My Birthday

I have seen a lot of videos done on YouTube of what people got for their birthdays. While I am not at a point where I want to film videos I thought I would do a post as I find these videos helpful for ideas of what to get people.

(Disclaimer: This is not a brag post I wanted to write it to give inspiration for present ideas for others)

Most people weren't sure what to get me - I asked for money or gift cards as I want to get my hair done in a posh salon and I wanted to buy some clothes and update my wardrobe.

The nicest presents I received were a bracelet from my mother in law, it has my birthstone blue topaz in it. 

I received these amazing gloves that look like hedgehogs, I believe they are from Sainsbury's, one really good thing about these is they have a lining so my rings don't catch on the knit which always annoys me.

A colleague gave me a candle, socks and some fudge - I thought this was really nice, almost like a night in / pamper session. I also got some toiletries, some from the body shop and also a set from Laura Ashley which I think is from Boots.

My husband didn't get me a present instead we went shopping for him to buy me some clothes and I needed some new make up as well. We went to New Look, Next and Boots.

From New Look I got a Parka coat, a few other clothing bits and some earrings - I wanted small studs as I want to get my ears pierced more so wanted smaller studs. From Next I got some jeans, I am fed up of wearing maternity jeans so bought a pair the next size up.

Lastly we went to Boots and I got a few staples, mascara and brow pencil. I also got a new eye shadow pallet from L'Oréal to try out.

I decided months ago that I wanted to get my hair done once the baby came as a treat to myself and part birthday present with any cash that I received, I have had a consultation and have decided on a style and colour. This is booked in next week so might do a post to show before and after. 

Check back Friday for my November favorites.

Mumma Milts xx

Baby hospital bag

As a follow up to the Mummy hospital bag post this is for the baby bag.

I used the changing bag which I will do a proper post on the bag as I bought a Babymoov star bag and when I was looking into which bag to buy I could not find many reviews on it that were in English - most were in French!!

Most of the items that we packed for baby were used so I did better there than for me.

I packed nappies and wipes - I bought Water Wipes, I decided to buy these as they are safe for newborns. It is recommended to use cotton wool and water but who has time for that (I did do this at home sometimes).

I also packed a little set of toiletries like baby wash, shampoo, baby powder, cotton wool and nappy cream. These weren't used but I can keep this in the changing bag to take with me just encase.

As for clothes I watched loads of videos on YouTube and quite a few people had sets of clothes in clear sandwich bags. I did this and it was really useful when I was in the delivery room others had to find the clothes - I labeled them with the size of clothes and included a vest, baby grow and scratch mitts. This would be my best recommendation to anyone packing their bags.

I am happy with what I took for baby and don't regret missing anything out so we did alright.

Em x

Mummy hospital bag

I was originally going to do a post before baby arrived with what I had packed in my hospital bag but now it is going to be a review of what I actually used and what was really pointless in taking.

To be honest I used hardly anything that was in my bag. I grossly over packed so if I have anymore babies I will definitely take less. I will do a full list of what I took and what I actually used further down.

I took a lot of toiletries, normally I am the type of person that cannot function with out a shower and washing my hair which always makes me feel so much better but in the hospital I didn't get the chance and didn't feel like having one.

As I was on my own I couldn't leave the baby and when my husband came in he brought his mum and then my parents turned up so didn't get the opportunity. Also I did not feel up to it, with painful stitches and a jiggly belly the last thing I wanted was to take a shower and have to mess around washing my hair.

Thinking about it I didn't even use my toothbrush (I know gross right). Perhaps if the birth had gone differently and hadn't been so ill the first day I would have used more.

Packed - didn't use

Shampoo
Conditioner
Dry shampoo
Face wash
Toner
Face moisturizer
Body moisturizer       
Deodorant
Razor
Shower puff
Body shop Instablur primer
BB Cream
Toothpaste &Toothbrush
Femfresh wash
Bikini top
Disposable underwear
Cooling face spray
Sleep eyemask
Fluffy bed socks
iPod
Camera (not my phone)

Packed - did use
Femfresh wipes
Dressing gown
Slippers
Nightie
Pajamas
Spare underwear
Hairbrush and hair ties
Flannel
Maternity pads
Going home clothes
Sweets
Energy drink
Lip balm

Obviously I would always pack some of the toiletries that I didn't use just encase, don't go leaving your toothbrush and toothpaste at home!!!

Coming up next baby hospital bag review

Em x

Daddy survival kit

So when me and my husband got married I did him a wedding day survival kit (thanks Pinterest) with little jokey presents in for the day. Then when I was looking at baby things again on Pinterest I saw a new daddy survival kit and knew I had to do one.

A lot of the ones on Pinterest had things in that I didn't think he would use or find funny so I changed and added items.

The first item and the basis for the whole thing was a Game of Thrones baby vest, he had been looking at these on Amazon but never actually purchased one so I wanted to get this as the main present.

I put in a mixture of practical things that he would use like sweets and chocolate to give him energy. Cider for when the baby is in bed after a long day.

Silly things included Oust for the smell, rubber gloves and a clothes peg for his nose. These were just things I had already in the house and put them in so I didn't need to buy these.

I also got a photo frame saying I love my Daddy, I think for Christmas I will give this to him again but with a picture in it, I have a few cute ones with them both that I can put in.



My husband is a man of few words but I think he really like it. He especially loved the baby grow, he washed it ready for when the baby came to wear! (she sicked up on it within 10 minutes!!).

Mumma Milts xx

Baby shower presents

So I was very lucky and ended up with two baby showers. One with my work colleagues and a surprise one organised by my friends. I want to show my favourite or most useful gifts to help anyone out there looking for gift ideas.

(disclaimer: This is not a post bragging about all the presents I received, I understand I have been lucky to have got all these gifts and this is in no way intended as a boast but to give ideas to others on what I liked the best or found the most useful)

At both we played games and had a laugh, it is nice just having everyone around and games are always fun.

At the work shower I organized the games as none of them had really been to a shower before. I did guess the baby and everyone brought in a baby photo, belly string, guess what is in the bag, a version of pass the parcel, and everyone was able to suggest names, predict the stats of when baby would come. All in all everyone enjoyed themselves.

I had to put this photo in of the cakes that the host made. They were lush!! I love a good scone with jam and cream!!

I got a good mix of presents that were for me and baby. As we didn't know the gender a lot of people got little things for the shower and intended on getting something gender related once the baby arrived.

The most memorable were the sentimental gifts, I am quite a sentimental person.

I received mugs with mum and daddy on, I love these, so much so they will not be used!! and also from the same person a lovely teddy in a posh box, this is so soft and is just my style.A more practical present was this baby grow sleeping bag, I have read they are safer than blankets / quilts. It is in a big size so I haven't tried it out yet so will do a review when I do.



Another favourite gift was a dressing gown - it is not something I would think to give to someone so it was a total surprise and it is one of my best gifts. Its from Next - not sure if it is still available but if you can get hold of it then do, it is so soft and fluffy and just right for lounging with a baby!!

There was loads of other little things like toiletries for both me and baby, these will always get used and a staple of a baby shower gift.

The second shower I had was a surprise one organised by my friends. They are sneaky!! Again we played games which were almost all different by chance. They had food in nappies!! name the baby animal, belly string and we also had the baby predictions as well.

All the gifts I got at this shower were different - I had nothing the same which was lucky.

The most notable were again sentimental gifts!! There was a Dumbo storage box which is so cute, I got a few Disney pieces but had never seen this box. A little picture with a lovely baby quote. Also a gift that I was going to buy myself but luckily didn't which was a jacket and hat from JoJo Maman Bebe. We put the baby in these to come home from the hospital.

Lastly I wanted to mention a gift that I didn't receive at a baby shower but I had to include it as it is the most thoughtful and touching gift I received. A colleague of mine at work came in one morning and gave me this. It is a hand carved spoon which I think is traditional in some way - I must look it up. It is made from the wood of a tree at work. It is amazing, I was not expecting this and it is so thoughtful I love it. It will go on display in the nursery and then be stowed away in a keepsake box when baby girl gets bigger and wants to play with it. I don't want it to get broken as it will be nice for her when she is older to have.

Check back for my next post Daddy Survival Kit.

Mumma Milts xx

Post Partum

This will be another wordy post but it is the last in my labour series so if you don't fancy a read check back on Monday for my next post.

I will start with the recovery in hospital.

After the birth I was taken to a ward, as I had had an epidural I was not able to move my legs at all so was stuck in bed. This was a temporary stay as they did a blood test to decide if I needed a blood transfusion or if I could just have iron. Luckily my iron levels are normally high so I was put on iron tablets and didn't need a transfusion, that would have made my recovery longer.

As I was ill they did not get me to breastfeed instead they expressed by hand and syringed to the baby. I think this then is what caused problems with breastfeeding as I didn't get to do that first feed in the "golden hour" I was told so much about.

My husband went home that night so I was on my own and they moved me to the proper ward with all the other new mums. That night a student midwife helped me to get up for the first time. I felt like Bambi!! Also when I got up I felt my tummy for the first time, it was horrible, it felt like and empty sack of spuds and was all heavy and saggy. This went away after that first time but the midwife found my reaction quite funny.

Then I was sort of left to my own devices, I struggled still to move that night so struggled to pick up the baby when she cried, I tried feeding her myself but as I had no help I couldn't get it to work so I ended up giving her formula that night.

Looking back now I am a bit disappointed at the lack of support, she is my first baby. I had never changed a nappy, dressed or fed a baby but no-one really bothered to help me. I know all I had to do was ask but when I did ring the bell for help it would take at least half an hour for someone to come by which time I had had to work it out for myself and deal with it. It is true that instincts take over. I do understand that the staff are pushed and can't help everyone but when I was there I felt very alone.

The next morning I was signed off as ok to go home but I was told by the midwife I couldn't go until I had feed her. So that was my goal of the day. Various people came to try and help most of whom grabbed my boob and her head and shoved them together. I was stripping the baby down to her nappy, getting my boobs out to the world and not getting anywhere she just wouldn't latch or when she appeared to have latched didn't actually suck.

This went on all day with people all suggesting different things. In the end I pushed to be let home I couldn't cope with being in the hospital another night on my own.

The midwife tried to get me to stay but reluctantly she let me go after giving me a load of drugs including injections I had to do myself at home.

When I did get home I tried feeding again but she was crying with hunger so we gave her a bottle (I had got bottle feeding equipment ready just encase) and she gulped it down. After speaking to my local midwife the following day the things done in the hospital were not helpful and I could have gone to my local birthing centre for someone to help me (they are quiet compared to a hospital) but I have stuck with the bottle. I feel bad a bit but happy she is getting fed.

The worst part of my recovery was having stiches, I was in a lot of pain and couldn't sit properly. Then the iron tablets I was on made me really ill. Also the injections gave me a really bad rash. All in all I felt horrible for a good week and a half after birth, it sort of ruined the experience a bit but now I am better.

My stitches have healed and I got my prescription changed to iron liquid which doesn't make me ill. I actually feel quite good now and am even getting sleep at night which is helping greatly.

Although I have had a bit of a traumatic time I would not change it I have a beautiful baby and I would do it again (I would have said something different a couple of weeks ago) but it is true that you forget the pain and the bad things quite quickly. Our brains must block out the memories!! If birth was that bad people wouldn't go on to have more children and now I really think I want another - not anytime soon though!!!!

I wanted this to be an honest account and I know that it is very somber and depressing but it is what happened. At the time I didn't feel as bad about the experience as just got on with it. Only now looking back do I realise the difficulties I had but we got through it and have a really healthy baby girl.

Em x

Labour story

I will try my very best to keep this post short even though I could go on and on. This will be a wordy post and there aren't any pictures for me to put in really. I don't have many from the hospital.

It started Saturday night with what I know now to be pre labour contractions. At the time I thought they were the real thing, they felt like period pain and my tummy tightened with each one. They were around 6-7 minutes apart. This went on all night so I got no sleep. Then Sunday morning they stopped. That was frustrating. I got odd contractions throughout the day and Sunday night.

Then the real contractions started early Monday morning. I gave up on sleeping at about 4am, there is nothing more depressing then lying in bed not being able to sleep when there is someone next to you snoring away!!

The contractions went on all day, after having those I know the pains on Saturday night were not the real deal. They were pretty painful. I used breathing techniques to get through them as best I could, there is no other option really but to get through them as they are not going to stop until the baby comes.

At about 5pm I had got to the point where I wasn't coping, I had not slept that much and wanted to know what was going on, at that point they were every 5 minutes apart. So my husband took me to the birthing unit. They checked and I was only 3cm!! The midwife said to come back when my waters break or if they get closer together. So we came home. I really did not like the pain. It is hard to describe now but it was very painful to me much more than period pain but I felt I coped quite well considering.

My husband made tea and had to rush as by 7pm the contractions were only 2.5 minutes apart and we were back at the birthing centre. I was checked and I was 4cm but while she was there my waters broke so I was in labour and allowed to stay in.

I started using gas and air - that was weird. It took a while for me to get used to it. At first it felt like the room was spinning like after having too many drinks. I kept saying I didn't like it but at the next contraction I was puffing away!!

The night ran away with me I had no concept of time. I remember having Lucozade Sport and a lot of water as the gas and air made me really thirsty but couldn't face any of the snacks I took as I felt a bit queasy.

I was not coping well with pain so had Diamorphine at some point. That was really good, it made me sleepy. I had to still use a bit of gas and air when I had a bad contraction but in between I was dozing and cared less.

On my birthing plan I wanted to try the birthing pool. On programs like One born every minute the water births look so relaxed and wonderful so I wanted to try. Well I just felt like a big whale squirming around in the water. It felt nice initially as it was so warm and took the weight from my tummy but when I got a contraction I just squirmed around and did not feel comfortable. I am not a bath person anyway but I felt worse in the pool. So that only lasted 30 minutes but at least I tried it.

A bit later I had more Diamorphine, I think it was around 2am Tuesday morning but I cannot be sure. Also the midwife must have been checking me regularly. I cannot remember all these little things.
Anyway at about 3am the midwife said that I am not progressing as they liked. I think I had been stuck at 7cm dilated for a while. So they wanted to put me on hormones (like when they induce) which they don't have at the birthing centre I had to go to the nearest hospital which was 30 minutes away. That was a bummer. I really expected to have my baby in my local birthing centre (it was less than 5 minutes from my house).

So I travelled in an ambulance to the hospital - that was horrible, ambulances are really bumpy. If you were all broken it must really hurt - I felt every bump in the road. My husband had driven on ahead in my car. I didn't really think about it - it is strange how you just get on with things I would normally have worried about him driving that far in my car!! He made it and was waiting in the delivery room when I got there.

I was told that going on hormones whilst already in labour make the contractions more painful and a lot stronger so I decided I wanted an epidural. I had always said I didn't want one but once I was there and realised my pain limit and being tired didn't help I wanted anything I could get. I had to wait though as the anesthetist had to go into theatre with another delivery so I waiting for over two hours it was about 6.30am when I got it. It wasn't as bad as I thought. Having seen it done on the television it doesn't look pleasant but when you are in pain and cannot see what they are doing it is not that bad. I am so glad I had it.

It was bliss I could not feel the contractions at all and was able to get a bit of sleep in between the blood pressure cuff taking off my arm every 15 minutes.

The baby was in the wrong position so the midwife kept getting me to lie on my side, that was painful, my back was really painful, we think now that the baby had it's shoulder in my spine. Anyway the baby didn't really move and I think the midwife gave up.

I started pushing just after 10am on Tuesday morning. That was a strange sensation as it didn't hurt but I could feel it all stretching down there. The midwife was happy with my pushing, I was really trying. I dare to imagine the faces I was pulling. The thing I felt I struggled with was taking breath in between and then pushing again, I always felt like I didn't get enough air. The midwife said that they allow pushing for 2 hours!!! 2 HOURS that is ridiculous I was so tired after the little bit that I did. Pushing at every contraction every couple of minutes is hard work.

When the head started to crown she pointed out all the hair to my husband who was at that end as he was holding one of my legs!! I will never forget the look on his face, it was nice really as he doesn't show emotions normally.

Well after about half an hour approximately the midwife said that she wanted to cut me to get the baby out easier. The baby was sideways so the shoulders were in the wrong position. This is the second reason I was glad to get the epidural. She cut and then with the next contraction the head was out. At the time the odd thing I thought was how she got me to do little pushes to get the rest of the baby out and didn't wait for the next contraction like they do on the tele. But as soon as I thought that the baby was on me. I cannot explain the feeling. It is so surreal after days of being in pain and pushing to have this little baby.

I didn't notice there was anything wrong until loads of people came in the room, there were doctors and more midwifes. It turned out that when she cut she also cut a blood vessel so I was spirting blood everywhere. (sorry if your squeamish) I think they dealt with it really well. I didn't really know what was going on by that point I was getting a bit drowsy. They wanted to stitch me up pretty quick I think and that is the third reason for having the epidural. Even with that those stiches hurt like hell.

The baby was taken and cleaned up and dressed. It is a GIRL, which really shocked me we were adamant we were having a boy even though we never found out it was just a feeling we had.

She is so perfect in every way. I didn't really hold her much or do anything that day. Looking back I realise I was actually quite ill but now we are over it and doing really well.

I will be doing a post partum post about my recovery in hospital and at home.

This will be up on Friday. See you then.

Em x

Pregnancy Update

All in all I had a easy pregnancy. I can't complain at all really.

I had pelvis pain which meant I couldn't do a lot of things alone like food shopping, I had to drag my husband with me which was a trial!!! I couldn't walk too far either as my feet were so swollen.

Apart from those the only other thing I struggled with was tiredness. I found that when I got home from work I could not do anything really around the house even though there was so much to do. Even when I finished work which I did at 37 weeks I didn't get a lot done. I am bad for that I will procrastinate and then regret not getting anything done but I could not face anything really.

This is a lot of negativity. I did really enjoy being pregnant. It is amazing to think about the fact that there was a little human growing in me and I could feel it moving and when it had hiccups. That was a strange feeling!

I would sit in the evenings just staring at my belly while it jumped around and moved its little hands and legs.

Looking back now it is incredible and feels like a long time ago.

I was quite big, towards the end I couldn't bend over to pick anything off the floor or put on socks and shoes - it was hilarious getting my husband to help me get these on!! Saying that I do miss my bump it was useful!! Also it is amazing to feel that little human growing inside.

There isn't much else to say about my pregnancy, if I had done posts each week I would probably have had more to say but now I have sort of forgotten all the little things which is a shame but overall I had such a good time and loved having it growing inside me.

Check back here on Wednesday for my labour story.

Em x

Apologies

So I know I stopped posting. I let life get in the way and I didn't really have a lot to write about.

Then about 5 weeks ago I had loads of posts planned which I was part way through sorting and then baby decided to come. Admittedly on time but I should have been more on the ball.

So I will be writing more posts but they will be slightly different to the original plan.

These are going to be written and scheduled so there is no excuse for me not getting them up.

I will be uploading a new post at least every Monday and Friday if not more often to catch up, these are going to be initially baby related but I will move onto more house, family and maybe a bit of beauty / fashion as well.

So keep an eye out for the following baby posts in the upcoming weeks.

• Remaining pregnancy update
• Labour story
• Post Partum
• Baby shower presents
• Daddy survival kit
• Mummy hospital bag contents and review
• Baby hospital bag contents and review

This should keep us going for a while!!

Enjoy.

Mumma Milts xx