Alternative Newborn Photo Ideas

I've been having buckets of fun on Instagram lately- if you don't follow me already, I really would love if you checked out our page!

I've been sharing all the alternative ways you can take newborn photos. Are you a bit of a geek? A Harry Potter fan? Just looking for something different?

Here are a few ideas to tickle your fancy- there'll be more coming soon so definitely give us a follow here.

I wouldn't have nothing if I didn't have you- Monsters Inc

Harry solemnly swears that he is up to no good!

We love you Harry, to infinity and beyond.

I can fix it mama, I can fix anything!

I'll be your hero mum!

The end of the fourth trimester.

Three months. I genuinely can’t believe it’s been three months.

I’ve been quiet. If you read here, you’ll know I shared with you that I’ve been suffering with postpartum anxiety. I’ve been to see the GP a few times and I’m taking medication (hopefully only till around 6 months postpartum) and I’m finally having mostly good days as a result.

We are out of the newborn blur and heading toward a reliable routine which has been a life saver. I can generally guess what Harry needs just based on the time of day, and his cry’s are easy to understand. To top it off, he’s an exceptional sleeper (I deserve this after the horror of a sleeper Archer was and still is!) and I get around 5-6 hour stretches from him at night!

It’s all going so well. I’m not really worrying about my weight or losing it- it’ll come off on its own one day and I’ll diet properly when I’m not breastfeeding.

The breastfeeding is going wonderfully now. I believe my let down issues were related to how stressed I was getting wit the anxiety and now I’m more relaxed my body is producing much better. I do get quite sore as I seem to have an over supply but Harry is gaining really well now and much more content. I’m so glad we stuck through those hard weeks.

The newborn days are tricky. The horrible hormones, and getting to know your baby who is desperately trying to adjust to the outside world... it feels like it’s going to be a never ending struggle but here we are. I’m already looking back fondly and missing how small and new he was. It was hard. I suppose that’s why they call it the fourth trimester?

It was worth it though. We’ve come through and Harry is one of the easiest, happiest little babies and we’re all so in love with him.

Harry’s Birth Story!

I’m extremely pleased to let you know that our wonderful son Harry Jack was born on the 27th November! He’s seven weeks old tomorrow and I’ve been absent from the blog just soaking him in and trying to find a new normal with THREE children (aka I haven’t slept in months and I have been far too tired to find time to write...)

So here we go with the birth story- it’ll be fairly long winded so make yourself a cup of tea and be warned there may be some intimate or graphic details!

I’d been having contractions on and off for around a week starting at 38/39 weeks pregnant, but they never properly hurt and the pattern always dissipated after around two hours of them being every ten minutes. How frustrating right?

On the 26th November, I was two days away from my due date and beginning to wonder if I’d go overdue for the first time. Everyone had said Harry would be far earlier, including my midwife, but there was no sign. Funnily enough, we’d joked that if I waited until the end of Jack’s working day on this date, he’d get to be off until just after Christmas which was all we’d hoped for! Jack text me at 5:30 to remind me of this “deal” and I replied that I’d actually had some cramps walking Isla home from school, but nothing major and that I believed it would stop again as usual.

It didn’t, but the pain didn’t ramp up. I was having a mild pain every 7-12 minutes lasting just under a minute, but mostly I just had a really heavy ache in my lower back that wouldn’t go away which made it feel a bit different in comparison to the cramps I’d had all week. I know now that Harry was back to back for a while which explained the back ache! I was experiencing back labour and would for the entire ordeal.

It got to around 7:30pm and it hadn’t got any worse but also not stopped. Jack asked if we should drop the children where they were to stay while I was at hospital but I said no. I was sure if I got my hopes up, I’d jinx myself and it would all stop. Despite my denial, Jack called to warn everyone and sent the children to bed. I had a soak in the bath to see if it would go away and it still didn’t, so I agreed we should prepare just in case and I finished the last minute bits for the bags.

I spent a lot of the evening on my CUB cube trying to ease my back discomfort and timing the tightening sensation. I got to around 10pm and admitted to Jack that they were *maybe* real as they’d got to 5-6 minutes apart... of course I was still in denial as I didn’t want to let everyone down with a false alarm, but Jack took the children off just in case.

Once Jack was back, I called the hospital who told me it sounded like early early labour at most and that I should call back when the pains were properly regular or actually hurting. I sobbed, convinced it was all fake because of that.

I went to bed around 11:30pm and tried to sleep sporadically. The pains didn’t wake me, but the constant back ache did cause me to only half sleep or doze.

2:15am (or thereabouts) I woke up suddenly feeling moist. I still wasn’t convinced- I’d been to the hospital in the last week as the midwife thought I was leaking amniotic fluid but it was just a lot of discharge and other lovely pregnancy things... what if this was the same? I sat up in bed and said I’d go bounce on the CUB cube and see if anything else came out.

I sat texting my friend Chrissy to update her, as nothing else had come out and Jack was making his way downstairs when the waters properly broke. It was 2:33am and I stood on the carpet and soaked through my pajamas bottoms. You know in movies when a woman leaks entire puddles in huge gushes? Midwives say it rarely happens... well it happened to me with Isla and it certainly happened this time.

I had to get changed twice and all of a sudden the pains began to hurt. This was expected for me as none of my contractions hurt during the other labours until my waters broke. They still were not regular or “screaming pain” but as my waters needed checking, the labour ward said to come in.

We got there around 3:30am (after lots of yelling at Jack as he tried to drive calmly, sorry) and I instantly asked for a water birth. I had an epidural with the last two and I wanted to *try* without but I also anticipated I’d likely wimp out and beg for one after a while, and I hoped the water would help ease my SPD pain.

I got to the room with the tub and it was confirmed my waters were definitely broken (I did waddle in with towels between my legs, still gushing every few minutes) and I was checked- 0cm, 0% effaced and not even a little bit of engagement. I had made literally zero progress and my contractions weren’t regular enough or long enough to class as proper labour. Inductions the next day were mentioned, but I asked for a chance to relax and I was told I’d have a couple of hours to see if I could progress.

At 5:00am, I was sore and moaning, but I wasn’t “in labour” so the midwife wouldn’t give me any pain relief besides paracetamol and I still wasn’t getting regular contractions. I started feeling very stressed and the pains were further apart than before as a result but seemed to hurt more. I asked to come out the tub and I kept going to the loo to try and wee, I desperately felt like I needed to wee! When I got back, I was checked again and was still exactly as I had been two hours before. She said I’d maybe need to go home, but I begged to stay.

Id originally told Jack to get a three hour parking ticket so we could stay a while, but he got the two hour which meant while it was agreed I could stay, he had to pop down at 5:30am to change the ticket.

At this point, I was back in the tub but the midwife couldn’t trace Harry’s heart properly so I had to get out. While out, I didn’t have the water to ease the pain and my back and pelvis were in agony. I asked for pain relief again and was offered pethidine. I had this with Isla and while it didn’t take the pain away, it did make me space out and dizzy so I wasn’t fully focused on it, so I agreed to give it a go.

I had the injection at 5:45 and asked how long it would take to kick in- she said it would begin to work in around twenty minutes. I asked for an epidural after about ten minutes as I couldn’t handle the constant back pain- I was told no. I held my eyes shut, and with every pain I began to think over and over again “twenty minutes and it will stop” like an obsessive mantra, even when the twenty minutes passed. I had a little spaced out relief but it quickly wore off.

The midwife came back in around 6:20am and checked Harry’s heart and put monitors on me. My contractions were not regular but they were making his heart jump up and down, so she broadcast them to the doctors and told me I had to roll over. I was in pain and I kept telling her I couldn’t move.

My back started to arch, and I couldn’t stop it. I felt my body violently pushing. The midwife told me to stop it and roll over as Harry’s heart rate started dropping and rising even more. Jack said it was going as low as 80, before jumping back up to 180. I couldn’t move, I was pushing.

“My body is doing things I can’t stop” I said, of course I pushed with epidurals last time so this was a fully new sensation. I screamed in pain and they tried to shove me over on my side. I didn’t even notice the alarm being pulled and a team rushed in.

The midwife told me not to push. I panicked- was my involuntary pushing making his heart hurt? Was I hurting the baby? I couldn’t be pushing- I’d not progressed at all and I had no regular pains!

The midwife checked, and very surprised, exclaimed I was suddenly already 8cm and to stop pushing. I asked for gas and air and screamed “am I in labour now?!” as they handed it to me. I had one pull before deciding it was too much effort to stop pushing and inhale at the same time and threw it at whoever was nearest to me (sorry Jack).

Seconds later, less than a minute after being told not to push, I said “he’s coming” and then I don’t really remember anything but pain.

My recorded active labour was 4 minutes, and Harry was born so quickly they said his side effects from being born were essentially the same as a c-section baby- he hadn’t been compressed by the birth canal at all. His elbows were by his head and he came out with such large force that they bruised from being forced out so fast. His cord was around his neck so tight (this was the cause of his heart rate jumping) that he had a curly shaped bruise around his neck for days after being born.

One minute I was screaming and the next I sort of came back around from the “out of body” way I felt and I asked where Harry was. Jack said they had to “sort him out” a bit to make him cry but it all happened so fast. I was in too much shock to take much in, so Harry was given to Jack while I was sorted out by the doctors.

Harry was born very suddenly at 6:35am weighing 9lb11. For the record, the three hour parking ticket I’d asked for? It would’ve expired at 6:30am and Jack would have missed it all as it happened so fast!

My active labour with a Archer was 20 minutes and I’d warned the midwife it would happen all at once, but she kept telling me third babies are almost always the longest- I think I shocked them all and once I was settled and sorted I apologised for all the yelling but did smugly say “I told you so!”

I’m sure I’ve missed loads of details here and there. It was all very shocking and being honest I felt very uncomfortable and traumatised by it all for weeks - I still do a little now.

I’d do it all again for our little Harry though.

36 Weeks- Pregnancy Update

It’s been a few weeks. Admittedly I’ve had things I’d like to write about but I just haven’t had the energy! Pregnancy is officially kicking my butt and I’ve gone from not really caring when I give birth, to wanting this baby out as soon as healthily possible because I am done!

I’m currently in week 36 which means “full term” really is on the horizon. They say 37 weeks is when baby is developed enough to be born, and labour really does become any minute from that point. I had Archer at exactly 37+1 but that was induction as a result of my SPD. I had isla at 38+1 which is good for a first baby so I’m hoping this baby follows trend. Part of me is relieved to have made it to the end but the truthful part is, who knows when the end really is?

People have began asking me in the street “when is baby coming?” but no answer seems satisfactory. I say “the end of November!” and I’m met with comments about how I must be wrong because that’s so long away and I’ve looked ready to burst for weeks and Baby is just *so low*. If I say “I don’t know!” which is actually the only truthful answer because due dates are nonsense and better ignored, people look at me like I’m crazy for not knowing. I’ve even answered “any time from 1-5 weeks from now!” which allows for birth between 37-42 weeks and again I’m looked at like I’m insane. It’s gotten me quite cross as I realise I’m counting down for absolutely no reason because nothing is certain. 

Ranting about the undefinable countdown to getting this baby out aside, as I said I am done with pregnancy and I’ve remembered exactly how much it is rubbish at the end. I’m currently host to a wiggly squirmy entity who makes me cry if I don’t eat every half an hour but when I do eat I don’t have room for more than a few bites before I’m done. I’m also host to a haemorrhoid so large I’m worried the baby will think it’s his mother instead of me and honestly sitting down has become a literal pain in the bum. The worst part is I’m so upset about it making me walk like I’ve had an accident that I’m happy to tell everyone and their mum about it just so they don’t think I’ve had an accident... 

Nesting is gearing up and this week I scrubbed some mildew marks off a wall and windowsill in my bedroom so hard that I stripped some paint off- but who cares, it’ll look so much better for the baby right? I had the uncontrollable urge to sleep for days after such a hard activity so the rest of the house is a state, but the wall is clean so it’s okay. 

I think it’s sort of clear I’m not having fun anymore. I’ve been having a lot of braxton hicks contractions and every now and then one will hurt a little in my back or make it harder to breathe which has me a little hopeful that my body is getting ready for the big day. I’ve also had a couple of tiny spots of red/pink in the last week which could be my cervix softening which is also a great sign. 

I’ll probably look back on this pregnancy fondly. I’m so grateful everything is healthy with baby and of course that I am pregnant at all... so I feel bad for moaning so much. It’s just one of the absolute toughest thing a body goes through and with the SPD and swelling and contractions and lack of sleep I’m turning into a beast. I’ve shouted at Jack more in the last week than I count and I can’t even remember why! Sorry Jack. 

1-5 weeks to go! Haha. 

33 Weeks- Pregnancy Update

I wonder if I’m writing far too much about pregnancy sometimes on this little blog of mine, but the fact is pregnancy literally takes over nearly every aspect of life.

I’m 33 weeks now, and it’s nearly all I can think about. It’s a big change considering a month or so ago I was worried that I was too switched off from it all and dismissive. I was actually forgetting I was pregnant sometimes.

I’m obsessing over the baby’s bedroom and his furniture. We’ve been waiting for the decorators to come in and do some work and we’ve had to fully empty what is currently Archer’s room for them, so the entire house is in disarray. That didn’t stop me going to Ikea because I simply couldn’t wait any longer and buying all his things to go in there once we reassemble the room. Of course my pregnant brain glossed over the fact I couldn’t actually build the furniture or store it anywhere so my living room is now full of unopened boxes in top of the million packages of baby things I haven’t got a home for yet.

I’ve also began getting the occasional “nesting” panic. I was cleaning the bathroom a few days ago and began worrying about the few mildew spots in the sealing around the bath and the fact the gaps between the tiles aren’t properly white anymore. When will I wash and organise his clothes if the decorators don’t hurry up? Will be have to be naked if he’s born before then? This is all illogical thinking of course because I have seven weeks. Relax Steph. Perhaps I was better off not caring so much about the prep!

Physically I’m not amazing. The SPD is of course still an annoyance and I still can’t push myself too much or I’ll be in pain the next day or so and unable to do anything- I actually just got an exciting product designed especially for helping with SPD which I’ll be sharing soon, hopefully it helps. Round ligament pain is irritating me in the night too which has made moving in bed in general nearly impossible without a lot of effort and grunting... sorry Jack. It’s generally worse when I need to pee as it adds weight and pressure to everything, but needing to pee is exactly why I need to move to get out of bed and of course I can’t move because of it all.... it’s a very annoying cycle.

I’m moaning so much about it all. I do enjoy being pregnant, I just don’t particularly enjoy the fact my body just doesn’t seem to cope with pregnancy. It’s disheartening to see women about to give birth who can still jog or exercise or just bend over in general when my body seems to have struggled physically all three times. I understand some people have it worse, but that doesn’t make me feel better. At least I can say I’ve officially passed the milestone I ended up in a wheelchair last time!

Baby is doing well. He kicks regularly and he seems to be getting quite heavy now. Favouring head down, he spends a lot of time massaging my lungs with his feet which is the absolute worst so of course I give him a shove because I do need to breathe actually mate! I just can’t wait to meet him.

7 weeks to go!

Ten baby boy names we love but won’t be using!

We picked a name for baby number three when I was around 18 weeks pregnant. We’d found out we were having a boy at 16 weeks and had been discussing names for both boys and girls long before we knew! It took a lot longer for us to pick Archer’s name than it did for this little one, and I’m pretty sure (if my baby brain serves me well) that I was suggesting Isla from 13 weeks onwards.

Friends and family do know his name but I likely won’t be sharing it on my blog or social media until he’s born. There’s always the tiniest chance we will change our minds once he’s here and it’s quite fun keeping one aspect secret when I’m usually so public with everything else. 

With that said, here are ten baby boy names either myself or Jack liked that we will not be using!

1. Ozzy

Jack absolutely loved the idea of Ozzy (yes, as in osbourne) and he nearly had me for a minute before I decided it sounded too much like a pets name. I considered it as a nickname for something like Oscar but he vetoed that idea. 

2. Bowie

Can you see a theme? We’re both massive music nerds and this one was my idea. I even considered it for Archer, or a shortened version/homage “Beau” but Jack wasn’t keen as it would likely be mispronounced, just like David Bowie himself used to complain about. 

3. Forest

This was another of mine. I thought it sounded really outdoorsy and rustic, just like Archer. I got Robin Hood vibes with the duo! Of course, one mention of Forest Gump had me and Jack change our minds instantly. I still think it’s a lovely name but I couldn’t personally shake the association. 

4. Michael

Jack suggested this name a lot for Archer. He thought it went well with our surname, but I’ve always disliked the shortened version of “Mike” so I just couldn’t go with it. 

5. Finn 

One of my top names last time and this time. I don’t know why but I just think it’s a really sweet name... but it didn’t seem right. There wasn’t a particular reason, except it sounding like it suited him or our family. 

6. Henry

This was my favourite, besides Bowie. I love the name Henry and I think it ages exceptionally well, as well as being cute and suited for a little toddler. It was all too odd though seeing as Jack’s best friend and the children’s “godfather” is called Henry. 

7. Charlie 

I suggested this one and just like the name Henry, Jack has a very close friend with this name so again he didn’t like the idea of using it! I know some people don’t mind this sort of thing but it just doesn’t sit properly with us. 

8. Jacob

I love this name! I don’t even know why but it’s definitely always been high on my list. Jack didn’t even hate it and I sort of loved how similar it was to his own name... until Jack suggested that he liked the shortened “Jake” which I actually couldn’t stand for some reason which struck it off my suggestion list pretty quickly. 

9. David

We both liked David when I was pregnant with Archer. Again, it was an homage to David Bowie in my eyes and Jack likes “normal” sounding names. It was a big contender for our boys until Jack started putting on what I can only describe as a “pub voice” and calling the babies Baby Dave! It was funny for a moment but it became too much of a joke for me to to take the name seriously anymore. 

10. George 

I pushed for this name almost till the minute before we decided on Archer during my second pregnancy. It came up again this time but I wasn’t as passionate about it... it took me a while to get over the fact Jack wouldn’t agree to it back then (although it definitely wouldn’t have suited Archer in hindsight!) so maybe I’d just let the idea of a son called George go?

I don’t think there’s a thing wrong with any of these names, don’t get me wrong! They’re actually some of our favourites. It’s just so hard to find the name that really fits with baby and with the family... With that said I’m ridiculously happy with what we’ve picked and I can’t wait to share it with the world!

Which baby names would you have put on your top ten?

32 Weeks- Pregnancy Update

Let me preface this post with the following statement: I love/hate my iron pills.

I’ve been taking them for two weeks now, and the difference is ridiculous. I didn’t realise how tired and miserable and just *done* I felt until they made me feel a bit better. Anyone who has had anemia knows how horrible it is- it shouldn’t be taken lightly and brushed off as normal pregnancy exhaustion and I couldn’t even climb the stairs in one go- but honestly even just two weeks of these pills and I’m a different person.

The side effect of iron... not so good. Let’s just say my poop is not nice... it’s green and very often (though for some, its a once a week treat) and I’ve nearly been caught short on my waddle home from taking Isla to school. The pills are also causing a huge amount of heartburn as I’ve been taking them with a little orange juice as recommended. To counteract the heartburn, I take antacids. They contain calcium that stops the iron being properly absorbed as well as it should - it’s all a very dull cycle, so the midwife has told me I can cut down to two a day till a few weeks postpartum. 

Back to the general pregnancy though! I’m 32 weeks today. The home stretch is flying by and absolutely nothing is ready, yay! We have the majority of the things we wanted and needed for him and I’m really excited to share it all with you, but nothing is actually ready, it’s all just stacked in my living room. We’re waiting for the builders to come and fix up the back bedroom before we buy our storage bits or set up. Thankfully they’re coming on Monday so I’m feeling confident we will get it done. 

Maybe it’s a third baby thing... I feel the urge to nest and get ready but I’m being patient as I know I can’t. It’s a strange comparison to the last two where everything (even my bag for hospital!) was done by this point.

I do feel more well in myself. It’s a huge relief. The SPD though? That’s getting worse. I’m needing a long hot bath with salts nearly every other night just to relieve some of the pain and pressure from my pelvis and even moving slightly too fast has me crying out in pain, worrying anyone who hears. I’m doing what I can to not just tough it out and I’m still not as bad as last time (by this week of pregnancy I couldn’t go out without a wheelchair) so the midwife is happy to ignore the topic of induction so I can stay under her care instead of moving to a consultant. 

Yes it’s a little miserable. I can’t carry my son. I can cook and do dishes and tidy, but slowly and with rests during even the smallest jobs. I can’t roll over in bed without sounding like a cow mooing in pain. I’m coping though and I’m happy to carry on for the next 8ish weeks!

Finally, baby is doing well! We had a couple of days over the last week where I noticed his movements reduced/changed and I’ve kept in touch with the midwife and know if it happens much more, to head in and get a more in depth check. I’d always rather go in and be told it was nothing, than not go in and have something be wrong! 

He’s growing on the 90th line still, and I’m sure he’s going to come out covered in hair because of the amount of heartburn he causes. 

8 more weeks!

4D Baby Scan with Window to the Womb- Milton Keynes [Review]

If you’d asked me back during my first pregnancy if I’d consider a 4D pregnancy scan, I’d have told you no. Admittedly, I’d always been sceptical about them and found them a bizarre concept- why not just have the NHS scans and be happy with those?

This opinion was completely changed for me when I asked Jack back at 14 weeks if we could book in for an early gender scan. I explained to him that I was impatient to find out and that it was something I’d like to try, and he was on board. We went to the Milton Keynes Branch of Window To The Womb at 16 weeks and found out our third baby is a boy! They did a sneak peek of the 4D setting and even back then, you could really see detail... look how he was all curled up with his hands pressed on his face!

I’ve been debating going for the full 4D for a while- then I was very kindly offered the Very Important Baby package by the team at Window To The Womb in Milton Keynes and of course I was thrilled to accept and see our littlest boy again.

One of the best things about the scans here is the fact you can bring up to five guests. Understandably the NHS scans are in the hospital, so it is just mum and one other person in attendance, but having these scans at Window To The Womb meant I could get my children involved. It’s worth baring in mind that these scans still are primarily diagnostic and used for checking the well-being of both mum and baby before moving into gender and imagery, but as I said, as it isn’t a hospital setting you can bring your family!

Both Isla and Archer absolutely loved seeing “baby brother” for our gender scan so they were thrilled to be invited back to see what he looked like. It’s the perfect early bonding experience for them. 

When you first arrive at the clinic, you’re warmly welcomed by the staff who sign you in and invite you to take a seat. Pregnant women rejoice, the sofas are ridiculously comfortable and the atmosphere is so relaxed and pleasant, it really adds to the excitement and joy you feel waiting to see baby. There’s even a fully stocked waiting room/playroom for those with children which means they’re kept nice and entertained while the staff help you fill in a couple of routine forms.

Window To The Womb offers a variety of different scan packages, but as I said we were booked in to the Very Important Baby scan which would include:

-100% longer 4D scan (than the lower package)
-Six full colour photo prints
-Two larger full colour photo prints
-Full movie of our scan
-Two photo keyrings
-Gender confirmation (99% accurate, and baby is still a boy!)
-All images digitally available on the Bumpies App (you receive a code which you can also share -with friends and family who download the app!)
-Well-being check and report
-Free rescan if baby does not cooperate

They say that the best time to have this scan is between 27-30 weeks pregnant as baby is chubby enough to look like a proper baby in photos, but not so big that they’re all squashed up and unable to wiggle into a better position. 

Thankfully our little one was very cooperative- he began with his hand pressed up against his face (just as he was when we saw him at 16 weeks- oh my heart!) but with a little wiggling and a change of my position we were all able to see him properly. The scan is so realistic it genuinely blew my mind, and I can’t believe how “real” he is in there. 

Jack and the children got to sit on the big comfortable sofa and watch the entire thing on one of the three huge HD televisions around the room. The staff even invited Isla up to speak to baby so she could watch how he reacts to her voice! I can’t properly explain how amazing the entire experience was, to watch him play with his feet and yawn and stretch... it really made it all the more real for us all. 

After the scan you get to go and select your photos and things to take home from your package- the fantastic part being it wasn’t too hard to pick as we got all the images to keep digitally anyway! I didn’t have to worry about losing any if they weren’t chosen. They get sent to the free Bumpies app and with a simple code I had them all within minutes of finishing. As you can see, Isla and Archer loved picking pictures of their baby brother!

There are lots of optional extras as well as the photos you get- bears, booties, gender reveal items... they have a huge selection. 

The Window To The Womb team in Milton Keynes were exceptional. Having such an enthusiastic and welcoming team really makes the experience so much more worth it and I’m so grateful that we got to share this experience with them. 

If you’d like to find a local clinic for your own scan, you can do by visiting their website here. If you're not sure if it's worth it... I wasn't either, but it really is. Being able to see how he's growing was wonderful and I feel all the more excited to meet him now and it's been wonderful sharing his photos with our family and friends and comparing his looks to his brother and sister as newborns!

I was kindly gifted the Very Important Baby package by Window To The Womb in Milton Keynes in exchange for this review. I paid for the gender scan myself. All photos and opinions are my own. 

28 Weeks- Pregnancy Update

I did it, I’ve made it to the third trimester with only some moaning. Okay- that’s a lie, I’ve moaned an awful lot. Of course I’m grateful to be having a healthy baby and after two miscarriages I know how special each successful pregnancy is... but it’s bloody exhausting.

The great thing about hitting the third trimester is, despite there being anywhere between 9-12 weeks till I should give birth, I feel like the end is in sight. It’s the home stretch, and of course I’ll be getting much fatter and much more sore but there isn’t another stage after this where it’ll happen again!

I have been getting sore. I don’t know if it’s just inevitable after having SPD so severe I was induced (read about that here) last time. I’ve been trying to take it easy but the wincing pain is creeping back every time I roll over or walk further than normal- if I do push myself I find I’m useless for a day or so after. Epsom salt baths and general rest are helping, I just hope I can carry on staving it off till I’m full term and avoid induction. 

Other than that, I do feel really well in myself. I’ve started having a lot of dreams about when he’s here and what he may look like- and a whole lot of crazy dreams with enough drama and details as a blockbuster movie! 

My cravings are also moving on from vinegar and sweeties- I’ve been obsessed with green grapes! The only issue is, some strains of green grapes taste sort of leafy and grassy and I want the specific strain with that crunch and tart/sour taste. I’ve bought the “wrong” grapes home from Tesco twice and promptly left them in the fridge to be neglected or eaten by someone else. Nothing has felt more disappointing in my life. 

We’re going for a 4D scan this week and I am so excited to see baby boy again. He’s gaining baby fat and should look nice and squashy and like a real baby! I think it will be a lovely experience as we get to bring Isla and Archer to see him!

He does have a name by the way, we just aren’t sharing it with the whole world till he’s here. I shared Archer’s name with a lot of people before he was born, and even though it was definite, people took it as an invitation to offer alternatives. 

Overall, nothing has really changed this week. Baby is as big as a coconut apparently and I don’t want to think about pushing a coconut out of my foof right now so I’m avoiding the fruit comparisons from now on!

27 Weeks- Pregnancy Update

Do you want to know a secret? The “second trimester energy boost” is a big fat lie! Or at least it has been in my case..

I’ve been absolutely blessed this pregnancy. I’ve made it to 7 months without throwing up even once and if I compare to my pregnancy with Archer where I suffered heavily with hypermesis I can’t complain at all. It’s a hugely different experience and I was genuinely terrified I’d get that sick again. It just goes to show how different it all is every time.

Another difference is in my general aches and pains. I had bad SPD with Archer (can you tell I had a hard pregnancy with him?) and by this stage I was barely moving and about to rely on crutches and then a wheelchair... yes I’m aching but knowing it’s a risk in advance has meant I’ve taken it a whole lot easier. Jack does the strenuous tasks around the house and I’ve been implementing the movements recommended by my physio last time before it’s too late and it’s really helping.

Other than exhaustion that’s had me in bed or wanting to be in bed before it’s dark a lot of nights, I suppose the second trimester has been good to me, but the summer hasn’t.

I’ve never been pregnant this far into summer and the heat has me suffering unbelievable amounts. It’s made me feel drained and swollen and sweaty and I feel like I can’t breathe at night. I’ve been taking a damp towel to bed and sleeping with it on top of me! Pro tip right there my friends.

Baby boy kicks up a storm every day and has done for weeks. He’s definitely more mobile than the other two ever were which does mean one minute he’s kicking my bladder and I have to run to pee, and by the time I get there he’s kicking my stomach and I’ve got heartburn like you wouldn’t believe.

It’s all going very fast and I’d forget I was pregnant if I wasn’t getting so uncomfortable and worn out easily.

I genuinely have no idea how much I weigh. I focused so much on it the last two pregnancies that gaining or losing had me so anxious.... I don’t need that stress and I know I’m eating healthy and how my clothes are fitting (maternity only now!). The midwife will start measuring my bump from my next appointment onwards and though I’m showing big (third baby’s do that) I’m currently not worried about being too big or too small.

At 27 weeks, I can’t tell you the last time I saw my feet when standing without leaning forward and I haven’t seen my “downstairs” without a mirror in months now... I’m not sure I want to!

Craving wise I’ve moved beyond vinegar after months of obsession and I’m firmly into cold crunchy things. It isn’t as intense as my ice obsession with Isla but I can happily munch an entire punnet of grapes in one sitting (I do not recommend this though, as it swapped me from constipated to the other extreme).

I’m definitely shaken up about how simple this pregnancy is compared to my other two but I won’t complain in case I tempt fate! I’m enjoying it, although the hormonal tears may have you fooled. I can’t believe I’ll be full term in 10 weeks... anywhere between 10 and 15 weeks and he will be here!

My Heartbeat Bear [Review and GIVEAWAY!]

I’m a ridiculously sentimental person, especially when it comes to my children and pregnancies. I may not go as far as to keep the tests (the pee sort of put me off!) but I’ve got everything from from paperwork to the straps I wore when monitored during each labour!

Being sentimental I was obviously thrilled when I was contacted by My Heartbeat Bear- during my last two pregnancies I had no idea this sort of product existed at all and I’d have jumped at it if I had!

I still have grainy recordings on my phone from my home Doppler (purely for fun and bonding of course) from both Isla and Archer but for this baby I had the opportunity to do something special.

I was sent a beautiful bear to put baby’s heartbeat inside, this one being the 16'' (which is one of their most popular, no surprise there as it’s gorgeous!). It took me so long to pick- there’s a bear for every taste. Each bear comes with a small sound box that you can record up to twenty seconds into, and save, to then be put inside the bear and sealed for playback with a simple squeeze. This stage was surprisingly easy and only took me one attempt at practice before doing it for real!

I just took the box to my midwife appointment as she has a brilliant Doppler and as it was only twenty seconds she didn’t mind me holding the little box up to record at all! It came out perfect and clear and I’ve been quite obsessed with playing it back. When I had a practice I used it to record a sound off my phone which also worked perfectly- it couldn’t be easier.

It’s been fantastic for Isla and Archer, Isla especially. She’s older so understands a lot more and likes to give the bear a cuddle and “listen to her new brother” which I’m sure is helping with future sibling bonding. Archer likes to dance when it plays the heartbeat- I suppose it does sound like a little dance beat!

I’m ridiculously happy with this bear and the hormonal emotional side of me could gush about it for hours. The team at My Heartbeat Bear we’re even kind enough to send a little “boy” ultrasound T-shirt which is a part of their new accessory range, which adds an even more personal touch.

If you’d like to check them out for yourself (as a pregnant woman I definitely recommend one for yourself or as a gift for someone you know!) you can find them at https://www.myheartbeatbear.com

Thank you again to My Heartbeat Bear, I’m thrilled with it!

GIVEAWAY!

The team at My Heartbeat Bear have been kind enough to offer my readers the chance to win their very own bear! If you're pregnant, or know someone who is, be sure to enter! If you win, you can choose between the Pink 8" Little Princess Heartbeat Bear, or the Blue 8" Little Prince Heartbeat Bear!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

AD! I was gifted one heartbeat bear in exchange for this review. All words and opinions are my own.

Am I excited for baby number three?

Baby number three! It still blows my mind to write that or say it out loud. At the beginning of the year we weren’t even sure if we definitely wanted to go for another pregnancy, and now I’m 27 weeks pregnant! It’s all going exceptionally fast.

We found out via a private scan at 16 weeks that we are having our second boy and that means there’s not much preparation needed. The hoarder in me made sure I kept ahold of all Archer’s clothes from preemie to present, as well as his old crib, play mat, swing.... you name it I kept it all just in case! It’s going to save us a whole lot of money and shopping over the coming months but part of me is strangely disheartened by this fact. 

I wondered in the beginning if it was a little bit of gender disappointment- I’ll likely get into this in another post- but my preference initially had been for a second girl and I was super excited about another healthy baby boy but yes, part of me was a little sad about no more girls. Looking back I do realise in hindsight that this was a purely materialistic reaction. Having another girl would mean I could shop, as I had nothing of Islas left over and I feel shopping (even second hand as I often have for the children) is a big step in getting prepared and excited for a new arrival. I’m getting over this ridiculous concept by throwing myself into sorting and cleaning what we have, picking up token items here and there and hand making a lot of things for him. 

Another strange part of being pregnant with my third is the reaction of those around me. While I understand nothing will quite compare to how family and friends react to your first ever pregnancy and first little arrival (we noticed the second pregnancy was met with excitement yes, but definitely more muted as is natural) your third is an entirely new ball park. Instead of congratulations, the initial reaction from people is “you’re brave!” and comments about how “I’d never do it!” in regards to a third child. 

It doesn’t mean the third child is any less loved or anticipated but strangely it has had a little effect on how I feel. I feel a little sad for this baby- everyone wants him, we love him already... I am ridiculously excited to bring the final member of our family into the world- but I can’t help but feel guilty over the lack of fanfare. The midwife has me reassured that this guilt is mostly hormonal and that it’s normal for subsequent pregnancies to feel as though I’m “going through the motions” but it’s still there. 

Of course I am excited for baby number three. I’m excited for a loud house, being more squashed in bed in the morning than I already am and for Jack being wrapped around another little finger. I can’t shop or do much to prepare, and other people may not care as much as we’ve done it twice before already, and it may even feel a bit boring as it’s been such an easy pregnancy... but yes of course I’m excited. 

I know this post has been mostly rambling and a clearing of my thoughts but I’d love to know if anyone who reads here has felt even a little similar in their subsequent pregnancies?

All the best x

Taking the #BepanthenProtects Challenge

As a parent, from the moment your little one is born, you want to do everything you can to make them happy. Whether it be ensuring they are fed before they start to cry with hunger, or that they get that cuddle before they need to ask for it, it's always been an aim of mine to ensure I try to cover my children's needs before it turns into full melt down mode!

This aim of course, means I've always got to keep their bottoms in check, and ensure I do what I can to prevent nappy rash and irritated skin before it can appear and bother them. For a long while, we actually used cloth nappies with Archer (we managed 7 months before the laundry became too much!) and as they aren't as absorbent, making him more prone to irritation, I actually started using Bepanthen nappy ointment before being asked to take part in this challenge and was thrilled to be able to tell you all about it.

The important thing to remember with Bepanthen is that it not intended for treating or preventing or curing nappy rash, but using it regularly and making it a part of your normal routine when changing a nappy can help to protect your babies skin when the rashes do threaten. A baby's skin is 40% thinner than an adults, which means it's far easier for them to get irritated.

I can't count how many times teething or new foods have given my little ones the type of filled nappy that could cause a rash... but keeping on top of it with cream before it hits really does help keep their skin protected. Apply a thin layer after changing them and letting their bottom dry, and their skin will be protected with a breathable layer that stops irritation from rubbing and moisture.

Bepanthen is kind to skin, and gentle, something I'm sure you will agree is very important when finding a product for your little one:

- No Fragrances
- No colours
- No Preservatives
- No Parabens
- No Antiseptics

There's even a handy travel sized bottle, perfect for throwing in a changing bag. It's definitely something I would recommend.

This post is an entry for the #BepanthenProtects challenge, sponsored by Bepanthen. Learn more about how to protect baby’s sensitive skin on https://www.bepanthen.co.uk

Should I feel guilty for being broody?

I'm extremely blessed. I have two beautiful children, who are both healthy and happy, and who I love with all of my heart. It was relatively easy to get pregnant, and despite suffering two miscarriages in my life, my fertility is normal. I can't complain really, right?

Despite all this, I do feel an almost painful urge to have more children. Just one more. I'm one of four myself, and felt it was a little too much.. but two has never felt enough. Often times, I wonder if I my desire for just one more is selfish. Shouldn't I just be happy with what I have? What would I do if I had one more and the feeling didn't pass like I believe it would?

It isn't anything to do with not feeling my children are enough- they are more than enough, they really do make my life worth living. I just can't help but feel like there's someone missing. I haven't met them, and there's a chance they'll never exist, but I really do sense them and pine for them.

Sometimes the feeling is overwhelming. I imagine Christmas in years to come, and I imagine it with a big family, outnumbered, loud and overwhelming but perfect. I imagine my youngest as a big brother. I imagine so much, that it would be easy to get caught up in "what ifs".

It may be hormones- I'm not 30 yet, so it isn't a factor of my biological clock ticking. The experts may say it is simply my natural urges, wanting me to be pregnant and to create life. My husband will say it is the fact I've forgotten how hard pregnancy and labour and the year after are (baby amnesia!). Maybe I feel as though time has slipped through my fingers.

I'm doing what I can to help the feelings level out, though I know they wont fully. I've spoken to Jack about it a lot, and got it all off my chest which has been an outstanding help. I'm being as proactive as I can to spend all my time and love with the children I do have. That said, there are times when I drive myself silly looking at their newborn photos and my old pregnancy photos... it's counterproductive of me I know, but as much as it makes the broodiness worse, it also reminds me that I have what I have.

I feel like I am constantly trying to justify myself. I feel I need to justify why I want another child, and that is it okay to want more children, and to reassure an imaginary person that I do love my life as it is but it just would be nice... it's so hard to not feel guilty for feeling like this.

It's on the table, and I suppose with life we just have to see what happens. I think the best thing I did in all this, was to talk to Jack about it as he never really understood that I wasn't joking when I'd mention number three.

So my question is really, should I be feeling guilty for how I feel? Or am I just over thinking what is a perfectly unselfish and normal way of feeling?

Let me know.

Archer's 5 Month Update

FIVE months old! Someone needs to pinch me, because Iv'e blinked and nearly half an entire year has gone by without me realising. My tiny 6lb speck of love has turned into a whopper of giggles and mischief. I'm pretty sure time is going so much faster than it ever did with Isla, and before I know it Archer is going to be moving out and I'll be an empty nester...

Archer really is the most wonderful baby. He's so affectionate and happy to see me, daddy and Isla, and he will smile at anyone who gives him a moment of attention. He loves to watch Isla play, and now he is getting older he is so desperate to join in. Weaning is going well, and he's started to have tastes and meals more often which is making him seem even more grown up!

I love him more than I could ever of imagined.

Weight: 17.5lbs at 21 weeks

Clothing size: 3-6 months (AT LAST!)

New this week: Rolling from back to belly in both directions (rolling all ways now!), sleeping in his own bedroom for some naps, sitting in his bigger boy chair in the bath, first Halloween!

Likes: Watching his sister play, Avocado and banana, smiling at old ladies (he loves the ladies, honestly its so sweet), crinkly books, when Isla splashes in their bath

Dislikes: Transitioning out of mummy and daddy's bed/bedroom, bed time, when food runs out

Mummy & baby product shout out this week: Our Tommee Tippee blender. I've been using it to make our own purees which is a different world compared to when I weaned Isla. I had a contract with the HiPP Wean Team when Isla was little which was fab, but really wanted to make my own in these early days as he wont finish jars/pouches and it works out cheaper. The blender is perfect for making around 8oz of fruits and veg I have sitting around and I've been storing them for a week of meals and tastes.

I'm so grateful for my little boy, honestly. He really has completed our family and despite all the lack of sleep and the fact he's sometimes SO clingy, one gummy smile and he's forgiven.

Archer's 16 Week Update

Archer is 16 weeks old (as of the 22nd September)! I don't know why but it feels like this was the week when Isla properly became her own little person- and it's definitely ringing true with Archer too. He's changed so much over the last week or so- he's seeming less of a tiny baby and more of a little person gearing up and getting ready to take on the world.

Weight: Currently unknown (over 14lbs)

Clothing size: Up to 3 months, unless there are feet attached. Long and skinny still.

New this week: Laughing, cooing and yelling literally non stop as if he's chatting away, kissy noises with his mouth, outgrown the newborn bath seat, having an actual bed time before mummy and daddy.

Likes: Splashing legs in the bath, trying out the Jumperoo, stuffing everything into his mouth that he can, sleeping with a stinky muslin on his face

Dislikes: Watching everyone eating food without him (his sister was the same and an early weaner at 4 months!), getting stuck on his side when trying to roll, going to sleep in his own bed

Mummy & baby product shout out this week: Archer is getting to the stage where he wants to be moving around but can't because he has a massive head and hasn't learnt to roll both ways yet...this means when he's on his back for too long he gets super crabby, and I can't hold him sitting up all day as I'd never get anything done- so we've been sticking him in his Fisher Price Sit Me Up Chair for small periods of time (he has the perfect head control for it). He is so much happier when he can sit up and watch his sister play, and it gets him off the floor for a bit when I need to hoover or eat!

What did you do once your little ones started to hate being immobile? 

Archer's next update will be at 20 weeks!

Steph xo

What They Wore- September Weeks 1-2

It's definitely started to get cooler the past few weeks so we've pulled out a lot of warmer items. I've also realised in the past week or so that Isla mostly owns shorts and dresses in her current size. They were all she wore when potty training and she gets so hot so fast as well- definitely need to invest in some more tights and thicker leggings for the coming months.

Here's my outfit highlights for Isla and Archer over the last two weeks!

Isla

This pinafore dress was gifted to us by Isla's great grandma. It's from next. I honestly wouldn't have thought myself to buy something this style, but it's such a nice heavy material, perfect for layering over the colder months and it does look adorable on her.

This dress is from Tu clothing and is a lovely warm cotton. Not too thick so it's also perfect for layering with a cardigan and some thick tights as it gets colder.

Archer

Blast off! I absolutely adore this set from F&F Clothing. The bottoms and top came together and honestly monochrome is my favourite aesthetic. I love the bold design!

This is another outfit from F&F Clothing. A gorgeous modern 3-piece with robots all over. Matching outfits really are the best on babies right?

The final outfit for Archer really embodies the weather in the UK at the moment and sends off some proper Autumn vibes. Who doesn't love a proper cosy jumper on a cold morning...!

Are you looking forward to comfy cosy clothes now it's getting colder? Let me know what your favourite thing is to wear on a cold morning!

Steph xo

A Letter from Mummy at 100 Days Old

10th September 2017- 100 Days Old.

Archer,

How can it be, that a hundred days with you feel like a thousand or more? It's like you've always been here. Always been staring up at your sister with fascination, or babbling away to daddy or snuggling close to me in your dreams.

I'll admit that after Isla was born, I was worried I wouldn't be able to love another little baby as much as I love her, but I do. I love you more than I ever have imagined or hoped. So does your daddy. So does your sister.

You're already such a sweet little boy, and oh so cheeky. I am so excited to see what you become over the years to come. I'm ever so proud to be your mummy.

It's been a whirlwind since you were born. There have been a lot of tears from everyone (mostly me) and a lot of laughter. You have changed our lives so much, but I don't ever want to look back.

I feel so blessed to have you. Thank you for the last 100 days, and here's to a lifetime more.

Mummy x

Pregnancy: Why I had to be induced early

My first pregnancy with Isla, besides her attempt to be born at 31 weeks, was fairly smooth sailing. I did not have any morning sickness- not even once, I did not suffer too much with aches and pains and besides a little period of low blood pressure I was feeling fine physically for the most part.

With this in mind, I expected my second pregnancy to go as smooth, if not better, as I'd been giving the false impression that the second one is always easier. I was sorely mistaken. 

I am fully aware every pregnancy is different, but I never imagined myself unable to gain any weight, or wheelchair bound and dosing on Tramadol while injecting myself with blood thinners. With all this, I had to be induced 3 weeks early.

I suffered early on with morning sickness- except not just in the morning or a particular time of day. The sickness seemed to be hitting all day and even as a result of sipping water. After a week of it getting particularly bad I ended up in A&E. I'd woken up feeling DRY. That sounds silly, but I felt like I had heat stroke, my wee was brown and I was really dehydrated. I was given IV fluids and kept in for observations before being sent home with sickness tablets. 

The tablets made me feel like a zombie, and they didn't stop me being sick fully. I was told I was suffering with hyperemesis gravidarum. To put it into perspective, by 30 weeks pregnant, I was 4lbs UNDER my start weight at 4 weeks pregnant. My baby was growing perfectly, but I had lost so much weight that even with my fluids, the baby and the weight of my placenta I was in negative numbers.

The sickness kept me moderately house bound, however around 28 weeks pregnant I noticed I was beginning to ache around my hips and pelvis and leaving the house was a slow painful process. I'd intended to work until 34 weeks, but by 30 weeks I found my 5 minute walk to work had turned in 20 minutes and I would be barely able to walk for the rest of the day.

My pelvis had misaligned due to a severe acute case of SPD. I jumped from walking with a limp and aches, to needing crutches, and within 2 weeks of me noticing it, I was in a wheelchair for any journey further than 1 minute. I was having to take Tramadol up to four times a day- a drug so strong it is not recommended for pregnancy and is highly addictive. I was also having to inject myself with blood thinners due to my lack of mobility, to avoid clotting.

The sickness, the wheelchair, the pain... it left me unable to look after myself, let alone my two year old daughter or my family and home. I couldn't cope with my mood. I was crying every day and I began to fear I was going to hate the baby as a result.

The midwife took one look at me and booked me in to see a specialist and arrange induction as early as was safe for the baby. It was not in my best interest to be pregnant anymore. The benefit for baby to stay inside was being outweighed by the drugs I was having to put in, and the affect it was having on myself and my families mental well-being.

Archer was born at 37 weeks following a two day induction, and within a few days I was able to move around the house with ease and I felt a million times better. The pain and sickness seemed to subside hours after he was born- it felt like a miracle. 

My pelvis still aches, three months out, if I walk too far or for too long. I have to remember the severity could have caused permanent damage and am still waiting for my follow up physio, so hope it goes away for good one day.

Were you induced at the end of pregnancy? Did you suffer with HG or SPD? I'd love to hear from you- let me know!

Steph xo    

Archer's 12 Week Update

My baby is officially no longer a new born. Time to get a job and start paying rent. It's so bittersweet- there'll never be another newborn in this house. But that also means YAY no more newborn days. Here comes the fun bring on the wine and sleep!

This will be our last weekly post now, as there are not as many differences for him each week- I'll be posting at every next 4 week mark for a bit and then monthly so his next one will be at 16 weeks! Keep your eye out!

Length: Currently unknown

Weight: 13lbs 15oz. 

Clothing size- Some 0-3 if there's no feet attached, but mostly 3 months. Long legs!

New this week: Holding toys and directing them into his mouth so he can chew. Dribbling on everything and everyone. Added in the "ba" and "ya" sounds to his usual "ga". Babbling and cooing a whole lot more. Rolling onto his side from his back. Rotating and shuffling himself off his play mats.

Likes: Chewing on mummy's hands, muslin cloths and his toys. When mummy joins in with tummy time. When Isla plays next to him. Having things rubbed over his face (toys and flannels)

Dislikes: Having an even slightly wet nappy, if the pram stops moving, feeling overstimulated in the evenings and putting clothes on.

Mummy & baby product shout out this week: Nuby "Wacky" Teether. This is one of the only toys that Archer has shown any interest in. He's still young so we know he'll care about more toys at some point, but it's so nice to see him holding it and chewing it. The small ring is easy for him to grip and moving it around and to his mouth has really improved his hand eye coordination. It keeps him amused for quite a while when he gets frustrated trying to reach his dangling toys.

What were your little ones up to at this age?