Hey laura here!
So today I have reached the 38 weeks pregnant milestone! No there is not a sign of any appearance from baby and yes my uterus is still irritable!
But I wanted to share with you the better parts of pregnancy. The items and people who have helped shaped the whole thing. Because let’s face it, this has not been a pleasant experience by any stretch of the imagination but at least there have been some pros to al of this.
So here goes…
Good books
I was advised very early on in my pregnancy not to become inundated by excess amounts of parenting books, websites, forums .. mums speaking from experience, not to mention the constant guidance from local authorities and leaflets. I’m sorry but in every single one piece of “information” and it doesn’t tell you when or how to wash a baby. I know this may seem like a basic thing to everyone but I’m sat here like how the hell do I even do that!?
What do I do if my baby doesn’t want to breastfeed like the leaflet tells me I have to do?
How do we get into a routine like every other parent on the planet? How is this possible when I don’t have my own routine?
So after reading the online reviews (thank you amazon users) I bought Holly Willoughbys Truly happy baby. Boy I’m glad I did. Because, not only does it offer practical advice but also an element of voice of reason. It basically tells you what you already know. Each child and baby is different! Well who’d thought that eh?
I didn’t buy any other books! I certainly didn’t need to. It has given me reassurance that we will make it work some how and I can’t express my sincere gratitude for making a practical guide that is easy to follow.
Another of my favourite books is.. Hurrah for gin! By the lovely Katie Kirby. If you haven’t read it.. I throughly recommend it! This was a Christmas present. It has probably saved my life! Whilst Holly’s book offers good guidance, Katie’s book offers so much more. It doesn’t tell you what you should or shouldn’t be doing. It tells you the ups and downs of parenting. It guides you through the next stages of having a child without a set routine of worry!
This book had saved my life because it’s written by a parent for parents who quite frankly like me do not have a bloody clue what they are doing! That children don’t have a designated manual to follow, they are their own tiny individual human selves and for Katie to make me see that.. then she has saved my life. Because up until I read her book I worried that I was going to get it so wrong. You know because people tell you that.. they actually do. They actually think that you won’t cope and need help… yes this was said to me!
Firstly let me pop out the baby… maybe then you can judge me
And secondly I’m gunna try my hardest!
alcohol free drinks. This may seem like the most ridiculous thing ever but have you ever been out in a bar, sober around Christmas time.. heavily pregnant? Yeah people still don’t get that last part. And becomes a complete mystery when they ask you if you would like a drink.
“Yeah sure I will have a coke…”
“Oh yeah your pregnant and boring” that’s when they bugger off to the bar laughing!
Ha ha ha! Yeah super funny! Actually the current guidelines recommend that all pregnant ladies are to avoid alcohol of any level at any stage of pregnancy! Yep! All of it! Gone are the days when women were advised to drink Guinness “to bring up their iron levels.” Now it’s nothing!
(It’s at this point I would like you to google iron contain in Guinness… because I guess you would need quite a few pints a day to raise your iron levels… just saying).
So as well as trying to follow the guidance and be on my best behaviour I’m trying to give my child the best start in life. So that makes me boring .. so be it! However, some bright spark came up with a different type of alcohol free drinks.. that surprise surprise look like alcoholic drinks! Oh dear lord thank you!
First example.. the elderflower and green tea sparkling white that is available in Morrisons. Comes in a wine looking green bottle! Tastes delicious.. looks the part but it’s … drum roll…….
Alcohol free! Hallelujah!and about £2.50 in price! Epic!
If that wasn’t enough some equally bright spark at Heineken has produced a ZERO per cent beer! That is now being sold across bars and restaurants. So guess what you can look like your getting absolutely smashed but you aren’t doing anything at all! It even has a nice big zero written on the front so people can actually see you aren’t trying to harm your child. When they do that whole double take bump.. beer..bump.. zero.. ohhhhhhh thing! Excellent!
Equally it’s good for your bank balance as most places charge between £1.25-£1.50 for one. Tastes just as good as the real thing and is also perfect for the teetotaller or designated drivers! Amazing!
Steam mop…if you don’t have one.. invest! That’s all I can say on the matter really!
Gym ball. So over the last few weeks, I have literally been sat on my gym ball. Some would say it’s to coax the baby out.. and this is partly true. However it is the most comfortable item in my house. Overriding the couch and my bed by a long shot. I don’t know what magic powers it seems to have but it has been a god send!
Yes it takes up a lot of space. It when you can’t get comfortable at four am, then you sit on that ball! It takes so much pressure from your lower back and bump. Especially like me that the uterus has its own mind. I can’t praise it enough!
Do your research first! I can tell you now.. there is not a little bit of difference between a birthing ball and a gym ball.
Nothing! Absolutely NOTHING! They are made from the same material! They do the same job! The only difference is the price.
Birthing ball £30!
Normal gym ball £6.99…you can thank me later! Do not give in to temptation and buy it because it says “birthing” come on I know you are smarter than that!
Now that’s the “items” covered I can move onto people!
So I’m not going to list individuals to say thank you to but more give homage to the category they fit into. So here goes ..
Home delivery
Yes this may seem increasingly and incredibly lazy. But I have saved a fortune. I’m not distracted by things I could purchase. I have a set list. I press the list. And 3 hours later it’s in my fridge! Who doesn’t like that idea! On a practical note it actually saves me from going to the supermarket where I can not either get into a parent and toddler bay or I can not get out of the parking space because some idiot parks up next me. So it saves a lot of time! Thank heavens!
Bio oil… yeah I’m not sure how much this actually helps but subconsciously it has worked in my brain. The reality is I’m probably very lucky that my stomach has very stretch marks… and more will come out after the baby is here.. but if bio oil wants to take the credit then be my guest. Plus it’s really nice to just rub into your skin twice a day 🙂
Mummy friends. I know earlier (i this exact same blog post) I wrote “mums that speak from experience” this was not an attempt to display any sort of dislike for this group of friends. In fact I am very grateful for every bit of advice I have had from them so far. Because my friends with children are the ones who have been invaluable. I have watched for years as my mummy friends have gone on and had children, raised them.. handed them over to me as the single outcast so they can go and Drink a hot cup of coffee. I will be honest I never really understood it. But actually you can’t really until another life form takes hold of you and makes you into a weirdo…
But my god when you think at 2am that your losing your mind with pregnancy worries I have messaged them and they they have done their best to support me! And kept me sane! I don’t know where I would be without them!
My friends without children!
Are fucking awesome! If it wasn’t for them and their current adventures I don’t know what I would do! The best thing they have done in the last few weeks and months is talk to me about anything else other than pregnancy. About how their partner is a complete dick. How dating sucks! Do you know how much right now I miss just talking about normal stuff. Because as soon as you find out you are pregnant people don’t see past this at all! You are just a baby making machine and to hell with the individual actually making it.
Thank you to this group of wonderful people! I’m just sorry I’m not feeling too great to meet you all for coffee but just the invite alone means the world to me! Or just texting me to tell how Work is! Yes! I have used my brain for more than thinking about my next load of washing!
Equally this group of people currently has me distracted by wedding planning, Pinterest, love stories and a life of excitement!
People with a god damn sense of humour!
If you don’t have one just leave! I mean if people ask you do you know what your having…
and don’t find your response of “a baby” funny. They need to leave!
But when people just get that you may have sat on that chair at work, similar to the one the other 999 people have… and they laugh at the response of I hope it’s not plastic with wheels! Then they are should be kept close to you at all times! Because my god… they too are funny people!
Family… what can I say.. you have one family don’t lose them.
Hubby. Is amazing! Although he takes the piss out of me all the time. He is excellent! Incredibly excited and partly a bit nervous too! Thanks hubby!
Off to bounce around the living room on my ball!
Laura
Xxx