Good Morning! 

I did something this weekend that I'm very proud of.. A rift has existed amongst me and some family members for a few years and this weekend we finally put old ghosts to rest and made up. There was no need to go over old ground, start making the past seem very much part of the future, it was a case of letting sleeping dogs lie. And we've got northern blood, so too much talking about 'feelings' makes us go all weird. It was a thoroughly British-stiff-upper-lip-brush-it-all-under-the-carpet chink of the glasses and a nod to it all being cool.

Its a tough one letting go of a grudge, but for the health and the happiness of the family it was absolutely the right thing to do. No more animosity. Feels good to say that. And its a sunny day. The rain has finally stopped after a seemingly endless month of wet and windy weather. Could the day start off any better? Somethings bound to go wrong..... 

Getting Dressed - A Very Good Idea

Mornings have always been unbelievably stressful in this house. Actually I'm lying, not just mornings, whole days. The screaming and mentalist tendencies of the simple action of getting dressed could sometimes take over 5 hours.. After which time I was loosing the will to live and The Boss was having a great time. The point where The Boss started realising she could choose was when it all changed. She would absolutely not, no way wear anything I told her to wear. Even down to knickers and socks. Every morning turned into a full blown battle just to get out of the door. I did on a number of occasions take her out in her pyjamas, just shoved wellies on the bottom. I thought she might feel silly, but she quite liked it. Sort of like a naughty treat. I suppose when I go to the shop in my pyjamas on a Sunday morning with my coat over the top I sort of like it too.

Anyway, a few weeks ago I took the advice of a friend and started saying to The Boss that she must get dressed before breakfast. It took about 3 days (thats the usual time span for new routines to settle - strange) for her to stop screaming at me and actually realise I meant business. Stick to your plan, don't back down and don't under any circumstances scream back (its hard, we've all done it) then those little angels eventually realise that this getting dressed thing is quite fun. I have always found that involving The Boss in choosing their own outfit makes for an easier time but some bananas outfits. We now leave the house mostly happy with The Boss dressed head to toe in pink or blue or as a rabbit super girl. Oh to be 3.... How on earth this has taken me 3 years to work out I don't know.. x

Shit Trip.

A little trip to the shops, surely shes old enough to cope with that? Surely I'm able to cope with that? The Boss and I have had so many tantrums in shopping scenarios its put me off for life. But its ok now, right? Wrong! Thought we'd make a little trip to the local shopping capital to get some sheets for the bed (what an riveting life i lead). TK Maxx, I'd been informed, was the place to go.

So, off we trundled on the overground, happy smiley faces all round. This is fun! Heading to the aforementioned shop all giggles and grapes I actually felt a bit like a rabbit in headlights.. totally out of my depth.. already stressed. I'm literally shoving breadsticks into The Boss's hands.  Then we're in. Goodness, what a wilderness of stuff.. so many things.. who needs all this gear? Right, stop looking at the plates with want, stop browsing the unnecessary garden furniture, I'm here for sheets.  Ah, is this it? Simon Cowell would even turn his nose up at some of these. Revolting. Beyond vile. Then there's the selection that'd keep the Pat Butchers of this world happy... hmmm probably come on the wrong day. Lets go. But hang on a minute, whats this? Sunglasses, swimwear, jeans - all the brands, at a fraction of the price? I'm dragged in, and I'm not kicking and screaming, I'm walking in of my own free will.

What am I doing? I'm insanely broke, don't really need these things and have a bored toddler screaming for toys that are most conveniently placed next to the pay counter.  I mean, she's wailing, shouting at full volume. I'm so embarressed but instead of just walking, I feel some kind of insane sense of shopping morality: you're making a scene, make up for it by spending the little money you have in their shop. I should have just left albeit with a toddler verging on the edge of madness under my arm. I leave about an hour, two swimsuits and a couple of pairs of sunglasses later. They're nice. I'm weak.

We then go to an 'indoor playgroup' that I've read about on the wibbly wobbly web.  It sold itself on having a bouncy castle and cupcakes at 80p. How bad could it be? We walk up to the door, which looks like the entrance to the sort of club you'd frequent if you lived in a seaside town, I open it and am greeted with the cacophony of screaming kids and rabbiting mothers meetings. A normal playgroup! I hear you cry. Its wasn't. Its a terrifying nightmare of a playgroup. The kind of playgroup that, if they had one, would be languishing in hell. Can someone please open an indoor playgroup that doesn't stink of poo and resemble a wet weekend at Butlins? Without a thought I turn round and flag the nearest bus home. The Boss is fine with that.

Phew, home at last. If that's what going to the local shopping centre is all about I'll stick with my little village please.

Television is ok. Ok?

Urm... I feel that I need to make a slight correction to my earlier blog. I was harping on about how Peppa Pig is bad for the kids and that TV when I was growing up was like far more superior, yadda yadda yadda. But I feel I need to re-state my view on this rather contentious subject.

Television watching for children has been rather unfairly thrown into the same box as drink driving for adults. Evil and something the stupid people do.  Its something that parents who can't parent do. A past-time for simple folk. Its not enough for mums to be worried about breast feeding, getting back to work, vaccinations or any of the other ka-zillion things we worry about in early parently, watching TV is another one. There has been many a time where I've had friends over and The Boss starts interrupting precious gossiping time so I guiltily pop on the goggle, hoping no-one will judge me. Its a magic tantrum stopper sometimes, and who, in their right mind, wouldn't want to exploit that?

It isn't really about watching TV though, is it? Its about what is watched, how long its watched for and what the kids are NOT doing whilst watching. Lets make sure the television being watched is educational. The Boss has developed a fondness for the Beatrix Potter films of the books, the infamous stories are a delight, the olde English language mesmirising (One of The Boss's favourite words is 'Gracious'.) We watch Disney films together (the happily ever after theme is another post entirely..) and when I am trying to clean the house there is Mr Tumble and Show Me Show Me and Peppa Pig (yes, I am now condoning it). A limit of a couple of hours a day is probably enough too. You've seen how children become monsters if they've watched a bit too much.. Its like sweets.. too much E101 and they start spouting gibberish. Scary stuff. Lets read more, play more and get covered in glitter lots more too.

Try reading this book 'The Toddlers Busy Book; by Trish Kuffner.  There's one for Pre-schoolers too. A wonderful activity book packed full of ideas to keep little people entertained.  What I loved is that everything they suggest can be achieved using stuff you've probably already got in the kitchen cupboards and it requires recycling the recycling box. Re-using the rubbish. So cheap and green. Right up my street.

In conclussion, let it be known from this day forth, and it sort of pains me to say this, but I quite like Peppa Pig. It drives me completely mad and the rambunctious marketing that surrounds it is beyond surreal, but The Boss loves it and so do all small people. It can't be that bad.. can it?

Television Where do you stand?

Too much to have the goggle box on all day? Is Cbeebies really that bad? Can I use it as a bribing tool? Can I just plonk her in front of it while I do stuff like write this? Is that bad??? Am I a bad mother???

Honestly 3 year olds are bonkers, totally bananas. I love The Boss so much it breaks my heart but sometimes we all tire of the constant questions and repetitions of 'mummy, mummy, mummy....' so lets just whack the tv on and hear the silence... The Boss's attention switches to that flickering box in the corner so very easily. For instance this morning, The Boss wanted me to be the 'old sister(ahem) and I can be the Cinderella, lets play that game!'. I'm slouching in my pj's and slippers with a cup of tea and a dozy morning head on. I don't want to play right now. Its just too early. But dear the Boss doesn't understand that..she is on full on play mode from the moment she wakes up till sundown.. So what have I done?? Started talking about how good this Bert and Ernie show is on Channel 5 and she is now lazing on the sofa watching that. Oh. Now the guilt has set in. 'I've stilted her creativity for my own selfish gain', 'I'm a terrible person', 'maybe I should just get dressed and plan a whole morning of games?' And perhaps I should just chill the **** out! Right? Right??

I've grown up with grandparents who don't own a TV. That is a choice on their part but in a way that has put the fear of TV in me. Its peculiar as I worked in TV for years and shouldn't have such a hang up about it, but when you see the visual signs of how it changes your child's creative habits it starts, you know, bugging you. I mean, I love the soaps, The Apprentice, Come Dine with Me and all the other valuable entertainment we are fed but while I was growing up we didn't have a whole channel devoted to 10 minute TV shows just for our age group. What was it we all watched? The Wombles, Mr Benn, The Klangers, Paddington etc.. The BBC or ITV would pop a couple on in the morning and the afternoon to keep the kids happy and the parents happier. I'm not banging on about how our era was so much better and the future is going to hell, it just seems all a bit too much. In this age of multi channel diversity, there are 16 channels purely created for our little ones. Grown adults creating schedules specifically for our children. They have never met our kids but the big guns are building the future generation via Peppa Pig.

I was listening to the marvelous Richard Hawley on BBC 6 Music this morning and he was talking about how everything in the universe is built out of something, everything still exsists but in a different form. Nothing is ever thrown away. The gold we wear is just a substance that was once in outer space and a speck of dust. The stuff we throw away is never actually thrown away, it exists forever. Its all a bit deep and Brian Cox, but hugely important. We have the power to create how our children develop, maybe we should try and be a bit selective in our choices.

x

How Long...?!?

My goodness, how time flies.. where have I been? Where have YOU been? Whats going on??!
I've been living, living in family world. Yep, that's right, real actual living. Not sure what kind of life, but I'm still here just with a bit more grey hair.

The Boss, we still call her that, is now 3 and a right little madam and and we have opted out of London living. Moved to the 'burbs. Jeez Louise, its quite a culture shock. What with the spiralling costs of, err, everything, it seemed like the sensible (small puke for using that word) option. In other news, I am in a proper grown up relationship with The Boss's daddy, but I still feel like I'm 16 and someone is going to tap me on the shoulder and say 'shouldn't you be at school?'. Nope, that is never going to happen because I'm in my mid-thirties (how did that happen?) and I really really don't look 16 (really).

This was intended to be blog about being an ecomum... That seems like a bit of a joke as the last 3 years has seen me ditch and then pick up again the parental eco banner many times over. Its somewhat challenging to be green and be a parent. Let me rephrase that, its challenging to be green if you're a poor parent. If you're lucky enough to have money living that green lifestyle is very possible. But if you're hard-up and living in a big city, the ethical lifestyle can be a distant dream. Last time I looked Tesco Value weren't doing an organic range. As a family we have tried to be as green as we can. For instance:

- Using Ecover, Surcare washing powder (when on offer bulk buy)
- Buying chemical free cleaning products.
- Buying Nature Babycare nappies and wipes (we didn't own a washing machine the first year of The Boss's life so washables were out of the question. Could you imagine the other people's faces in the launderette?)
- Growing our own veg, well trying to.
- Most clothes being second-hand and hand-me-downs (check out Fara Kids - a-mazing)
- Second-hand toys, furniture when we've found it in shops and the side of the road.
- Cooking with fresh ingredients from scratch.
- Not buying too much stuff
- Using the free services on offer in the area (Hello childrens Centres!)
- Going on holiday in the UK (I will never tire of camping)
- and I'm sure lots of other bits and bobs..

Sometimes though, it is and it has been, impossible. Like when she would do 3 poos back to back (that's 3 separate nappies in the space of 10mins) all the time, when I had to throw away a load of whizzed up courgette cause she hated it and it made me feel sick, when she really really wants the most plastikiest of all the toys, when we bought 4 highchairs as we kept forgetting to take one away with us, when I was so tired I broke 5 glasses in a row and had to wrap them in newspaper which was heading for the recycling, when I end up buying supermarket stuff in those hardcore plastic trays which are on offer but are landfill hell, when I try in vain to get The Boss to do craft things with recycled stuff and she just turns her nose up so I end up doing it, like the fact I will not do without a car, like when my boyfriend tells me I hoard too much and I have to throw some things away as even the charity shop won't want it. And like a zillion other things.

So, how possible is it to lead an eco life as a family whilst living on a one parent income? And will my daughter EVER stop screaming in inappropriate places? I'll start talking about that on this here funny little blog. I'll also tell you all the tales of living in the 'burbs with a 3 year old. Like what we're eating, what The Boss is dancing to (currently Metronomy), where The Boss had her latest mega tantrum, that kind of thing. Its pretty good. But please don't hold me to that.

x

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

music for our small people..

Something that isn't at all new to any of us, or actually may be new to some of us (why am I so presumptuous?), is that babies in tummies react and can be known to be smarter having listened to different music. Whether its classical, folk, classic rock or disco our baby's just love music music. Alpha waves in our little babies brain are actually stimulated while listening to music, this creates a feeling of calm in the little bubba, which I'm sure you'll agree can only be a good thing.

My baby seems to like a variation on all themes.. Thank god. I hope that continues out of the womb, as I, like many of my pals like to have a boogie and I'd definitely want my baby to have a dance too.. I'm currently listening to Fan Death.. http://www.myspace.com/fandeath and there has been a bit of a reaction.. not sure if that was a get it off move or a great lets dance movement.
Another band that seems to be going down quite well is these guys.. http://www.myspace.com/empireofthesunsound the baby seems to love them. Lots of wriggles every time i play Walking On A Dream.

But really, as much as I want my baby to love all the music I love.. its pretty unlikely isn't it? i mean i hated my mums music taste.. but I love it now.. it takes a while perhaps. But we do seem to be breaking down barriers between the generations so maybe the little tyke might, just might, like my music taste.

My boyfriend got some decks the other week and wants us to play breaks to the youngan in my tum so they get used to it!

A friends baby was at a party at the weekend (no smoking inside) and was quite happy being passed around all the characters for a quick cuddle.

Its this sociable element that is just so wonderful. I know that when i was a small one I loved a party. Apart from the one where, according to my mum, i crawled under the table and pulled the plug on the record player.. can't have been a good tune.

But at the end of the day, our little babies just love a good lullaby. I started singing Humpty Dumpty but apparently that isn't a lullaby. Oh right. I didn't really know what one was, but then when i looked into it.. of course I did. What makes my bubba have even more or a wriggle is when i sing Windmill in Old Amsterdam http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fg7w49UnGA - have a look at this and it might jog your memory.. My baby has a massive wriggle at the mouse with clogs on bit. Apparently they love to listen to their mummy sing, whether you can sing in tune or not, phew.

I urge you to try it.

x

An Historic Day.

I'm smiling from ear to ear for the people of the US and the people of the world. Think that this baby was also aware that change was afoot as I was sleeping last night, or not as it so happens.. The baby in my tummy was dancing about most of the night.. keeping me awake and making me need the loo about 5 times! I feel like there is no more room for the baby and all my stuff.. my tummy feels like its stretching beyond all proportions.. Is there really 5 more weeks to go??!!

Anyway, I urge you to sign the banner for President elect Obama.
http://www.avaaz.org/en/million_messages_to_obama

Lets hope that environmental and human right changes begin before its too late..

On another note I start my anti-natal classes this week.. will let you know how that goes..

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

Birth Plan...

The end is in sight. The Birth Plan has started. Ahhhh!!

So, here are the options...
- Natural birth (the obstetrician uses the word vaginal birth.. gross) with no painkillers
- Natural birth with gas and air
- Natural Birth with epidural (an injection in your spine that kills all pain instantly)
- Natural birth with epidural, the baby pulled out using ventouse (that's a suction plastic thing that yanks the baby out by the top of the head - leaving them with cone head also called vacuum-assisted vaginal delivery) and forceps (scary looking massive metal tweezers used to pull out the baby).
- Cesarean birth.

Obviously, I wanted to follow the natural birth route - I wanted to join the birth gang, the women who have suffered for the next generation, to fulfil my job as a woman.. but due to my weird brain i had my options somewhat diminished.. It was either natural birth with epidural using those forceps and that weird ventose or Cesarean. Wow, what an array of special choices! But i thought about it... and thought about it some more and thought that if any woman had a 'choice' I doubt anyone would 'choose' to have their baby delivered with a contraption that left them with a pointy head.. surely that would only be a last option, an emergency.. not a considered choice? But a c-section was hardly a considered choice either. I met someone the other day who had been delivered by ventouse and still had a pointy head.. he is 30.

Having read some literature on the subject I found that in the UK 14 in 100,000 women die during childbirth, in developing countries that figure jumps to a terrifying 440 in 100,000 which we must agree is down to the availability of the emergency c-section in the western world. However, there are also risks with going for the full op.. risks of hemorrhage and infection etc. The doctor and the patient (that's me) has to take into account all of these factors and make a choice. So, I realised that I was not in the too posh to push category but in a completely different category of not being allowed to push on medical grounds.

That did it, I was going for the full op, the c-section. But how green can that really be?? Am I making an incredibly un-green choice?

There seems to be very little reading material on the net regarding how green medical operations are. But what I do know is that if I'm around then the baby will be leading a far greener life than if I wasn't. I will be bringing up my baby to be ethically aware and I will be ethically conscious with all the choices I have to make.

So what if I can't push the baby out of the conventional route, I'm sure there are many millions of women who do and who also use the full 5,000 nappies during the babies lifetime that take 500years each to biodegrade, don't switch their fuel suppliers, buy and throw away millions of tons of plastic toys/baby baths etc.. Where as I, ecomummy, will be living and breathing ethicalness (well, I will try my best..)

x

Renewable Energy

Have a look at this site... http://www.regeneration.org/
Incredible people trying to get some kind of world view on renewable energy.

COMING UP THIS WEEK ON ECOMUM... Green views from the eco-fairies.. yey! They give ecomum eco ideas for pregnant women.. Ace.

x

I'm back...

What's been happening? Where have you been? Gosh you’re lazy Daisy.. yes, yes… I know. But really, the past couple of months have been a nightmare.. not without the fun bit inbetween.. but to give you a brief overview of what has been going on…

I went on holiday to the city of sin, felt weird not being able to sin, broke up with my boyfriend, got back together with my boyfriend, was made homeless, had a million trillion conversations with the council, got found somewhere to live, new home was infested with fleas, moved in with a friend, fleas were also made homeless (probably killed, but I feel better about it if I think they were treated in a humane way), had a row with my boyfriend, mum's gone backwards 30 years and become someone's flat-mate, made up with boyfriend,  went to the hospital for scans, I have placenta pravia (apparently means the placenta is blocking the uterus - will explain later) but anyway.., new home was ready to move into, whoo hoo, a day before I was going on holiday, moved in to new place, felt weird, stayed first night on my own, find out neighbours opposite fashion themselves on Mad Max at 4.30am, was scary, bump got bigger, people started noticing, went on the best holiday ever, had a glass or two of rose wine every night (is that bad??), got back, am here.

That was my summer. Am now in the 3rd and last trimester – bloody hell.....(strange swishing sounds, tumbleweed rolling down empty streets)....... Its so strange how people tell you how much you have to enjoy all of your pregnancy (‘just enjoy it, its time to put your feet up’. Sorry but who are you? Imaginary perfect person?), but I had too much to do to enjoy that bit. We can’t all paint the nursery and start nesting when we have no-where to nest and nothing to paint. So what anyway? The baby could be sleeping in a beach hut, but as long as I am there with the bosom breakfast lunch and dinner I don’t think they’ll mind. Heck they won’t even remember.

But hopefully from now on I’ll be on an even keel, it’ll be plain sailing, piece of … ahem .. Over the last 3 months of this pregnancy I’ll try and post some normal pregnancy happenings and how and if I'm managing to do it all in an eco friendly way… but if not, lets hope it’ll be entertaining.

x

3 months on..

well, here it is. the big scan. the scan after which you can tell all your dear friends… but i’ve told most of them already. meeting up with mates with the specific intent to get on it, only i’m drinking apple juice with ice and a slice. and won’t be drinking for a while… its pretty obvious isn’t it?? also, the fact that my boobs have become humungous is also a sure fire hit sign that there’s more to the half a stone weight gain than meets the eye…
had a terribly early appointment time… so felt quite horrid having to drag myself out of bed and to the hospital… but it was a beautiful morning.. a loveland day as one of my friends calls sunny days. Cute.
all seemed to go well. the baby did usual baby things like turn its back on us as soon as we started the scan. already picked up its mothers stubborn streak. then we had quite a bit of wriggling about, waving, clapping, leg shakes.. a bit of a party down there. a party for one. or perhaps the baby knew we were having a nose and decided to show us all their tricks… who knows. it was nice. the finale was seeing the little thing appear to suck its thumb. either that or it was picking its nose…
i thought they were the best baby-in-the-tummy pictures ever, my mum said that’s because it’s my baby. whatever.
during that three months the sickness never really stopped... it was constant. morning sickness they call it.. bah. its all day, every day sickness. truly horrid. what helped? i hear you cry... not a lot to be perfectly honest. a visit to the doctor for anti-nausea drugs was not on the list of things to do, certainly not. i don't want a load of pharmacuticals messing around with my baby. but i did go on some tried and tested natural routes..
- ginger biscuits - tasty and mildly beneficial, but too many and you're feeling worse than you did before you had one.
- digestive biscuits before you get out of bed in the morning - bit of light relief
- a biscuit when you get up for the loo in the night-time - what is that all about??? umpteen toilet stops during the night? 'to get you in the habit of getting up for your baby at night'. erm thanks, but i'm sure i'll be getting plenty of practice during the actual baby time, right now, when the little one is in my tummy i want to sleep forever.
- meals little and often - i was always hungry and eating, so this made no sense.
- travel sickness bands - actually quite good little things even though they make it seem as though you have a hole in each wrist once you wake up in the morning.. but i have a feeling they are more of a distraction technique.. but i didn't care. on they went every night.
- cereal - morning noon and night. pretty much all i could eat. check out my baby with all the super nutrients.
- bed - to be perfectly honest. laying in bed, watching rubbish tv was the best cure. doing absolutely nothing. sweet FA. nada. whilst listening to the dulcet tones of the pneumatic drill in the house conversion next door. bliss.
so, there you have it. a pretty rubbish guide as to what kind of helps that constant nausea.

see you next time.

daisy x