Baby J is four months old. He now weighs 15lb 12.5oz and is 67cm long.
My littlest boo has had a bit of a growth spurt it seems, as he has shot up in height. He is enjoying tummy time and is getting really good at lifting his head and chest up. He has already outgrown a couple of his 3-6 month outfits. They fit him weight-wise, but he is just so long!
I’m having a nightmare with nappies. All the cloth nappies that I loved with N don’t seem to fit J right, so I’m thinking of selling them and buying different ones. We even have issues with the disposable nappies we use, he just seems to out-pee everything! I’m hoping that once he is more mobile it won’t be such an issue, as I’m sure a lot of the leaks are due to compression.
We seem to have entered the dreaded four month sleep regression a week early, as J is feeding like a newborn throughout the night as well as the day. I’m hoping it means we’ll come out of it early too! It doesn’t seem as difficult this time round though. When I had Little N, nobody told me about growth spurts so I was constantly stressed out thinking I must be doing something wrong. This time I already know what to expect and know that it’s normal, which helps.
Little N is still being an awesome big brother but he has worked out that when I am nursing J he can pretty much do what he wants, knowing that I can’t stop him. He pulls out all of his toys, helps himself to snacks, puts a DVD on, he does make me laugh. By the time J has finished his feed, the house looks like the Tasmanian devil has whizzed through it!
Baby J is Four Months Old
Baby J is four months old. He now weighs 15lb 12.5oz and is 67cm long.
My littlest boo has had a bit of a growth spurt it seems, as he has shot up in height. He is enjoying tummy time and is getting really good at lifting his head and chest up. He has already outgrown a couple of his 3-6 month outfits. They fit him weight-wise, but he is just so long!
I’m having a nightmare with nappies. All the cloth nappies that I loved with N don’t seem to fit J right, so I’m thinking of selling them and buying different ones. We even have issues with the disposable nappies we use, he just seems to out-pee everything! I’m hoping that once he is more mobile it won’t be such an issue, as I’m sure a lot of the leaks are due to compression.
We seem to have entered the dreaded four month sleep regression a week early, as J is feeding like a newborn throughout the night as well as the day. I’m hoping it means we’ll come out of it early too! It doesn’t seem as difficult this time round though. When I had Little N, nobody told me about growth spurts so I was constantly stressed out thinking I must be doing something wrong. This time I already know what to expect and know that it’s normal, which helps.
Little N is still being an awesome big brother but he has worked out that when I am nursing J he can pretty much do what he wants, knowing that I can’t stop him. He pulls out all of his toys, helps himself to snacks, puts a DVD on, he does make me laugh. By the time J has finished his feed, the house looks like the Tasmanian devil has whizzed through it!
I didn’t want to set myself any big ambitious new year’s resolutions, but wanted to have little goals instead. Little things I can do here and there, small things that will put a big smile on my and my family’s faces.
Bake
I used to love baking but rarely get the time these days. Ideally I’d love to bake something every week, and actually so far this month I have done that! Today I made a banana loaf, using the Hummingbird Bakery recipe, and last week I made Nigella’s Christmas Muffins - I know Christmas was well and truly over with but who cares, they were good! With a toddler and a baby I think a monthly goal is more achievable and if I manage to bake more often then that’s a bonus.
Crochet
I taught myself how to crochet little over a year ago. In the beginning I started a lot of projects that were way too complex so they are sat unfinished in a box. This year I aim to dig out those forgotten creations and finish them off, as well as starting some new projects.
Life Laundry
This is a term I picked up from my old housemate. One day I came home to find his room looked like a bomb had gone off in it. He said he was doing “life laundry” which is basically de-cluttering and reorganising EVERYTHING. I started to do this regularly myself but am well overdue a good life laundry session. I need to overhaul my wardrobe, clear out my shoes, rifle through my beauty drawers and also sort out the children’s things.
More Manis
More manicures might be slightly adventurous with the toddler and baby occupying my every waking minute, but I really need to start taking better care of my hands. I’ve put a hand cream in the bathroom, my baby changing bag and my bedroom and will try to apply them as often as I remember. Ideally I’d like to have gel overlays once a month – I’m currently sporting black gels with a rose gold accent nail – but if I don’t have time for that then just keeping them neatly filed and well moisturised is a good start.
Quality Time
I now have some regular toddler groups that I take Little N and Baby J to each week, but there are a couple of days of the week where we don’t go to any groups. We spend those days at home and it’s so easy for me to get lost in housework, before I know it it’s time to make dinner and we have wasted the day. I am planning to find lots of ideas for fun crafts and activities that Little N and I can do at home. As a family I’d like us all to go out each Sunday, nothing fancy, just a hot chocolate at a cafe, maybe lunch somewhere or just a stroll. I don’t get much time with Ian and with such a young baby dates are totally out of the question but we can at least make a little time to catch up each week.
Goals for 2015
I didn’t want to set myself any big ambitious new year’s resolutions, but wanted to have little goals instead. Little things I can do here and there, small things that will put a big smile on my and my family’s faces.
Bake
I used to love baking but rarely get the time these days. Ideally I’d love to bake something every week, and actually so far this month I have done that! Today I made a banana loaf, using the Hummingbird Bakery recipe, and last week I made Nigella’s Christmas Muffins - I know Christmas was well and truly over with but who cares, they were good! With a toddler and a baby I think a monthly goal is more achievable and if I manage to bake more often then that’s a bonus.
Crochet
I taught myself how to crochet little over a year ago. In the beginning I started a lot of projects that were way too complex so they are sat unfinished in a box. This year I aim to dig out those forgotten creations and finish them off, as well as starting some new projects.
Life Laundry
This is a term I picked up from my old housemate. One day I came home to find his room looked like a bomb had gone off in it. He said he was doing “life laundry” which is basically de-cluttering and reorganising EVERYTHING. I started to do this regularly myself but am well overdue a good life laundry session. I need to overhaul my wardrobe, clear out my shoes, rifle through my beauty drawers and also sort out the children’s things.
More Manis
More manicures might be slightly adventurous with the toddler and baby occupying my every waking minute, but I really need to start taking better care of my hands. I’ve put a hand cream in the bathroom, my baby changing bag and my bedroom and will try to apply them as often as I remember. Ideally I’d like to have gel overlays once a month – I’m currently sporting black gels with a rose gold accent nail – but if I don’t have time for that then just keeping them neatly filed and well moisturised is a good start.
Quality Time
I now have some regular toddler groups that I take Little N and Baby J to each week, but there are a couple of days of the week where we don’t go to any groups. We spend those days at home and it’s so easy for me to get lost in housework, before I know it it’s time to make dinner and we have wasted the day. I am planning to find lots of ideas for fun crafts and activities that Little N and I can do at home. As a family I’d like us all to go out each Sunday, nothing fancy, just a hot chocolate at a cafe, maybe lunch somewhere or just a stroll. I don’t get much time with Ian and with such a young baby dates are totally out of the question but we can at least make a little time to catch up each week.
Baby J is three months old. He now weighs 13lb 13oz and is 63cm long.
My tall, skinny boy is fattening out; just look at those gorgeous chubby legs! We have had to say goodbye to our favourite 0-3 month outfits as he is well and truly into 3-6 month clothes now. He’s also out of newborn nappies and can fit into birth-to-potty nappies as you can see (the nappy shown is from Baba & Boo).
His hand-eye coordination is getting better day by day, he loves to reach out for his toys when he is in his baby bouncer or on his play mat. He gave me the best Christmas present ever by laughing for the first time on Christmas Eve. I was upstairs doing some very last minute wrapping when I heard Ian calling me to tell me that J was laughing. It’s the best sound in the world.
This year I just knew that I would not be in the mood for cooking Christmas dinner so I told Ian that either he would have to do it or he would have to take us out for the day. He chose to take us out for the day – hurrah! We had a lovely Christmas dinner at The Wicked Lady in Wheathampstead. Baby J slept all the way through the starters and main and woke when I was having dessert!
I feel as though breastfeeding is well established now. I’m past the oversupply of the early days and J feeds fairly regularly now, roughly every 2 hours. He doesn’t seem to have any set times that he likes to sleep and most certainly doesn’t sleep through the night, I know he will get there in his own time.
J has his second round of jabs tomorrow. They should have been on Christmas Eve, but we delayed them for a week – which the nurse said was totally safe and fine to do – just in case he reacted to them. We didn’t want to risk having a poorly baby on Christmas!
As for the pregnancy weight, well, I received over 2 kilos of chocolate from various people as Christmas gifts, so let’s just say I’m having a little break for now!
Missed an update? Catch up with Baby J’s One Month and Two Month updates, and read my birth stories here: The Emergency C-Section and The VBAC
Baby J is Three Months Old
Baby J is three months old. He now weighs 13lb 13oz and is 63cm long.
My tall, skinny boy is fattening out; just look at those gorgeous chubby legs! We have had to say goodbye to our favourite 0-3 month outfits as he is well and truly into 3-6 month clothes now. He’s also out of newborn nappies and can fit into birth-to-potty nappies as you can see (the nappy shown is from Baba & Boo).
His hand-eye coordination is getting better day by day, he loves to reach out for his toys when he is in his baby bouncer or on his play mat. He gave me the best Christmas present ever by laughing for the first time on Christmas Eve. I was upstairs doing some very last minute wrapping when I heard Ian calling me to tell me that J was laughing. It’s the best sound in the world.
This year I just knew that I would not be in the mood for cooking Christmas dinner so I told Ian that either he would have to do it or he would have to take us out for the day. He chose to take us out for the day – hurrah! We had a lovely Christmas dinner at The Wicked Lady in Wheathampstead. Baby J slept all the way through the starters and main and woke when I was having dessert!
I feel as though breastfeeding is well established now. I’m past the oversupply of the early days and J feeds fairly regularly now, roughly every 2 hours. He doesn’t seem to have any set times that he likes to sleep and most certainly doesn’t sleep through the night, I know he will get there in his own time.
J has his second round of jabs tomorrow. They should have been on Christmas Eve, but we delayed them for a week – which the nurse said was totally safe and fine to do – just in case he reacted to them. We didn’t want to risk having a poorly baby on Christmas!
As for the pregnancy weight, well, I received over 2 kilos of chocolate from various people as Christmas gifts, so let’s just say I’m having a little break for now!
Missed an update? Catch up with Baby J’s One Month and Two Month updates, and read my birth stories here: The Emergency C-Section and The VBAC
Baby J is two months old. He now weighs 12lb 4.5oz and is 60cm long.
J is very tall like his brother! I am very short so I’m hoping that my boys have got the tall genes that my own little (big) brother got! J has quickly outgrew his newborn clothes and he has even outgrown some of his 0-3 month outfits. I’d knitted a little hat when I was pregnant but his head is already too big for it. It’s kind of sad how quickly they grow.
My beautiful boy showed us his gorgeous smile for the first time this month. My heart totally melted. Of course, the first time I wasn’t sure if it was a real smile or not, “was it just wind?” But he did it a few more times and it was always in response to us playing with him, so that’s when we counted it as a genuine first smile :)
The initial flurry of visitors has calmed down now, meaning that normality has resumed. We had Little N’s second birthday earlier this month. I knew we would be really busy what with having a new baby, so I decided not to have a party for him this year. Instead we spent the day as a family and took him to soft play, for lunch and then for ice-cream.
I’m enjoying getting out and about with both of my boys but I get a little stressed with the logistics. I tried a Phil & Ted’s double buggy but it was an older style one and I just found it too heavy. I’ve tried looking online at other double pushchairs but it is a total minefield, there are so many! So, for now, I am sticking with my Quinny Buzz and I am borrowing a Lascal Maxi buggy board from my friend to see how my toddler gets on with it before getting one ourselves.
I have also been using my slings A LOT – the one in the photo above is a Kokadi Noah im wunderland woven wrap – so that I have my hands free to play with and help N. I also have a ringsling, some longer wraps and a soft structured carrier. The weather is not too bad at the moment so we have been walking to the park or to toddler groups close to home and the slings are great for this, especially as J pretty much sleeps the whole time he’s being carried.
J had his first set of jabs last week and I am pleased to say that I didn’t cry like I did with N’s first jabs! J was very brave, just a little cry then he fell back to sleep again.
I’m really happy to say that breastfeeding is still going well. We’ve just gotten over a bit of a growth spurt so I’ve feeling pretty tired from the night feeds, I keep reminding myself that it’s not forever though. I’m part of a Facebook group of mums who were all due around the same time as me so I take comfort in their support when I’m struggling at night.
Speaking of breastfeeding, I have started training to become a breastfeeding peer supporter, so that I can help other mums who might need a little support. I had a lot of help with feeding N so I know only too well how important the right support can be. I do wonder if I am crazy taking on a training course while I have such a young baby, and a toddler, but I’ve been waiting so long for an opportunity that I just can’t pass it up. Fingers crossed it will all go well and I won’t exhaust myself!
I’ve lost quite a bit of my pregnancy weight, over a stone has gone. But the weight loss has plateaued and I still have so much more to lose. For now I’m not getting too stressed about it, I’ll just hang on to the maternity jeans for a little while longer!
Missed an update? Catch up with Baby J’s One Month update, and read my birth stories here: The Emergency C-Section and The VBAC
Baby J is Two Months Old
Baby J is two months old. He now weighs 12lb 4.5oz and is 60cm long.
J is very tall like his brother! I am very short so I’m hoping that my boys have got the tall genes that my own little (big) brother got! J has quickly outgrew his newborn clothes and he has even outgrown some of his 0-3 month outfits. I’d knitted a little hat when I was pregnant but his head is already too big for it. It’s kind of sad how quickly they grow.
My beautiful boy showed us his gorgeous smile for the first time this month. My heart totally melted. Of course, the first time I wasn’t sure if it was a real smile or not, “was it just wind?” But he did it a few more times and it was always in response to us playing with him, so that’s when we counted it as a genuine first smile :)
The initial flurry of visitors has calmed down now, meaning that normality has resumed. We had Little N’s second birthday earlier this month. I knew we would be really busy what with having a new baby, so I decided not to have a party for him this year. Instead we spent the day as a family and took him to soft play, for lunch and then for ice-cream.
I’m enjoying getting out and about with both of my boys but I get a little stressed with the logistics. I tried a Phil & Ted’s double buggy but it was an older style one and I just found it too heavy. I’ve tried looking online at other double pushchairs but it is a total minefield, there are so many! So, for now, I am sticking with my Quinny Buzz and I am borrowing a Lascal Maxi buggy board from my friend to see how my toddler gets on with it before getting one ourselves.
I have also been using my slings A LOT – the one in the photo above is a Kokadi Noah im wunderland woven wrap – so that I have my hands free to play with and help N. I also have a ringsling, some longer wraps and a soft structured carrier. The weather is not too bad at the moment so we have been walking to the park or to toddler groups close to home and the slings are great for this, especially as J pretty much sleeps the whole time he’s being carried.
J had his first set of jabs last week and I am pleased to say that I didn’t cry like I did with N’s first jabs! J was very brave, just a little cry then he fell back to sleep again.
I’m really happy to say that breastfeeding is still going well. We’ve just gotten over a bit of a growth spurt so I’ve feeling pretty tired from the night feeds, I keep reminding myself that it’s not forever though. I’m part of a Facebook group of mums who were all due around the same time as me so I take comfort in their support when I’m struggling at night.
Speaking of breastfeeding, I have started training to become a breastfeeding peer supporter, so that I can help other mums who might need a little support. I had a lot of help with feeding N so I know only too well how important the right support can be. I do wonder if I am crazy taking on a training course while I have such a young baby, and a toddler, but I’ve been waiting so long for an opportunity that I just can’t pass it up. Fingers crossed it will all go well and I won’t exhaust myself!
I’ve lost quite a bit of my pregnancy weight, over a stone has gone. But the weight loss has plateaued and I still have so much more to lose. For now I’m not getting too stressed about it, I’ll just hang on to the maternity jeans for a little while longer!
Missed an update? Catch up with Baby J’s One Month update, and read my birth stories here: The Emergency C-Section and The VBAC
Out of all the reusable nappy brands the one that most people will have heard of is Bambino Mio. They are the leading brand of reusable nappies and accessories worldwide and their availability in many high street shops and supermarkets as well as online means that most cloth bum families have at least one of their adorable award-winning nappies in their fluffy stash.
The Bambino Mio Miosolo nappy is an all-in-one reusable nappy designed to fit from birth-to-potty. It comes in a range of gorgeous colours and prints, such as the Peppermint Cream and Elephant Parade nappies we were sent to try. It has a soft absorbent inner, a stay-dry layer to keep moisture away from your baby’s skin and a waterproof outer layer to prevent leaks. It has adjustable snaps on the rise so that the size can be changed to fit most babies from birth right through to potty training.
The nappy has a long, soft, absorbent core which is inserted into the pocket of the nappy, then you simply use the Velcro tabs to secure the nappy in place in exactly the same way you would with a disposable nappy. You can use a liner in the nappy if you wish, such as Bambino Mio Mioliners which are my go-to liners as they don’t disintegrate or tear when wet like some other brands I’ve tried, and you can also pop in a Mioboost booster for using at night or if you have a particularly heavy wetter.
Bambino Mio Miosolo nappies are incredibly soft and stretchy and even after several 60 degree washes they have stayed soft and comfortable. We’ve not seen any fading to the Velcro or prints, just the Bambino Mio label. The nappy outer has stayed as bright and vivid as when they first arrived. They are extremely quick to dry which is especially important for us as we line-dry our laundry and nappies rather than tumble-dry.
In my experience, no onesize nappy has fit either of my babies from birth but once they have put on a bit of weight and, more importantly, filled out in the thighs the nappies have fitted when adjusted to the smallest setting. On the other hand, the Miosolo is the only onesize nappy that will last until potty training with Little N, as they are the only ones that he has not yet outgrown!
They have the slimmest fit out of all the all-in-one nappies we have tried yet in my opinion they are also the most absorbent lasting a good 2-3 hours before I need to change. I have never experienced a leak from a Miosolo which is not something I can say for some other nappies, including disposables! They have quickly become the nappies that I reach for first, especially when we are going out for the day as I know they are reliable and won’t spring a leak if Little N or Baby J fall asleep unexpectedly.
I’m often asked for reusable nappy advice and Bambino Mio are the brand I tend to recommend first because I know they are reliable. Their all-in-one Miosolo will fit most babies and toddlers comfortably and their two-piece Miosoft nappies are perfect for newborn babies. Their range is jam-packed with all the nappy accessories you could ever need as well as potty training and swimming accessories, and recently they have brought out a range of beautiful Swaddling Blankets too!
Head over to www.bambinomio.com/en/ to discover more about this brilliant range of reusable nappies and accessories.
Disclosure: I received these nappies for free for review, however all thoughts and opinion remain my own. With thanks to Bambino Mio.
REVIEW: Bambino Mio Miosolo Cloth Nappies
Out of all the reusable nappy brands the one that most people will have heard of is Bambino Mio. They are the leading brand of reusable nappies and accessories worldwide and their availability in many high street shops and supermarkets as well as online means that most cloth bum families have at least one of their adorable award-winning nappies in their fluffy stash.
The Bambino Mio Miosolo nappy is an all-in-one reusable nappy designed to fit from birth-to-potty. It comes in a range of gorgeous colours and prints, such as the Peppermint Cream and Elephant Parade nappies we were sent to try. It has a soft absorbent inner, a stay-dry layer to keep moisture away from your baby’s skin and a waterproof outer layer to prevent leaks. It has adjustable snaps on the rise so that the size can be changed to fit most babies from birth right through to potty training.
The nappy has a long, soft, absorbent core which is inserted into the pocket of the nappy, then you simply use the Velcro tabs to secure the nappy in place in exactly the same way you would with a disposable nappy. You can use a liner in the nappy if you wish, such as Bambino Mio Mioliners which are my go-to liners as they don’t disintegrate or tear when wet like some other brands I’ve tried, and you can also pop in a Mioboost booster for using at night or if you have a particularly heavy wetter.
Bambino Mio Miosolo nappies are incredibly soft and stretchy and even after several 60 degree washes they have stayed soft and comfortable. We’ve not seen any fading to the Velcro or prints, just the Bambino Mio label. The nappy outer has stayed as bright and vivid as when they first arrived. They are extremely quick to dry which is especially important for us as we line-dry our laundry and nappies rather than tumble-dry.
In my experience, no onesize nappy has fit either of my babies from birth but once they have put on a bit of weight and, more importantly, filled out in the thighs the nappies have fitted when adjusted to the smallest setting. On the other hand, the Miosolo is the only onesize nappy that will last until potty training with Little N, as they are the only ones that he has not yet outgrown!
They have the slimmest fit out of all the all-in-one nappies we have tried yet in my opinion they are also the most absorbent lasting a good 2-3 hours before I need to change. I have never experienced a leak from a Miosolo which is not something I can say for some other nappies, including disposables! They have quickly become the nappies that I reach for first, especially when we are going out for the day as I know they are reliable and won’t spring a leak if Little N or Baby J fall asleep unexpectedly.
I’m often asked for reusable nappy advice and Bambino Mio are the brand I tend to recommend first because I know they are reliable. Their all-in-one Miosolo will fit most babies and toddlers comfortably and their two-piece Miosoft nappies are perfect for newborn babies. Their range is jam-packed with all the nappy accessories you could ever need as well as potty training and swimming accessories, and recently they have brought out a range of beautiful Swaddling Blankets too!
Head over to www.bambinomio.com/en/ to discover more about this brilliant range of reusable nappies and accessories.
Disclosure: I received these nappies for free for review, however all thoughts and opinion remain my own. With thanks to Bambino Mio.
Baby J is one month old. He now weighs 9lb 10oz and is 56cm long.
My first month as a mother of two has gone surprisingly well. I was discharged from the hospital two hours after J was born, although we hung about for a couple more hours so we could take our time and enjoy lots of skin-to-skin. We got home around 9pm and ordered a massive Chinese takeaway. It felt very surreal to be eating chow mein while a 6 hour old baby slept next to me!
J has taken to breastfeeding like a pro; he latched on soon after birth and there have been no issues at all. I didn’t need the stash of colostrum that I’d expressed ante-natally after all! I forgot how much of a shock it is the first time your baby latches on; it’s not a horrible feeling, it’s just a bit strange. My milk came in a lot quicker this time round which my midwife had said would probably happen. With Little N it came in on day 4 and this time it came in on day 2. I guess the c-section delayed it last time, along with the breastfeeding difficulties.
I had a first-degree tear during the birth but it seems to have healed well. I haven’t experienced any pain or discomfort. Apart from feeling like I had a bruised tailbone the day after the birth, I just didn’t feel like I’d had a baby at all! The total opposite to how I felt after Little N’s birth. J is sleeping a lot, so even though he is feeding a lot at night he just falls straight to sleep after so I’m getting a lot of rest. Recently he has started to cluster feed in the evenings so he must be going through a growth spurt.
J’s first month has been super busy. In order for us to be discharged so quickly it meant that none of his newborn checks were done at the hospital, so we have had an extra visit from the community midwives as well as having to visit a health centre in the next town to get them done. I asked the midwife to come out a further time because J’s eyes got really gunky. We’ve also registered his birth and made him official.
Little N came home from my Dad’s the day after the birth. He has been the most amazing big brother. I am SO proud of him. He immediately wanted to hold J and cuddle and kiss him. He is so gentle and tender and wants to help. I am so lucky that they have a great bond already.
My Dad has wanted to visit A LOT. To the point that I haven’t really been able to see anyone else because my Dad is always here and it would just be too much to have other people over as well. Aside from my Dad, we’ve seen Ian’s parents, Ian’s sister and one of my friends. Hopefully J will get to meet other friends and family members soon, if my Dad lets them get a look in!
I’ve been really aware that Little N’s whole world has been turned upside down, so I have been keen to resume our regular activities as soon as possible. We ventured back out to our toddler groups when J was 6 days old, the day that Ian went back to work. That raised a lot of eyebrows from other mums who thought I was mad to be out so soon. I think I have still been riding the hormone high because I have had bags of energy! I’m hoping it will last, but I know that’s probably wishful thinking!
Baby J is One Month Old
Baby J is one month old. He now weighs 9lb 10oz and is 56cm long.
My first month as a mother of two has gone surprisingly well. I was discharged from the hospital two hours after J was born, although we hung about for a couple more hours so we could take our time and enjoy lots of skin-to-skin. We got home around 9pm and ordered a massive Chinese takeaway. It felt very surreal to be eating chow mein while a 6 hour old baby slept next to me!
J has taken to breastfeeding like a pro; he latched on soon after birth and there have been no issues at all. I didn’t need the stash of colostrum that I’d expressed ante-natally after all! I forgot how much of a shock it is the first time your baby latches on; it’s not a horrible feeling, it’s just a bit strange. My milk came in a lot quicker this time round which my midwife had said would probably happen. With Little N it came in on day 4 and this time it came in on day 2. I guess the c-section delayed it last time, along with the breastfeeding difficulties.
I had a first-degree tear during the birth but it seems to have healed well. I haven’t experienced any pain or discomfort. Apart from feeling like I had a bruised tailbone the day after the birth, I just didn’t feel like I’d had a baby at all! The total opposite to how I felt after Little N’s birth. J is sleeping a lot, so even though he is feeding a lot at night he just falls straight to sleep after so I’m getting a lot of rest. Recently he has started to cluster feed in the evenings so he must be going through a growth spurt.
J’s first month has been super busy. In order for us to be discharged so quickly it meant that none of his newborn checks were done at the hospital, so we have had an extra visit from the community midwives as well as having to visit a health centre in the next town to get them done. I asked the midwife to come out a further time because J’s eyes got really gunky. We’ve also registered his birth and made him official.
Little N came home from my Dad’s the day after the birth. He has been the most amazing big brother. I am SO proud of him. He immediately wanted to hold J and cuddle and kiss him. He is so gentle and tender and wants to help. I am so lucky that they have a great bond already.
My Dad has wanted to visit A LOT. To the point that I haven’t really been able to see anyone else because my Dad is always here and it would just be too much to have other people over as well. Aside from my Dad, we’ve seen Ian’s parents, Ian’s sister and one of my friends. Hopefully J will get to meet other friends and family members soon, if my Dad lets them get a look in!
I’ve been really aware that Little N’s whole world has been turned upside down, so I have been keen to resume our regular activities as soon as possible. We ventured back out to our toddler groups when J was 6 days old, the day that Ian went back to work. That raised a lot of eyebrows from other mums who thought I was mad to be out so soon. I think I have still been riding the hormone high because I have had bags of energy! I’m hoping it will last, but I know that’s probably wishful thinking!
My mother-in-law gave me this deluxe sample tube of Clarins HydraQuench Cream-Mask earlier this year and like most beauty products I get it went into the drawers of doom until I was recently rummaging through, looking for something to sooth the dry skin I’ve been suffering with.
Clarins say this mask provides intense comfort for dehydrated skin and will restore freshness and radiance within 5 to 10 minutes. Its key ingredients are hyaluronic acid to restore the skin's water reserves, katafray extract to reinforce the barrier effect of the outer layer of the skin, and extracts of rowan tree buds to boost the skin's radiance.
I applied a layer of the creamy white mask to my face and neck and left it to work for the full 10 minutes. It has a rather clinical smell to it, it reminds me of Savlon! Not unpleasant, just surprising. After 10 minutes I removed the excess mask with some toner-soaked cotton wool as the instructions suggest, then applied my usual moisturiser.
I can’t say that I have experienced any of the benefits that were promised, even with subsequent use, which is disappointing to say the least. It’s quite an expensive mask, normally costing £33.00 for a 75ml tube, so I did expect better especially from a brand like Clarins as their products are normally really good.
You can buy Clarins HydraQuench Cream-Mask from retailers such as John Lewis and Escentual as well as from Clarins directly.
Have you tried this mask? What did you think?
Clarins HydraQuench Cream-Mask
My mother-in-law gave me this deluxe sample tube of Clarins HydraQuench Cream-Mask earlier this year and like most beauty products I get it went into the drawers of doom until I was recently rummaging through, looking for something to sooth the dry skin I’ve been suffering with.
Clarins say this mask provides intense comfort for dehydrated skin and will restore freshness and radiance within 5 to 10 minutes. Its key ingredients are hyaluronic acid to restore the skin's water reserves, katafray extract to reinforce the barrier effect of the outer layer of the skin, and extracts of rowan tree buds to boost the skin's radiance.
I applied a layer of the creamy white mask to my face and neck and left it to work for the full 10 minutes. It has a rather clinical smell to it, it reminds me of Savlon! Not unpleasant, just surprising. After 10 minutes I removed the excess mask with some toner-soaked cotton wool as the instructions suggest, then applied my usual moisturiser.
I can’t say that I have experienced any of the benefits that were promised, even with subsequent use, which is disappointing to say the least. It’s quite an expensive mask, normally costing £33.00 for a 75ml tube, so I did expect better especially from a brand like Clarins as their products are normally really good.
You can buy Clarins HydraQuench Cream-Mask from retailers such as John Lewis and Escentual as well as from Clarins directly.
Have you tried this mask? What did you think?
Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask is one of those products that I kept reading about on various blogs, people seemed to absolute love it, and I every time I read about it I thought to myself, “I must try that.” And then would promptly forget. Earlier this year I actually remembered to treat myself to a tube, then promptly forgot I had bought it! Then earlier this month I discovered that I’m allergic to methylisothiazolinone so I went through my beauty drawers looking for something to sooth the sore, dry skin that was left after the last allergic reaction and spotted it.
As the name suggest, Origins Drink Up Intensive is applied at bedtime and works overnight to replenish moisture reserves and build a reservoir for the following day. The key ingredient, Japanese Seaweed, repairs the skin’s barriers to help prevent future dehydration. It sounded like exactly what my poor frazzled skin needed!
The directions suggest to massage onto clean skin then tissue of any excess. I have more of a ‘waste not, want not’ attitude so I applied just enough. A blob about the size of a large pea was plenty. It’s not thick or gloopy like a normal face mask, it feels more like a very rich, intense moisturiser, yet lightweight at the same time. It has a gorgeous, fruity scent which makes me go “mmm”.
In all honesty, I didn’t expect to see results from the first use, especially as my skin was so dried out. I expected maybe a little less redness, maybe a little less dryness. I thought it would take a few uses to see real improvement. So you can imagine my delight when I woke the next morning to a smoother, more supple, glowing and happy looking face. Not totally back to normal, but vastly improved. I used it again a couple of days later and once again the results the next morning were amazing. I now understand why every blogger raves about it!
My skin is now back to its normal happy self but I will continue to use this mask weekly, or maybe fortnightly, depending on my skin’s needs. It’s so good to just be able to stick some on at night and wake up to gorgeous soft skin. A 100ml tube costs £23.00 which is insanely good value for money as you only need a small amount each time. You can buy it from Origins website here or you can pick it up in places like John Lewis and House of Fraser.
Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask
Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask is one of those products that I kept reading about on various blogs, people seemed to absolute love it, and I every time I read about it I thought to myself, “I must try that.” And then would promptly forget. Earlier this year I actually remembered to treat myself to a tube, then promptly forgot I had bought it! Then earlier this month I discovered that I’m allergic to methylisothiazolinone so I went through my beauty drawers looking for something to sooth the sore, dry skin that was left after the last allergic reaction and spotted it.
As the name suggest, Origins Drink Up Intensive is applied at bedtime and works overnight to replenish moisture reserves and build a reservoir for the following day. The key ingredient, Japanese Seaweed, repairs the skin’s barriers to help prevent future dehydration. It sounded like exactly what my poor frazzled skin needed!
The directions suggest to massage onto clean skin then tissue of any excess. I have more of a ‘waste not, want not’ attitude so I applied just enough. A blob about the size of a large pea was plenty. It’s not thick or gloopy like a normal face mask, it feels more like a very rich, intense moisturiser, yet lightweight at the same time. It has a gorgeous, fruity scent which makes me go “mmm”.
In all honesty, I didn’t expect to see results from the first use, especially as my skin was so dried out. I expected maybe a little less redness, maybe a little less dryness. I thought it would take a few uses to see real improvement. So you can imagine my delight when I woke the next morning to a smoother, more supple, glowing and happy looking face. Not totally back to normal, but vastly improved. I used it again a couple of days later and once again the results the next morning were amazing. I now understand why every blogger raves about it!
My skin is now back to its normal happy self but I will continue to use this mask weekly, or maybe fortnightly, depending on my skin’s needs. It’s so good to just be able to stick some on at night and wake up to gorgeous soft skin. A 100ml tube costs £23.00 which is insanely good value for money as you only need a small amount each time. You can buy it from Origins website here or you can pick it up in places like John Lewis and House of Fraser.
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