Ready to go - what I packed in my hospital bag

I can't quite believe the time is here but I am now 8 days away from my estimated due date so of course I've had to get my bag packed. As I'm giving birth on the NHS you're strongly advised to take as small a bag as possible which is harder then I thought particuarly when you look at all the recommended lists out there.

Anyway after a lot of deliberating here's what I packed in mine:

Things for muffin:

Most importantly and of course excitingly, his first little outfits. As cute as little people outfits are there skin is sensitive so I've just chosen a couple of baby grows and a romper suit. The two on the right say 'welcome to the world' and are from Mammas and Pappas, the third on the left is from Next and has a little hoodie which looks really cute.

They also need some undergarments so I've included several plain white vests. Then a couple of hats to keep his head warm and a bib to catch any spit up or dribbles whilst feeding - no idea if that's necessary but thought I'd include anyway.

I know many hospitals provide swaddling blankets but the ones I've seen can be quite scratchy so I've put in a couple of my own blankets and of course muslins for any after feeding effects ;-).

This is by far the most special item going into my bag. The above is a blanket knitted by late Great Grandmother and was the last one she ever did. She actually specifically knitted it for her first Great Grandchild she knew she would never meet and it has been kept specially by my grandmother for this very occasion. It was a really special moment when it was handed over to me after my baby shower earlier this month.

In addition to my hospital bag I've also packed my nappy bag with bits and pieces for the beginning of many years of changing! As advised by friends and other blogs I've got cotton wool pads, sensitive wipes, sudocrem, pampers nappies and vaseline. Plus my hospital notes as they'll be easy to pull out in this bag - these are probably the most important thing you need to bring so don't forget them! They should be with you really wherever you go during pregnancy just in case you have an emergency. I've been keeping mine in the glove box of our car.

Finally we have the going home outfit! As it's the middle of winter and the temperatures are pretty nippy outside I've packed a bear suit to keep him all snuggled up in his car seat, with a matching bear hat. I can not wait to see how cuddly he's going to be in this one!

Things for me:

Whilst for the actual birthing part I plan to wear a hospital gown there will be a lot of time before and after the birth when it's best to have something comfortable, so I've packed a nightie, pjs, slippers and a dressing gown. The latter two are good for if you want to walk around the ward during labour to help move things along and crucially the nightie and pjs both contain buttons at the front for breast feeding.

As there's no way you can keep visitors away and the inevitable photos I'm definitely packing some bits and pieces for afterwards to get me looking as best I can again. These include shampoo and condition for if there's a shower, dry shampoo for if there isn't, facial wipes and of course make up and lip balm (apparently your lips get really dry). I know that's really vain but these pictures are going to be around for a very very long time!

No need to explain what these are for, other than to say the pants are from primark so cheap and disposable plus a lot comfier then the ones they give you in hospitals.

Finally, I've got the above bits and pieces for breastfeeding: breast pads, cooling pads, nipple cream, antiseptic gel and a notebook to keep track of when he's been fed and for how long.

So that's it for now! I'm sure I'm missing something important so feel free to comment but that's all I got for now. Eek really not long to go now.

Lots of love,

Mrs W xxx

Skip Hop Mini Changer Review

Finally I've decided to look at a different option for those of you who might not want a dedicated nappy bag. The Skip Hop Mini Changer is the ultimate portable changing bag that you can slip into any normal handbag or attach to your pram. 

Measuring 22.2 x 2.5 x 29.2 cm it would need to go into a larger handbag but it's amazing how much you can fit in. 

When you open up the pack there are two main packs which you can hold nappies, wipes and cream inside. One pocket is a mesh which stretches to hold several nappies, the second is zipped and perfect for holding your wet items including wipes in a plastic case so you can prevent anything else in your bag from getting damp. 

The changing mat itself is pretty large so plenty of room for little one and the material is easy to clean any extra spillages. There are also two extra side panels for wiggly babies:

Finally at the front you have one extra zipped pockets which you can easily use for personal belongings if you literally just want to take this out with you. 

I know I'm going to get loads of use out of this changing bag particularly when I'm travelling. Whenever I'm flying I always make sure I take the biggest possible hand luggage bag you can so just being able to pop this in is going to be brilliant. Also because it's small it's really transferrable so if you're in a rush you can just keep it packed and ready to grab whenever you need. 

The only downside for me is the price. You can buy it on amazon here for £27.85 which is cheap in comparison to a full nappy bag but I know other brands have slightly cheaper versions of this available. However this is definitely the best one I've found so I'm sure it'll be a worthy investment. 

Seraphine Puffa Quilt Nappy Bag Review

So here is number three of my nappy bag reviews and I've had a look at something a little different for this post. The Seraphine Puffa Quilt Maternity bag is definitely not your typical looking changing bag and therefore really caught my eye:

 In comparison to the other two bags this one is really simple which definitely has it's advantages. As it's made from a puffa quilt it's super light weight with padded handles so if you're worried about your back this would be great. Also because it's quilt you can fold it up and pack it up in your bag if you're going away. This for me would make it the ultimate holiday changing bag as I always need something quite big for hand luggage. I have no idea how I'm going to cope keeping luggage to a minimum with muffin to pack for as well...

Inside the bag has a wipeable funky silver lining with several pockets for personal bits and pieces. Including a separate pocket if you've got wet items.

In terms of accessories included in the quilted maternity bag you've got a thermal bottle holder and one crazy fun changing mat in leopard print. In fact I really really love this changing mat and think it might be a permanent fixture in my nursery as my main changing mat cover - I'm sure hubby is going to love seeing his son on that ;-). 

The only real disadvantage to this bag is that because it isn't structured the opening doesn't stay open which can make it a bit more difficult when searching for little bits and pieces. 

However, overall this is definitely the chicest of all the bags I've tried and if in particular you really want to keep more to your previous self then embrace 'mummy style' this is perfect and at only £49 it's a very reasonably priced option. 

For more information click here. 

Yummy Mummy nappy bag review

So you can't do a set of reviews without looking at Pink Lining's Yummy Mummy bag line. To me they are currently the most iconic bag used by mummy's today and are used by most of my friends.

Initially I wasn't quite so sure about the Pink Lining range mainly because as I've mentioned previously I'm not a huge fan of slightly more childish designs. However they've definitely grown on me whether that's to do with my maternal instinct or I'm just embracing the whole childhood thing I couldn't say. Moreover I couldn't do a series of reviews on nappy bags without looking at it:

The Yummy Mummy Blue Bouquet bag - £79

Whilst pink lining do offer several different styles of nappy bags the Yummy Mummy is their most popular. With measurements of 38(L) x 28(H) x 14(W) cm it's actually quite a big bag and because the it's longest length ways you can open it up widely to really get in access whatever you need and trust me that's a huge bonus judging by the amount of paraphernalia my friends have in theirs. 

I'm not a fan of all of the designs but this one I do really love. The blue is quite subtle and the overall look is pretty. The outside also features three pockets (one on the front and one on each side) giving you quick access to items but make sure they're not valuable if you plan to hang this on your buggy. 

The inside is of course made from their famous easy wipe, water-proof pink lining. There are several pockets designed for specific goods including two thermal pockets, a phone holder and nappy pockets. There's even a little pocket mirror for a quick check that your make up is still in place after a particularly frantic journey.

Also included in the bag is the expected wet bag and changing mat. I really like the mat in particular because not only does it look easy to clean but it's also padded so I know it will be more comfortable for muffin.

In conclusion I have to say that despite previous thoughts I really love this bag and I know I'm going to be using it lots. Not only is the quality great but despite having a boy I can keep my girly style. It's also big enough for me to include all my rubbish that feels my handbag today pre-baby. I'm sure you'll be seeing several post-pregnancy photos with this in use. 

Get glammed up this Xmas with the Luxe range from Seraphine

If you're still wondering what to wear this Xmas for all those dos then make sure you check out the range from Luxe at Seraphine. The range was specifically designed for women to wear during and post-pregnancy which is good news because I for one am loathe to spend a fortune on outfits I can only wear for a very limited period.

Whilst I am unfortunately going to be mainly sitting home this season due to a severe case of Pelvic Girdle Pain which has left me mainly on bed rest and crutches but it hasn't left me lusting over these gorgeous outfits:

This is the Multi-Way Blue Grecian Maternity Gown which costs £215. This is one of my absolute favourites in the collection but I love that ethereal feel and the cobalt blue colour is gorgeous. I'd definitely be wearing this all through next year and what's more is you can change the shoulder strap to to sit in a multitude of styles, 

The Gold & Black Chiffon Print Top costs £99. This top would be perfect for those slightly less formal evenings but what's more I think it would look gorgeous over a bikini next summer post-pregnancy when hopefully I'm feeling great again. I also saw this in the flesh at the Seraphine launch earlier this month and I have to say it's really stunning and the quality is beautiful. 

This Strapless Maternity Evening Gown costs £269. I really love this magenta waterfall gown because it looks seriously glam, perfect for if I had a Xmas ball to go to. It's also made from stretch silk satin so it should fit nicely round your curves. 

This Long Orchid Beaded Evening Dress is currently on sale for £125 and the Shorter Black Beaded Evening Gown is on sale for £132. Both these dresses are made from a chiffon which has been gathered to give more of a waterfall effect embellished with sparkling beads. The shorter gown is perfect for cocktail parties and is of course in that lovely flattering colour of black whilst the lilac gown can be worn at something more formal. They also both feature a criss-cross strap at the back to give more support for your bust. 

This Dark Navy Luxe Dress costs £169 and is my other absolute favourite from the range because I love the lace it reminds me of my wedding dress. It's handmade in England by expert tailors using luxe French lace with a modern flower pattern, the lace features added stretch for the perfect fit. Add the silk sash for empire line definition.

Finally this Embellished Butterfly Sleeved Evening Gown costing £249 gives a real vintage look. The dress is made out of chiffon and features butterfly sleeves to cover your upper arms. The empire cut also gives a more flattering shape for your pregnant bump and post-pregnancy lumps and bumps. 

However these are just my favourite pieces but there's also lot's more designs on the Seraphine website including bridal dresses if you're thinking of tying the knot as a glam mummy-to-be and suits to keep you looking stylish and professional in the office.

My top pregnancy reading recommendations

I've been meaning to write this post for awhile now as there have been a couple of books that I've found to be absolute must have companions throughout the whole of my pregnancy.

My husband constantly laughs at me because of the amount I've read, to the point where he really doesn't understand why we're bothering with NCT classes. I don't know precisely why I'm so obsessive about knowing everything I can but it keeps me feeling like I'm as in control as you can be.

The first of my recommendations is very stereotypical but trust me my copy has been well and truly devoured several times:

What to Expect: when you're expecting by Heidi Murkoff - £8.50 from amazon

What I really loved about this book is the week by week guide and Q&A section for each month. There are so many little things you notice when you're pregnant that you've never experienced before and you're constantly asking yourself if it's normal. Particuarly in the beginning when you spend half the time convinced that every little twinge is a sign that you're going to lose the baby. Trust me pretty much every little symptom is somewhere in this book and if it's not in there then ask your midwife.

In all honesty without this bible I think I would have been into see the doctor or midwife every other week asking whether this little pull here or ache there was normal. I've also just purchased What to Expect: the first year to get me through those first couple of months.

Christine Hill's Pregnancy Guide: The essential handbook for all expectant mothers - £11.69 from amazon

Now this is the book that puts everything into perspective. Christine Hill is an extremely well respected paediatric physiotherapist in London and has been giving ante-natal classes since 1978. My sister-in-law was lucky enough to attend her course and passed this guide onto me.

It's great because it's a quick read that covers all areas of pregnancy from a factual to a lifestyle point of view. There are so many horror stories associated with pregnancy that you can so easily go out of your mind with worry if you even put the slightest foot wrong but this guide gives you the real risks e.g. did you know that it is ok to eat sushi or that if you accidentally eat a food that has been known to provide a risk of listeriosis you actually only have a 1 in 20,000-30,000 chance of contracting it?

The Day-by-Day Pregnancy Book by Dr Maggie Blott - £16 from Amazon

This is the book you need for sharing with your husband, family and friends. This guide gives you a beautiful look into what's going on inside your belly with pictures, drawings, example scans, info and top tips. So when people want to know what he/she looks like and whether they can hear or see things you can just whip out the book and show them.

In all honesty I don't look at it so much anymore but for the first couple of months my husband and I devoured it seeing what was going on and what we had to look forward to. When they're not kicking it does make everything seem a lot more real.

What to expect when you're breastfeeding and what if you can't by Clare Byam-Cook - £6.99 from amazon

The whole breast-feeding situation scares the hell out of me. Something I thought was supposed to be so straight-forward now feels like you're going to need a physics degree to handle. I think I hear more horror stories about feeding then I do about labour these days... It's something I know I desperately want to be able to do for muffin but I'm now really worried that I'm going to be awful at it.

After voicing all these concerns to friends with LOs a barrage of books and tips started coming my way including the dreaded Gina Ford books and the Baby Whisperer manuals but this is the one that has made me feel a lot calmer.

Everything else seems so regimented but Clare's style is just plain and simple. There's no overly strict routines or patronising language it's just 'this is how to do it and if it's not working then try these trouble shooting tips'. So if you feel anything like I have about preparing for breastfeeding then this is definitely the book I'd recommend. Whether it works in practice or not I'll have to let you know but for now it's given me back my confidence.