kicking like crazy so I have to move.

‘They’ say this is good preparation for when you have to get up for night feeds. I think since this is baby number 3 that I’ve had plenty of practice thanks!

Giving birth

This is on my mind all the time now. I don’t think I’m going to go full term and I’m dreaming of all kinds of scenarios where I give birth. I’m always on my own with Isabelle when it happens which I hope isn’t a premonition.

I’m pretty set as I’ve said previously on a water birth. Having this recommended by the Unmumsy Mum and also Charlotte Taylor who is a fab You Tuber who recently gave birth made me want to give this a go. If these two non-hippy mums recommend it then I’m willing to give it a try. I went with Catharine Graves Hypnobirthing Book which you can get here  The Hypnobirthing Book and Antenatal Preparation MP3 – An Inspirational Guide for a Calm, Confident, Natural Birth.

I’ve listened to the tracks but find my mind drifting into thinking about other things. Hopefully some of it is sinking into my subconscious or it’s probably not going to work. It’s hard to listen to it as I don’t get a moments peace.

Development

According to my Bounty App the baby is the size of an aubergine measuring around 41.1cm (that’s a big aubergine) and weighing about 3.3lb and will continue to put on weight until it’s born.

The organs will continue to develop and their bone marrow is now producing red blood cells which the liver has been doing up until now.

The baby’s fingernails are fully developed and may need cutting once born.

At 31 weeks pregnant my wrinkles may disappear but I may feel hot, have heartburn and be getting Braxton Hicks. I think I may have been experiencing some of these in the evenings. I’ve been getting tightening pains across my belly and it feels like the baby is tensing up.

Names

I think we may have made a teeny bit of headway with this but we’re going to keep it secret until the baby is born.

Here’s to another week!

Lisa x

 

Great Baby Deals with www.latestdeals.co.uk

Lisa 16 Comments

Great Baby Deals with www.latestdeals.co.uk

Great Baby Deals with www.latestdeals.co.uk – It’s not a big secret that when you find out that you’re expecting there is a LOT to buy. I’m currently 31 weeks pregnant with our third child and we’ve got to buy pretty much everything. Shopping around can be a bit of a bore but it’s definitely worth having a look to compare offers and prices.

Great Baby Deals With www.latestdeals.co.uk

This is where sites such as www.latestdeals.co.uk come in which offer a huge array of offers and discounts. These are all found by the Latest Deals community rather than a company  Deals are updated constantly across everything from Home & Garden, Health & Beauty and of course the current baby deals available.

My Top Baby Deals

Whilst it was tempting to go off course I thought I would look specifically at the Baby Deals. Here are some of the top offers that I found:

Great Baby Deals With www.latestdeals.co.uk

18 packs of Huggies Baby Wipes for £7.50.

This is a huge saving! Each pack works out at 41p per pack.

Great Baby Deals With www.latestdeals.co.uk

This cute little Egg Shaped Baby Sleeping bag is a total bargain at only £7.40. Suitable for 0 – 12 months.

Great Baby Deals With www.latestdeals.co.uk

A Universal Baby Stroller Organiser for £4.99. I’ve been looking for one of these but haven’t been able to find one for under the £20.00 mark so this would be perfect.

Great Baby Deals With www.latestdeals.co.uk

Most of the Baby Dove range from Asda has been reduced. This big 400ml Head to Toe Wash has been reduced from £3.10 to £1.50 a bottle. This is the range that we’ve chosen to use this time round so we’ve stocked up on this already. It smells gorgeous!

Great Baby Deals With www.latestdeals.co.uk

Did you know that if you potty train your child at two and a half that the average child will have had around 6000 nappy changes. So great news is that there are loads of deals on nappies to make that figure easier to swallow. This one is for Half Price Pampers Nappies so make sure you stock up.

Great Baby Deals With www.latestdeals.co.uk

This VTech First Steps Baby Walker caught my eye as it was the one that we had when Ryan was a baby which I know we paid over £30.00 for and this one is available for £16.50. You won’t need it straight away but I find that it’s always good to buy things and put them away to get some of the best deals.

Great Baby Deals With www.latestdeals.co.uk

Get a FREE Mother & Baby Mini Mag – This is a digital download and there is also a link to subscribe to the magazine from £15.00 + a FREE Slumbersac Sleeping Bag.

Great Baby Deals With www.latestdeals.co.uk

A Digital Baby Thermometer for only £17.45. I didn’t think I would need one of these previously but Isabelle caught everything going and the doctors always want to know if they are running a high temperature so this is a must to get an accurate reading.

Great Baby Deals With www.latestdeals.co.uk

This Nuby Natural Touch Microwave Steam Steriliser for £15.00 is perfect for us since I’m going to breastfeed my baby, but like last time I may need/want to express some milk so having this inexpensive steriliser to hand is going to be perfect.

Great Baby Deals With www.latestdeals.co.uk

This stylish Bebe Style Modern Swivel 360 Highchair which should have been £70.00 is now only £50.00 and is fully adjustable so that your baby can sit alongside you at the dining table for dinner.

I could go on and on with the deals so I’ll just add in one more which I think is just as essential as all of the above, and that’s 30% Off Domino’s Pizza’s for those nights when everything goes wrong, the baby won’t sleep, you haven’t had a shower and cooking is the last thing on your mind.

Total Savings

So based on all of the deals that I’ve selected, if bought it works out that at full cost it would have come to a grand total of:

£245.47

By finding these offers from Latest Deals the cost would be:

£124.09

This is a total saving of:

£121.38 by going through the Latest Deals Website.

So the moral of the story is, that before you make any future purchases check out www.latestdeals.co.uk and search for what you want to buy to see if you can find a great deal or offer. Or if you find a great deal then share it with the rest of the Latest Deals community.

To view all the latest Baby Offers pop over by clicking here but it’s not just for baby items, there are loads of deals for almost everything else you might want to purchase.

I’d love to know of any deals that you’ve made a great saving on. Leave me a comment below.

Lisa x

*This is a collaborative post but all thoughts and views are my own.

 

Pregnancy Diary 30 Weeks

Lisa 3 Comments

Pregnancy Diary 30 Weeks

Pregnancy Diary 30 Weeks – We’re officially three quarters of the way to being a family of five + pooch. It really is whizzing by and becoming more of a reality. Silly really since it’s not our first, but it never quite feels real until it’s almost upon you. Life is going to be so different again and we’ll have to find our new ‘Normal’. Whatever that might be!

Pregnancy Diary 30 weeks

Back Ache

I’ve been having good days and bad days. Some days I feel fine and am moving around as normal and then out of nowhere I get shooting pains right up through my back which stop me in my tracks. I’ve got physio booked in for next Tuesday so hopefully they will have some tips and exercises to help ease this.

Cramp

Aarghhhh….This is really getting on my nerves now. I’ve been woken up for nearly the past week by awful leg and foot cramps a couple of times a night which means that I’m knackered during the day PLUS once I’m awake my bladder then springs to life so I need to go for a wee and then I’m totally wide awake.

Easter Holidays

I’m off work for the Easter Holidays with Isabelle which I’m looking forward to  but also a bit nervous about as she’s going to want to be entertained and since moving around is becoming increasingly difficult we may have to look at things we can do mostly at home or not too far away.

We went to watch Peter Rabbit at the cinema today. It’s really funny when you try and squeeze past people when you can’t actually squeeze. Thank god we were only a few seats in from the end of the row.

Dog walking

I do love walking Charlie, but it’s become Chris’ sole job at the moment because of my back pain. I miss not walking him and I think he does as well but once the baby is here, he will be my baby walk buddy so will get lots of outside time. We went out for about 40 minutes yesterday in the pouring rain. It was totally knackering and I might have had a sneaky 20 minutes with my eyes closed when we came back.

Still no pram……

We have still yet to buy both our pram and carseat. The choice at the moment is ridiculous. I really would like the Egg Stroller and there are a couple of the Silvercross prams that I like, but you know what it’s like when you’ve seen what you want and nothing comes close. We just can’t justify the spend on an Egg Stroller which is totally gorgeous. It also comes with a gorgeously grand price tag!

If you do see any good pram offers then do let me know in the comments.

Baby Names

This poor baby is possibly just going to be named ‘baby’ since we can’t agree on names that we like. I’m not one for unusual names but nothing particularly stands out for me. Isabelle’s suggestions of ‘Poo poo toilet head’ aren’t really an option either so hopefully when ‘baby’ arrives we might have a lightbulb moment.

Heartburn

Heartburn is causing me a lot of grief by the end of the day. My bump is still really high up so hopefully this will ease off when my bump drops down a bit. Until then I’ll carry on swigging the Gaviscon (I actually quite like it).

Breastfeeding

I want to be fully prepared for this as it wasn’t a particularly pleasant experience last time. We had issues with latching and my supply wasn’t great either. I’ve been doing a lot of research on ways to boost supply which I will share with you in separate posts. I’m also going to prepare myself that it might not work out and stock up on bottles, formula and a sterilizer.

Any tips that you have regarding breastfeeding would also be great.

Until next week.

Lisa x

 

Pregnancy Diary 29 Weeks

Lisa 18 Comments

Pregnancy Diary 29 Weeks

Pregnancy Diary 29 Weeks – It’s snowing again! This has got to be the strangest March ever! The shop shelves are again empty of milk and bread and the sledges are out. It’s a shame that I can’t go sledging with Isabelle or walking with the scaredy cat dog in the snow but my back is still giving me problems so I don’t want to risk any slips.

Pregnancy Diary 29 Weeks

Pregnancy Physio

I’ve got my physio appointment on Monday where they will hopefully give me some tips, exercises or even support for my back over the coming weeks which thankfully has eased off a little bit.

My appointment was cancelled due to the snow. Boo! So I’m just waiting for this to be rescheduled.

Snow Day

So as predicted for once, the snow came down on Sunday which resulted in a Snow Day on Monday. No school or work for any of us. Chris took Isabelle sledging.

Work

As of Monday 19th March I had exactly 36 working days left before my maternity leave kicks in. I’d like to say that I’m not counting but I AM!

Bloods tests

Friday I went for my 28 week check up and was supposed to have bloods taken which after three failed attempts it was abandoned. Luckily I work at a hospital so I could pop along to the blood room to get these done which I have now. My midwife said that she thought I was a bit pale so there may be a possibility that I may have an iron deficiency.

Movement

This baby is just as wriggly as the other two. We’re now at the point where there are definite elbows or feet sticking out. I can’t tell the difference between the sticky out bits but it feels like it’s doing star jumps. Ryan used to stretch out which was quite horrible and I would have to give him a bit of a nudge to go back into a more comfortable position. Isabelle used to get hiccups which was quite novel. I haven’t had either of these with this one, just lots of jabby type kicks which have made me gasp quite a few times.

One Born Every Minute

I sat and watched One Born Every Minute the other night which, after watching the forceps delivery I was left feeling quite traumatised. Both labours, the mums were on their backs which for me was the most uncomfortable position. Did you watch it? It was the one with Sunny and Shay who were really comical. It was quite sad that her mum didn’t approve of her choice of husband and is not in their lives, but her mother-in-law was there and so so supportive. The other couple had their forth baby and she was totally off her head on gas and air. I don’t remember the gas and air doing anything for me other than giving me a really dry mouth. The more I think about this, the more I think I would love to try a water birth.

Labour Talk

This is probably going to be a feature every week now as it’s not that far away. Chris works long hours and is quite often a hefty drive away from home which isn’t ideal. My actual due date is the 3rd June and Isabelle will be off school the week leading up to this which makes me feel slightly uneasy.

I asked her the other day what she’s going to do if the baby starts to come to which she answered – Scream. Ha ha.

I thought I would test her to see if she knew what to do in an emergency type situation (I promise I didn’t scare her). She knows that she has to phone Daddy and the cheeky little monkey knows the pin passcode to my phone and can find Daddy in my contacts list so that’s good. However, when I asked if she knew how to phone an ambulance she said she would phone 911!

I’m sure I’ll be fully functional to use the phone myself but always good to check these things.

Getting ready for Baby

We’re in the middle of sorting through the things that we already have which is more than I thought, and making a list of what we need to buy. Clothes wise I don’t think we need to buy much more since we don’t know the sex of the baby so we’re keeping it to a minimum.

I think I might write a separate post on what I consider to be Newborn Baby Essentials as when you’re a first time parent you are totally lead by magazines and websites that are there to get you to buy literally everything under the sun, most of which you may use once or possibly never.

I would like to get a beside the bed crib which will make feeding much easier for me, and I’m pre-empting that we might end up having this one in our bed so it would be better to have the additional space added on by the crib. Chris wants to use the rocking crib that we already have since his Nan bought this for us and isn’t here any longer. It might be that we have the beside the bed crib in our room and the rocking crib in the baby’s room which it can sleep in during the day. I’m not sure if you can leave a baby alone in a beside the bed crib if you’re not in the room in the event that they may roll onto the bed and out of the bed (Hmm need to think about that). This debate continues.

Washable Nappies

Do you use? Do you like them? We used them previously with Isabelle and I loved them but Chris didn’t and isn’t keen to go down that route again. I think we’ve come to a compromise in that if he takes the baby out and about we will have a little stash of disposables that he can use and I will use the washables when the baby is with me. I’m off to a Nappucino in a few weeks as I need to buy some wet bags and a bucket, and also just have a chat to our local nappy expert to update since it’s a while since I’ve used them.

Development

The baby is about the size of a cauliflower measuring around 38.6cm and weighing about 2.5lb.

The Vernix Caseosa (the waxy white substance which has been protecting it from the effects of the amniotic fluid) is beginning to disappear, as is the soft downy hair (lanugo) which has covered its body (although there might still be traces of both at birth).

The baby’s eyes are starting to focus. It makes you wonder what exactly they can see!

The baby should double in size between now and birth – heaven help me as my bump looks full term already now.

Baby gets first dibs on all the nutrients from the food that I eat and I get whatever is leftover.

At 29 weeks I have fast growing nails to look forward to. Sadly mine do grow fast but they are so flimsy that they split and look a bit of a mess at the moment. Oh and constipation is also part and parcel from now until the birth. Lucky me!

Until next week……

Lisa x

Pregnancy Diary 27 Weeks

Lisa 19 Comments

Pregnancy Diary 27 Weeks

Pregnancy Diary 27 Weeks – I know I’ve said this before but this pregnancy seems to be whizzing by. I’m now in my third trimester and am on count down to maternity leave now.

Pregnancy Diary 27 Weeks

There’s still so much to do. I should be soaking up every moment of this pregnancy as this is my third and final baby, but we seem to get caught up in the boring bits of life.

My back is still giving me a lot of pain but I do have a physiotherapy appointment next week, have been using my wheat bag, and trying not to do too much walking around which seems to make it worse actually sitting too much does as well so it’s a no win situation really.

Breastfeeding

I’ve no doubt that I will breastfeed this baby but it does fill me with anxiety as it was so disastrous last time. I’m going to go into this with an open mind and also a formula back up option just in case. I’m NOT going to stress about this too much.

Oh I’m such a liar! With this and the thought of actually giving birth again it’s nearly sending me over the edge!

Hands up if you’ve had to explain the intricate details of breastfeeding to your kids. Isabelle had decided that she was going to feed the baby when it is born and so I had to explain that I would be the one to feed the baby when it’s born.

But why? She asked.

I was quite surprised that she asked this as she’s seen and been around breastfeeding mothers. Clearly they were discrete enough that she hadn’t realised what they were doing.

This has given her seven year old brain endless amusement.

She’s questioned everything from how the baby gets the milk out to will I be walking down the street with my top off (let’s hope not).

We just know that she’s going to have her beady eyes on me to witness this hilarious (her words) act.

Gestational diabetes

I was told at the time of my glucose tolerance test that if I didn’t hear anything I could assume that it was negative. This should mean that it’s negative but with the snow we had last week causing a backlog at the hospital, I’m not going to assume until I get the actual result which I will get from the midwife when I see her next week.

Giving birth

Nobody is letting this one go. As much as I would like to bury my head in the sand it’s a hot topic since my bump is so pronounced.

I know what I don’t want:

  • Pain
  • A caesarean
  • To tear
  • An epidural
  • To be induced
  • An episiotomy

I just want the baby out once the time comes. I’m not going to plan as such as this hasn’t worked out for me at all.

I wouldn’t mind having a water birth a go as this wasn’t an option previously, the first being too quick and the second the pools were in use.

Would I have a home birth? Probably not. Images of the dog watching and Isabelle either being too interested or ending up traumatised spring to mind.

Development

The baby is now the size of a head of broccoli weighing around 1lb 9oz and measuring about 36.6cm.

The baby can now distinguish the difference between light and day and may have hiccups.

If the baby was born now it would have a chance of survival. I hate reading stuff like this as it’s way too soon for the baby to come considering how many changes happen from day to day.

Apparently if Chris was to put his head on my tummy he may be able to hear the baby’s heartbeat – we must try this.

My appetite should increase at this point, but it’s the complete opposite. I feel full all the time and when I do eat it’s much smaller amounts than I would usually eat. The baby feels like it’s right underneath my ribs and pushing upwards at the moment which isn’t particularly comfortable.

Until next week.

Lisa x