The perfect gift for a new mother

I just stumbled across this little gift and thought it was perfect for any new mothers you need to find a gift for. Personally I think that sometimes new mum's can be overlooked for the new gorgeous little bundle so I always try and get something for them instead but this kills two birds with one stone:

Cuddles and Cupcakes

This gift comprises of a new cuddly toy for the newborn and a set of gorgeous bath melts or shower scrubs. The set costs £39.95 from Babes with Babies. 

The Baby Diaries is now on YouTube!

So I've taken the plunge and decided to add to here with some video blogs on my new YouTube channel. It's definitely one of the scariest things I've done...

Click here to watch

I'll be looking at doing more diary pieces and top tips on how to survive certain stages of pregnancy as well as more detailed product reviews. As it's new please be kind but if you do enjoy the videos then subscribe to keep updated with future pieces. Also get involved and if there is something you're interested in and want to see then let me know and I'll try my very best to cover it.

Take care,

Mrs W xxx

Nursery ideas - Wallpaper stickers

Mr W and I are currently in the process of making the all important decision of choosing paint colours for the nursery. I want something bright that will help stimulate muffin's mind whilst he wants to stay simple and light as we're not sure when we might think about selling.

So I've been searching high and low for a great solution that gives us a happy and medium and I've just found it: wallpaper stickers from Becky and Lolo! I know you can get wallpaper stickers from lot's of sites but I particularly like theirs because not only are the designs fun and varied but you can also put them up and take them down with minimum fuss. They literally just peel on and off so you could choose several designs and change the feel of the room depending on what they're into.

Here are some examples of their designs:

The prices are pretty reasonable varying from £12.55 to £37.99 for the larger more intricate designs. Bargain!! 

25 week update

Right I'm going to try and get better with these posts particularly as the weeks get knocked down although 15 weeks still seems like an age to get through.

Getting the finances in place

With only two weeks until the official start of the second trimester I'm really starting to think about that great big shopping list. It's funny how everywhere you read to get advice on what you really need for a newborn states that you really don't need that much but I'm telling you it's all lies. When you actually add it all up you need a fair amount and it is pretty costly I don't think you can get away with spending less than £1,000. Luckily though you can try and spread some of it out not only in the countdown but also in the first couple of months of their arrival. For example, you can stick them in a moses basket for awhile before they need a cot.

Some of the brands also offer good finance deals if you are really struggling e.g. Mothercare. However, my advice is just to borrow as much as you can! You'd be surprised how much room in storage baby things take up and therefore how many of your friends would like to get rid of it until they need it again. There are also lot's of local sites where you'll often find mums giving things away for free or for a minimal cost.

The final piece of advice I can pass on from other friends is to really think about your pram. So many people I know have spent an absolute fortune on their travel system and then only used it for a couple of months until their baby can get into a maclaren. Mainly because they end up being so heavy and cumbersome that they just get too tired lifting them in and out of the car.

Thinking about work

I'm also really beginning to think about managing my work load going forward. I unfortunately am not like most people in that I work for myself and therefore there's no official maternity leave, I just have to manage it for myself.

With a due date of Jan 7th the natural time to stop would be Christmas but if I'm honest I'm going to have to start winding down before that. My job entails a certain degree of creativity and I'm already noticing my head starting to get foggier so I have to make sure if I take on work I can actually deliver. Not an easy position to be in when you need to save as much as you can because the more I can put to one side, the more time I can take off to be with my baby.

Stand back, the hormones are on the loose

So for the first time this week (surprisingly enough) I've also really started to experience some hormonal mood swings. I don't know what got onto me but I literally couldn't keep myself together over the weekend. I actually cried when after spending all morning looking forward to a cream tea, the one I got was genuinely awful. I mean the scone was stale, I was given squirty cream instead of clotted and the jam was just jelly, AND the whole thing cost £6. Surely that can't just be blamed on the hormones? Poor Mr W I don't think he knew what to do with me...

The hungry monster

I've also noticed a complete change in my appetite. Through most of the second trimester I've genuinely not been that interested in food which is very unusual for me. I didn't really have any cravings for me and I couldn't have cared less what was put in front of me but now I'm so hungry and it's hard keeping a lid on it!!!

I really hate it when you see those experts on TV talking about how you don't need to eat any extra calories and if you must then literally a slice of brown toast. I mean have they actually been pregnant themselves? I try to be good and if after a meal I find myself still hungry I wait 20mins and drink a large glass of water to see if it's genuine but if it is surely I can indulge??

At least I'm not waking up in the night needing snacks like in the first trimester, at least not yet ;-).

Finally, little muffin

Is doing well I think. He's kicking loads now and I'm pretty sure I'm beginning to notice some hiccups going on. My bump is also still looking nice and neat, I've been lucky enough to just have a football bump at the front but I'm sure over the coming weeks it will begin to spread.

He should be around 34cms long now (head to heel) which seems a little big for the size of my tummy and beginning to open his eyes. They can't see anything but he might be able to sense a difference in light and darkness. Finally his brain activity is beginning to up and he can now start to respond to sounds. So I guess now's the time to start playing him those tunes over and over again that you want them to recognise once he pops out...

I've ordered the nursery!!

So very exciting news today, we've ordered our nursery!! I'll be honest it was planned for us to get things organised this early but Mothercare has recently launched a sale and they offered a deal that was really too good to turn down - £580 for a cotbed, wardrobe and changing unit (£400 off)!!

So here's what will be arriving on November 5th:

It's the Taunton collection which you can find online, in a lovely creamy white.

The Cot bed

The cotbed is recently basic and we'll still need to purchase a mattress which we will also do from Mothercare as the prices seem so reasonable. The wood is a veneer and there are three different hight settings from birth down to bed to hopefully stop any climbs that get too adventurous. Separately the bed costs £295. 

The changing unit

The changing unit features two deep drawers (invaluable), flat top with raised side (to help prevent any rolling off) and two holes/ shelves (not sure what else to call them) which I'll probably fill with wicker baskets to keep them looking tidy. I thought that I'd ideally like three drawers but actually I think the space to keep all your changing paraphernalia will be really useful. It also has a small hanging rail for baby towels on the side which I really like. Individual price for this unit would be £290.

The wardrobe

I really loved the half and half style of this because as we're having a boy I can't imaging hanging space being a great need for us so extra draw space is great. I'll probably again purchase some wicker baskets for the bottom two shelves and then use the top two for gorgeous little teddies I'm sure we'll receive. Now I just need to get some baby hangers - so excited!!! This individually costs £395. 

I'm not 100% sure how long this deal is going to be on for but I'd really recommend it because furniture can be so expensive! I also saw this in the store before we ordered and the quality is great so you don't need to worry about that. Go check it out for yourself. 

Kangoo Hammock

As I've slowly been compiling my lists of everything I need to purchase over the coming months I came across this really fun alternative chair for your bambino, which I wanted to share:

The Kangoo hammock is a luxurious alternative to a moses basket. Designed to button up from the front and the back so your baby is snuggled up and safe just like when they were in your womb and they can then be rocked back and forth to aid sleeping.

The hammock on it's own is only £59 on amazon and can then be suspended from a door frame or from a frame you can buy separately like this hippo stand from Hammock Heaven.

Either way this is definitely going on my hope to have list as I think muffin would love it for his daytime naps in our sitting room.

6 months / 24 weeks pregnancy update

So I know the diary posts are getting fewer and further between but in all honesty it's because there hasn't been a huge amount to update on!

Muffin is now about 30cms crown to heel which is really scary if you get a tape measure out because you just can't understand how they'd have any room. You also have days when you look really pregnant and days when you don't. I think this is completely dependent on how they're lying, if he's facing inwards then I look smaller but if he's facing outwards then I can look quite big and the kicks are a lot harder.

Talking of kicks these are definitely getting stronger and I'm starting to see patterns develop. Unfortunately for me though this is isn't looking to good as he's pretty sleepy during the day but then wakes up in the late evenings and through the night and apparently they tend to stick to similar timings when they come out. Yikes.

The next change I've noticed is in the amount of hair I now have! Not on my head but I'm growing it everywhere else. My tummy now has quite a thick but very fine layer of hair spread across it and I'm shaving twice as often. I'm just exceptionally grateful that I am very fair so it's not too noticeable to anyone other then myself and hubby. Although he keeps teasing me because he's noticed a new fine layer on my face and keeps referring to it as my new beard - yes I do feel like punching him sometimes ;-).

I'm also feeling a lot better in myself. Although there are still days when I'm exceptionally tired and need to take an afternoon power nap I do have more energy and generally feel happier. I attended my aunt's wedding last weekend and I honestly felt absolutely fantastic. I couldn't stop smiling and genuinely felt more attractive. I'm finally getting to see this 'good' side to pregnancy everyone keeps rabbiting on about I just wish it came in longer bursts.

However the most exciting news is that muffin is now considered viable! So if something happened and I went into labour now the doctor's would at least attempt to revive him. The chances of survival are still minimal but there is a chance which is such a relief. Every week now going forward is great for him in terms of putting on weight and allowing his brain and lungs to develop further.

The number of appointments I'm now going to have with my GP and midwife is going to start increasing so hopefully they'll be a lot more to update on.

Top pregnancy apps

Finding out that you're pregnant has got to be one of the most emotional experiences I've ever been through. I didn't know it was possible to feel quite so happy and terrified all at once. I remember then the second thought was, "what happens now?".

The only thing I knew was that I needed to visit my GP but then the only advice I got was to make an appointment with the midwife and then what I should and shouldn't eat. However, what I really wanted to know was what was going on inside. I couldn't get enough information, I absorbed everything and this is where my iPhone mobile apps became my constant friend even to this day. I currently have four on my phone and here is my review:

Sprout app - Lite version (free), full version (£2.49)

Key features:

• Lifelike Fetal imagery
• 3D imagery
• Week by week advice
• Pregnancy timeline
• Prep for doctor appointments
• Checklists
• Weight tracker
• Kick counter
• Contraction counter

My thoughts

In all honesty this is probably the app I use least. In the beginning I really loved the 3D images they are by far the best but they just didn't offer as much information as other apps. As the updates are weekly and not daily I got out of the habit of using it. In the first three months in particular you don't live your pregnancy by the week but by the day. It is easy to use and the weight tracker is quite useful. 

What to Expect: Pregnancy Tracker - Free

Key features: 

• Due date calculator and countdown
• Week by week details and daily tips throughout your pregnancy
• Updates on your changing body
• Opportunity to upload weekly photos of your tummy
• Access to forums

My thoughts

I've got the book, I've seen the film (rubbish) and now I've got the app. Whilst I do view this one almost daily it's not that great. For a start it's designed for the US market and hasn't been adapted for us in the UK so some of the daily tips are very americanised which is a little frustrating. Also, if you're a what to expect follower you'll know that they tend to work in weeks ahead not weeks completed i.e. if I'm 23 weeks and 6 days most apps would you say 23 weeks but they count it as your 24th. However, I do like the fact that you can have daily updates as well as weekly and you can add your photos as a diary. They also tell you the approximate size of your baby and give a vegetable or fruit comparison, something I love relating to friends and family. 

Baby Center App - Free (available on app and android store)

Key features

• My pregnancy day by day
• Fetal development images
• Pregnancy checklist
• Award-winning videos
• Birth clubs
• Due date calculator
• Nutrition guide

My thoughts

This is another that I use daily but don't rate that highly. Again I use it because it updates daily and particularly in the beginning the information is really interesting. I also LOVE the videos, they're really informative and my husband gets particularly excited about these updates. However, after awhile you can't help but feel they've run out of things to add. Perhaps it would be better if they split up some of the weekly facts and concentrated on one in the daily pieces? The rest of the features are also slightly poor and never really used. 

Pregnancy+ - Free (gives you first trimester and then you can upgrade to Pregnancy ++ for £1.99)

Key features: 

• Weekly and daily info on your pregnancy
• HD belly and fatal pictures
• Due date calculator
• Star signs
• Health/ diet/ exercise/ medical
• Weight tracker
• Baby shopping list
• Baby names list
• Doctor's notes

My thoughts: 

This is by far my favourite app because it has loads of useful information. The images of your embroyo are colourful and informative. The daily and weekly updates are useful and also informative. Plus I use the additional features regularly e.g. food advice (when I'm in a restaurant and can't remember which cheese is and isn't ok), size guide (what fruit or veg am I this week), star signs (what to look out for with a capricorn). If you only download one app of all the ones that I've tried this is the one I'd definitely recommend! It's worth the spend... 

Maternity jeans review

Shopping for maternity clothes online has taken up quite a lot of my time recently as I'm beginning to expand a more rapid rate. However, whilst flattering tops and dresses I can find in abundance, nicely cut and comfortable maternity jeans are not. I have to say this is what I've found most disappointing. So many people who'd been pregnant before me raved about being able to slop around in maternity jeans and how comfortable they were. One friend even still puts hers on two years after the birth of her daughter because she loves them so but I have really struggled finding them.

With this in mind I decided to go on a bit of a mission to try and find a pair that I love to and whilst I have finally discovered them I thought I'd let you know about some of my findings along the way:

Next - Bootcut Narrow Band Maternity Jeans - £28

These were the first pair of jeans I bought because I'm generally a huge fan of Next. I think they offer really good quality clothes at a reasonable high street price. However, I've been really disappointed by these mainly because they offer a really limited range of movement. Don't worry I'm not planning cartwheels but I found even walking pulled quite tight across my thighs and the jean material just feels stiff. They have improved with washing and tumble drying but they're probably my least favourite and the pair I wear when the others are in the wash.  

H&M - MAMA Jeans - £24

I only acquired these jeans this week and I have so say for a sloppy pair they're pretty good. I don't really suit boot cut which for many brands is the only style they offer but they just accentuate my curves and with maternity tops being long, skinny and straight styles are a lot more flattering. I was a little apprehensive about another cheaper high street brand but I have to say these are pretty comfy. They're not overly flattering and won't be great for work but if you're looking for a cheap pair I would definitely recommend them.

JoJo Maman Bebe - Dark Wash Straight Leg maternity jeans - £29

When it comes to buying tops and dresses I find shopping online quite fun but when it comes to trousers I very rarely buy without seeing. I've got a pretty standard figure but I do have some curves so jeans can often be something quite tricky, some are really flattering and some just make my thighs like humongous. So when I ran out of options on the high street it was with apprehension that I started looking online and when these arrived I was still really unsure. In fact I didn't even try them on for a week because I was worried they weren't going to fit or look really unflattering. However, one morning I did finally pluck up the courage and was genuinely really surprised. They sit quite low so can only be worn with really long tops and are a little on the short side so they'll be worn with flats but overall they're really nice. The material is stretchy so whereas with the two previous pairs they'll last until the end and grow with me. They also feel soft so they'll be comfy when I'm sitting in the car on long journeys which I do quite regularly. These are a pair that will definitely be worn regularly over the coming months.

Seraphine - Grey Luxe Skinny Jeans - £65

These jeans were definitely the most expensive but trust me they're worth it and a must have in every potential yummy mummy's wardrobe. The material is so soft they feel as good as just wearing a pair of leggings and they're also surprisingly flattering. I mentioned above that I'm slightly curvy so I was worried that a light shade might make thighs look bigger but I've had loads of compliments when I've been wearing them in recent weeks. They can also be used to dress up or dress down depending on your day. Plus they were worn by January Jones and Jessica Alba during their pregnancies so if you don't believe my style advice then take theirs!

Now I just need to justify getting the black pair to Mr W, hmmmm.... www.seraphine.com

Pregnancy sleeping secret! This Works...

As you know from earlier posts, sleeping is something I've been having issues with since the very beginning of my pregnancy and I know it's only going to get worse as I get bigger. So after moaning to a friend about my sleeping issues and in particular how hard I find to get off to dreamland in the first place she recommended I try the This Works sleep range and in particular these two products:

This Works, Deep Sleep Pillow Spray: £15 

Official product description:

MODERN: The miracle solution to a good nights sleep. With This Works signature relaxing fragrance, this pillow spray will become your must-have sleep solution.

NATURAL: Infused with essential oils of Lavender, Vetivert and Wild Camomile to soothe the body and mind.

BEAUTY: A fragrant pillow spray, the best beauty secret there is.

This Works, Deep Sleep Stress Less, £12

Official product description:

MODERN:  Deep sleep stress less is a soothing natural remedy to help you breathe more easily and calm your senses promoting a better nights sleep.

NATURAL: Refreshing Eucalyptus cleanses, invigorates and helps to counter physical and mental fatigue.  Frankincense essential oil acts as an antiseptic to help fight infections and to help you relax physically and mentally whilst rejuvenating the skin. Lavender Oil is the most effective oil in helping hypertension, nervous tension and insomnia.

BEAUTY: Deep sleep stress less is a multi-purpose aromatherapy blend that can be used anytime to de-stress or at night-time to help promote a restful sleep.

In all honesty I was slightly sceptical at first because I didn't really understand how a 'smell' would help me find a comfy position I could spend the night in but after 10 days of usage it's actually working!! It used to on average take me around 45 mins to finally doze off (and several tellings off for fidgeting from hubby) but it now only takes around 10 mins!

I think the way in which it specifically helps me is that it helps me to relax. I'm someone who doesn't get into bed and just switch off. I seem to get into bed and switch on, particularly the worry. I start planning what work I'm going to achieve the next day, worrying about what I didn't manage that day, how I'm going to earn enough to buy X for little muffin, etc, etc. However, I don't know how but since I've started using these two products the worrying is literally just drifting away and before I not it it's 3am and I'm getting up for my midnight wee...