Baby Buys I SHOULD or SHOULDN'T Have Bought

One          Two        Three         Four          Five          Six

9 months is a long time to prepare and buy everything your baby needs in anticipation of their arrival but sometimes you just don't know what you will or won't need until little one is here! We bought everything we thought we needed and still found that we needed more, we also found that many things we thought were essentials weren't essentials at all and have gone unused! 

Obviously every baby and every family/situation is different so it may be that you use all these things but these are the items that I wish I hadn't bought...

SHOULDN'T HAVE BOUGHT

Mittens - I bought loads of mittens, I was thinking babies scratch themselves and they are sold everywhere so they must be necessary right? Well, not only were Rorys hands way to big to fit in them anyway from day one (he has massive hands) but I didn't ever feel the need to use them anyway! I just keep his nails cut short and if I did feel mittens were necessary I would just put him in a sleep suit that had the built in ones which most of them do!

Booties - Same really! His massive flippers never fit in them and whats the point of them anyway? A lot of baby clothes have feet and if they don't, I just used socks!

Fleece Blankets - Considering Rory was due on the 1st August and we were having an insane heatwave, I have no idea why I thought these would be necessary. We haven't used them yet but I suppose we might in the colder months so they aren't a complete waste but what I would say is that you need to consider the time of year when your buying blankets. We have gotten much more use out of the breathable cellular ones!

Too Much Clothes - Buying baby clothes is so exciting and I loved it! We bought so much stuff and we also got gifted so much stuff but so much of it never got worn before he grew out of it and now I am frantically trying to get him to wear all his 0-3months stuff before he out grows them too! And as much as dungarees and jeans are cute, he lives in sleep suits and the odd pair of leggings anyway! 

SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT/GOT MORE OF

Books and Toys - We bought a few things but we were of the mindset that we wouldn't use them for ages but I have found that that just isn't true. I have been reading to him from very early on and he loves to look at brightly coloured toys even though he's not quite able to play with them. We especially love the "Thats Not My" books and I have bought him "DANCE" for Christmas!

Sleep suits - We bought a few but just didn't really prioritise them, I wanted to dress him in adorable outfits everyday but really sleep suits are the most comfortable and practical for a little baby. We also didn't have any in newborn or 0-1month sizes because we were convinced he would be big so we actually had nothing that fit him in his first few weeks! I would really recommend buying a few things in all sizes just to cover all bases, you can always return them if you never use them! We love the Mothercare 3 packs as they are amazing quality, come in loads of sizes and are available in loads of adorable patterns.

Long Sleeve Body Suits - I bought a few of these but I mostly bought short sleeve as he was due in the summer but I found quite quickly that even thought it was hot, he's a baby and he needs to be warm! They are also perfect for wearing under sleeping bags at night to keep those chubby little arms warm!

Sleeping Bag - We had one of these in 1tog but in the past 7 weeks we have ended up having to buy two more in different togs! Babies need different togs to covered different temperatures, the weather is so unpredictable at the moment so you need variety! They also last until 6 months so they are a good investment that will last a long time.

Moveable Car Seat - We originally did so much research into car seats and what would fit our car the best, be the safest and last the longest. We opted for a seat that can't be carried and lasts up to age 4, we didn't want to waste money on a car seat that could be carried because they only last up to age 1. And being that our boy was predicted to be quite the chunk (he is!) we didn't think it would even last till then. But last minute we decided to get a moveable car seat in order to make leaving the hospital easier and we have been using that one since! It has proven to be so much more practical and easier to get him comfy in the seat before walking to the car rather than having to faff around once you get there. 

THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN AMAZING!!!!

One               Two

These two things have been the most incredible products, I would honestly say they have made motherhood so much easier for me and I would be lost without them!

Firstly, Baby Bjorn Baby Carrier. I had never intended to use a carrier as I was so in love with my pram and wanted to use the hell out of it but Rory got upset not being close to me, its a pain to put up when your alone and you can't walk on uneven surfaces which doesn't sound like a big deal but for me, it is! I love walking the dog over the grass, going to parks and being handsfree when I shop so this carrier has been a lifesaver. I feel like me again when I'm wearing it, I can do everything I usual do while still being a mummy. 

Sock ons are little contraptions you put on over your babies socks to keep them securely on their feet and they are revolutionary! I haven't lost one sock and they are also great to wear with sleep suits that are a little too long because they hold babies feet in the right place which was so helpful when Rory was really small and always pulled his feet out of the legs of sleep suits. 

If you take anything from this post, it is to buy these two items urgently as they will change your life!

Is there anything I haven't mentioned that you've loved for your little one! Let me know!

Things I Cant Afford But Really Want...

One               Two               Three               Four

If you are on maternity leave or have ever been you will know what I mean when I say I am the poorest I have ever been. Once the bills are paid I am left with literally nothing. Liam is taking great care of me, making sure I get all the junk food I want and treating me to the odd bunch of flowers but makeup purchasing, understandably is not where the priority is at right now! 

That doesn't stop me lusting after it though!

One

Urban Decay Born To Run Eyeshadow Palette

I honestly wasn't all that impressed with this when it was first announced, I just kinda felt like the shades were a little overdone and that I had other shadows like them but social media has been going crazy for it and it has proven so popular that now I desperately want to know if all the fuss is founded! It the same price as the Naked palettes are but you get more shades, the Naked palettes all contain 12 shades and Born To Run has an insane 21 so I do feel like this palette is great value for money, if only I had some to spend! 

Two

Revolution X Soph Lipstick in Cake

Soph is a youtuber, I am a big fan of her channel but also all her collaborations with Revolution. She recently released an eyeshadow palette (which I reviewed recently) and three lipsticks in various nude shades. I have been really drawn to the shade Cake. 

They have a creamy consistency which is my favourite kind of lipstick as they are so much easier to wear and re apply, I feel like I would get a lot of wear out of this lipstick and being that its only £4, I might try and scrape together a few pennies and get it. 

Three

Revolution X Soph Fragrance Body Mist

Another more recent Revolution X Soph collaboration is this body spray, Vanilla and Creme Brûlée scented which sounds delicious to me. I really do like sweet scents so I think this one will be right up my street, you get 236ml in a bottle which is such a generous amount as well. 

Four

Revolution X Kisu Eyeshadow & Highlighter Palette

Can you tell I really like Revolution at the moment? Kisu is a youtuber, I don't watch her and I've never heard of her but when I saw this palette announced I was super drawn to it! The shades are lovely and very me, lots of coppers, oranges and lovely yellow/mustard tones. The two highlighters included are also very me, useable shades. I just feel like I would get a lot of everyday use out of this palette and I know the quality will be fantastic just like all Revolution palettes are. I might have to find the money for this one...

I'll be honest, I'm lusting after so many beauty items right now. It always feels like just when you can't afford it, loads of things you want pop up! What have you all been wanting recently?

Pampers Pure Collection *

Products were gifted but all thoughts are my own *

We have been very lucky to be chosen by Pampers to be #PurePioneers and to review the new Pampers Pure Collection! This collection includes nappies and wipes which are aimed at babies with sensitive skin. Rory doesn't seem to have sensitive skin as of yet but as a mother I want to always use the kindest products on his little booty! So I was really excited to receive this big box of goodies to try out!

We were sent a pack of 39 nappies in size 2 which fits babies from 9lbs to 18lbs. Rory weighs roughly 11lbs now so these are the right size for him. 

We were also sent a pack of Pure Aqua wipes and 5 mini packs containing wipes and two nappies to give to friends and family to also try! 

Both products are made using thoughtfully-selected gentle materials making them perfectly pure and clinically proven to be great for sensitive skin! The wipes are 99% water and 0% alcohol or perfume! They are also crafted with organic cotton!

The biggest selling point for me in the claim that the nappies provide 12hours of dryness! We have had issues with leaky nappies since day one with Rory, he has a large waste and skinny little legs so often pee leaks out of the loose leg holes or during the night when the nappy gets pretty full, we end up with a wet mattress. 

There is nothing worse that waking up to find you precious baby laying in wee and having to fully change the sheets and clothes in the middle of the night.

The packaging is gorgeously adorable with all the nappies having different cute animals on, so far we have had sloths and bunnies. I am super excited to see what other animals there are! I like that they are simple and classy looking while still being cute as they are for little ones after all!

Rory may not look impressed but I promise he is!

Now for the all important, what do I think?

Most important when it comes to nappies is the fit and the absorbency. They fit like a dream! Rory is at the lower end of the sizing and they fit lovely and snug, don't leave marks on his skin and the tabs nicely fit around his stomach making sure the nappies stay secure. 

The absorbency is amazing, we have had zero leaks since we've been using them and I put this down to the layers inside the nappy. They seem to have a net layer that provides a barrier between babies tushy and the pee/poo. It is very unique, very different to what I have seen from other brands, I also feel that this barrier helps with nappy rash as babies bum isn't directly sitting in the wetness. 

We have tried a lot of different brands over the past 6 weeks of parenthood and many of them seem to be very hard. Especially ASDA's Little Angels nappies which feel so rough to the touch, we are no longer using these! Pampers Pure have the softest feel and are very flexible to fit the curves of babies body.

Before having a baby myself I always thought nappies were nappies, all the same. But that has proven not to be the case at all, Pampers overall have been the best we have used but Pampers Pure surpass even those! The quality of these nappies is ridiculous, I really feel like I am doing what is best for my baby when I put him in these! 

They are so comfy that if they did adult sizes, I might consider it! 

Now, the Aqua Pure wipes are also great! They are 99% water and contain no perfumes or alcohol making them perfect for sensitive bottoms! We have tried a large variety of wipes over the past few weeks, Johnsons being our favourite so far as they are good quality and only dispense one wipe at a time which is super helpful. The pampers wipes we have tried are great but they dispense literally 10 wipes at a time which can be really frustrating when you are trying to take care of a baby at the same time, Pampers Pure however, I love. They dispense one wipe, are a good wetness, very thick and good quality wipe overall. You can literally stretch them and they don't rip! I feel like you need to use less wipes per bum change with these which will save you time and money in the long run. Awesome! 

Price wise they aren't the cheapest but they aren't too expensive in my opinion either, they are also currently on offer in a lot of super markets. In Morrisons currently the nappies are £5 for a pack of 39 Size 2's and the wipes are £1.25 for a pack of 48 wipes. 

You can buy them here!

I will be recommending these to everyone!

Breastfeeding: Make It Easier

I won't lie to you, breastfeeding is hard. Harder than I ever expected it to be and harder than anyone ever told me it could be. I'd also be lying if I said I hadn't considered quitting over the past 4 weeks of little mans life. 

I hated being covered in milk, struggling to feed in public and mainly I struggled with being glued to the sofa all the time feeling like all my baby wanted me for was my milk. But, I am persevering and finally starting to feel like its all getting easier and like I can do it.

Don't get me wrong, fed is best and however you decide to feed your baby is amazing. But breastfeeding my baby is something I've always wanted to do so feeling like I wanted to quit was really hard, I felt like a failure and like I was being selfish even considering taking away my babies  source of food and the only thing he has ever been used too. So, I took to the internet and to friends and family to get tips and advice of how to make it all easier and how to make it work for me! 

Now, i'd like to share it with you!

1. My first issue with breastfeed feeding was the leaking nips! I was using breast pads, I tried disposable and washable ones but still they weren't absorbing the leakage. My bra was still soaking and smelt like gone off cheese all the time and I hated it. I just felt so dirty!

First thing I did was try and figure out when it was happening, what I figured out is that they only seemed to leak when I was feeding on the other side or when Rory cried. They only leaked a little when he cried so the pads absorbed that but the let down from when I was feeding on the other side was like a litre of liquid at a time! (slight exaggeration but also not really) so I did some research and came across breast shells which are basically little cups that you can put over your nips when feeding  and they collect the milk. I got mine on amazon, find them here.

2. Another issue with leaking nips is that you have to wear a bra all the time in order to hold the breast pads. But I hate having to wear a bra all the time! It is so uncomfortable and it smells because you've been leaking milk in it all day. I started laying a towel down in bed and just sleeping boobs free! The first night I did it, I felt 100 times better. Thankfully now after 4 weeks breastfeeding my boobs are beginning to leak a whole let less which makes everything so much easier! 

3. The One Up One Down Trick. I have no issue getting a boob out in public but you do still have to consider other people when doing so, I had been using a muslin to cover up a little but it was such a faff! So what I've been doing recently is wearing a vest top under my normal top. When you feed you just lift up the top layer and pull down the bottom layer so you literally only have to get your nipple out. It's so much more discreet and you don't have to put anything over your babies face. No-one likes eating with a muslin on their face. 

4. Being prepared is a must. If feeding at home make sure you have a drink and snacks to hand, get your phone and the tv remote at the ready and sit comfortably so you can feed in peace feeling comfy and prepared. If out in public again make sure your phone is handy and if you are feeding in a coffee shop, get a coffee first and put it close enough to reach. It really does help.

5. Seating. Where you sit to feed is also vital to how easy it will be and how comfortable for you and your baby. If I'm at home I feed in either my nursing chair or on the sofa as it is where I am most comfortable and both have arms to help with support. If in pubic I try and choose a booth or an armchair, at the bare minimum something with arms. It provides extra privacy and comfort.

6. Make the most of feeding rooms, loads of places have them. Shopping centres usually have lovely ones, my local has private rooms with changing tables and armchairs. I have no issue with feeding in the open but sometimes its nice to have somewhere quiet and private to sit and nurse. I like them especially if I'm trying to get Rory to nod off to sleep.

7. In my opinion nursing clothes are not necessary but nursing bras are! I only bought two, one to wash and one to wear. I bought these ones here. It really does make nursing easier to be able to just unclip the cup and pull it down to feed, these ones are also non underwired so they are super comfy for sore, huge milk filled boobies.

These seven things have really helped me overcome the issues I was experiencing and hopefully they will help you as well. Most importantly just remember that what you are doing is a beautiful natural thing and in the best interests of your baby so keep it up mama and be proud of yourself no matter how long to choose to feed but also if you choose to bottle feed, you are awesome too!

3 Weeks Of Being A First Time Mum

My little Rory has been in this world for three whole weeks today! It is insane how quickly that time has gone, how much he has changed, how much I have changed! I feel like there is so much stuff online about having a baby, pregnancy and looking after a baby but I want to talk about me and what it has been like to be a mum the past three weeks...

1. Obvious one but I am so tired! For the first two and a half weeks Rory slept so well and we felt so lucky! He typically went to sleep at 12pm and slept till 9am waking up every three hours for a feed and not being too hard to put back down. The last few days however, he hasn't slept a wink. Not much during the day and virtually nothing at night, we think he has a touch of colic or reflux maybe. But its been hell.

2. Breastfeeding is hard but not for the reasons you'd think. He feeds really well and is gaining weight perfectly but I'm finding the restrictions it imposes really hard. I feel like every time we go out it is a constant worry about him getting hungry and having to try and find somewhere suitable to feed him. The cluster feeding is killing me as well, I just feel like I have no time to do anything because I am constantly glued to the sofa feeding. I also find it so frustrating that its all down to me, unlike bottle feeding, I can't share the task. I know this all makes me sound selfish but its just how I'm feeling right now!

3. For the first time in my life, I want to do housework but can't! Every time I try and get anything done in the house, he needs feeding and I'm sofa bound again. How does so much mess get made when we never leave the sofa?!

4. I feel like my body is falling apart, I am still taking blood pressure medication for the foreseeable future, I was having to be injected at home for 8 days after birth and then about a week ago I had a mysterious allergic reaction! My whole body was covered in hives, I was itching like crazy and looked awful. I also developed an ear infection that was the most painful thing on earth. I am feeling a bit better now but it was a stressful time.

5. I'm not gonna lie, there has been a few times when I haven't changed my knickers for a few days because i've just completely forgotten, not cleaned my teeth and worn the same clothes for a week. I don't have the time!

6. Another breastfeeding woe has been the leaking! I can't stand it, I constantly smell like gone off milk, my bras are always soaked. I have recently found a solution in the form of Breast Shells which as like plastic cups that you put over your nipples to collect milk. I leak the most when feeding from the other breast so when I fed I put a shell on the other one to catch the leaks. It is insane how much comes out just during one feed!

7. I have loved having all the visitors coming to meet our little bundle of joy but it has meant that there wasn't much time to nap when the baby napped. I have felt like I'm running on nothing for ages!

8. My poor pup, Watson has been such a dream and taking to being a big brother so well but I miss him so much! I feel like our quality time together has been taken away, I desperately want a 4 hour nap just me and him so we can cuddle like old time. Fat chance of that though!

9. Everything is a constant worry, for some reason, I am super paranoid about his temperature. I feel like I'm always trying to figure out how many layers he needs and if he's warm enough at night. Constantly checking he's not too chilly. Probably due to the fact he needed to be under a heat lamp for a night in the hospital so subconsciously I feel like he's cold all the time.

10. Overall though, I know this probably all sounds like me complaining but I am loving being a mum. Rory is such an amazing little person already with such a big personality.

He really does make it all worth it!

My Birth Story

Rory James Fish is here! Born on Sunday 5th August at 11.47pm, weighing 7lb15oz

It has now been almost two weeks of whirlwind bliss, sleepless nights, endless medication and lots and lots of visitors!

This post may be a little hard to follow as it was all quite traumatic and I was very much out of it for the vast majority but ill try my best to recall what I can and have my partner, Liam, try and fill in the rest!

So, I felt the first few cramps/pains on the Friday, I wasn't sure at this point that it was the start of anything, I was only two days overdue and most of me thought that it was just pregnancy aches and pains. I had been feeling pretty rough for a few weeks now, tired, aching, hot and just generally sluggish. All seemed like normal pregnancy symptoms to me. 

I had swollen ankles, legs and fingers for a while already which my midwife had deemed normal but more recently I had noticed that my fingers weren't bending properly, they tingled pretty much all the time and the lines in my palms had become inflamed and red looking. Again, we called and spoke with a midwife who again deemed it normal. 

I had also been told for the past few months that my blood pressure was a little on the high side but there was nothing to worry about. Being a first time mum, I did as I was told and didn't worry.

Come the Saturday I was felling pretty much the same, we went food shopping, had quite a busy day actually then Liam had work in the evening so I sent him on his way even though by this point I was quite sure I was in labour. 

I had lost my mucus plug in the morning which was tinged with blood so by now I was quite sure it was go time but I knew it would take a while to progress so I thought it best he just go to work as normal and I tried to enjoy a chilled evening on my birthing ball.

I started timing the contractions at about 7pm, Liam arrived home from work at about 11pm and by 4am they were quite close together, every three minutes lasting roughly 1min each. They were painful but I was managing just fine and sort of starting to think that maybe labour wasn't going to be that bad.

 Spoiler: I was so wrong.

We set off for the hospital at about 4am, I had planned on giving birth at the Birth Place at our hospital which is basically a much nicer ward with a more relaxed approach but were informed that it was full and I would have to head to the normal labour ward. This annoyed me a bit but by this point things were starting to hurt a lot more and I just wanted to be examined and get a move on.

We were taken to have some checks done, did a pee sample which was found to have protein in, did my blood pressure which was very high and my temperature was also a little on the high side. I would have been sent home at this point ordinarily as things hadn't progressed as far as I had hoped but due to these red flags I was transferred into a delivery room to settle in. 

The delivery room was actually really nice, large and well equipped so it didn't bother me so much that I wasn't able to go to the fancy Birth Place. Only problem was that there was no chair for Liam to sit on so he spend my 17hour labour alternating between sitting on the window ledge and on a birthing chair which is basically shaped like a horse saddle. Not comfortable for a man!

I'll be honest, I'm not sure what I was hooked up to or what was being injected into me. I didn't care. The pain became unbearable pretty quickly, it will have been intensified by my crazy high temperature and my blood pressure of 178/124 which is really bloody high. I felt like I was handling it, I had my gas and air, I had a cannula inserted which I'll admit was extremely painful but I handled it. I then decided to get up and go for a shower to see if that would reduce the pain, it did reduce the pain, I was in there for 45mins, I didn't want to leave. But getting to the shower, undressing, then redressing and getting back to the bed was so intensely painful that I spent a lot of the time clinging to Liam to stop myself crumpling into a ball on the floor.  Which I did do once.

I hadn't intended on an epidural but the midwife mentioned it to me as she could see I was struggling so I decided to go for it. It took ages for the anaesthetist to come and I was beginning to get extremely fed up with the pain and the waiting so I was pretty damn excited when he finally arrived!

I don't regret the epidural at all as I genuinely don't think I could have carried on without it but oh my god did it hurt getting it done. I had to sit on the side of the bed with my feet up on a stool and lean forward onto Liams shoulders but as babies head was so low down but this point, leaning forward was virtually impossible. I was also slumped to one side throughout, the anaesthetist kept telling me to sit straight otherwise the epidural may not effect both sides of my body evenly but I just couldn't do it. So unfortunately he was completely right and I actually could feel a little on my left side, I could feel my catheter constantly which really hurt and contractions were more intense on my left side. I told the midwife that I was able to feel the catheter and that I could feel it constantly being tugged on but she didn't believe me as the epidural should have stopped that pain but believe me when I say it didn't! 

I was throwing up from the beginning of labour, I was sick at home a few times before we left, I was sick again while being examined initially then the major sick explosion happened when I was at about 8cm dilated. They had been pumping loads of fluids into me and the catheter didn't seem to be working, that fluid had to go somewhere! My legs and feet were so swollen it was unreal! So that is were some of the fluid was going but the rest decided to make its way out in an insane projectile vomit explosion that went all over Liam! All over his clothes and in his shoes! Which he didn't have spares of so poor Liam had to endure the rest of labour wearing sick shoes. With added lumps of Wine Gums.

Once the epidural kicked in the labour became actually pretty enjoyable! We had a lovely student midwife who we chatted to about life, our pets, movies and everything in between. She really made me feel calm and less terrified for a few hours! So a big thank you to her! I was then at 10cm but wasn't allowed to push because they needed to wait for my blood pressure to be under control. Babies heart rate also dropped and what felt like hundreds of people were rushed into the room, luckily it went back up nice and quick but still we had to wait a good few hours before the midwife felt it was safe for me to push him out! 

The actual pushing was taken nice and slow to be on the safe side, it took just over an hour. I know it sounds mental but I actually really enjoyed this part! Due to the epidural I wasn't really feeling pain, just an intense feeling of his head lowering and it felt amazing to feel him slowly coming closer and closer to birth. The midwife kept leaving the room and telling me to continue pushing which was terrifying! What if he came out while she was gone?! I guess she knew he wasn't as close as I thought.

The pain of actually pushing him out can only be described as like nothing I've ever felt before. It was intensely painful but also magical and somehow bearable due to the excitement and feeling of achievement I suppose. The actual labour was so long and the constant pain is what made it unbearable but this was different somehow. 

After roughly an hour and 15mins Rory James Fish in all his goop covered glory was plopped onto my chest. It was surreal, it was life changing and so so emotional.  Neither of us cried, we were both just so shocked and happy. 

Rory was cold and purple, we cuddled for a little bit but then he was taken off to warm him up and try and get him looking and feeling more normal. During this time all the after birth stuff was done, Liam went with the baby and I was checked over (no tears, woohoo!) and had the placenta grossly pulled out of me. All this went well and was basically a walk in the park compared to everything else I had been through. 

Luckily, Rory did perk up and was returned to us to try out breastfeeding and attempt to get some sleep not that we could because we just wanted to stare at him!

We were brought the most amazing tea and toast, dripping with salty butter and it was the best thing we had ever eaten! 

Following his birth we stayed in the hospital for two days. Rory had trouble holding heat so had to be kept under a heat lamp which was not fun with how horribly hot the weather was, I spent two days dripping with sweat and drinking water like it was going out of style. We both had a course of antibiotics to treat suspected sepsis, he pulled out his cannula twice and we both got stabbed, poked and prodded repeatedly but by the Tuesday we got discharged and headed home to start family life!

We arrived home at 11pm so carefully placed Rory in his Moses Basket for the first time! I woke him up to feed every 3 hours but he slept like an angel which I am so thankful for as I was shattered! It was so surreal waking up to this beautiful sight in the morning!

I'm sure i've missed out loads from this birth story but honestly, it was the hardest thing i've ever done. I genuinely don't think I could go through it again but he is so worth it! 

welcome to the world Rory James Fish! We love you so much and can't wait for all our adventures together!

40 Weeks Pregnancy Update!

I wrote this post a few weeks ago and had it saved ready to post. Fast forward to today and I am sat holding my beautiful baby boy! (more on that to come!) But in the meantime, this is my 40 week pregnancy update!

This baby is fully cooked and ready come out! But sadly that doesn't mean he will! 

I really had it in my head that he would come a few weeks early as he is so big already, he's been head down since 17weeks, his head has been engaged for a while already and we had some dates confusion at the beginning of the pregnancy. So because I have been thinking that this whole pregnancy, now I feel like I'm already sooooo overdue due even though I'm not!

Pregnancy has gotten really hard the past few weeks...

1. Maternity leave, without a baby, has gotten truly old. I am so bored! Everything is ready for baby boys arrival so I genuinely have nothing to do and its killing me!

2. I cannot get comfortable. My whole body aches, it doesn't matter what position I am in, sitting, standing, laying, doesn't matter. It hurts.

3. Ive been really trying to make use of the birthing ball and bounce as much as possible but it is easier said than done when your body is this big and painful.

4. Baby boys head is fully engaged and super low down so that is contributing heavily to the discomfort I'm feeling, the bottom of my stomach/pelvis area is just so heavy. I feel like I need to sit with my legs wide open like a man all the time. Too sexy.

5. Stretch marks have been minimal until now but now that baby has dropped I've suddenly gotten horrible red ones under my bump and on my hips. I never thought they would bother me but they really do, they aren't even that bad and I know its completely natural but I have to admit its getting me down a bit.

6. Another sexy symptom is this week is diarrhoea and it is not enjoyable, a lot more often than usual and my farts stink so bad that I keep thinking it's the dog but it's actually me. 

7. My nips have been quite sore this week, they have been leaking for a while but they haven't been sore. So this recent soreness has been crap but hopefully it just means labour is imminent. Wishful thinking.

8. Everything is swollen, my feet, my fingers and my knees are the worse. I can't stand it, I hate not being able to wear my engagement ring and flip flops were ok until our crazy rain this week so because I can't fit in any other shoes so i've been getting very wet feet. 

9. All anyone says to me is "No baby yet?" or every phone call we make is met with "Is it time?!" NO, HES NEVER COMING OUT!

10. We have tried everything we can think of to get this baby out, spicy food, raspberry leaf tea, long walks, birthing ball, massages, sex. The lot. Nothing is budging this boy!

As this will hopefully be my last pregnancy update, I'd just like to say that although these updates don't always make pregnancy out to be all that great. Actually, i've really loved being pregnant, despite all the gross bits, the uncomfortable bits and the stress, it really is the most magical experience. I don't think there is anything quite like growing a little life inside you and I'd do it all again in a heartbeat!