Maternity fashion: The hospital bag

Seen as I recently did a post on hospital bag necessities I thought I should show you all some great pieces you can buy for your hospital visit.

I love these Pajamas from asos.ie for €39.44. The colours are lovely and the top is great as it's a nursing top. It's comfy and casual and great for once you get home as you will live in your Pajamas for at least a week! But these are nice for when you have visitors over and don't feel like getting dressed.

The double layered top is great for discreet nursing.

This dressing gown from asos.ie is €49.29. It's nice and light which I would recommend for the hospital as they tend to pump up the heat in there. I would only suggest bringing a fleece one if you intend on going outside during your stay. If this one is a little pricy then penny's/primark does a lovely waffle dressing gown for just €10

These nursing bras are the bees knees if your small chested like me (I can't say what they are like for big busted ladies)! I have 2 one nude and one black. They are comfy and easy to use. I'm still wearing mine and I stopped breastfeeding 3 weeks ago oops!!! They are €16 from asos.ie but have a look on eBay if you have the time to wait the same ones are only about €5 from China.

This style of underwear is what I would recommend these ones are from asos.ie but penny's and I'm sure many other places do the same style. I got these specifically for my hospital bag but ended up having to buy a second pack as I wore them for the last month of my pregnancy. They are so comfortable and I love anything that sits over the bump! These ones are €14 and penny's do the same for about €3 and its a much better choice than those horrible disposable ones.

I hope this helps as you start to plan your hospital bag. Remember comfort is your main priority for after having your baby so choose large sizes and stretchy fabrics! X

Cry baby

All babies cry! It's just a fact of life. They do it because they are hungry, tired, dirty and some babies once evening comes will just cry for no apparent reason at all. Many will tell you your baby is colicky and you might be told to try different remedies for which may not work because colic does not just mean trapped wind it also refers to a baby who is unsettled and will resist soothing especially in the evenings. 
This type of crying is often referred to as Purple crying. It is a normal part of babies development.
PURPLE is an acronym that describes what it happening during this time 

• P. Peak of crying. Baby may cry more and more each week peaking at 2 months and lessening there after.
• U. Unexpected. This crying comes from nowhere and has no reason as baby is clean, fed, warm etc
• R. Resists soothing. You rock, bounce and walk the floors for hours but nomatter what you do baby won't calm down.
• P. Pained expression. This can be stressful because baby's scrunched up face looks like he is in pain.
• L. Long lasting. Crying can go on for hours.
• E. Evening. Your baby can be perfectly fine all day but as soon as you go to start dinner he begins to cry.

This type of crying can continue until baby is 4 or 5 months but is usually at its worst at 2 months old. It can be very stressful for parents when there baby is perfectly happy all day but then once the witching hour hits there baby seems to be crying in pain for hours.

Remember this is all apart of babies development and baby is fine. It is actually more dangerous for parents and caregivers as this type of crying can be so stressful that some may snap and shake baby out of frustration causing brain damage and even death to baby. 

Ways that I dealt with PURPLE crying. When Logan was a few weeks old we found he cried and cried for no reason in the evenings and I began to research why. I found many articles on purple crying and over stimulation in babies. Babies are born with very underdeveloped brains and lying in a room with bright lights, lots of noise and visitors cooing over him all day can be too much for there brains to handle and so crying begins. 
I found if at about 4pm (an hour before Logans witching hour began) I took him up to bed in a dark, quite room and lay with him while he rested or napped for a couple of hours then his crying would be alot less in the evening. 

You may be lucky and find some way to ease babies crying in a similar way or your baby may just have to cry it out. Just remember baby is fine and if you feel stressed put baby down somwhere safe like in its crib and take a few minutes to calm down. Baby will be perfectly fine left crying for a little while and your sanity is important to babies safety! 

Maternity fashion: holidays

Sorry for the lack of maternity fashion last week I was away on a little holiday with the boys. In good news it's given me the inspiration for this week's fashion blog!! How to dress on holidays!! Whether it's a stay-cation or a trip abroad here are my favorite pieces from my favorite maternity shops!! 

I love this dress for just €25.35 from asos.ie. It's perfect for dinner by the beach or a boat trip (if your stomach can take it). It's very wearable at home or abroad.

This is a fab kaftan from asos.ie for €39.44. Gorgeous on the beach over your swimwear or for stopping into a cafe for lunch and doing a little shopping. The snakeskin pattern is very on trend and the colour is subtle. I love the little sleeves if your like me and hate your bingo wings!

These over the bump shorts are a great length if your conscious of your thighs. They are stretchy and comfortable. Put with a tee and converse or blouse and sandles to go from casual to dressy. For just €14.99 from New Look maternity.

This swimsuit from mothercare is the nicest one I could find online. Asos and New Look have loads to choose from but I love this one it's cute and I love the mismatch top and bottom colours. It costs €32.99

Espadrilles are very popular at the moment and I love this pair from asos.ie for €28.15. They are light comfortable and very summery.

Flip flops are great for swollen feet and in the hot weather I'd say most pregnant women are suffering with at least some swelling! Penny's/primark sell great cheap Flip flops, you could have a pair in every colour! Or if you want to splash the cash  these cute Ted Baker ones from asos.ie for €54.93 are so dainty and sweet.

So enjoy the summer pregnant ladies I hope the heats not to much for you x 

Getting ready for baby! The hospital bag.

At the 7th month of your pregnancy you should be starting to put together yours and the baby's hospital bag. And at 8 months pregnant your bag should be ready to go as baby could arrive any day as about 11% of babies are born before 37 weeks!
Here's a list of everything you, your baby and your partner may need during your hospital visit.

For Mammy:

1. A light cotton nightdress with buttons for nursing 
2. Comfortable underwear you don't mind throwing away 
3. Cotton Pajamas 
4. A light robe
5. Nursing bra
6. Going home outfit
7. Slippers
8. Maternity pads
9. Nipples cream
10. Breast pads
11. Pillow
12. Towels
13. Shampoo/conditioner 
14. Shower gel
15. Loofah
16. Toothbrush 
17. Toothpaste 
18. Face wash
19. Face Wipes
20. Flip flops for in the shower 
21. Deodorant
22. Phone charger 
23. Camera and batteries/charger
24. Hair brush and bobbins
25. Makeup (if you feel you will need it)
26. Snacks and water

You may not even need or use half of this! I was in hospital exactly 30 hours and came home with a bag full of things I never used but you can never be sure of what will happen in your labor and you could end up having to stay in for a few days!

I definitely recommend bringing a body/nursing pillows it's thanks to mine I could get comfortable when trying to sleep and feed.

If you are getting brand new slippers for the hospital break them in before you pack them. I spent a few very uncomfortable hours in labour in slippers that were too tight because they were brand new! 
Make sure your pyjamas are light as hospitals tend to be hot. And make sure you can nurse in them. I got a few pairs of cotton stretchy bottoms and a set of nursing vests.

Baby:

1. 5 vests
2. 5 baby grows/sleep suits
3. Hats
4. Miss
5. Nappies
6. Towel 
7. Wash cloth 
8. Cotton wool 
9. Blanket 
10. Going home outfit 

Bring a few sizes of baby cloths as you can't be too sure what size your baby will be. We wernt quite prepared of a 10 pound baby and he just about fit in the clothes we brought.

Hats are a necessity as baby can't regulate it's temperature in the first few days and you need to keep his brain warm. (that sounds wierd but it's true)

You may need more clothes and nappies depending on how long you stay but that's what daddy is there for, send him home with the dirty clothes and he can bring in some fresh clean ones. Have him trained to use the washing machine and he can even have the used ones clean by the time you get home!!! 

Daddy:

1. Socks 
2. Underwear 
3. T-shirt
4. Deodorant 
5. Change for the vending machine.

Child birth is strenuous and exhausting for daddy too and he may need a change of clothes for after. And if he is allowed to stay over night he will definitely need some fresh socks! 

Dummies!! The great debate!

Are you a dummie mummie?? 
With my first baby I did not want to have Corey reliant on a dummy. Every thing I read said they where no good, they would mess up his teeth and cause a lisp. And I didn't want to go through the struggle of weening him off it as he got older. I had one for him and tried him with it for a week but as I was breastfeeding I felt he didn't need it and when he didn't take to it straight away I stopped trying! 

But with Logan I am much more relaxed and I'm not trying to be the world's best mom, just a good mom! If it gives him joy and makes my life easier I say go for it ! I tried alot longer and he wasn't to impressed with it at first. But since I gave up breastfeeding its has become our lifeline! He used to use me to sooth himself to sleep once he finished feeding and when we moved onto bottles he needed to dummy to help him relax and get to sleep as he has a strong need to suck! 
I would rather use a dummy than have logan become a thumb sucker! Dummies are shaped to sit in a child's mouth the same way it's mothers nipples would when feeding. Thumbs are not pliable or the right shape and can have a negative impact on babies jaw development. It is also easier to ween a child off a dummy as you can take it away where a thumb is alway there.
Sucking on a soother can train a child's oral motor function which will aid with learning to speak. My Corey never had a dummy and he has a very prominent lisp and my nieces and nephew had dummies and they are lisp free.

Not all babies have a strong suck reflex so they may not need a dummy where other babies so and as long as it's not used as a plug when the child doesn't really need it and only as a soother to fall asleep then I see no harm in using a dummy. But it's a personal choice for every parent! 

Family Fun: MCM Comiccon

Its that time of year again....Time for Comic con!!! 

I know nerd alert!!! But we are a comic, movie and anime loving family!!
Last year we went to both Dublin comic con and MCM comic con. We just decided to go to MCM comic con on a whim. It was about a month after Dublin comic con and we had such a good time at that so we decided to check it out. We brought Corey as it was free for kids unsure but hoping he would have a good time. 
Now I personally wouldn't say Dublin comic con is totally child friendly, its very busy and crowded and there isn't much for kids to do. And for this reason we were worried MCM would be similar and Corey would be bored or overwhelmed by the crowds. We could not have been more wrong...
MCM comic con at the Rds is great for kids and families. Its free in for kids after 11am and its only 10 entry for adults. We havnt had problems finding on street parking both times we went and the bus stops right outside the RDS so it's easy to get to.
 It has great stands selling everything from anime teddies like our one Punch Man plushie

 to cool t-shirts and art work. There is a wrestling ring with fights going on all day. The kids will love the robot wars fight bots that you can use to play a game of football. There are people dressed as Batman and Starwars characters who are only delighted to stop and have pictures taken with the little and big kids alike! 
The RDS has its own little resturant where we stopped to refuel and feed Logan. And there are several food trucks including an Eddie Rockets outside the venue as well as several resturants just across the street from the RDS so your spoilt for choice.
A majority of the attendies are in cos play so there is plenty to look at just checking out there cool costumes. They even have a brilliant show where you can go on stage and show off your cos play and act out a piece for the audience. There were kids as young as 3 taking part and I must say that it's the highlight of the day!! Corey is determined to get a costume together and join in next year.

It is a great day out and we will definitely be attending for years to come.

Struggling to accept my post baby body!!

Im struggling with my post baby weight which Im sure is the same for so many new mammies out there!!
Before I got pregnant I put a lot of time and effort into loosing weight. I had lost 50 pounds over a year and I was the smallest I have been since I was a child. I promised myself I wouldn't put on a lot of weight in my pregnancy but hormones and morning sickness had other plans for me and I ate way too often to try and keep the sickness at bay. I put on all the weight I had lost and now Im here again unhappy in my body.
But I have to remember that the weight I put on in pregnancy is there for a reason, to nourish my beautiful baby and they make his cuddles extra squishy and cosey.
So I wrote this silly little poem when I should have been asleep to help me appreciate my wobbley bits!!!

Mammy ,
When I'm sitting upon your soft pudgy lap,
Im so glad I dont fall between your thigh gap.
And when napping in your arms becomes our thing,
I won't need a pillow just your bingo wing.
I love when we cuddle and I rest my head,
I use your soft squishy tummy as my cosey baby bed.
When your soft round face is what I look up and see,
The smile on my face shows how happy you make me.

That look of absolute love on my babies face makes me feel beautiful. Deep down I dont regret a single pound I put on because in the end I got my happy, gorgeous baby to show for it!!

I have already started my weight loss regime and its going well so far I want to loose all the weight I put on for my wedding in 2018. I have plenty of time!

Maternity fashion: The Wedding

When I was 8 months pregnant we went to a friends wedding. I hated the idea of being a big fat pregnant woman surrounded by beautiful wedding guests all glammed up. I was very unsure about where to get a dress I didn't want to waste a lot of money for somthing I would wear once. I was also worried about getting somthing and then growing so large it wouldn't fit by the wedding. I searched online and found a beautiful dress on asos. I was a bit nervous buying somthing before trying it on. It was on sale for €20 down from €65. I was delighted with it when it arrived. The dress was stretchy and comfortable with lots of room to grow. I felt beautiful in my dress and I was comfortable which is so important when your so heavily pregnant. As I was naturally uncomfortable all the time.
These are a few of my favorite dresses around at the moment for if your going to a wedding, if your a bridesmaid and even if you yourself are a pregnant bride to be.

This gorgeous dress is from asos and it costs just €35.21 which is a bargain for an occasion dress. I love the sleeve detail. This dress would be great for someone who hates showing there arms off which was a big thing for me during my pregnancy.

I just love this dress from asos the print and colours are beautiful and I love the little ruffle down the front. It's €67.60 so a bit pricier but if you have the money it's a beautiful dress.

Here is a bargain dress for a pregnant bridesmaid. It's €59.15 from asos it's a lovely long length and very floaty and comfortable for a long day of serving your brides every whim. 

Tiffanyrose.com sells some beautiful affordable maternity wedding dresses. This is my favorite its elegant and comfortable and costs only €255.

So dont fret if you have a wedding coming up as there is plenty of choice out there!! You and your bump will look beautiful!!!!

Water wipes

This video from Water Wipes highlights the importance of skin to skin contact with your baby. It's somthing I recommend if you can do it straight after birth or as soon as possible if complications arise. 
Skin to skin contact stimulates mums milk supply, develops babies sucking instinct and regulates there breathing. It has been shown to help pre-terms babies by reducing stress and regulating there heartbeat. It also benifits mam and dad by enducing calming effects and lifting there moods.
Please check out this video but be warned it might enduce broodyness and even a few tears!!
 https://youtu.be/O7E_c3G3LPA

#purelove

Breastfeeding and your waistline

When researching breastfeeding you read about all the amazing benefits it has for you and baby and one big thing for alot of women when choosing to breastfeed would be that it helps you get back to your pre pregnancy weight! It burns over 500 calories a day so why wouldn't you loose weight doing it!?
Well that's not always the case! 2 months in and apart from the initial 30 pounds I dropped in birth and in water weight I have not lost an ounce, in fact I actually put on 3 pounds the week I tried to diet!!
Breast feeding slows your metabolism, it causes water retention, it makes you super hungry and the hormones it releases cause you to store fat even when your eating well.
The one week that I tried to diet I ate really well salads and fruit and very little trash and I went walking loads I put on 3 pounds and it affected my milk supply so I had to go back to eating normally.
Now this would never stop me from deciding to breastfeed my baby I know it's best for baby and it would always be my first choice for my kids. But I feel it's unfair for breastfeeding advocates to make women believe the fat will just melt away and you will be back to your prepregnancy weight in no time if you breastfeed. I have looked on lots of forums and there are so many women in the same situation. Wondering why they are putting on weight when they were promised tiny tummies through breastfeeding. 
Now I know it might sound selfish but I have decided to stop breastfeeding at 10 weeks because I'm so hungry all the time I'm putting on weight and it's making me miserable! If I wasn't worried about getting my figure back for my wedding I would probably keep breastfeeding for a few more months. But at the moment the weight I'm putting on is more weight I'll have to work hard to loose in time for finding my dream wedding dress!! 
I'm only going ahead with this because Logan seems so much more content in the past week. He is able to self sooth and get himself to sleep where a few weeks ago I had to breastfeed him to get him to sleep most of the time! I feel like he is past the 4th trimester and is perfectly happy drinking bottles, he barley needs me to feed him anymore. Nights will be tough, actually having to get up and make a bottle at 5 in the morning will be hard but I need to do this for myself. The past year has been all about Logan I feel like I need to do this as I'm so unhappy in my body like this! 
I wish I was one of the lucky ones and that breastfeeding benefited my waistline but no such joy. I guess it's hard work and exercise from here in out!!