My Favourite Pregnancy Books

Before we knew we were pregnant, I already had a few books about pregnancy, childbirth and parenting. When we found out we were pregnant, off I went in search of more books, I was also given a few from friends. It's safe to say I now have a bit of a library on the subject. I've made my way through most and there are only a few that I would say I found particularly useful and will keep, hopefully for the next time.

I loved both Ina May's books, she has the outlook on childbirth that I wanted. To be calm and to trust in your body. If you want to feel calm and confident about birth, these are the books for you. Whenever I felt even slightly anxious I picked up one of these and started reading. There are so many lovely birth stories, not all go smoothly, but the mother is calm in all and all very reassuring.

The Best Friends' Guide is great, you get all the detail you need about pregnancy but in a humurous way. I found a lot of books were very serious about all the things that happen in pregnancy but actually I found that I wanted a funnier, friendlier way to read about these things. I laughed out loud a lot reading this book.

Bringing up Bebe, was part of my parenting selection of books (which may need another post as I work through them). I adored this book and I am tempted to read again now. It is about an American woman's experience of childbirth and baby rearing in Paris. How different the two cultures are in terms of childbirth and parenting. I couldn't put it down I was so fascinated. I would like more books like this, so please if anyone knows of any, let me know. 

HypnoBirthing, I really loved this book. Talk about calming. It is full to the brim of wonderful advice on basically remaining calm. A lot of issues in childbirth tend to come from the mother going into distress, which is why I have worked so hard trying to learn to be calm and relaxed. My birth experience was traumatic but with the help of these techniques I was able to keep calm (the gas & air helped too!). For me, knowledge is calming, so I have done an awful lot of reading, the yoga and hypnobirthing techniques have really complimented that reading. Do not expect to be able to hypnotise yourself through birth with this book - as if! What I took away is a much healthier outlook on childbirth, some great breathing exercises for each stage of pregnancy and again, a confidence. It stresses the importance of not getting stressed! The minute you stress, everything tightens and slows. All your efforts should be on trying to stay calm, this book helps with that. 

You need at least one day-by-day bible, it is really nice to see how baby develops and looks from one day to the next. I kept this next to my bed so every morning I could see what baby was up to and looked like. I really liked the Dr Maggie Blott one but there are lots very similar.

So these books are the selection that I found most helpful to me. Feel free to share if you found any others particularly useful and also if you know of any similar books to Bringing Up Bebe.

My Pregnancy Essentials...

1. Burt's Bees Mama Bee oil - I tried a few oils and creams, but this one felt the nicest and smelt the nicest. It smells of spring, it's so good. Although I have heard that no cream/oil can stop stretch marks, I only got a couple of small ones at 38 weeks so perhaps it helped a little. Not that I mind earning my 'mummy's tiger stripes'. It is just a nice little routine at the beginning and end of each day, to bond and massage the baby.

2. Burt's Bees leg and foot cream has been a life-saver for me. If you suffer with swollen feet and legs, you need this. It has peppermint extract so it has a lovely cooling effect. It also smells lovely like the other Burt's Bee's products. 

3. Neal's Yard English Lavender Bubble Bath - I have used a lot of lavender oil throughout my pregnancy, when I am reading or relaxing I burn the oil and it has a lovely calming effect, I also burn it now when I put the baby to sleep. The bubble bath smells lovely and has same effect, it also feels lovely on the skin. I particularly like the Neal's Yard products as they contain no parabens or harsh chemicals, which has been important in my pregnancy. They use organic plant-derived ingredients and made in England. Their selection of products are truly beautiful. I have also been using the nurturing rose shampoo which I also adore.

4. As a tea drinker, I really didn't fancy giving up my morning cuppa, I have tried every decaff tea on the market and Yorkshire tea is the best. I have barely noticed the difference. I am still drinking cups and cups of the stuff now while breastfeeding.

5. Another lovely selection of skin care, Liz Earle. This stuff has been essential for my face. Again, free of parabens and harsh chemicals, filled with plant-derived goodness, this stuff has felt beautiful on my face. My face has suffered slightly in pregnancy, from dry patches, to oily days and almost acne for some periods. My Liz Earle cleansing regime has helped managed this a lot. The clean and polish is amazing, which comes with muslin to help exfoliate, it is so kind to your skin yet really does polish it. The moisturising creams soak in beautifully and leave your skin so lovely and soft.

6. I am a bit gutted I found these so late in my pregnancy but have no doubt that they have been an essential item with a newborn. I hate face wipes in general as they just do not clean and are full of awful chemicals. These Heaven wipes are different, they contain apple pectin, honey and peppermint extract and are made of organic cotton, they are also a nice large size. The apple pectin helps dissolve dirt and exfoliate, the honey heals and the peppermint helps balance oily areas. Perfect for those nights where you just have to get straight to bed.

7. Trail Mix. The perfect snack, full of nuts, dried food and a cheeky bit of raw chocolate. Nuts and dried fruits are great for you full stop, but particularly during pregnancy. I packed a huge pack in my hospital bag and it has also been serving me well when breastfeeding, I have a huge jar in the kitchen so I can grab a handful when needed. Packed full of essential fatty acids, minerals and energy. The raw chocolate is bursting full of antioxidants and also provides you with that treat feeling. Make your own to avoid added sugars and salts. 

8. Yoga has been a lifesaver for me. I have so enjoyed it and found it to be hugely relaxing and comforting. The active birth yoga that I did while pregnant, really prepared me for labour, the breathing, stretching and positions of labour. I felt much more prepared and found a confidence in my body that I didn't have before. Whenever I feel anxious or nervous, I do some yoga breathing and stretching and I calm right down. 

It's weird, although my beautiful baby boy is here, I still miss my bump. Being pregnant was such a lovely time. All those of you with bumps - enjoy every second! 

Mummy-to-be Shower

I hadn't planned on having a baby shower but my dear friend Amy, who I work with, threw me a little mummy-to-be shower - an afternoon of spoiling for mummy! The theme being vintage children's toys - she knows me well.

The spread was amazing, all my favourites; finger sandwiches, scones, lavender shortbread, brownies, banana loaf and red velvet cake! All homemade by the girls. We played an American 1950s game of Stork Bingo which was really good fun. We drank watermelon punch - another fave of mine. I was spoiled with lovely pressies for me and baby. Such a lovely afternoon and I'm so grateful for lovely friends. 

['the baby loves red velvet']

Mollie Makes Handmade Wedding Magazine

How thrilled was I to find out that Mollie Makes was making a Handmade Wedding magazine?? So excited. I love this magazine and my sister is getting married next year so my head is back in wedding inspiration mode. If anyone should be making a wedding magazine it is these guys. So imagine my joy when I had an email from Mollie Makes saying they would like to feature our wedding! It almost sent me into early labour.

When I received my copy from lovely Jane (Editor-in Chief) I was overwhelmed. The magazine is beautiful and if I were a bride again this is what I would have wanted. Cover to cover inspiration, full-page images and lots of fabulous ideas from real-life brides. The weddings featured are stunning - the one from California was breath-taking. I am overjoyed that we are featured in the first edition. I so loved revisiting our wedding and remembering all the detail that went into it and looking at all Emma Case's beautiful photos. It really was so much fun and I would advise all brides to resist the urge to get stressed out and just enjoy every second of the planning, crafting and making.

I really hope there are more editions of the Homemade Wedding and the Mollie Makes Home as that was another great publication that I thoroughly got lost in.

37 weeks - we went swimming!

Baby is now full-term! Amazing. The first 12 weeks dragged, I was so desperate to reach the relative safety of the 12 week mark and to be able to tell everyone. Since that point, the weeks have gone so fast and here we are. Incredible really how quick a human being is made. I am at the point of bursting with excitement to meet our little man. Only slightly anxious, I just hope that all will go well and that he'll arrive safely. I'm weirdly excited and curious about the birth in that I really can't wait to get in there and see how I handle it, however it happens.

I have been plagued with all sorts of symptoms the last couple of weeks, swollen hands and feet, carpal tunnel and oily skin being just a few, am just grateful they have arrived at the end. It's manageable knowing that it they will not be around for much longer.

We went swimming this week and wow, it felt so good to be weightless in the pool. So nice to comfortably exercise too, I was able to use all limbs pain-free.

I have been busy this week buying advance birthday presents and wrapping for the next few months, making up dinners and freezing, making lists and generally getting us as organised as possible so that all our attention is on settling our boy in. I think I have emptied and reorganised nearly every drawer and cupboard in the house, which has had it's benefits as I have found some things I'd forgotten about, some vintage crockery and more excitingly a christmas pudding I'd made and forgotten about. We'll be enjoying that in the garden later today -never had christmas pud in the sunshine before!

Last weekend just gone was spent weeding, gardening and updating all my pots and baskets in the garden, really wanted to get it ready for the summer days sat out there with the baby and looking at all the colours. Dan made me a makeshift potting station so I could sit and have everything in reach as I am so unwieldy these days. It was so nice to be in the garden working with the soil, plants and being entertained by the dog and the chooks.

We are ready for you little one...

My Summer Drink....

This is my summer drink, not only is it the prettiest of pinks, it tastes amazing too and ridiculously easy (apart from the watermelon deseeding!).

Simply blend all these ingredients together (you will need to deseed watermelon unless you have a Vitamix in which case you can sieve afterwards) and pour over ice. So yummy and so refreshing. Watermelon has been my biggest craving in pregnancy and having it this way is mess-free. Watermelon is rich in antioxidants, and vitamin C, it's also a great source of vitamin E for healthy skin. Watermelon is also rich in citrulline, which is an amino acid that converts to arginine in your body - necessary for healthy cardiovascular and immune function (source: livestrong.com). So not only delicious but super healthy. I have also made this with honey instead of sugar syrup which works well. I am sure it would work well with Agave syrup too but have not tried, would be interested to hear from anyone that has tried it. 

Enjoy ...

Shedspiration

This year we are focusing our efforts on the garden, the first job being replacing our rotting shed. We have decided on a shed/garden room. The garden room will house a little potting station for me, our garden furniture and an old rocking chair I picked up from a car boot that I will be given a little makeover to. Who hasn't dreamed of a little house at the end of the garden to go and hide in, drink tea and read a book??? 

I have been searching online for inspiration and came across all these beautiful images and I thought it stupid not to share. So inspiring. My shed unfortunately will not look anything like these but hoping to take a couple of little aspects from some of them - I definitely want to paint the interior white and love the colourful drawers in the top image, the hanging baskets and hooks. I will also need some shelves to store my growing collection of tatty terracota pots (my favourite things). I want to also incorporate my apple boxes and vintage beer boxes in there. Hope you enjoy the images as much I do.

Source: www.eva-fotojournalist.no/

Source unknown

 Source: calgarygardencoach.typepad.com

Source: whimsicalraindropcottage.tumblr.com

Source: http://daintyanddangerous.tumblr.com/

Source: mylovelythings.blogspot.co.uk

Source: vitaranunkler.blogspot.co.uk

Summer Wardrobe

1. ASOS maxi dress 2. Topshop bag 3. Saltwater Sandals 4. Mango necklace 5. Noir studded bangle

Finally the nice weather has arrived and it has got me thinking about summer outfits. I will be living in maxi dresses and Saltwater Sandals as always but for sure this summer with my post-birth body. I already have a red pair of Saltwaters but will definitely need a brown pair as I am really loving all these muted colours I have seen about for this summer. 

Roll on summer, drinks in pretty beer gardens, 99's on the sea front, walks in the woods and picnics on the beach! 

Treats to look forward to...

I have loved being pregnant. People told me I would but I didn't believe them. I was the person that squirmed when listening to someone talk about their baby move within their tummy. It all seemed a bit too Sigourney Weaver and Alien to me. But here I am, loving and cherishing every movement. I love slipping into bed for an afternoon nap when I can, and I just lie there and feel baby move. He has started to stick his little bum out now and I stroke it, as I stroke, his bum goes back in but as soon as I stop he sticks it out again. It's our little game and already I know I will miss that. 

So as much as I am loving it, there are some things that I miss and looking forward to having back in my life...

1. Hot bubbly bath and G&T - this was my little Friday night treat. Hot bath with insane amounts of bubbles, Ray Lamontagne playing and a G&T with excessive amounts of fresh lime squeezed in and ice. 

2. Lying on my tummy and back - in pregnancy you are advised to lie on your side. I can't wait to sleep on my tummy again and get back to normal yoga and stretching back on a hard floor.

3. Pate on toast, charcuterie board, Brie, Chardonnay..... food - the thought of a perfectly chilled glass of buttery Chardonnay, sat in a beautiful long stemmed glass, with condensation forming on the outside honestly makes me dribble a little. The thought of it next to a charcuterie board is enough to make me swoon. I took these things for granted when unpregnant, but now I am without and have been for 8 months, I just can't wait to be reunited. I have had the odd sip of Dan's wine and enjoyed some bubbles at Christmas and it's been nice but it's not the same as it's laced with that little bit of guilt. I want that guilt-free beautiful glass of wine just for me with a massive hunk of oozy Brie and bread on the side.

4. Star jumps and shimmies - ok, I don't really miss these things but I do miss the ability to do them should the mood strike. Now heavily pregnant I really am limited to move freely. The other day I so had the urge to run, just run and run. I have never in my life been a runner, I hate it. But at that moment I just wanted to run, jump and tumble. I am sure there will be lots of running and tumbling when my boy is here.

Not long to go now at 36 weeks and I am incredibly excited, more to meet our baby then anything else but the things above are added bonuses which I can't wait to enjoy again. 

The weather has not improved but I am defying it here, I have been making lemonade and pretending it's not snowing outside. I love making lemonade in the summer and a friend had mentioned she adds basil to hers, which I thought sounded a bit strange but I gave it a whirl. It adds a really nice flavour and tastes so refreshing. Looking forward to making some more over the summer. 

Ingredients
3 lemons (minus seeds and skin)
Handful of basil leaves
6 tbsp of honey
3 cups of water
1 cup of ice

Put the whole lot in a food processor and whizz. Pour into glass and add pretty straw. You may want to vary the quantities above to suit your taste. 

34 weeks

Woah! So, at this point the weeks are flying by. We started our NCT classes last week and wow it has given us a kick in the bum. We had lots of bits sorted but we quickly realised we needed to tie up other loose ends and get the last few bits and pack THE bag.

I know people have mixed views on the NCT classes but we have found them so useful. It is nice to have friends nearby going through the exact same thing. We found the classes to be packed full of great information and have been a great reassurance to us, all the possible concerns or worries are discussed and we feel much calmer and better prepared. I also really liked that the dads were so involved. A lot of dads I know want to be involved in pregnancy and the birth, want to ask questions and understand what is happening but so often are shut out by old-fashioned attitudes, which is so sad. At the NCT the dads play an active role and are invited to ask questions and contribute their fears, anxieties and the things they are looking forward to. Our tutor was also fabulous at explaining and defining their role as supporter, what is expected of them and even what they should pack in their hospital man-bag - things like food, to maintain a stable mood!

I said before that I was worried about slowing down, that is definitely happening now. I've definitely got my waddle on and more upsetting is that my legs have started to mottle, swell and have gone a nice red shade. None of my friends have experienced this so it was a little surprise. Midwife says all very normal and should go away after the birth.

It's also very difficult to get a good night's sleep, with all the loo-trips! I hear this is good practice for when the baby is here. 

I now try to avoid overly-luxurious low sofas/seats because unless there is a crane nearby or a strong man, it is almost impossible to get up again. Mum recently tried to pull me out of a sofa, she almost went over my head and behind it!

Another thing I have noticed is that you become a messy eater in the third trimester, no, not because you are so hungry you eat like Fantastic Mr Fox (that was the second trimester), but because your bump puts you further away from the table. This is no big deal at home as I tend to hold plate/bowl with hand or rest on bump so nearer to mouth, but you can't do that in all situations. The forkful of food has a further distance to travel from plate, over bump and to mouth. My washing has increased a lot because of this and I have started to travel with little stain remover wipes because of the number of accidents. After mealtimes I really start to resemble Jim Royale, the swollen belly with stained clothing! Clio has also become wise to the bump ledge, that gathers crumbs. Whenever, I sit next to her she gives the bump a once over just incase I missed a stray crumb. 

The baby's room is almost ready. Having fun arranging...and rearranging the bits and bobs I have been collecting. We have also been having a lot of date nights, as strongly recommended by ALL my parent friends. This has been really nice, making the most of our last few weeks as a duo. Now most of the work is done on the house, we've also been really enjoying lazy Sundays with food, films and duvet.

Blogshop London

So a couple of weekends ago I was thrilled to be attending Blogshop London with the amazing Bri Emery and Angela Kohler. When I first got into reading blogs, Bri's was one of the first I fell in love with. DesignLoveFest is one of those blogs that makes you go all tingly with excitement and you have to read the entire blog the minute you find it. For the last two years I have lusted after a place on the blogshop which Bri and Angela run. I never thought at 7 months pregnant I would be going but my lovely Dan surprised me with a place on the course. I am still a little overwhelmed at the gesture and thoughtfulness.

I had high expectations for the course, how could you not when you see Bri's blog?! The workshop went above and beyond my expectations. I have learned so much from that weekend, that I am still digesting it. But it wasn't just about the learning, it was so nice to be in such a beautiful environment (Custard Studios in Shoreditch), a room flooded with light, huge windows and all white and being among such creative and talented people too.

The course is not for the faint-hearted, it is hard work and pretty intense. I would say that you need to be Mac confident and have at least dabbled with Photoshop. Dan had bought me a Wacom tablet too so I could learn how to use some of the handwriting features - I struggled using it in class, I really needed to have become familiar with it at home first, my mistake.

I have come away from Blogshop feeling so inspired and enthused, like I say, not just because of the mammoth amounts of knowledge I have gleaned but because of the positive energy that exuded from those studios all weekend. It was particularly nice for me to have a couple of days off baby-obsessed mind. As we near the big day, I have been so focused on preparing myself and the home that it was really nice to have a couple of days to be uber selfish and do something creative, so absorbing and just for me.

So spring is supposed to be here, yet we still have minus temperatures and snow is falling. I just see this as more of a reason to bring spring in to the home. I have bought Primroses for the garden and they are currently stationed in the conservatory as I fear they may die if I put them out now. They cheer the room up. I have been busy making spring seed packs for friends, decorating the house for Easter and writing Easter cards.

I made the seed packs with yellow sweetie bags (I have hundreds of these, I use them as much as possible). Inside I packed some seeds I had from last year, some I collected from my garden and some I bought. I also added in some of these beautiful vintage flower seed pack labels, which I found on Ebay, wrapped in bakers twine and then stamped label. 

I get really fed up with seeing Easter eggs and all the ridiculous plastic packaging they come in. So for my nieces  I have made up cardboard baskets filled with mini chocolate eggs and chicks with hats - is there anything cuter then a chick in an Easter bonnet??

I also found a double duvet cover from a charity shop, vintage Laura Ashley with daffodils and geese on. I picked it up for £2 and made them in to two tote bags, one for a dear friend and one for me. So even though it is bitterly cold, I shall be wearing my spring tote bag and willing the spring to come. 

For those that have asked about Blogshop, my next post will be all about it. 

29 Weeks

It has been a little while since I have last updated so here we are. Now in my 29th week, the bump is starting to feel heavy. It has been a tough few weeks, I had the mother of all colds that turned into a chest infection, which turned into bruised ribs and torn ligaments! Just as I thought I was getting over that I have come down with yet another cold.

The third trimester has brought with it tiredness and breathlessness.  I am sticking to my yoga which is really helping. I find the need to stretch overwhelming at the moment and it also helps me to relax. We have finally made decisions on all the baby stuff. How difficult is it to choose things??? There is just too much choice. The breast pump and baby monitor have probably caused the most stress, trying to weigh up the pros and cons having read all the reviews. With the first you are having to do things a little blind, you're not really sure what it is you want from a breast pump or baby monitor.

We probably have more than we need but I am a planner by nature and for me to feel relaxed and calm, I have to have all boxes ticked. We've been lucky to get a few hand-me-down's too that we are so grateful for as babies are expensive business.

I have so enjoyed making up our little man's room and searching for the cutest books and toys. I feel like I am getting to know him more and more. His movements are becoming more familiar, I like to read to him and am so enjoying washing his little outfits and hanging them in his wardrobe.

I have a mild sense of panic about my body slowing down in a few weeks, so I am trying to get as much done now, in the hope that when my body does slow, I can simply relax. The thought of not moving and just reading is quite appealing at the moment.

The third trimester has brought back the tiredness that I had in the first, come 6pm I am fit for nothing. It has also brought back the weird pregnancy dreams, last night I dreamt that I grew a nipple on my face, my main concern was what people would think when I try to breastfeed! Lots of dreams that he has arrived already and that I had forgotten all about him and left him downstairs.

I have a feeling that I will really miss my bump, it's such a lovely feeling and the most special I have felt my whole life. The weeks are flying by now and although I can not wait to meet our baby, I am squeezing the most out of each moment.

Although I have not found the time to blog as much as I thought, I have enjoyed the process. It's therapeutic and also has put me in touch with lots of other lovely mums that have been a great source of information, advice and inspiration.

Valentines Day bump...

27 Week bump. I even got a red rose from my tiny boy, think daddy may have helped!

Treasure hunting - latest finds...

A selection of my latest treasure...

I was so thrilled to score the 1950s plastic beach bag, it will now be repurposed and used in the office as a small magazine rack. Yellow is my favourite colour so these beads will get a lot of use come summer. Found the bag from a guy who does house-clearances and the beads came from a charity shop. 

I have been on the lookout for a tin with handles for a while, a rare sight in my experience. I picked this up from one of the stalls in the market square off Columbia road. This will be my new seed tin. From the same stall I picked up the little cardigan, I love the colour combo. The little tin has the cutest illustrations of woodland animal friends so will make a great addition to my little man's room. 

Technically I did not find this delightful recipe tin, it would be so hard to come by in the UK. This was another item I have been searching for. Recipe tins seem to be much more popular in the USA, and with the shipping costs I have been reluctant to have one shipped from Etsy. I have come across a few in the UK but they lack the 'kitschness' and colours. I love the colours on this one and the smaller size. I will repurpose this as my new business card holder for the office. My dear friend Amy brought this back from a trip to the US for me - I just love it.

The Sanderson curtains was a stomach-butterflies find, they were hidden on a rail in a charity shop, all 8ft x 8ft of them! Mint condition. I love the warming colours. They will be made into new cushions for the sofa. 

Pretty Plates! I need these, like a hole-in-the-head but you know, I just can not resist a pretty plate. I got 6 of these beauties to add to my burgeoning crockery cupboard. 

So that's a selection of the loot from the last couple of months - roll on car boot season. I have not forgotten my treasure-hunting blog post for Kent, the weather has just made it near impossible to get any decent photos. I will be posting though very soon and I will do a separate post for each town I like to visit since, if I covered all in one go, it would be a mammoth post. 

24 weeks

or 5 1/2 months.....eeeeeeeeeeeek! Time is really flying now.

Columbia Road...

Last weekend, we got up super early and visited another favourite place of mine; Columbia Road in East London. Once a pathway along which sheep were driven to the slaughter houses of Spitalfields, Columbia Road is now a lively flower market open every Sunday 8am-3ish. Such a great place to come for your fleurs, shrubs and trees as the prices are incredibly reasonable - it's also just a really exciting place with so much atmosphere. I love listening to the stall holders' touting their latest offers and loud banter. Just be sure if you are travelling a distance, not to forget your bucket for the boot of the car to store your flowers - we forgot ours this last trip.

You will find lots of beautiful independent shops; one of my favourites being Jessie Chorley and Buddug, who made our wedding scrap book. The shop is so pretty, almost ethereal, like walking into Narnia.

There is a little market square with vintage/antique stalls and lovely food stalls, the smell of bacon and fresh coffee wafting about. A fabulous old-fashioned dairy called Jones sits just next to the little market square, you must go in. It is like stepping back in time, the interior of the shop has not changed in decades and make sure you check out the till. The selection of bread is lovely and we have sampled most, if not all the varieties, all of which are beautiful.

At the end of the market is our favourite breakfast joint; Campania Gastronomia. This place is heaving come 11am so if you were intending to sit in, get there early or be prepared to wait. It also has a little hatch in the wall, so you can order a pastry and takeaway coffee.

We managed to score a place in the window, I had the scrambled eggs with onion, tomato and chilli, pancetta and toast with a fresh mint tea, Dan enjoyed the spinach and eggs on toast. Simple food cooked to perfection. Particularly enjoyable when the temperature outside is below zero.

One of my favourite ways to spend a Sunday morning. We came home with beautiful bread, some vintage treasure and some cacti....yes people....Cacti is back and the bigger, the more colourful they are, the better.

and some iphone snaps...