Naptime Natter

5 reasons why I don’t cherish every moment

5 reasons why I don’t cherish every moment

I love being a mum, I really really do. I have brought two beautiful boys into this world and they have changed my life completely. Although it was only 3 years ago, memories of life before children are a blur and are somewhat overshadowed by all the amazing memories that have been made since. Yes, being a mum is the best thing ever.

Except when it’s not.

I struggle to get on board with the whole ‘cherish every moment’ approach to parenting. I love my boys and want to remember and treasure as much of their childhood as possible but I would be telling a massive lie if I said I want to remember all of it.

Motherhood is a journey of many ups and downs and twist and turns, obviously there are going to be loads a few bumps along the road. I know I am incredibly lucky to have two children and I should be grateful for the tough times as atleast it means  I have children to experience the good times with.

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Mental health after pregnancy – it is time I came clean

Mental health after pregnancy – it is time I came clean
Before I begin I just need to tell you there are no words I have to describe how nervous I am about publishing this post. None.

I’m not sure where to begin so I’m just going to start typing and see what comes out…

I have never really struggled with my mental health before, I’ve been anxious from time to time and had the odd low day but, on the whole, I am a happy chilled out sort of person. After having Leo I took to motherhood like a duck to water, I loved every second, even sleep deprivation and getting pooed on almost daily didn’t get me down. I expected things would be the same when I gave birth to my second baby. I thought that because I’d done it all before, parenting a second child would be just as easy as the first time around. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

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Why I finally understand the term ‘threenager’

Why I finally understand the term ‘threenager’

Every stage of parenting a small child comes with it’s own challenges doesn’t it? There’s the sleep deprivation and the general what the hell do I  do moments during the newborn days, the mission to keep your baby safe from table corners and stairs as they become mobile and, of course, there are the terrible twos.

It is no secret to you if you’re a regular reader that Leo was not the best behaved 2 year old, terrible doesn’t even come close when describing some of his tantrums. There were times where his bad behaviour left me questioning my abilities as a mother and there were also the times where I just simply couldn’t cope. I was mostly  prepared to spend those 12 months from age 2 to 3 navigating my way from one toddler breakdown to another, everyone loves to harp on about the terrible twos after all don’t they? What I wasn’t quite so prepared for was what was to come next, the threenager.   View Post

Did you know Dads change nappies too?  – Sudocrem Baby Changing Room Awards and a campaign for change

Did you know Dads change nappies too?  – Sudocrem Baby Changing Room Awards and a campaign for change

In an age where there is such a thing as shared parental leave, a time where more and more Dads are becoming stay at home parents, how come finding a baby changing facility in a men’s toilet is still more difficult than finding a needle in a haystack? How is this OK? Research carried out by fabulous dad blogger Al from The Dad  Network found that Dads have had to change their little one’s nappies in all manner of places as there were no changing facilities available to them.

The research discovered Dads across the UK were being forced to use the boot of their car to change their baby’s bum and some had even used the floor of a public toilet. Are you serious? It is 2o17 and babies are having to be laid down on a TOILET FLOOR to have their nappy changed when out and about with their Daddy. This is not OK, more needs to be done so babies can be changed as easily by their Dads as they can by their mums, nappy changing is not just something us Mums do.  View Post

Breastfeeding diary – The first 2 weeks

Breastfeeding diary – The first 2 weeks

It has been just over two weeks since baby Alex arrived in the world and my days are now full of newborn cuddles, nappy changes, kissing tiny hands and regular declarations of ‘I’m so tired!’. The activity that is dominating most of my time though is feeding Alex. After having a successful breastfeeding experience with Leo I knew that was how I wanted to feed my baby this time around too. Although it may be as natural to a woman as giving birth, breastfeeding is not always easy – it can actually be really hard at the start. I have decided to document mine and Alex’s breastfeeding journey to try and show mums to be what breastfeeding is really like, a diary that is refreshingly honest compared to the information leaflets the midwives dish out before you leave the labour ward. In this first entry you can find out how Alex and I  are getting on with breastfeeding just 2 weeks in and discover what feeding is really like at the very beginning, View Post

A letter to my first born

A letter to my first born

Dear Leo,

I have been thinking about writing this letter to you for a while now. Your baby brother is due to come into the world in just a week’s time, I am rapidly running out of time to tell you everything I want to say. So, here goes.. View Post

Everything you need to know about babywearing

Everything you need to know about babywearing
To sling or not to sling? That is the question. Well it is the question I have been asking myself for most of my second pregnancy anyway. When Leo was born I was very much the mother who rarely had a moment without a newborn in her arms, I trained myself to do tasks one handed and some days it really felt like I just couldn’t ever put him down. When I found out I was expecting baby number 2, I had no idea how I was going to cope looking after Leo and a newborn, especially if I end up with a particularly clingy baby. That is why I am going to give babywearing a go this time around, I have been sent a carrier to try out from a lovely member of the family and I am really hoping it is going to make those early days easier. Those days when all my baby wants is to be close to me but where I will also, inevitably, have so much to do that unless I grow an extra pair of arms it will just be impossible. Before I embark on my babywearing journey I got in touch with a lovely Mummy I follow on Instagram who is always sharing pictures of herself carrying her toddler in lovely slings and carriers, and she’s also expecting another baby too! Cecilia has kindly agreed to take part in this interview and has answered  all the questions you could ever have about babywearing. I am hoping this interview will help mums, like me, decide whether babywearing is right for them and give them all the advice and knowledge they need . I will now hand you over to Cecilia, get ready to find out all there is to know about babywearing.

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The terrible twos, were they really so bad?

The terrible twos, were they really so bad?

Ahh, the terrible twos. Parents the world over know about them, some may dread them while others may have more of a ‘bring it on’ attitude towards them. The second birthday of a child is a big deal, it sees them slipping further away from babyhood and, unfortunately, comes with the promise of ‘terrible’ things to come. Leo was showing signs of a temper quite early on so by the time his second birthday rolled around I was a bit of a nervous wreck. With him already throwing regular tantrums and being fiercely independent, I was convinced this next year was going to be hell. Anyway, last month Leo turned three and we have all made it through the terrible twos in one piece! Now that dreaded year is behind me I feel like it is time to reflect and to share with you my verdict – was it really all that bad? View Post

Motherhood, am I doing it all wrong?

Motherhood, am I doing it all wrong?

Being a parent is the hardest job ever. Fact. It is a role we are thrown into with zero experience, straight into the deep end and expected to just get on with it. There are lots of books on parenting available but with so much conflicting advice and with every child being completely different, it can be so hard to know what to do for the best. As a mum I am always questioning what I do and if I am raising Leo to the best of my ability, most of the time I think I’m doing ok but things like mum guilt and other peoples opinions can cause serious blows to my confidence. Some days all I can think is that I am doing it all wrong, did I miss the memo on how to be the perfect mum? Some days I feel like everyone else is smoothly sailing through their parenting journey while I frantically try and keep my head above the water. View Post

The Daddy Tag

The Daddy Tag

If you are a regular reader of my blog you will probably know all about me by now. I talk about myself as a blogger, the day to day me, my thoughts, my feelings and, of course, I talk about myself as a mother a lot too. I do chat about my husband Oli quite a bit on here too but my blog is mine, my space, so you can’t blame me for banging on about myself a lot of the time, can you? So when Stef from Blabber Mama nominated Oli to take part in The Daddy Tag, I managed to coax him into the blogging hot seat so you can all find out a bit more about my lovely husband and Leo’s fabulous Daddy.  You have all heard of the Mummy tag, right? Well the amazing Frenchie Mummy has decided to mix things up a bit and has created The Daddy Tag, it’s fun and a great way to find out about the all Dads out there. That’s enough rambling from me, it is now time for Oli to take centre stage. Enjoy.

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The day my toddler saved me

The day my toddler saved me

Ok, I understand that title sounds a bit dramatic so let me clarify a few things before we continue. This post is not about a near death experience nor is it about how having a baby saved me from a life I was unhappy with or anything like that. This post is about how, last week, Leo rescued me from the shower and saved me from having a full on panic attack/meltdown. Now that’s cleared up, let me tell you all about my little hero. View Post

Kidloland children’s app – Review and giveaway

Kidloland children’s app – Review and giveaway

Being nearly 3, Leo is at an age now where his brain is like a little sponge. He is absorbing new information all the time and learning new skills pretty much every day. At the minute Leo enjoys reciting the alphabet and trying to count past 10 and, as his Mummy, I love to see him learning and I try to help and encourage him in any way I can. When Kidloland, a nursery rhyme educational app for preschoolers, got in touch I couldn’t wait to see how this app could help with Leo’s learning and development. View Post

5 easy ways to enjoy me time at home

5 easy ways to enjoy me time at home

Ahh the elusive ‘me time’, something all us parents crave but rarely get the opportunity to enjoy. Being a mum to an almost 3 year old I am always searching for a spare 5 (or 10) minutes I can grab for myself, away from the toddler chaos and all the other demands of the stay at home parent life.

In reality, I feel like I need more than 10 minutes. I feel like a whole week at a spa retreat, doing yoga and having daily massages would just about give me the energy boost I seriously need after 3 years of parenting. Unfortunately, with a family and house to look after and with barely enough money to fund a weekend of camping in a field, a week at a spa just isn’t feasible right now.

If you are in the same situation as me then fear not, yes a week of relaxing bliss may be out of the question but there are still ways you can grab some precious me time at home. Here are some examples of how you can unwind and relax after a hectic day of changing nappies, chasing toddlers around, washing 50 loads of clothes, cleaning the floor under the high chair, toddler group hell..do I need to go on? View Post

#WickedWednesdays – Why a long shower is never a good idea

#WickedWednesdays – Why a long shower is never a good idea

So the other day I decided to throw caution to the wind and swap my usual 5 minute shower for a longer, more refreshing and relaxing affair. I knew there would be serious consequences to this decision, one does not simply have a long shower when there is a toddler loose in the house. View Post

Birthday gifts my 3 year old really wants

Birthday gifts my 3 year old really wants

I am not sure how this is happening but my baby boy is turning three next month. THREE! I honestly don’t know where the time has gone. On the one hand it feels like no time has passed since I first set eyes on him, floating about in the birthing pool looking so peaceful and beautiful but then at the same time it feels like he has always been a part of my life. Birthdays bring with them lots of memories and sentimentality but it can also be a bit of a stressful time. Choosing birthday gifts for anyone can be difficult but when it comes to buying a present for your little ones there is always a bit of added pressure as you want to make sure you get them something they will really love. When shopping for Leo’s birthday gifts I always try and get something he will actually play with, something that will last more than a week and ideally I like to get a good deal on the price too.  View Post

Where to next?