Dime bar.

A friend put it brilliantly when she said 'women who have a baby seem to give birth to their brain too'. Never a truer word spoken. I have become, I'd say, pretty brain dead in the 12weeks since the birth of The Boss. I actually lost my ability to speak, sentences seemingly lost or bundled up somewhere between my brain and my mouth, coming out all messed up where I ended up sounding like a bit of a div. I'd never heard of that before. But then again, I don't think it'd be the thing to tell an expectant mother 'oh by the way, you'll probably become a complete gibbering wreck for about 3months after bubba is born'. That would send most women running for the hills. Or the nearest pub.
Last week I was dog tired from The Boss waking up every hour the night before and we were both a bit sniffly. The Boss wouldn't sleep in the day, at all. It was about 5.30 in the afternoon and I thought i'd get on the bed and maybe a nice snuggle would send her off.. Dear God, what was i thinking! She screamed and screamed and screamed again. So, I got up off the bed and thought we'd take a walk but somehow managed to put my foot in the carrycot which was amongst the organized chaos on the floor, which sent me flying through the air, with babe in arms. I managed to soften the blow with my pre-broken arm on a desk. Ouch.
Living in a flat with no storage seems to create more clutter.. Or is that having a baby?? But ok, I admit it. I'm a hoarder. Hate to throw anything away me, always thinking 'oo, that'll come in handy'. I take the bits of rope off bag handles (you know the posh ones), flatten sweet wrappers, smooth the wrapping paper from gifts easing off the sellotape from the corners, flatten cereal boxes for the card, save bits of broken jewelery, in fact anything that can be re-used i will re-use it. In my mind its all been for a valuable and very green reason. For my future children to create things with.. and at last all this stuff thats cluttering up my tiny little flat will actually come in handy and will be used up. Well, until i get another bag with ropes on it..

x

New Life.. But Not as I know it..

Where do I start?? Its been a whirlwind, I've been in a bubble, my brain is mush, my baby is divine!
My goodness has it really been over 8weeks?? Thats just ridiculous.. The last 8 weeks have covered most bases emotional-wise.. I've smiled, laughed, cried, shouted, cried, wailed, giggled, cried some more and stared at the wonderment that is my little girl.. She is just perfect and it makes me cry just saying that.. At the moment anyway she is sleeping in her cot. Bloody hell, that is a mean feat. She has been sleeping in my bed since day one.. every night.
She weighed 7lb 1oz when she was pulled out of my tummy. Her temperature dropped immediately so she was wrapped in lots of hospital towels to keep her warm before she was given to me. She was howling too, like all babies do, but as soon I held her it stopped. Just like that. She stopped crying and opened those big eyes and looked at me. She was covered in vernix and all swollen from being in all that fluid for 9 whole months, but I loved her. Immediately. She just looked and started to become accustomed to life in this strange old world..
The decisions that we have to make as new parents are aplenty. We have so so many every single day. Do I follow a routine? should I stay in bed? When did I last have a shower? What should I eat? Drink? should I feed her now? Leave it a while? Does she need changing? Is that a poo? In fact what is that?! Is she tired? Blah blah blah..
You give birth to this little gift and the hospital just let you go. Without saying 'excuse me, where do you think you're going?" This is easy you think.. Thats the easy part. Back there. At the hospital. Its dead simple in there. Once you leave the hospital thats when the real work starts..
So, here begins life as an ecomum. Here life is very different from before. But i'm excited. In my weary, exhausted state I see excitement ahead, changes afoot and madness unfolding...

x

The Opposite Side of Saturday Morning..

I actually got up and was in the car by 9am on a sunny, chilly autumn Saturday to go to, no not another club, but to a second hand baby clothes sale. Mum and i joined the long queue of eager yummy mummy's and daddy's and prams and prams of baby's and small children. I couldn't believe what we were doing.. its like queuing up for a Next sale isn't it, why bother with all that faff for a couple of quid off?
Once we paid the NCT entry fee of a measly £1.50 and got through the big doors of the town hall, we realised why everyone did this.. It was outrageously cheap. I mean I spent £20 and pretty much got all the bubba's stuff in one swoop.. even the obligitory Christmas outfit. There was lots of pushing and shoving and being nearly at the 8months mark it wasn't the most ideal scenario for me.. but hell, I'd push through anyone for a 50p pack of bibs.

Its worrying though. For me. Is this what life has become?? A world of going to clothes sales, getting up early, having no sleep, being stupid all the time, having no money, having breakfast in the middle of the night, being a role-model for a small person... Life really is going to change.. But you know what? To be perfectly honest... I'm quite up for it. Its quite exciting. Its my chance to behave like a kid again. But obviously I'll have a firm assertive voice while I am making houses out of the living room sofa..

Rants and Stretch Marks..

I went into the maternity section of Topshop on Oxford Street the other day.. I know, its not the most eco-friendly of shops but I am poor and really want a swimsuit that isn't a) second hand or, b) hugely expensive.. So Topshop it is.. Sorry if that is letting the side down, but all I want is a bloody swimsuit! Anyway, seem to be trying to justify that to myself... but it is beautifully laid out and looks like a proper clothes shop, not a special maternity shop with rubbish clothes..

Anyway, I walked up to the changing room with my swimsuits... there is a queue of pregnant women, about 4 of us.. and a big sofa . But who is sitting on the sofa I hear you ask? Men. Yep, the HaB's. The Husbands and Boyfriends of the women trying stuff on. Now, I'm not one for kicking people out of their seats, but it drives me insane when a man doesn't get up for a pregnant woman on public transport. Strangely, its usually the women who do that. I realise that I'll be waiting in this queue a while and am exhausted, Oxford Street on a Saturday, what was I thinking?? So I ask one of the guys if they could move up so I could sit down.. I was met with a look of disqust.. This bloke said to me 'can't you sit there?' pointing to the middle and very uncomfy bit of the sofa.. What? WHAT? 'Are you serious?' I replied. To which he aggressively moved over huffing and puffing.. His lady friend then appeared, the poor poor woman. All the women in the queue and me looked at her with a serious look of.. how can I put this, yep theres only one word to use.. pity. We pitied her. What a bloke. Doesn't want to stand up for pregnant women and would probably be the kind of guy who would scream and shout at his pregnant girlfriend, never thinking of the consequences. Nice.

Rant over. I promise.

I'm now 32 weeks pregnant and still cannot believe what is happening.. My tummy is getting massive and so are the boobs.. I have been given lots of advice on stretch marks, as you will too.

Best advice? Moisturise with an oil all the time. Like EVERYDAY. It may not work for everyone. But it feels nice. My tummy looks pretty smooth but my boobs are like starfish.. quite hilarious.

Here's a couple of nice eco products I've been using:

Bio-Oil, that expensive stuff in Boots that you either have to ask for from behind the counter if you live in a dodgy part of London or is in a funny plastic box. Really it does work. Firstly forget the price, you're giving up drinking for over 9months, probably never going out and have a penchant for daytime TV, so spending £40 over this period on a nice oil is nothing. If you massage it daily, morning and night time, into your tummy, boobs and bum, not only does it feel nice for you, your baby will be getting a special little massage that they will love once they come out of your tummy. Its pretty green too .. http://www.bio-oil.info/en/environment/index

Neals Yard also do a wonderful Mothers range that I've been introduced to by a lovely friend. http://shop.nealsyardremedies.com/product/1210/Mothers_Massage_Oil
They use all natural ingredients and also smell divine. They know the oils that pregnant women can have so you don't have to worry that you're gonna pass out from too much lavender. Being 100% organic makes this a pretty good bet. For £12.99 for the massage oil, its a bit of a treat but its very relaxing for you and bubba.

Next week... we'll be having a look at nappies and other baby stuff.. and i will have gone to a real life baby sale.. oh god, what am I letting myself in for..

bye x