Breastfeeding Made Easy by Carlos Gonzalez

My breastfeeding story with C is not a successful one. He was born 7 weeks early as I developed pre-eclampsia. He was taken straight to NICU and as I was so ill, I didn't get to go see him for 2 days. In those two days, I expressed but I wasn't able to produce very much. His little tummy could only tolerate 1ml of milk per feed so I wasn't too worried. When he started needing more and I couldn't give him enough, that's when I broke down in tears to the NICU staff. They reassured me that C was happy being topped up with formula and that I shouldn't worry myself as I was still so ill myself. So I gave up. And I really regret that. 

Now that I am expecting baby number two, I'm so determined to successfully breastfeed this time round. I recently received the book 'Breastfeeding Made Easy' by Carlos Gonzalez. I was hoping that it would give me an insight and some background information as I didn't do any research when I was pregnant with C.

I have to be honest and say that I really wish that I had this book during my first pregnancy. Paediatrician Carlos Gonzalez has three children of his own and his aims for this book were to tackle real-life questions that mothers have about breastfeeding by explaining: 

how breastfeeding works, and why most mothers, with support, can do it if they want to 

how myths and misinformation can derail mothers, and how to avoid this

how to manage introducing solid foods, weaning them from the breast and going back to work

the proven health benefits of breastfeeding, for babies and their mothers

how treating illness, in mother and baby, needn't mean the end of breastfeeding

how breastfeeding can succeed even in difficult circumstances

the importance of good breastfeeding support, and how to access it

This book touched on a lot of things that I found myself wondering last time round. I know I didn't ask for enough help and I let the nurses tell me that he was fine on formula. I should have pushed myself. It even made me realise things that I never even thought about such as how to introduce other foods. I was so focused on how to breastfeed a little newborn. 

The way that Gonzalez writes is really friendly, warm and inviting. He does go off on tangents when telling stories but they are all relevant and I never lost interest. It doesn't read as clinically as some other articles that I've read and there are lots of helpful diagrams of what is right and wrong. 

I found myself reading snippets out to Chris and showing him the diagrams and I've even suggested that he read it too because I want him to be my main support on my breastfeeding journey. I'd love for him to know as much as possible and therefore if I get stressed out or forget something, he'll know how to fix things. 

I truly feel as though all of the questions that I had rushing around my brain have been answered fully and I do feel very prepared this time round. I would definitely recommend this book to any expectant mother who is interested in breastfeeding - it will do wonders! I'd even go as far as to say it is an essential read.

You can purchase your own copy at Pinter & Martin direct at a reduced price of £9.59 (usually £11.99).

My Second Pregnancy: 34 Week Bump Update

I'm 34 weeks pregnant. I have never been 34 weeks pregnant so this is amazing - hooray! 

I really feel like it is getting tougher now. The skin on my tummy feels like it has been stretched as much as possible. I don't know how I have 3-6 more weeks of growth left. 

We're redecorating our home at the minute too (and built the baby's crib - eek) so we have been out and about trying to buy nice decor items. We don't drive so walking a lot is really taking it's toll. I have been getting a pain in my pelvis/groin area when I've done too much. I was in tears to Chris on Saturday night because I was so sore around my belly and lower back too. 

I seem to have lost my appetite which is really strange! I didn't expect this to happen. Its annoying because I know that I need to eat and I feel really rubbish when I haven't but I just don't feel hungry! 

The baby's kicks are still really strong. On occasion, I have cried out because they hurt me so much. My belly has gotten so hairy too. It's quite embarrassing. I remember it with C though, and it all disappeared when he was born - thankfully! 

At 34 weeks the baby now weighs over 2.2kg and is around 45cm long. She is just filling out and getting rounder now! Obviously, at this stage last time, C was already 5 days old so I have an idea of how she looks right now - strange! 

This is a photo of C when he should have been 34 weeks exactly. It's so odd to think that there is a little baby roughly that size in my tummy right now!

Redecorating our Home - Haul #1

It may be quiet around the blog for a while as we're currently in the midst of redecorating our ENTIRE house before the baby arrives - why did we think this was a good idea at 33 weeks pregnant!?

Anyway, Chris is doing all the DIY jobs and won't let me paint! He says it's 1) 'I don't want you breathing in the paint fumes' pfft! And 2) he thinks that I will mess it up! How dare he!? :P

We've decided on a nautical themed bathroom, red kitchen, green & cream living room, our bedroom will be purple and C's room will be pirate themed. 

We had a bit of an impromptu shopping trip and managed to find some bargains that will tie in with our chosen themes. 

We picked up this gorgeous whale plaque from Next for just £3! I'm not sure on the original price though. 

We bought two of these cushions from Matalan at £6 each (they were originally £10 each). 

Chris chose this photo frame also from Matalan and it was £10 down to £6. 

He also picked out another frame which was an amazing £5 down from £15! A little bit of the glass is broken at the top but that is easily fixed. 

We also recently ordered the two kids beds and bedding and we built those up last night. 

For the new baby we purchased the Mothercare Gliding Crib. This is £99.99 to buy but as I'm such a bargain hunter, I got it when it was on sale a few weeks ago at £74.99. We bought the Mothercare Crib Mattress with Coolmax to go with it. This is £34.99 to buy but I got it on sale at £24.49. The bedding is the Little Lane Crib Bale which is now £39.99 but again, I got it at the bargain price of £28.99 on sale. 

C also got his first ever toddler bed! The bed itself is the Mothercare Darlington Toddler Bed which is originally £69.99 but is now on offer for £55.99. We accompanied it with the Mothercare Foam Mattress (£39.99). His bedding is the Mothercare Jersey Fitted Cotbed Sheets - 2 pack (£13.99), Mothercare Duvet & Pillow Bundle (£16.99), Mothercare Essential Cotbed Pillowcase & Duvet Set (£19.99) and I won a £50 voucher for Lovably Me so that was spent on his cool Pirate Quilt! 

I'm so excited to get all of the rooms completed but I will be sure to blog my way through it! 

My Second Pregnancy: 33 Week Midwife Appointment

Today, I saw the midwife for a 33 week check up. I've done so many of these that I know the drill by now. I wasn't expecting anything to be out of the ordinary as I'm feeling completely fine (which is a relief as I'm 33+2 and this is the exact stage that C was born!). 

My blood pressure came back at 117/64 - fine, baby's heartbeat was fine at 142bpm, bump was measuring at 32cm so nothing to worry about there. My urine was free from protein but I did have 2+ Leukocytes which could be a sign of infection. It has been sent of for testing so I should get the results soon. 

I now see the consultant at the hospital in 2 weeks time but I'm feeling very reassured at the minute. No pre-eclampsia this time - woo!! 

C at 22 Months

I'm a day late with this - oops! But yes, C is now 22 months old. I can't believe that he's going to be a 2 year old so soon!

His speech is coming on leaps and bounds although he doesn't like to speak in front of other people when we ask him. He likes to make us look silly! His new words this month include: "ni-night", "love you" (which he pronounces more like "tuv too"), "choo choo" (for when we ask what a train does), "uh oh" (when he drops something on the ground), "yes", "cheese", "nose" (and points to it too), "rainbow", "bye bye" and he also says "star" when we sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. 

I think he is acknowledging the baby more. I mentioned before that he would give my tummy kisses but now he's started to poke my belly and say "baba". 

He has a real temper now too. Anytime he doesn't get his own way, all Hell breaks loose. I'm talking shaking and a red face! 

He still loves his kisses from mummy and daddy but he's now starting grabbing both mine and Chris's heads and pushing them together to make us kiss and then he laughs. I don't know why it's so funny! 

C saw his first ladybird this month but I think it freaked him out a little bit. It was walking up my dads arm and C kept backing up into my arms. 

We had our first tongue biting incident too. I completely freaked out with the blood and he had a little cry but all was good after an ice lolly! 

My Second Pregnancy: 33 Week Bump Update

I'm 33 weeks pregnant. This is the biggie for me. C was born at 33+2 so I think if I get past Wednesday I'll feel like I've accomplished something amazing! 

This week has, again, been tough. The baby's kicks are actually hurting and making me jump. I'm occasionally getting weird lower back cramps which is terrifying Chris because he keeps thinking I'm going into labour and heartburn just seems to be getting worse. Maybe she'll have lovely long hair!

Under my right rib still aches and it's proving tough to bend over to change C's nappy. He doesn't make it any easier because he gets really excited and kicks his legs which means nappy changes take twice as long!  

This week the baby weighs around 2kg (the size of a honeydew melon) and will measure about 44cm. I already know that she is head down and ready to come into the world. I have found that my ankles seem to swell but it does go away again so I'm not too worried that the pre-eclampsia may be back. 

Until next week! 

Nonabox & BabyBay Competition

Regular readers will know that I am a huge fan of the Nonabox subscription boxes. (You can read my reviews here.)

I love a good competition and I love sharing them with my readers.

Nonabox have teamed up with BabyBay to give away a BabyBay Convertible Crib (which can be transformed into a bench seat, highchair and playpen) AND a year's subscription to Nonabox!

All you need to do it follow this link and pop your details in to enter - good luck!

In addition to this, if you want to try out Nonabox they have just launched their summer sale so you can get your hands on any prepaid subscription for a fantastic 50% off!

Project-B Pregnancy Subscription Box (30-34 Weeks)

If you are a regular reader, you'll know that throughout my pregnancy, I've been receiving Project-B's pregnancy subscription boxes (you can read my past reviews here).

I recently received month 8 (30-34 weeks) and I was super excited to see what was inside. This months theme is PREPARE which is great as right now I am getting ready for impending labour.

As soon as I opened the box, there was a lovely surprise of a 7ml sample of Weleda Pomegranate Firming Cream (RRP £23.95 for 30ml). This was a lovely treat in addition to the already fantastic products that were in the box.

"What are these fantastic products?" I hear you ask. Well, inside there was:

1. 2 x Montezuma Mini Bars [milk chocolate with butterscotch] (RRP £0.85 each) - These were really yummy. A nice little treat for a pregnant lady. Although they were milk chocolate I did think that they tasted a little like Bourneville. I'd never tried Montezuma's chocolate before but I will definitely buy it in the future.

2. Sample pack of Vital Baby breast pads - I am planning on breastfeeding this little one and, because I'm just so lucky, I am having little leakages already!

3. Laboraide Twin Pack (RRP £19.99) - This is the item that I was most excited about. I had heard of Laboraide back when I was pregnant with C and had planned on buying a pack. I didn't have a chance to as he arrived early and it was a C-section anyway! This time around, I am allowed to go for a VBAC and I cannot wait to try these out as I want to have as natural a birth as possible. They are a dental support device that are designed to be used during the first and second stages of labour to help reduce the pain by relaxing the jaw and keeping the mouth open. This in turn eases the neck and shoulders down to the core muscles. It can be used alongside TENS machines and gas and air too. It's gone straight into my hospital bag and I cannot wait to see how effective they are!

4. Femfresh Freshness Wipes (RRP £1.59) - These are small and discreet and leave you feeling fresh! Very happy to see these included.

5.  Benecos Nail Polish 9ml (RRP £6.95) and Benecos Natural Lip Gloss 5ml (RRP £6.95) - I'm not a huge girly girl but it is nice to see little make up treats. These are both natural products and haven't been tested on animals.

6. Weleda Perineum Massage Oil 50ml (RRP £8.95) - I actually told Chris that I wanted to use this oil a few months ago and he recoiled in horror - at least he doesn't have to worry about this sort of thing as he won't go through childbirth! The idea is to massage it into the perineal area 3-4 times a week from the 34th week of pregnancy in order to elasticise that area and hopefully reduce the risk of tearing in labour. I was so happy to see the full sized product and I will definitely be using this once I hit 34 weeks.

7. Floradix Liquid Iron 10ml - I wrote recently that my blood tests had come back showing that I was anaemic so this arrived at the perfect time!

8. Pukka Tea Bag samples - I do like trying new samples of tea but I have been drinking less due to having low iron levels as my midwife told me that they include tannins which can stop me from absorbing iron fully. I did enjoy these caffeine-free bags though!

I also received my usual four flash cards and the topics were:

Information on how my pregnancy is developing this month, a recipe card for salmon with pine nuts and lime (I love salmon so I am eager to try this!), staying active during pregnancy, and a hospital bag checklist (which came in very handy as it's what I'm in the midst of doing!)

Overall, I was seriously impressed with this box. The Laboraide alone won me over. For a £14 price tag, the items in this month's box total over £46!!!!! Unbelievable! Totally worth buying.

You can find out more about Project-B at their website, Facebook and Twitter.

(Disclaimer: I received this subscription free of charge in exchange for an open and honest review. All thoughts an opinions are my own.)

My Second Pregnancy: 32 Week Bump Update

I'm 32 weeks pregnant!

This week, there hasn't really been much change if I'm honest. Still tired, back is still sore. Pelvis is starting to hurt a little bit and I feel very heavy when I walk. I'm constantly having to tell Chris to slow down as he's walking too fast even though he'll only be walking at a reasonable pace. Her feet are still lodged under my ribs so that's hurting quite a bit. 

Chris had to bring me home Gaviscon the other day as the heartburn is gettin so bad now that it's waking me up. I never had this with C. I've also got new stretchmarks!!! :(

I've more or less packed my hospital bag. I only have little silly, fiddly bits to go in which I'll sort out this week. I will then do a post on what I've packed. I do think I've packed too much though! 

At 32 weeks, the baby is roughly 19in long weighing 3.9lbs (the size of a head of lettuce). From now on, I should be gaining about 1lb a week with half of that going straight to the baby. She now has fingernails, toenails and real hair! Amazing :) 

Nonabox - June

I love receiving my Nonabox subscription boxes (you can read my past reviews here). I love the anticipation of what's going to be inside and I'm usually pleasantly surprised. This month's box was no different.

It arrived in it's usual sturdy purple box with the items wrapped in tissue paper.

And inside we have:

1. Advertorial leaflet on Ella's Kitchen's Big Book of Baking with a free Roly Poly cake recipe. I have to be honest and say that I usually stick these types of additions in the recycling bin but C loves strawberries and the recipe looks really yummy so we'll be giving it a try during the summer.

2. Weleda booklet

3. WaterWipes Make Up Removal Wipes (RRP £2.99) - I love the baby wipe version of WaterWipes so I was really pleased to see these. I'm in the midst of packing my hospital bag for when I go into labour so I will definitely be including these.

4. Weleda Calendula Baby Oil (£9.50) - I've heard a lot about the Weleda brand (all positive) so seeing a full sized product was fab. I don't usually use baby oil but I will be trying this out.

5. Ella's Kitchen banana, apricot & baby rice pouch (RRP £0.99)

6. Ella's Kitchen big red one pouch (RRP £0.79) - Although these are 4mth+, C loves sucking on these as a snack when we're out and about so his little face lit up when he saw them.

7. Weleda Nursing Oil (RRP £7.95) - I'd never heard of this oil before but as I'm planning on breastfeeding the baby when she arrives (and the fact that I'm already worried about milk supply due to my last breastfeeding experience) it's sounds great. It claims to stimulate milk supply and can be used from 38 weeks pregnant. I will definitely be using it.

8. Weleda Shampoo & Body Wash (£6.95) - Again, really happy to see a full sized good branded product. 

9. Magic Inkless Print Kit (RRP £11.99) - When C was a newborn, Chris actually used one of these before and got C's footprint on a charm bracelet for me. I think I'll save this to do something similar with the new baby.

This box totals around £41.16 and the Nonabox only costs £25 so this is a fantastic surplus! I am so pleased with every single product that I received.

You can find out more about Nonabox at their website, Facebook and Twitter.

(Disclaimer: I received this box free of charge in exchange for an open and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)

31 Week Midwife Appointment

Today I had my 31 week midwife appointment. Due to the pre-eclampsia last time, I see her every two weeks. Urine was free from protein and blood pressure was fine, as it has been throughout my pregnancy, thankfully! Baby's heartbeat was lovely at around 128bpm too. 

I got my blood results back from two weeks ago and apparently I am anaemic with my haemoglobin levels being at 97 so I need to be taking an iron tablet in the morning and at evening with pure orange juice to help me absorb it. 

This was the first time I'd had questions for her. Firstly, for the past few weeks I've had a dull "pins and needles"-like pain in my right rib and it only seems to get tolerable when I put pressure on it. She felt my tummy and told me that the baby is head down, her back is to my right side so the pain in my rib is her feet - lovely! 

My second query was that her movements seemed to have changed since late Sunday evening. Usually she is active almost every minute of every day but I noticed a real difference all throughout Monday and she only really started moving more last night but even these kicks felt a bit more "muffled" than usual. From listening to the heartbeat, she told me that movement does seem okay but that she was obliged to sent me to the maternity unit to be checked over. At the risk of sounding awful, I really couldn't be bothered. I knew I'd be there for ages and I hate feeling like I'm wasting peoples time. 

I got my whooping cough vaccine too and now my arm is really starting to ache - boo! 

I got to the Maternity Unit shortly after and a lovely student midwife checked my blood pressure, urine and baby's heartbeat again and then I was hooked up the monitor and I had to push a button every time I felt a movement. I felt so silly because as soon as the pads were put on my tummy, the baby mustn't have liked the pressure and kept kicking away! 

All in all, everything was fine. The doctor gave me a quick scan after and she told me that the baby's head is right down in my pelvis (and so is unlikely to move) and as she grows, movements may change but I should never have periods where I don't feel anything at all. I was given the phone number for the unit and told that if it happens again, to have something sugary to eat or drink and lie on my left side. I should feel around 10 movements in a two hour period. 

I did feel like I had wasted time but luckily they were lovely and said that it's never a waste of time if it's something like this! 

Dry Like Me - Review & Giveaway

We have been introducing the potty to C now that he is approaching 2 years old and is able to signal to us that he needs his nappy changed. 

My favourite way of getting C used to the potty is to give him nappy-free time and plonk him on it when he starts to go. Although I am a stay-at-home mum, I'm not at home 24/7. I do need to pop out and do errands so obviously I couldn't leave C nappy-less!

Dry Like Me very kindly sent us a "Smarter Way to Potty Train" pack (RRP £25/€30) which contains four boxes of the Dry Like Me potty training pads and a "How to Potty Train" book.

Dry Like Me training pads were invented by busy mums who realised that there was an opportunity to help mums and children potty train more quickly and effectively. They remind me a little bit of sanitary towels. They are inserted into your child's pants (front, back or both as they capture wee and poo) and although they bulk up, they don't absorb the full 'accident' so the child still has that realisation that they've wet themselves. The fact that they don't absorb everything really makes me prefer them to regular pull-up nappies as they seem more grown up and less like they're back in their nappies!

C loves to read and the 'How to Potty Train' book isn't like an instruction manual for parents. It is written in a way that teaches your child what the "getting rid of nappies and starting to use the potty" process is. I love that it comes with stickers too so your child feels included and rewarded. My favourite part of the book is the 'Assessment Chart' where you can jot down your child's bladder and bowel movements as a way to learn when they are most likely to go.

This set has been absolutely fantastic with introducing C to the potty and I can't wait to see it the whole way through.

These pads are available from all major supermarkets in the UK and Ireland at a price of £3.49/€3.99) per box.

If you are planning on potty training your toddler this summer, the authors of the 'How to Potty Train' book are offering a free online summer advice event - Potty Training Live.

The same event ran last year and Jenni Falconer took part to potty train her daughter Ella. She blogged about her experience and you can read it at www.pottytraininglive.com and you can also register for this year's free advice which went live on July 7th.

Dry Like Me have also offered my readers the chance to win their own Smarter Way to Potty Train Pack (four boxes of Dry Like Me pads & a potty training book). All you need to do it fill in the Rafflecopter widget below. Good luck!

This competition is open to residents of the UK & ROI only. One winner will win four boxes of Dry Like Me pads and a potty training book. Dry Like Me are responsible for delivery of the prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Second Pregnancy: 31 Week Bump Update

I'm 31 weeks pregnant. 

This week, I feel like I have more negative things to write about than positive which is a shame! Let's get all of that out of the way first. 

At this stage with my last pregnancy, this is when the pre-eclampsia symptoms started. I currently am getting a pain under my right rib. I see my midwife on Wednesday so I'll mention that to her then. I am obsessively checking my urine with Ketostix but no protein is being found so my mind is put at ease. 

I am constantly exhausted from the minute I wake up in the morning and my lower back aches. Standing to do the dishes is the worst. 

I've been getting nosebleeds but only ever from my left nostril. It's so strange. I don't remember having them last time. 

I feel like I've past the blooming stage and just feel fat. I feel disgusting in everything that I wear :( 

I was having a nosy online about raspberry leaf tea as I hear that it's good for toning the uterus and making labour easier - amazing! Except it's not recommended if you have had a previous c section or premature birth - boo! 

I'm still finding it hard to find anything that I want to eat. I am seriously craving mints though. I can't get enough of them. 

On a happier note, my crib, mattress, bedding and travel system all arrived today so if baby were to be born, we'd have everything we need! 

I've got everything for my hospital bag too so I will pack it sometime this week and do a blog post on what's inside.

At 31 weeks, the baby is around 16 inches long and is roughly the size of a head of lettuce. She can turn her head from side to side and her limbs are plumping out. She is constantly moving around which reassures me that she's doing okay! 

Organic Children Sun Lotion - Review

I wouldn't say that C has particularly sensitive skin, but a few months ago we picked up a chemists' own brand sun cream which broke C's skin out in a rash. We had originally been using a well-known brand and had no problems whatsoever.

With the summer arriving and weather getting hotter, Green People sent us some of their Organic Children 25SPF sun lotion to try out. Because of our past experience with C's rash, I did worry that maybe this lotion would contain something that would react with him in the same way.

The Organic Babies & Children range is made without harsh or irritating chemicals. I was really surprised to hear about some of the stuff that was in well-known baby products, such as SLS (sodium lauryl sulphate) which is also used car soaps and engine degreasers. This is usually added to create bubbles to your baby's bath! Organic Babies have used natural corn starch and coconut foaming agents to get that same bubbliness!

Anyway, I digress. We were sent a 150ml tube of the 25SPF medium sun lotion to try out with C and we have had no problems with rashes at all (and sunburn for that matter!). The lotion is scent/fragrance free so that is definitely a plus. I do hate the chemically smell of most sun creams and it contains 81% of certified organic ingredients such as aloe vera, edelweiss, avocado and chamomile.

Chris did get a bit iffy that it was only 25SPF. I think he'd slather C in factor 100 if he could but it did give him 100% protection from the sun. It applies really easily and I did find that it was less greasy than the sun creams that I have used in the past.

This sun lotion retails at £16.95 for 150ml which may seem a bit pricey but I like the guarantee that you're not using harsh chemicals on your child's skin.

You can find out more about Organic Babies at the Green People website, Facebook & Twitter.

(Disclaimer: We received this item free of charge in exchange for an open and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)

Introducing Organyc

Today's post is a little different to my usual reviews. As I'm expecting a baby in September, a fab company called Organyc have sent me some little bits to try out once she's here. In the meantime, I just wanted to introduce you to them and then I will follow up with a full review on the items.

Organyc stock a range of 100% natural and organic feminine care products such as maternity pads, nursing pads, cotton squares, baby wipes, sanitary towels & panty liners, wet wipes, intimate wash, tampons, and cotton balls, buds, pads and pleat.

I have been sent their maternity pads, baby wipes and nursing pads to try out. Obviously, as the baby isn't here yet, I haven't had the opportunity to review them yet, but they are packed in my hospital bag ready to go and I look forward to sharing my thoughts on them!

OXO Bottle Drying Rack - Review

OXO are mainly known for their useful and helpful kitchen and household accessories that are designed to make day-to-day tasks much easier. 

They have a fab range of baby & toddler products and we've been lucky enough to be trying out the Bottle Drying Rack. Although C is a fully-fledged toddler, he does still have a bedtime bottle and now that I am 30 weeks pregnant we will be beginning to use bottles with the new baby too.

When I first opened the rack out, I was impressed by how spacious it was but it isn't too big that it is a pain to have sitting in the kitchen. C uses tommee tippee bottles but I've got some MAM bottles for the new baby and both brands of bottle fit on comfortably as the tines are flexible and I can even slot it C's juice bottles, plates and cutlery in the little pot provided.

The rack is deep so it holds drained water without spilling and the rounded edges make it easy to pour it out. The ridges are high enough that the items are kept away from the water at the bottom.

I honestly can't believe that I've managed almost two years parenting without using a rack like this as it is so much easier to keep all C's bits away from our regular dishes. I would definitely recommend this rack to any parent to babies/toddlers and it's dishwasher safe too!

You can purchase your own OXO Bottle Drying Rack for £15.32. You can find out more about OXO at their website, Facebook and Twitter.