Pearls of the First Few Months Newborn Wisdom

It's taken me a little longer to write this one as I was toying how to write it. You see only YOU know the best for YOUR child. If you take one piece advice you can take away from this is this: Trust your instincts and trust your gut. It will be 9 times out of 10, be the right decision. As they lyirc's of Baz Luhrmann's Everybody's Free (to Wear Sunscreen, "Whereas the rest of my advice has no basis or reliable, than my own meandering experience, I will dispense this advice now"

Only a few minutes old

Forget to doing any housework that wasn't done during the nesting period, there is a little person that needs you attention (and believe me even if they are asleep you will be watching them). I spent most of this time living on anything that can either been eaten one handed, miscrowaved or my personal favourite, scrabbled egg on wholemeal toast done by Husband.

Never, ever refuse help, even if it is someone to hold them for five minutes to go to the bathroom. My MIL used to take her off of me Friday nights just so I could have a hot meal.

Discuss with your partner how you are running care, and make sure he knows he WILL be helping. We worked it out as follows (Exclusively bottle feed):

Between 4am - 6am: I would feed Beth then she would go to sleep, I would go back to bed.
Between 7am - 9am: Hubby will then get up and feed her
Between 11am - 1pm: I would get up and feed, as she got older this was also play time
Then I would look after her until evening when Hubby would take over so I can prepare dinner.
9pm: I would go to bed and Hubby will stay up with her.
1am: Shift swap, Hubby goes to bed, I do next feed.

I will not deny the following: You will feel tired, you will get frustrated and, as much as you love them, you will wonder why you did this. It is all normal, however if it gets to the point that it goes beyond these thoughts then reaching out for help is the best way. I am not ashamed to say that Beth has been taken off of me when the signs have been there that I could not cope.

Items I wish I had brought sooner

Dr. Browns Natural FLow Bottles - I have reviewed these before here and are still one my best investments.

Mothercare Fabric Bath Support £9.99 - Beth loves splashing in the the water and I was having many issues keeping hold of a slippery baby. You put this into a normal or baby bath and baby sits on top, you can also pull of the fabric when done and put into washing machine. Stress no more.

Playmat - I got mine 99p from eBay, it had a few marks on the bars and was local pick up only. This has to be the best 99p I've ever spent, Beth is on it nearly everyday batting toys and (trying) to roll around.

First time on playmat

Bouncher - Another eBay bargain at £4.50, great for strapping her in when I need the loo. The Mama and Papa's one I have has a vibrate and music, enough distraction while doing work. I also sit her in this if she wants to face me to gurgle at or watch the world go by.

Things you can never have enough of

Wipes - Getting poo off with cotton wool is impossible.
Muslins - Wiping everything, everywhere, everytime (I have found that Sainsbury are the largest, 5 for £6, comes in grey, blue, and pink).
Bibs - Keeping clothes clean from newborn
Sleepsuits - For various reasons, most of time because of poo.

NOTD - Boots No.7 Totally Teal

Teal is huge again for Spring/Summer for this year. I had OPI's AmazON AmazOFF on my New Mum's Wishlist, it only made sense when I had a voucher for their £3 off Boots No.7 to see if I could spot any dupes. It's not a faultless dupe, the OPI seems a brighter teal while is more blackened.

The formulation is a thick consistancy, you would get away with one coat but two coats gives a more even colour. Dry is reasonable you can paint a full set and it'll be already dry for the next coat. The wear time is also a highlight, with the amount of times I out my hands in hot water, it lasted 4 days before it started chipping badly.

I am a big fan of the No.7 varnishes for many years, they colours are always on trend and they are starting to rival some of the bigger names in varnish (I have a Chanel dupe you will love, trust me). I am finding, and just not only the varnish, that Boots prices are starting to get rather expensive for a own brand range. A Boots varnish is £6/7 which now matched Essie's price range but not colour range. They've also got stingy on the vouchers two, by cutting the make up discount to £3 when it used to be £5.

Bethany Update - Month 3

All smiles at 9 weeks

Last time we left we were about to go for her first injections, she whimper on the first one in her thigh then cried on the second, promotely dribble the Novavirus down her chin beforehand. She was unsettled for the rest of the day, wanting cuddles and having a temptuture. I had also timed it well that I had my Health Visitor appointment the next morning so if she was really unwell she could be seen by someone quickly. She did however come out of it just a little grizzly. Roll on next week where it all happens again.

Bethany is also having her personality starting to come through. say hello to her and she acts all coy but has the biggest smile. She loves her playmat and to bat the hanging animals, but also likes to sit in her bouncher in front of me, watching me as well as has convestations.

Beth's first attempt at rolling

Beth is starting to sleep through the night until 6/7am, with the odd early morning just to keep me on my toes. We are still on 3-4 hours and 120-140mls, but she has gone down to 2nd centile as she is only a wee 9lbs 7ozs. As she is eating well and putting on the weight as she should be, they are keeping an eye but not worried. It does however, mean her clothers will last her ages, she is only starting to truly fit 0-3 months now.

She is my little Piglet, small but strong. Hubby and I had the stomach bug going round and she didn't didn't get anything from it. I am still amazed by her, and how much she's growing before our eyes. In the next month we will be starting post-natal classes and baby massage (being a massuer I'm really looking forward to this!), as well as back to play group after the Easter break. I swaer she has a busier social life than me.

3 Months today!

Life Moves Pretty Fast.

2014 is seeming to fly by quickier than I can keep up, it only feels like yesterday I was waiting for the wiggling worm that was Beth to hurray up and come out. Now, she's here, everything just whirls by in a blur. I know day and night happens but I cannot name you the day/date it is.

Hubby is the same, his contract finished early and now he's home all day. Even though this has brought new stress of income, this is great for looking after Bethany, she get equal time with each parent and always has someone around. We are finding that we are spending less time together and the time we do, it's spent having a competition on who's the more tired before going to bed to sleep.

We were both ill last week, me at the beginning and my husband on the morning of my birthday. My parents rescued me and I spent the day with them, but the thing that really upset me is that the birthday party I had organised for my husband went on without him (at his request).

I also had the news that my aunt has had her lung cancer return, and this time it is terminal so it's been decided to not continue treatment. The whole family is devasted, I not only am worried about my aunt but also about my own mother's health as they are both close.

All of this mixed togehter has knocked my mojo a lot, at the moment I feel like I'm surviving rather than living. This is what made me think of Ferris Bueller, who took the day off to live life and take stock, so for the next week or so I am taking some days off to recharge and take stock because I don't want to miss life.

For now keep safe and keep beautiful.

Why Marriage? By: Mari Nichols-Haining

WHY MARRIAGE?
~ By: Mari Nichols-Haining ~

Because to the depths of me, I long to love one person,
With all my heart, my soul, my mind, my body...

Because I need a forever friend to trust with the intimacies of me,
Who won't hold them against me,
Who loves me when I'm unlikable,
Who sees the small child in me, and
Who looks for the divine potential of me...

Because I need to cuddle in the warmth of the night
With someone who thanks God for me,
With someone I feel blessed to hold...

Because marriage means opportunity
To grow in love in friendship...

Because marriage is a discipline
To be added to a list of achievements...

Because marriages do not fail, people fail
When they enter into marriage
Expecting another to make them whole...

Because, knowing this,
I promise myself to take full responsibility
For my spiritual, mental and physical wholeness
I create me,
I take half of the responsibility for my marriage
Together we create our marriage...

Because with this understanding
The possibilities are limitless.

-------------------

Reading from our wedding, 4 years ago today at 2pm.

Happy Anniversary to my Husband.

Thank you for making my dream family come true.

Stérimar Congestion Relief Adult & Baby

It was ironic that the week that the cold attacked our house infected Husband, Mum and Dad in law as well as myself, that I would recieve an email asking if I would be interested in trying some nose degestents for baby. Not only was it a yes but they also kindly sent adult versions for Husband and I to use as well.

The nose is the firt line of defence against germs so it is important that it is kept in the best condition possible. Using sea water from Fench coast of Brittany, it has no presertives or additives. It uses Hypertonic solution, a solution with a higher salt concentration than cells in the human body for a natural decongestant effect, called the osmotic effect. It is also safe to be used in pregnancy, breast feeding, doesn't interfer with other medication and in the adult version, children from age 3 (the baby version goes up to age 3).

Husband and I used them for a week as needed up to 6 times a day during our colds, and it was a huge relief to be able to breath. It took me a while to get used to the spray up the nose but that is because I haven't used sprays before. We now keep these for when both of our hayfever allergies flare up during Spring/Summer.

You can also use the sprays as a prevention and this we did with Bethany so she didn't get our colds.  I will admit she did cry at the spray (it is a finer spray version), but soon settled afterwards with no after effects. Most importantly she came out of it all cold free. You can use the spray as a nasal maintence, I use it more if Beth get sniffles during the night that are keeping her awake.

The adult version is RRP £7.14 for 100ml or £4.49 for 50ml. The baby version comes as a 50ml for £4.07. They both can be purchased from leading high street chemists. For more information you can go to their website http://www.sterimarnasal.co.uk/

FOTD - New Mum 5 Minute Face

 

I need to go out of the house, Beth is distracted enough where I can get dressed, washed and comtiplate putting make up on. This is what is in the make up bag, seperate from my main collection in it's own bag ready ready to be used.

Base - Gineva BB Cream (from £18)

I have previously harped on about how much I love this base, it's basically my skin but better - smoother, lightly covered, neutralised and refreshed. Previous review here

Concealer - Estee Lauder Dissappear in Light (£18)

Have used this for years since I worked for them, it was my unsung hero on the counter and still is to this day . It is a creamy consistancy so it can be used everywhere including the eye area, gently pat it on where extra cover is needed. A tiny amount goes a long way, a tube can easily last me longer than it should do before you are suppose to throw it away.

Powder - GOSH BB powder in 04 Beige

This has extra coverage than a normal finishing powder as it can be used alone (for those special people who have amazing skin, not for us hagged new mums). I swirl a brush over and use it on the oiler areas - forehead, nose and chin. A great powder, will be repurchasing when it runs out.

Mascara - Maybelline The Rocket Volum' Express

I am not usually a fan of the big volume mascaras, I find the fibres fall onto my skin or I ended up with black smudge under the eyes. This I got in the previous British Beauty Blog Box at the end of last year and as my previous had run out needed to grab one quickly as I was about to go out. The brush is large with small brush spikes, this gives the the final result as advertised (without the lash inserts)

Blush - 003 Money Talks by Dainty Doll (Now discontinued)

I love this blusher, it is the perfect one of flushed for me and has the tinest bit of shimmer. I need to find a dupe for this, all suggestions in comments please.

Eyebrows - Avon Glimmerstick Brow Definer in Soft Black

I need to be featherlight with this, too dark and I look like an extra from (Insert reality show here). I use small flicks where needed, quick blended as well as regualy threading sessions to keep the shape. I do prefer the bigger brow look so if time is tight I can skip this part.

Thrown in changing bag: Lip - Lanolip colour in Rubarb

Another British Beauty Blogger find, and what a find it is. I suffer with dry flakey lips all year long (Winter - the cold. Summer - hayfever allergies), and find little that gives me the flake free lip that I want. This is a thick semi glossy lip balm hybred that is non sticky and gives the moisture I need to keep my lips in really good condition. If you are not allergic to lanolin (the main ingredient) then this is worth the investment.

Right I'm ready to go but what's that smell?

Colic and Dr. Browns Natural Flow Bottles

Colic is a constant crying of 3 hours (and longer) within a 24 hours period for 3 days. It is the most heartbreaking thing I have had to deal with, one day Beth was a happy smiling baby, the next was so upset to the point of being unable to be soothed.

After day three I was in tears, did this mean I was being a bad Mum because I couldn't understand and solve what was wrong. Beth would bring her legs to her torso, arch her back, kick, scream, and be teary. She would also be up most of the night and want feeding all the time.

After another exhausting night I sent an SOS over Twitter and Babycentre Jan birth club, I was at my wits end, I loved my daughter but was considering to walking away as I couldn't cope, my husband found me screaming at one point and had to take her away. A lot of other Mum's were hugely supportive and were unanimous in what it was - Colic, as well as numerous solutions.

One offered more than once, was changing my bottles to Dr. Browns, the timing was perfect. Beth's appetite was getting bigger and we would soon need to swap from her 150ml bottles to bigger ones. I researched them, including reviews, to me it seemed to be too good to be true when a majority was saying yes they worked. I invested my back dated child benefit in 2 x 4 packs of bottles at £17.17 each from Mothercare (compare these to 6 x Tommi Teepies at £12.99).

They come with four pieces that form the vent system bottle, this system means that the baby swallows the milk and not the air. It is easy to assemble, but it will take only a little longer to wash and sterilise than 'normal' bottles. You will also need to stir the milk rather than shake (if you have formula) as they will leak because of the vent system.

I now have been using them for about a week, 5-6 feeds a day. The first day was Beth adjusting to the new teats, so she dribbled a lot and wanting feeding more as she would spit out after about half the bottle. If you choose to change, do not plan anything the day you do it just in case you get the same as me. This only lasted for 24 hours, she was then back to her normal feeding pattern. 5 days later the Infacol she was having before every feed was stopped and have had no colic crying since.
I think this bottles have been brilliant, to have a happy baby with no medication makes a really happy Mum. Fully recommended.