My breastfeeding experience.

Hey guys,

So i thought i would do a little post about my breastfeeding experience, i tried breastfeeding Albie but never really took to it as he was tongue tied and i had no support from the midwifes/health visitors so i knew i wanted to persevere this time and really give it a go.

When Evalyn was born she was put straight onto skin to skin and latched on perfectly, i had to stay in overnight due to her passing a bowel movement when i was in labour so they wanted to keep a check on us both. Whilst we were in, the midwifes were really supportive and kept coming to check the latch was still okay and that she was feeding enough. We were discharged the next day and they were really pleased with her feeding.

So when we got home, i literally felt like a cow being milked, she was constantly feeding and every time i thought about giving up i remembered how much i wanted to do it and i was always told never give up on a bad day! That always stuck with me and as the months went on their was plenty of times that i just called my husband and said i cant do this shes going on formula and he would always remind me of that sentence so i feel that really helped me.

The right support can really help with breastfeeding and without it i dont think i would of got this far. So i managed to get to six and a half months and i am so proud of myself for getting as far as i have and im so gutted that i have had to give up due to going back to work. I haven't actually stopped feeding her yet, mostly because of me. I am so reluctant to give it up, i feel like its given us such a strong bond and i feel like its my special bond with her that nobody else has so i am completely gutted as i tried expressing but i wouldn't even get half an ounce from an hours pumping session - i used the lansinoh electric pump which was really comfortable, i also tried the lansinoh manual pump too but had no luck with either which i think was down to me rather than the pumps because i have heard so many great things about the pumps.


So overall i really do recommend giving breastfeeding a try even if it doesn't work out at least you can say you've tried and if it does work out, thats even better. Because i hate doing bottles now haha, i find it so time consuming.

Take care
Megan x

6 month update!

Hey guys

Its been a while hasn't it, 6 whole months to be exact! Life has just really taken over, trying to find a balance between working, doing the house up and being a full time mum to two children now, my blog has been on the back burner. But fear not, just because i haven't been here doesn't mean i dont have lots of new ideas and posts coming up but today i'm going to start with Evalyns 6 month update.

6 months!!! How is my baby 6 months old already?! I feel like it was only yesterday i found out i was pregnant and now here she is at 6 months (nearly 7 months). She has really started to get her own little personality now, shes very quiet and chilled out, nothing really phases her at all. The only time she cries is when she wants feeding, which brings me on to another subject - weaning, i do have plans to do a full post on this but oh my life this girl can eat, if you've got food in your hands you can guarantee she will try to get it. Greedy monkey and her growth is really starting to show this as shes now on the 75th percentile and weighs a whopping 17lb 3oz.

We are still breastfeeding but with me going back to work and not being able to express, we are slowly weaning her off of me which i'm so disappointed about but she needs to be fed. She doesn't currently sleep through the night and is waking two to three times which is exhausting but shes so worth it. Shes a very bouncy girl and is always excitable about everything which i just love! She has the craziest hair ever and everybody always comments on her hair.

She can now sit up and roll everywhere, i leave her on the floor playing in one room and the next thing i know shes in the next room with me, shes mastered it to a tee and is fast at it. Crawling - shes now getting herself into the position to crawl and is rocking so i dont think it will be long until she is crawling but for now she finds it easier to just roll everywhere.


So that sums Evalyn up and what shes doing at 6 months and i'm honestly so in love with her. My next post will be a breastfeeding one due up on friday so make sure you come back to check it out.

Take care
Megan x

The gender reveal!

Hey guys,

So on May 12th, we had our 20 week scan to check that the baby was growing and developing well and thankfully everything was perfect which we are so pleased about and at the end of the scan we had been asked if we wanted to know the gender, which of course we said yes! Some people prefer not to find out but we found out with Albie and i am terrible with surprises so we had both agreed if they asked then we would.

I was convinced i was having another boy all throughout my first trimester and early second trimester just because my gut was telling me 'its a boy' so when the sonographer said we were expecting A LITTLE GIRL i couldn't quite believe it, in fact i didn't. I asked her to triple check and asked for a second opinion ha, it was just a shock. Now dont get me wrong i would of loved another little boy but i was so excited to buy for a baby girl as it was something i had never done before what with having 3 brothers so it was a whole new thing for me. Hayden said he knew it was a girl although every time i had asked him prior to the scan his reply was 'how am i supposed to know', typical bloke response but he is delighted at the fact we have been blessed with a child of each gender.


So we have decided on the name 'Evalyn' for her and we had decided on this before we even knew the gender, we just love how pretty it sounds and that its a name that sounds perfect for any age.We announced the gender to our family at a gender reveal party that Haydens family hosted for us and we had made little picture cards of blue and pink baby boots and which ever we had the most of was the correct gender, they was all so confused at first as we had made it an even number and hid Albies and then said 'Albies turn' and he revealed the pink baby boots with her name written on.

We feel so grateful to be able to have children and are beyond excited for our baby girl to make her appearance into the world. 10 weeks and counting!

Hope you liked this post, take care!
Megan x

Joie Gemm car seat review.

Hey everyone,

Albies safety when we are out and about is always my main priority and always has been from the moment we welcomed him into this world. Trying to find the perfect pram and car seat took up a lot of time and a lot of research as i didnt want to just buy anything. I wanted him to feel comfortable, be safe and practical at the same time.

After doing all this research Hayden and i finally decided on the Joie Gemm 0+ car seat which lasts up to 13kg which is around 12-15 months. For practical reasons this car seat ticked all the boxes, it was light weight, it fits onto our pram using adaptors so that if he was to fall asleep in the car we could just pop the car seat out the car and on to the pram without disturbing him. It is compatible with most pushchairs if you use the maxi cosi adaptors (we did) and also fits on to the Joie pushchairs without the need for any adaptors.

The best part about this car seat is its safety features. It comes with a 5 point safety harness which meant Albie would be securely strapped in and has an adjustable strap so you can adjust it with just one pull. Safe and convenient. Top marks. This car seat has side impact technology to give ultimate protection if were to happen. It has also undergone a lot of strict safety testing which really did help us make our decision.

The car seat has a lot of padding but not to much that your child is squashed. It has a newborn cushion which is perfect to stop their little necks from being moved to much. It also has padded harness and buckle which means that they wont cause any rubbing on their neck. Albie was very comfortable in his car seat and i kind of wish they made adult seats that were just as comfy.

All parts of the car seat are machine washable which came in so handy when we had nappy explosions or any vomiting.

Overall, i am so glad we chose this car seat for Albie and strongly recommend it to all our friends and family. You can purchase this car seat from mothercare, kiddicare, joie and other baby retailers.

Thankyou so much for reading.
Speak soon
Megan x

Albies is 2!

Hey guys, sorry ive been so absent. As you can tell from the title its been a certain little mr's birthday this week and the build up has been hectic.

It only feels like yesterday that i was moaning about how 9 months of pregnancy was dragging and how much i hated it and i wanted Albie born and now hes 2? Really? How? It feels like hes been in my life forever but in the same way i cant believe how quick the past two years have gone. Hes gone from being an 8lb 11oz baby to a walking, talking toddler.

So i havent really updated any of you guys for a while on how Albies doing, whats he doing or anything like that so i thought his second birthday would be a great time to do just that.

Routine:
Albie has always had a routine, its forever changing and just when i feel like we have mastered one something changes. His day starts at around 7-8am and then in the morning i like to take him out to soft play or a toddler group or something to try and burn some of his energy. He has his lunch quite early around 11.30-11.45 so that he has finished by 12.15 ready to go down for a 2-3 hour nap. Depending on what time he wakes from his nap sometimes we will go for a walk to feed the ducks or to the park or something before Hayden gets home from work ready for dinner around 5. We then have family time after dinner before bath, milk and bed by 7pm. Albie has always loved his sleep and i am so grateful because i really do too. You know when you have new baby and they say 'make sure you sleep when the baby does' well i still do that haha.

Development:
Albies personality in the past year has really grown. He is talking so much now to the point he will have a full on conversation with us and tell us about his day when we ask him. His favourite word at the moment is 'no'. Everything we ask him is no until he thinks about what we asked him.He has very recently started to get a sense of humour, he has started to do things to make other people laugh and will giggle away at the most silliest of things before telling us how funny it is which makes my heart melt.  He is also now fully potty trained during the day and has been from around 19 months, we have the odd accident every now and then but its bound to happen.

Relationships:
Albie has always had a very strong family unit around him and hes really starting to form bonds with other family members now which is so cute to see. He now knows what all of his aunts and uncles are called and what his grandparents are known by and when we drive past their houses he knows who lives there which truly baffles me as to how he can remember stuff. Lately, hes been really enjoying playing together with other little people his age and we have some he sees weekly and is always asking about when we are going to see them next.

The past two years have completley whizzed by and my baby is now a little boy with a cheeky personality coming along, before i know it he is going to be a stroppy teenager. I love watching him grow and seeing him learn something new daily. Being a parent truly changes your view on life and the things that used to matter before you became a parent dont and the things that didnt matter, do.

Do any of you have children of this age? Id love to hear or read about them, leave a comment in the comments section below and ill be sure to check your blogs out.

Speak soon,
Megan x

Dealing with an invisible illness.

Hey everyone,

So ive been thinking about writing this blog post for a long time because although there is a lot of information about my illness on the internet, there isnt many posts from people giving there view on living with it.

So since the age of 18 years old i have been living with a condition called Hypothyroidism, i had never heard of a thyroid before so i was shocked to find out that i had something wrong with mine.
Hypothyroidism means that your thyroid gland doesnt produce enough of the hormone needed which can cause you to feel tired, depressed, to have dry skin and hair, sensitivity to the cold and may cause your muscles to ache.

A lot of people dont realise they have this condition as they ignore symptoms or dont realise they have them. I was the same. I had all these symptoms but i had no idea until one night my vision completley disappeared and my eyes started to shake, i was rushed to hospital but with no conclusive answers i was sent home that night. This happened three more times before i finally went to my local GP who decided to run some more in depth blood tests than i had done at the hospital which showed up that my TSH levels were normal but my T4 levels were abnormal which led to me being diagnosed with this illness.

I currently take 50mg of levothyroxine daily and have done since i was first diagnosed which although its a small dosage makes so much of a difference to my life. I always thought i would live this energtic life running round, chasing Albie, playing sports with him but sometimes i find it hard to even have the energy to get out of bed but i do and he really is the reason i get out of bed and do the things that we do together.

People always say to me you look so well and happy all the time, but they dont see how hard some days are, how exhausted i can be and how drained i am if i dont take my medication. Some days are harder than most but its something ive learnt to deal with and although i do have bad days i also have really good days where i do feel that there is nothing wrong with me. Taking my medication doesnt mean my life is back to normal and i do still experience episodes wear i lose my sight which doesnt happen to all people with this condition but it does to me.

Just because somebody looks well and happy, doesn't necessarily mean they are. Never judge someone by what you see on the outside because you never know what is happening on the inside, always remember that.

Hope this helps some of you who have an invisible illness or know somebody who does. Let me know in the comments if have an illness and what it is and how you deal with it.

Take care

Megan x

Becoming a working mum!

Hey everyone,

I wanted to write a post about an issue most mums go through, going back to work after having your baby.

When i decided i was ready to go back to work, i felt like my heart was ripping in two. The thought of leaving Albie for any amount of time was awful, i had never felt anything like it. I went back when he was about 9 months old to work in a shop, it was only for 15 hours a week but it meant i was missing out on putting him to bed and family time on the weekends which to me was really important. So i found a new job working early mornings at a school, it meant Albie would be at the childminders only one hour a morning and the rest of the day i would be with him, i never want to miss out on anything with him so this works well for us as a family.

The first time i left him, i sat in my car and cried but the more i did it the easier it got. He was so content at his childminders that i knew when i was leaving him he would be safe and happy and the reaction i would get when i went to collect him was like no other, his face would light up at just seeing me and i know it sounds silly but i think he appreciates me more now.

Mum guilt is a thing all new mums experience and something that through time does get easier, although you think it wont it does.  Never take time with your little one for granted as each day is another day that they are growing up and you wont ever get it back. Before you know it they will be stroppy teenagers.

Some mums need to go back to work for financial reasons and some mums just want to go back to work, there is absolutely nothing wrong with being a stay at home mum and there is also nothing wrong with being a working mum, all that matters is that you are there for them when they need you and are always being the best mum you could be. Never feel guilty for trying your best and for doing what you want to do.

I really hope this helps your mum guilt ease just a little and helps make you feel a bit better about your decision to go back to work.

Megan x

5 things nobody tells you about when your about to become a parent.

There are so many things people just dont tell you when your a parent which if i had been told, would of helped so much. Sometimes all you needs are some tips and advice so i thought i would do a little list of things i wish i had been told before i became a parent to Albie.

1) You become so paranoid and anxious. Now i have always suffered with anxiety but the level it reaches when you become a parent is at a whole new level, i was worried someone might drop him if they hold him or if i was doing something wrong. Every little thing i did i questioned whether or not it was the right thing to do and every little bump or illness he got i was ringing my mum or the doctors. I was your typical first time mum but it is okay to be anxious and it is okay to worry, as soon as your child is born you become very protective and it is just your protective side showing through when your worrying. What i will say is always trust your instinct, as a parent you always know what works best with your child and if their is something not quite right, you will always know.

2)  You will compare your child to others. No matter how much you say you wont, you will. Especially if you have friends with children around the same age as yours. I live by the saying every child is different and they will all reach milestones at different times so treasure them while they are young. Dont worry to much about if your friends child walked at 10 months and your child still isnt walking at 14 months, they will get there they all learn things differently. 

3)   It is 24/7 for the rest of your life. Now im quite lucky that mine and Haydens family's are so supportive and are always offering to baby sit Albie but even when hes with them and we are out on a date night or out with friends, my mind is on him continuously. I am wondering what hes doing, if hes being good, did he eat his tea, the list continues. Now Albie isnt even 2 yet but im sure it will never change even when hes moved out, it might ease off and i wont be thinking about him all day but im sure he will cross my mind and ill be wondering if hes okay or if he needs me. You become so selfless that all your focus is on them sometimes you do have to put yourself first but your childs needs should be your main priority.

4) No books will ever tell you how to be the perfect parent. I read book after book after book when i was pregnant with Albie and although they gave me plenty of tips, ive hardly used any of them. The best way to be a parent, is to quite literally be a parent, what works with mine may not work with yours and as long as what you think your doing is right for you and your child thats all that matters. Sometimes mistakes are made but as long as your learning from them thats the main thing.

5) There is no better job in the world. Being a parent is like being in a full time job, you just never get to clock out. It is so much more rewarding than any salary you could ever get. When your child does something or learns something new you will burst with pride. Its so hard to describe the emotions you feel when you become a parent but it is a love like no other, some days you may want to scream at the top of your voice but you will always look at them and just feel a rush of love. They can put a smile on your face in the darkest days and they will become your best friend.

Becoming a parent is the best thing to ever to happen to me and im sure is the same for most of you. I feel privelleged that i have Albie in my life and that i get to watch him learn and become the perfect little person he is. I wouldnt change it for anything. Let me know if you guys have any tips that you wish you had been told before you became a parent. 

Hope you enjoyed this post.

Megan x

Memories #2 - Albie

On the 15th january 2014 my whole world changed. I had given birth to what felt like a pumpkin. Albie was born into this world weighing 8lb 11oz. Now to me that seems and sounds massive but to other people that sounds arround average.

Life as a mum was difficult at first, i was so tired everyday but i never wanted any help from anybody. He was my baby and me and Hayden were the only ones i wanted to look after him. He was just so precious that everytime someone held him, everytime he got a little mark or rash, everytime he  would cry i would be at his beck and call.

As the days went by, my love for Albie grew stronger and stronger and every little milestone Albie would reach i loved being there to watch. I have endless amount of photos and videos of him, some of him sleeping, some of him crying, some of him playing. Every little emotion Albie went through, i wanted to capture it all.

As the months passed, i watched Albie growing into the cheekiest little boy. Every day his personality was growing and changing, as were his clothes! People always told me how quickly they grow out of things but id love an outfit on him and by the time i had got through the mountain of washing, he had already grown out of it.

Albie is now a blossoming walking, talking cheeky little one year old and every day is a joyous, treasured memory. The best part about him growing up is how much stronger the bond between us and the level of communication that he shows. If hes unhappy he will try and show me why, if he wants a cuddle he will just come over to me and snuggle (this is a rare one but still a great one)

Overall, being a mum to my beautiful little boy is truly the best experience of my life and although hes growing and learning so fast, i am too. Every time i think i have this whole mum stuff figured out Albie shows me i havent.

Albie is my world and there is nothing i would change. Being a young mum doesnt mean my life ended, hes given me a whole new one. Because i had him young, means ill hopefully get to love him longer.

Megan x