Naptime Natter

Miscarriage anxiety – the first trimester

Miscarriage anxiety – the first trimester

*This is a post I wrote when I was 8 weeks pregnant*

I have heard people say some pretty amazing things to me in my life so far. ‘I am in love with you’ , ‘It’s a boy!’ , ‘I am so proud of you’ to mention just a few. Earlier this week I heard six little words from a complete stranger that made me feel the most relieved and happy I have ever felt. The words came from a lovely lady, I think she said her name was Kirsty, and up until she said them I had been on the verge of tears and full of fear for days. Kirsty is a lovely sonographer at the Early Pregnancy Unit in Singleton Hospital and what are these words she said, you may be wondering? The sentence that flooded my whole body with relief and caused a strange sob/laugh to escape from my mouth was this – ‘There’s a live baby in there’. A live baby! I had been bleeding on and off for about five days, the blood changing from small spots to a heavy enough flow to need the protection of a sanitary towel, in the hour we had been sitting in the hospital waiting room I was convinced I was going to be told I’d lost the baby by the time it was my turn to go and be scanned. I am currently 8 weeks and 5 days pregnant and for the past month and a half I have been full of anxiety that I am going to have a miscarriage. View Post

New house new baby strikes again – baby number 3 due July 2019

New house new baby strikes again – baby number 3 due July 2019

Way back when in September 2015 Oli, Leo and I moved from Swansea to Southampton. 5 months later, in February 2016, I discovered I was pregnant for the second time. Fast forward to May 2018, the four of us packed up once more and moved from Southampton back to Swansea. Can you guess what I found out in November, just 6 months after moving again? Yup, there was that second blue line staring up at me from a pregnancy test. New house new baby, maybe it’s not just an old wives tale after all! View Post

How to manage incontinence during pregnancy

How to manage incontinence during pregnancy

*collaborative post*

Growing a human is hard work, our amazing bodies go through a lot during those 9 long months of pregnancy. There are lots of side effects to being pregnant, some good and some, well, not so good. The best thing about pregnancy is that you get a beautiful baby at the end of it all but a lot of things happen before we get to that magical moment. When you are pregnant you have to deal with raging hormone, weight gain, aches and pains and also the risk of incontinence. The fear of accidently wetting yourself when you are pregnant is very real, with all that pressure on your pelvic floor, things like sneezing or laughing too hard can all too easily end up with a little leakage. Who ever told you pregnancy was glamorous was lying! Don’t worry though, incontinence doesn’t have to become a part of your life just because you are pregnant, Hartman Direct have put together this really useful article on how to manage incontinence during pregnancy so you can spend more time enjoying those baby kicks and less worrying about where the nearest loo is. View Post

How to plan a dream baby shower

How to plan a dream baby shower

Sponsored post.

There are several rites of passage mums to be must go through before they get to welcome their little bundle of joy into the world. There’s the morning sickness, the first scan, those first fluttery baby kicks. In recent years, mums have had another pregnancy milestone to look forward to – the baby shower. Despite being a mummy of two, I have never had my very own baby shower (cue the violin music). Living far away from friends and family meant organising a special get together to celebrate my bumps just wasn’t really possible. I have attended a few baby showers though and I always think they are such an exciting occasion. As I never got to have my own baby shower (sob) and I’m 99% sure I’m not going to be having a third baby, I thought I would put together a little post all about throwing a baby shower of dreams! Just because I didn’t get one of my own doesn’t mean I don’t know how to organise a party that will make a soon to be mama smile. If you have a pregnant friend and are planning to throw her a baby shower, or maybe you’re organising your own, hopefully this post will be helpful. View Post

The ultimate pregnancy guide

The ultimate pregnancy guide

Pregnancy can be such a confusing time in a woman’s life. There is a list of all the things you should be doing to help your body through this magical yet challenging time and then an even bigger list of things you are definitely not supposed to do. In both my pregnancies I often found myself googling things like ‘foods to avoid when pregnant’ and ‘how much exercise can I do while pregnant?’. I had so many questions and seeking out all the answers to my pregnancy queries took a lot of time and Google often left me feeling more confused than I was to start with.

If you are trying to conceive or have a baby on the way, the people at Hartmann Direct have put together this really useful infographic to help you know what to expect when you’re expecting. This handy pregnancy guide helps answer so many pregnancy related questions, starting with ‘am I really pregnant?’ right up to ‘how much caffeine can I drink whilst pregnant?’ and ‘how do I avoid incontinence during pregnancy?’.  So, pregnant mamas go pop the kettle on, have a read of this ultimate pregnancy guide and save it on your phone for the next time you are in a restaurant and are not sure what you are allowed to order from the menu! View Post

The daily struggles of the heavily pregnant

The daily struggles of the heavily pregnant

Being pregnant has it’s many ups and downs, there are lots of little perks to growing a human but the journey is rarely a completely smooth one. The first 12 weeks are horrible for most mums, full of morning sickness and exhaustion but then the second trimester brings with it a boost in energy, exciting baby kicks and a blooming baby bump. By the time you arrive in the third trimester, your energy begins to slip away again and as your body is stretched beyond all recognition, it can be hard to hold on to that ‘pregnancy glow’. I am now 39 weeks and 5days pregnant, my pregnancy journey is almost over and I am so relieved. Obviously, I can’t wait to meet my baby boy and to get stuck into life as a family of four but I am also eager to say goodbye to all the daily struggles I am facing now I am the size of a whale. For any pregnant mummas out there blissfully enjoying the earlier stages of pregnancy, I thought I would give you a little insight in to what is to come, all the little struggles you will face when you are heavily pregnant and can barely remember what is was like to be able to see your feet (if you are a believer in ignorance is bliss, maybe you should go read one of my other pregnancy posts!). 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

What’s in my hospital bag?

What’s in my hospital bag?

Pregnancy is full of special milestones: the positive test, the first scan, feeling those first movements, the 20 week scan, decorating the nursery and the list goes on. By the time you reach the third trimester you have pretty much ticked off all those major milestones and, apart from the big one – labour, there is only really one more thing left. The packing of your hospital bag is a big event for a pregnant mummy, it symbolises that your pregnancy is almost over and you are preparing to finally meet your baby after 9 long months of waiting. When I had Leo I packed enough for a week away, it was comical how much stuff I took with me to the hospital. This time around I am just packing the things I will actually need; one of the perks of a second baby is you now have valuable knowledge you didn’t have a clueless first time mum! So, for any other pregnant mums wondering what to pack for that very important trip to the hospital, here is a list of everything I am taking with me. I hope it helps. 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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36 weeks pregnancy update

36 weeks pregnancy update

Somehow I now find myself 36 weeks pregnant. There is just under a month to go until baby boy’s due date and suddenly everything is starting to feel very very real. Lots has gone on since I wrote my last pregnancy update at 32 weeks, I really can’t believe 4 weeks have flown by already. View Post

The crazy world of pregnancy hormones

The crazy world of pregnancy hormones

It is safe to say us women get a pretty rough deal when it comes to hormones, don’t we? For any guys reading this, I’m not saying hormones don’t effect you too but, in comparison, you blokes get off extremely lightly. From the moment girls hit puberty right up until we become menopausal old ladies (probably even after that!) we have to deal with pretty much being ruled by our stupid hormones. For me, there has been no time this has been more true than when I have been pregnant. Pregnancy hormones suck. Fact. For today’s post I am going to take you on a journey into the messed up world of a pregnant ladies mind, the thoughts of someone who has not only lost control of her body’s physical appearance but has become a slave to those hormones taking over her ability to think straight too. So, if you are all ready, let’s delve into the crazy world of pregnancy hormones … View Post

Pregnancy essentials you actually need

Pregnancy essentials you actually need

Growing a baby is one hell of a journey for expectant mums. It is both an exciting and terrifying time in your life and first time parents can easily get caught up in the big pregnancy money making scheme created by retailers, ending up wasting loads of money on items they believe are ‘essential’ to a happy pregnancy. In reality, you can make it through your 9 months of pregnancy without having to splash too much cash at all – on yourself I mean, shopping for your new baby is a whole different story, prepare for your bank balance to take a bit of a bashing! I am nearing the end of my second pregnancy now and although there are loads of things aimed at pregnant mums in the shops that I would love to buy, I have learnt there really are only a few ‘must have’ items you need when growing a baby bump. So for any first time mums out there, here is a list of pregnancy essentials, all the items you actually need for each trimester, it is nowhere near as much as the high street would have you believe. View Post

32 weeks pregnancy update

32 weeks pregnancy update

Another 4 weeks of my pregnancy have flown by and a lot  has gone on since my 28 weeks update. There have been some high points and a fair few low points too, pregnancy is a bit of a rollercoaster after all! Here’s what has been going on with me and bump lately. You can also watch  my latest pregnancy vlog too if you want to find out more. View Post

BellyBuds review

BellyBuds review

It is only 9 weeks until baby boy’s due date and I can really feel a strong bond forming between us both already. I love feeling him kick and wriggle around in my belly and often find myself rubbing my baby bump with a smile on my face. Oli and Leo are bonding with baby boy too, Leo likes to sing to my belly and Oli loves having a chat with his unborn son. For non immediate family though it can be a bit more difficult for the baby to get to know their voices before he or she arrive into the world. This is where the awesome BellyBuds sound system comes in, the baby friendly speakers allow you to safely play recorded messages from loved ones as well as music to your baby while he or she is still in the womb. I have been testing out some BellyBuds myself and I think they are a really great idea and a fun little product to have as part of your pregnancy journey. View Post

Belly Bandit Preggo support tank top review

Belly Bandit Preggo support tank top review

When it comes to buying maternity clothes, I am all about finding pieces that look good but, most importantly, are comfortable. During this second pregnancy I have purchased a few key pieces of maternity wear and have also been buying regular clothes in a bigger size. I am now in the third trimester and any clothes that can offer my ever growing bump some support get a big thumbs up from me. When the team at Belly Bandit contacted me and asked if I would like to review something from their maternity range, I jumped at the chance. If you read my pregnancy updates you will know that I am feeling massive this time around and my bump is only getting bigger! View Post

Where to next?