Products for Mamas To Be

At 39 weeks, already resting at home, I decided it is time to share some of my little secrets that have made a huge difference for me throughout my pregnancy and some other discoveries that I am hoping to help during labour and the very first weeks after birth. All the products are a personal choice of course and I am only sharing my experience with you, hoping to help other mums-to-be.

I choose to take Solgar vitamins from beginning of my pregnancy and they have proven to be really great, especially if you have issues with iron in other vitamins. The iron in these is a unique form, formulated for maximum absorption without gastrointestinal irritation or the constipating effects that often accompany iron supplementation. 

At 39 weeks I haven't got any stretch marks and have been using Weleda Stretch Mark Oil since I was about 16 weeks pregnant. This oil is absolutely great, it doesn't stain your clothes, absorbs really nicely and leaves your skin soft and elastic. I would strongly recommend this product, it is totally worth the price and you can find it cheaper on Amazon. 

From about 34 weeks it is advisable that you start to practice your perineum massage to avoid any tearing during labour. Although I have started a lot later, it is still worth it to do it as it definitely helps your skin to stretch and prepare for the big day. You can buy any Almond or other vegetable pure oil, I have been using Neal's Yard Almond Oil and been really happy with it. 

The Weleda Nursing Oil can be used from 38 weeks of your pregnancy to gently nourish and soothe your breasts in preparation for nursing. It supports healthy lactation and stimulates free milk flow.
All these products are natural and safe for you and your baby.

 

From left to right: 

* Solgar Prenatal Nutrients (Multivitamin and Mineral Formula for Pregnant and Lactating Women) throughout your pregnancy and while breastfeeding;

* Neal's Yard Almond Oil - use for perineal massage from 34 weeks of your pregnancy;

* Weleda Stretch Mark Massage Oil - throughout your pregnancy;

* Weleda Nursing Oil - massage gently on your breasts from 38 weeks and while breastfeeding

I have been reading 'The Gentle Birth Method' by Dr Gowri Motha and trying to follow her advice on most of the aspects of pregnancy and labour. Here are three safe products that would help you during the contractions and stages of labour. I have also been drinking raspberry leaf tea from around 34 weeks of my pregnancy to tone the muscles of my uterus (womb) to help it work better during labour. The idea is not so much to speed up labour, but to help it to progress at a nice, steady pace. Please, consult your doctor or midwife before taking raspberry leaf tea as it is not recommended to everyone.

From left to right: 

* Bach Rescue Remedy - extract from five flowers to comfort and reassure you. Take a few drops under the tongue every 15 minutes once contractions become regular;

* Lemon Glucose tablets for energy (lemon also tends to reduce any nausea)

* Tens Machine - you can rent out one of these and use when your contractions start. If you are planning on giving a water birth like me, you will be able to use the machine until going into the birthing pool, but not before that).

The last set of products are supposed to help you during the first hours and days of breastfeeding and soothe any pain you may have after episiotomy and perineal bruising. 

From left to right: 

* Lansinoh Soothing Gel Pads; 

* Lansinoh Lanolin for sore nipples and cracked skin; 

* Earth Mama Angel Baby Organics Postpartum Bath Herbs (100% Organic Herbal Pads for Postpartum Bottom Problems) 

* Neuner's Nursing Tea - Organic Herbal Blend for breastfeeding mums

Nursery Rhymes!

Sooo, our sweet nursery corners are ready and with only few more days before our little one arrives, we are both very excited!

I am feeling like a baby whale - that bump is getting really heavy and uncomfortable, so happy that it shouldn't be for much longer now.

Trying to keep fit and positive. Exercise and eat healthy! :)

Tiny Treasures

As the days are passing by, I have started to get really excited and ready to meet our little one. We have decided to go for Mia as a girl's name or Maxim if it is a boy!

With only four more weeks before Maternity Leave and Christmas coming round the corner my smile is getting bigger and bigger. If only I wasn't feeling like a little elephant myself! :)

Shopping list: 

* Stardust Pom Pom Garland - £19 - www.olliella.com

* Elephant Doll - £25 - Moulin Roty from selected retailers

* Pure Cotton Cable Knit Baby Blanket - £16 - www.marksandspencer.com

* 3 Pack Pure Cotton Dog Print Sleepsuits (only one shown) - £15 for a set of 3 - www.marksandspencer.com

* Pure Cotton Bear Face Knitted Hat - £5 - www.marksandspencer.com

Time for Shopping!

And I mean baby shopping!

Next week is one of the biggest baby shows in Olympia Kensington in London! Make sure you have got yours and daddy's credit cards aligned and head off for a day to grab some fantastic offers and explore the amazing world of baby products!

Here is our winner for a baby pushchair!

Mima Xari in Snow White is the ultimate and very elegant stroller that will turn heads on the streets, but also make your baby feel incredibly comfortable. The Dutch design is amazing and comes with many accessories for your and baby comfort! Definitely worth the price!

http://www.mimakids.com/

Beans on Toast

Kids Merino Top by PaulandPaula shop on Etsy

And so I started to count the days towards my second trimester when everything was supposed to magically get better. But oh... how time doesn't fly when you are stuck at home for too long being incapable of even the small things...

The days were dragging and I gradually became so depressed, I thought my current condition will never pass.

I could cry at anything, anytime and anywhere... Good old Friends series were the only one to make me laugh loud during the day.

And food.... ohhhh, eating was a story on its own. I was running out of ideas as to what to eat without making myself go sick again. Toasted bread and beans, bananas, tagliatelle and cherry tomatoes were always a good bet for me. But to make a person eat every two-three hours when before eating sometimes only twice a day...that was quite an experience.

The thing that was giving me enough peace and strength to fight was that nausea was a sign of a good, healthy pregnancy and yes, it does get better (although that seemed more like a myth at the time).

Two pink lines

Rolling Wooden Rabbit by Fallinlo on Etsy.com

I never really thought about how pregnancy can change your life. The baby itself - yes, but what it takes for this little person to come out to the world is a completely different story.

So here I was in week six, hugging the toilet each and every single morning before I could even open my eyes.

 

What was I thinking! A month left before graduating my Graphic Design course, doing my full time job and running a small cleaning agency - something had to give up!

And just after couple of helpless days I found myself spending 90% of the time in bed for the rest of my first trimester. All duties had to obviously wait until I can breathe, eat, sleep and walk normally again.