Feeling, like your not yourself?

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So many friends and I have discussed this. I think it's important to acknowledge and be aware if you don't feel right because that's half the battle.

It doesn't make you weak, it doesn't make you a bad mother and it doesn't make you less of a person. 

You and your body have gone through the most powerful changes, that I know for certain, no man could. You are solely responsible for that bubba and nothing to do with you or your life is important anymore, or for the time being and that's just how it is. 

It's your new life, your adapting to a 360 change. It will be normality at some point, as humans we need normality but time brings us this. 

I was glad I was honest with myself and knew something wasn't right. I felt like a totally different person, my hair, my skin, my body, all felt like someone else's, like i had stepped into somebody else's shoes. 

I felt nervous all the time and angry. It all went away as soon as I looked at her though, so I knew it wasn't post natal depression, I haven't suffered that, so I can't comment but my heart goes out to the Mummy's that have. 

I started to try and deal with my anxiety issues on my own, spoke a lot about it with my mum and some friends. 

I visited the doctor about something else one day, then when my blood test came back it saw that I had an under active thyroid. That, explained a lot! 

It doesn't mean that I don't have down days, don't we all! But generally I started to feel like me again. 

I truly believe until A was about 10months, nothing was settled, I still wasn't quite there or settled in any sort of way. Now, I feel settled. 

We have our little ways, don't get me wrong, like every parent, we make it all up as we go along, hope for the best and take it minute by minute, learning as we go. But now, i finally feel like I can get some 'me time' in and I know when I get 'me time', in my Mummy day! 

It's all normal, however you feel, it's normal. 

Don't ever feel afraid to talk about it, everyone has ears and everyone has feelings, share them, itl feel so much better to know that someone else was or is going through the same thing you are.

Happy thoughts!

Much Love Mummy's x

Bronchiolitis...

A has had lots of colds, 2 chest infections and now bronchiolitis. 

She started getting a little cough and the first night, slept for 13 hours. Then by the 3rd day I thought, this isn't a cold she has a chest infection again. I made an appointment to see a doctor, you can't prepare yourself for a doctor to say "I don't know why she has a temperature so you need to go to the hospital". 

Unfortunately, what I thought would need a few days of antibiotics, actually has to ride itself out, antibiotics don't touch a viral infection such as bronchiolitis. So my poor baby has a horrendous cough that sometimes makes her choke and lose her breath. 

According to the nurse at the hospital, 6 other babies had been in with Bronchiolitis that day, it doesn't make it any better but it's sometimes nice to know that what your child has, isn't uncommon! It's also likely to be caught in the months October to March and in babies under 1! So A is text book! 

The sleepless nights can make you feel like a tired mess. Every time she wakes up I can't deny I love the cuddles but I pray for a quick go back to sleep! 

She sleeps at funny times in the day too, when she has a cold. Always remember we heal best when we sleep, so put the routine on hold and let her sleep it off whenever she wants too.

A hates calpol, Nurofen, ibriprofen or anything related to making her better! The calpol works so quick at bringing her temperature down but I cannot and she will not let me give it to her, I've tried 100 different ways and each are as traumatising as the last, for her and myself! 

Every cough breaks your heart. You do everything you can to keep them away from colds but they still find their way in and after A gets it, guaranteed I will too. Then we are in trouble!

With every hurdle, as long as you do everything you can, your always being the best you can.

Hang in there xxx

Coughs, Colds & Medicine... Sometimes

No one can prepare you for your Babies first cold, second cold, third cold..

My heart breaks everytime she coughs, as a parent you can feel so helpless at times.

As an adult, a cold comes and goes, for women, usually with little compliant.

When your little one catches a cold, totally different story, life upset.

Just when you've cracked the nights sleeping, here comes a cold!

A, sleeps from 7 until 7, when a cold comes, maybe 7 until 10, 10 until 1, 1 until 4.... You can see the pattern.

This puts a major strain on my energy levels and it soon feels like the first two weeks I brought her home, without the adrenaline and DB's help! 

Medicine is not something I rely on, personally I think you have to ride out a cold, even when I have a cold, manuka honey and lemon, a good diet and plenty if water.

Lemsip, beechams and most over the counter drugs are pointless, all they do is fill you with caffeine and a psychological feeling of wellness until 4 hours later when you can have another one. 

I believe this is the same for calpol, Nurofen and calprofen. They are amazing for bringing down a fever but as for coughs and runny noses, you are just giving baby unessercary sugar.

I do make sure I monitor A's coughs, she has had two chest infections, one at 4 months and one at 9months, for both she has had to have amoxicillin. When she has the amoxicillin medicine I just give her the stated dose until it clears, I don't give it to her for 7 days, babies don't need to "finish the course" their immune system doesn't need to take any more beatings than it should and they can't fight back as quick as we can.

I've always, from day dot, found it hard to get medicine down A. I've tried every which way going, side of the mouth, dummy in, bottle in, disguised by food, syringe, spoon and in the bottle. She does not like it. All I can say Mummy's, is persevere!! Babies aren't textbook, everyday is different, try it all and mix it up! 

Hold Tight, Sleep is in sight!

Since my little bundle of love was 4months she slept through the night. Some say I'm really lucky, I am, not through lack of trying, however I do know a few babies that have slept through from the start, very rare all be it.

From early on I tried everything in my power to get her through the night, you name it, I tried it. 

However, the only thing I didn't try was routine. I like order, planning and consistency but routine isn't common in my house.

Ive let her decide when she needs feeding from early on, then one day it dawned on me, she was going up to 6 hours between feeds during the day, therefore needing a bottle every few hours at night to make up for lost ounces during the day. 

I had a battle on my hands but I had to put a routine in place. The only person who was going to teach her that we eat in the day and sleep at night, was me.

It was difficult, Babies and small children only take 3 days to fall in and out of a habit, so whatever you do, remember that.

By the power of persuasion I managed to get her feeding at 7,11,3 & 7, give or take! At one point she was having 5 bottles so one more was squeezed in there somewhere! 

As soon as we cracked that, there it was, bath bottle bed at 7.30pm, Morning 7am! 

Don't get me wrong, she does sometimes wake for a dummy but I can live with that!

Then soon after, the routine slipped, I went back to feeding when she is hungry but she still sleeps through.

Words of advice, as soon as you stop trying, it works!

The same rules apply when she isn't well too, we go through the motions again.

Good luck Mummies & Goodnight!

Weaning.. Baby Led Weaning!

When a friend passed me the 'Baby led Weaning' book by Gill Rapley, my first thoughts were, Baby Led what now?

I wasn't keen. The Grandparents weren't either, in the slightest.

I can honestly say if I hadn't seen my friend practice it, I wouldn't have known about it and A may have been living on those Jars, full of additives and no taste.

When A was 5 months, much to the books disapproval, I tried her on baby rice, this sufficed for a week and then she was bored, I moved on to banana, which when given to her, looked like I had given her a lemon instead, not a winner! So shortly after I tried her with watermelon chunks that she sucked on, pineapple, apple (lovely on the gums) and toast. We soon progressed, to marmite, peanut butter and Jam! 

I felt like I came to a halt a while after and I said to a friend, I just don't know what to give her, the reply she have me was simple, anything! 

Now, within reason I do give her anything! Just always remember no added salt or sugar and just check that anything shop bought has a low content of both.

The book recommends no spoon feeding, barring most food, I don't. However I cannot sit back, personally, and watch A, launch spaghetti bolonaise over the side of the high chair! I'm getting better though! 

In the mornings we share porridge, to which I spoon feed but she always has some finger food too, like some toast fingers or a crumpet! I've done this since 6months! No choking has taken place and she eats so well.

I find that for us, socially, we can eat dinner together at the table, A is involved and I don't have to let mine go cold, whilst shoveling her food she doesn't want or need. Baby Led is exactly what it says on the tin, she decides when she's done with her food, not me.

She's starting to show less interests in her bottles now, I am going to let literally push them away, I won't decide for her. This is all part of "baby led".

From the minute Babies are born, they decide when they want milk and when they are finished, so why take that away from them because you think a jar is the amount they should have?

Anyway, buy the book, I recommend highly and so did my health visitor. 

You'll also be suprised how many people have done or are doing it when you talk about it, equally, others look at you blankly!

Choosing what's right.

I always asked a friend if I ever wasn't sure, it's such a journey and even if you know someone else did or does what you do, it's comforting.

I'm a firm believer in 'you get what you pay for'. I can be a snob, I never do things by halves if I'm doing it for A. She gets the best of whatever I can give her.

I've not changed from Pampers Nappies, although a friend told me about Asda's little angels nappies, which are half the price and much to my suprise were actually just as good as Pampers! Doesn't stop me picking up the Pampers though! Just a label girl, I don't judge others I just think if you can, then do. 

It may have been pure coinsodence but soon after I trialed the little angels, A got her first dose of Nappy Rash. Was awful, she didn't seem to bothered but to me it looked so sore.

I used sudo cream as standard but it didn't touch the sides, I researched and asked friends and as a result came across Metanium, they have an everyday cream and an ointment for treatment. I bought both, when it was gone I didnt want it to return. 

The Metanium has a strange texture, it's almost as thick and dry in texture as peanut butter, smooth not crunchy. It's yellow In colour and I'd read a lot of people complaining about the staining it causes, but for me, that was a small price to pay for my girl to have a soft, comfy bum to land on again! 

Plus, when your weaning, what don't you have to soak for 24hours in the sink! I believe it was a combination of weaning and teething that caused the Nappy Rash anyway.

Thumbs up to Metanium because it cleared overnight!! 

Learning as we grow. Together.

From the start, it honestly felt natural.

I always knew id wing it, I didn't and still don't know what I'm doing and neither does she. A is a pretty 'textbook' baby, she's not, to this day caused me any "hair pulling" situations or anything I can't conclude.

From the beginning I went by recommendation when it came to food and Nappies, I personally think, you have to choose the product you see as best and stick too it. I believe that I got away with tummy aches and nappy rash because I was consistent. Her milk was always given to her at different temperatures but always Aptamil. Her Nappies always pampers and her wipes always Johnson's sensitive. 

Speaking of Milk at different temperatures, when using powdered formula, always be aware that if it's not boiled water that's slightly cooled, it won't mix properly. We had found out the hard way when the milk wasn't getting through the teat. Lesson quickly learnt. 

The only thing I would do different, I used to make up powdered bottles when I was at home and during the night, as we started going out more and more it seemed easier to buy the ready made cartons. Little did I know she would become a custom to this luxury milk, that now, costs me £30 a week! But, what the little lady wants, the little lady gets. 

Life is about choices, I always want her to make her own choices, especially when it comes to food. That's why I chose Baby Led Weaning.

Always choose what you think is right and stick with it. You are Mum, you will always know best.