Prepping My Bits With My Expert Midwife

As D-Day looms ever closer, the affects that labour will have on my body is at the forefront of my mind. The pain part doesn't freak me out as such, as that's a given really. It's more the thought of the physical affects on my body afterwards. For instance tearing or being cut down there in my lady garden area - crosses legs and shudders! The thought of tearing down there is more on my mind than labour itself. I know there is going to be some kind of 'damage' if you want to call it that - I mean we are attempting to squeeze a grapefruit sized head out of an opening a tad smaller. It's not going to be easy.

My Mum suggested to me a few months ago about perineum massage to prep myself - yes we talk about all kinds of random things... lol!  This is a technic where you massage the skin between your vagina and bottom. Now you might think ewww about massaging down there, but I kind of like to think whatever helps right? I searched for different brands and went to Boots to have a look, but then while on instagram one day I came across My Expert Midwife. A company created by experienced midwives Claire and Lesley which I like, as they know what us ladies wants and needs are - especially down there!

I noticed they sold a oil for perineum massage called Peri Prep Your Bits, a natural based oil to help promote suppleness and elasticity of the perineum skin. You can do daily massage down there from 34 weeks. Now your probably thinking how would long would the 30ml bottle last if you're using it every day to every other day? Don't worry - there is a specially designed lid which controls the flow of the oil so you cannot waste it. A nice touch.

As well as the Peri Prep Your Bits they sell a small range of other products from nipple balm, stretch mark lotion and a spitz spray for your bits to help soothe them after birth. You can visit My Expert Midwife website HERE and browse their Pre and Anti-natal goodies. I also order the Spritz Your Bits after birth spray which I'm looking forward to trying out when the time comes.

Did you do anything to prep yourself down there for labour?

Angela x

Why We Didn't Announce Our Pregnancy On Facebook

My hubby and I are not the biggest social media enthusiasts. Yes we both have Facebook, but we don't post every waking moment of our lives on there. A few pictures here and there, but it just isn't our thing to post our personal lives on there.

These days it seems FB is the source of everything, no one does anything in person especially when it comes to pregnancy announcements. We told no one when we first got pregnant - our own personal little secret growing in my belly which no one knew about apart from the cat! It had taken us a while to see those two lines on a test and we just wanted to cherish it in secret before everyone else found out.

After 13 weeks we told family, with the strict instructions that NOTHING were to be put on FB. If we weren't posting on there then no one else should be. Sounds fair right? This seemed to be a difficult concept for people to appreciate - they almost seemed confused. Yes family members and friends get excited as they as basically apart of it all, but I think they fail to remember that they weren't actually there at the conception themselves.

Then one day it happened - we were outed :-(

We were outed on FB first by my Mum who checked herself into a baby show we were attending. She didn't tag myself or the hubby who were with her, so we didn't know until she verbally said 'I've checked us in!' Why... when you know our wishes? The secret was out to her FB friends then! The next time a work colleague put a picture up of me in an album which had a baby related name and this time I was tagged. We got her to rename the album but the damage was done.

Both times I was annoyed, but more so I was quite upset and disappointed. We'd expressed our wishes and they weren't being respected - just a simple request. It was our news and other people started spreading it about like it was theirs to share. This was our little baby, we made it and we still hadn't uploaded a grainy picture or said a word on social media ourselves.

We had our reasons for not posting like I said earlier. Firstly due to the fear. This baby of ours didn't just appear in my womb over night. It was a long journey of tears and frustration. Days staring at lines on ovulation sticks and countless nights of rumpy pumpy with the hubby - not like he ever complained. Making a baby for us just wasn't happening. Then we were pregnant after over two years of wanting (I'll go into details hows and whys in another post). Given all I just wrote, I suppose the reason is obvious - the fear of losing something we wanted so badly certainly out weighed the desire to announce all over the Internet.

Another reason for our silence is to be respectful to others. I can personally say myself that seeing other peoples pictures of their little miracles pulled on my heart strings very very hard. Why am I looking at someone else scan picture instead of our own? The journey to parenthood is not plain sailing and I personally know of others who have and are still going through countless rounds of IVF to achieve the goal of becoming parents. If you've never struggled, then you will never know the feelings that come with it. The last thing you want is some excited announcement showing casing what someone else has got instead of you. I know you cannot stop everyone else's lives from happening, but a little compassion wouldn't go a miss sometimes.

When bubba finally has the desire to venture into the world, we'll pop a small post and picture onto our pages. Until then we'll still remain silent, like we have done from the beginning. Social media isn't the be all and end all.

Angela x

Can You Eat Out And Stay Healthy?

The simple answer to this is yes. It is all about making better and wiser choices. Plus having the meal out with someone who understands your journey, there is nothing worse than peer pressure to eat a Banoffee Pie - true story!

If you're leading a healthy lifestyle there is nothing worse than temptations, especially if you're someone who can easily cave in to it. Here are a few helpful tips.

Plan
If you're going out for a meal, plan ahead. Agree a restaurant which has healthier options on the menu. You can even pick the meal before you step foot in the restaurant. This way you won't be looking at everything on the menu. Don't put temptation under your nose!!

Avoid The Bread Basket
I, like the next person loves a chunk of bread with balsamic and olive oil. However most restaurants give you the white bread option. Go for olives instead as they contain healthy fats. Plus you'll be saving yourself from the bread basket bloat.

Drinks
These days I'm all about the water. I rarely have soda/pop/fizzy (whatever you call them) drinks at all. However with a meal I may have the occasional glass of white wine - when not pregnant obviously! If you're going down this road have water too, as it's all about balance. Plus water fills you up.

Ask
So your dying for a steak, but the only options on the menu is they serve it with chips and covered in sauce. Ask your waiter if you can swap items over or have the sauce on the side. Restaurants are quite accommodating these days and are more than happy to chop and change chips or French fries for let's say a jacket or boiled potatoes. If you don't ask, you don't get!

Share
If you're dying for a side dish of chips then have them, but perhaps share them with who you are with. You won't feel like you have to eat them all if you're sharing with a friend.

Two Out Of Three
When you're at a restaurant there is normally the traditional of starters, mains, dessert. Well my friend just have two... either starters and no dessert or indulge in dessert but skip the starters. Less is more.

Hope this helps and inspires.

Angela

Smear Tests - Yay Or Nay?

I recently got a reminder letter from the NHS that my smear is due. Yayyyyyyy fun times.

Having a cervical screening is not something that have ever bothered me that much. They are not the most enjoyable, I mean if you've had one you'll know what I mean right? However no matter how much I might not find the whole process pleasant, I will still book my appointment at the soonest possible time. I've never ignored a request to go.

Quite a few years ago, my Mum had a her smear like normal. The result came back with a request for further investigation and it turned out she had cells on her cervix which showed abnormal changes. That was then followed up with a colposcopy and having regular smears to keep an eye on her cervix. I personally know from my Mums experience that smear tests DO MATTER!

Back last year I made a video on my YouTube channel talking about smears. A fourteen minute ramble about why I think smears are important. It got a good response, which I'm happy about as ultimately that was my goal. I still find it shocking that some women do not opt to go for their cervical tests. Yes it can be uncomfortable, but I would rather have a few moments of being uncomfortable than the fear of being told the worse news ever!

It is a life saving test and it's not something to be ignored. There is stigma and fear associated with smears, but it's not embarrassing or painful. Yes it may be a little awkward as at the end of the day it's your lady garden area, but there is no actual pain with a smear test. At the of the day just bite the bullet and just do it, it may save your life.

I currently cannot go for my smear at the moment as I'm 36 weeks pregnant exactly right now. After a conversation with my midwife, she basally said 'not right now'. Apparently there are a few reasons why you shouldn't have a smear whilst pregnant. One being the results might not be 100% and two, at this stage of pregnancy no one wants to play around with my cervix right. Don't want to encourage anything to start off early do we now. My midwife advised me to book my smear a few weeks after my 6 weeks check up. I've made a note in my diary to book an appointment towards the middle and end of November. I'm determined not to forget this life saving test!

If you take anything away from this post today, please go for your smear when asked. Or if you brushed your smear request under the carpet last year, call your doctor and book an appointment as its not too late.

Stay safe ladies!

Angela x

Beauty Bits I'm Always Repurchasing

You know you love something if you always go back for more - bit like me and Ben and Jerry's Cookie Dough ice cream or Oreos. You can't just have it once! There are some beauty bits and bobs that I always buy or gravitate back to... staples that I use again and again.

There are two themes for a few of the items I'm always repurchasing and it's Superdrug and cruelty free. The main reason why I love Superdrug and their own brand products is because they do not test them on animals and this is something I'm really quite passionate about.  I have a few Superdrug items that I always buy, but I thought I'd share my top three.

Firstly there are the Essential Cleansing Wipes which are not only great, but super cheap. I used to be a die hard Simple wipe fan, but since I started to go cruelty free with my beauty products I had to find an alternative. For a while I bought the Yes To Grapefruit Wipes, but these were a little more than I wanted to spend.  Then I discovered the Essential Wipes.  They keep moist for ages, you never get that annoying bone dry wipe at the bottom of the pack and at 99p per pack... well you cannot go wrong can you?

The next two items I love from Superdrug are from the Vitamin E Skin Care range.  When micellar waters first became a 'thing', I was into the Bioderma and Garnier ones. Then I found the Vitamin E Gentle Micellar Solution and have been using that ever since.  I love to use it as it removes all the makeup on your face including stubborn mascara, but it doesn't strip your skin and make it feel dry. It helps with environmental damage and premature skin ageing which we all want right?!

The other Vitamin E item I've been enjoying is the Moisture Boost Facial Serum.  I've only just purchased my second bottle as the first one lasted forever, even when I used two to three pumps morning and night! I sometimes find thick moisturisers a bit too thick and they take too long to be absorbed.  The facial serum is the best product to use if you're putting your face on in a hurry and haven't got time to sit and wait for it to sink in.  It's really light and silky and I just love it.

Another goodie I'm always picking up are cotton pads and my favourites come from Primark. Cotton pads are just something I hate sending lots of my pennies on.  When I saw Primark bring out their own version a few years ago now, I firstly thought they are going to be crap because they were cheap at 50p per pack. Ha, how wrong was I.  These are actually really good quality and I have bought too many packs to remember how many I've actually bought.  They are quite strong and don't just fall a part like some brands out there.

The final product I want to gush about is for the eyes. Your eyes always show the first signs of ageing and I've been into eye creams and serums for years because of it. I want to look as young as possible for as long as I can. Years ago I used to love the Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream.  Even though I love it, it's expensive and not cruelty free so I had to say goodbye. I then found Dr Organic Rose Otto Serum which I first fell in love with the back in 2015 when it came free with Healthy magazine.  I even blogged about it HERE.  The rose scent can be a little strong, but you get used to it.  I like that a tube lasts forever as you don't need a lot of product.  I also like that it doesn't take ages to sink into the skin, which is what you need if you planning on dolling yourself up with makeup.

That's it folks and I hope you enjoyed my little beauty loves post.  Fancy sharing your loves?  Comment below!  Until next time.

Angela x

Well It's Official...

I have started my maternity leave. The Friday before last was my last day at work. A company I have worked for for 11 years. Some have said I have been lucky to be made redundant at the same time I have gone off on maternity leave, but it really hasn't been easy to say goodbye. Lets say it was a tad emotional and I did sob like a baby when I finally got home. There was cake, balloons, tears, speeches and lots of hugs. I'm really going miss some of the people I have worked with for so long.

Now I'm on my month long rest before bubba turns up, I have a little list of things I want to do in that time.

Getting Out And About
I am determined not just to sit at home the entire month until baby arrives. I want to try and see and do things even if it's just walking my cousins dog for some gentle exercise. Swimming is also something I want to do, all depending if my swimming costume still fits lol! I'm up for anything really, I just don't want to get cabin fever. I'd quite happily pop to the seaside, visit a garden centre... I don't know... anywhere. 

Gardening And Cleaning

Yes, I should be resting but the weather has been nice on the some of the days so far. I'm the gardener of the family and I know once baby has turned up, I'm quite unlikely to care what the garden looks like for a while. I need to get out there and give it a little TLC. I'm also in clean everywhere and everything mode. Again I should be resting, but there is always something to be done. I know no home is perfect, but I want mine to be. If I could have a 60 minute make over on my hall way and my bathroom I would be one happy lady - sadly I cannot. I've tried to keep myself busy by cleaning and decluttering anything I no longer need or want. Wiping down the shelves in my kitchen cupboards, deep cleaning the bathroom you name it... I want to give it a go - plus its exercise again.

Pampering Myself
I got my barnett chopped the other day which felt good - no split ends for the birth! I also got my eyebrow threaded, so at least I will look semi good for our pictures once the baby arrives. I'd love to fit in another massage like the one I had at The Dorchester, but I'm not sure when to try and squeeze that in. I think a few Lush bath bomb baths will be on the cards!

Building
Babys crib has now arrived, so that needs to be made up. I want to make it up myself as it will be something to keep me occupied. The pram and a electric swing also need assembling, but we're going to wait to do this until about a week before my due date. They are quite big items and they'll just take up space other wise and get dusty.

Nesting
I've finally finished washing all of bubba clothes and bedding. I feel quite happy now because of that, due to the fact I don't have to think about it now. And all the clothes done and ready to be worn and vomited on - haha. Now they are washed I need to pop them all in the drawers in the nursery. This will take sometime as the clothes vary in ages and will need sorting. I can't wait.

Packing
I have piles of bits for mine and babys hospital bag, so I need to get round to packing them both up. I feel like I have so much stuff to pack, almost like I'm going on a two week holiday. I'm probably really over packing. I think I need to do a little research on what to take for us both :-)

Now that's what I'm up to... what have you been up to on your maternity leave?  What bits and bobs did you do?

Angela x

A Few Of My Recent Faves

It has been a seriously long time since I last ever wrote a favourites post, I honestly cannot remember when I last did it.  I thought it was about I shared some of my favourites.  Most of the items are beauty and pregnancy related, but there are some other little gems too...so lets get started.  First up...

Asda Little Angels Liquid Talc*
I mentioned this miracle worker recently on an Instagram post. Technically for little bubbas bottom, I have been using this on my thighs to stop chaffing. Where it has been warm and I've been wearing skirts a lot, this has worked wanders and I really recommend it over a dry powdered version of talc.  I don't know what it is but the I think where it is a liquid, it's absorbed into the skin more. Where as a powder only lies on the top layer of the skin.

Essence 2 in 1 Eyeshadow and Liner in Light Me Up
I don't tend to wear a powder eyeshadow much any more. It's always been a two step process for me due to oily lids and I always have to wear a base.  I think the older I get, the lazier I have gotten when it comes to makeup.  I just want quick easy but still looks good. This is the second Essence eyeshadow stick I have got and for something that is really inexpensive - it's really good and long lasting. Plus it's quite pretty too!

Wilko Premium Stippler Foundation Brush
Personally I wouldn't class this as a foundation brush like it says it is, as it's a little too soft and flexible for that. However It's perfect for powders and I've used this for loose setting powder, bronzer and highlighter.  Like I mentioned it's really soft and I've found it doesn't collect too much product on the brush.  It pops on just the right amount of product.

Liz Earle Hand Repair
I know this says hand repair, but I've actually been using this on my feet. And why not?! In the summer months I always tend to get really dry and cracked heels. I do have dry feet anyway, but in summer it ramps up into overdrive. This doesn't leave a greasy residue on the skin where you have to sit with your feet up for ages until it's absorbed. It just leaves them really soft. This has been a life saver and I'd quite happily buy this again for my feet.

Laceless Shoes
Every pregnant girls favourite thing - well at least for me anyways!  With a bump as big as a watermelon now, laceless comfortable shoes are totally the way forward. Shoelaces are not my thing right now for obvious reasons.  I picked up these shoes from Primark for a bargain of £8.  They are really comfortable and have a nice padded sole which supports the foot. However the best bit is they slip on and off really easily. Thumbs up from me!

NSpa Nourishing Stretch Mark Oil
Another must have for us pregnant girlies right?? So far (fingers crossed) I have not got any stretch marks appearing on my growing bump. I've been using this morning and night and I really like it. Even though this is a oil, it's not an oil that leaves you...oily! It has a nice fragrance and is quite hydrating on my stretching skin. I also love rubbing and massaging my bump with it, as it a nice way to bond with my little bubba.

One more thing I'm loving also is these new LED lights I picked up from Primark for a little bargain of £2.50.  I've used them as intended - to make my blog pictures look a little more fancy. What do you think?

Angela x

* PR Sample