Let's DO Something!

Being a mother is the best thing to ever happen to me. I could shout this until I was blue in the face because I'm truly made up with my little family. My Instagram is full to the brim with happiness and whilst the majority of the time, I am content; I'm only human and I do get upset sometimes, regardless of how "perfect" my Instagram life seems. It's easy to look at a strangers' Instagram account and think they have everything. Picture perfect. Whilst I cannot speak for them, it's almost guaranteed that they have struggles too.
I'm writing this blog post to reassure that we're all winging it in our own way, that I pick and choose what I share with everyone and that I do own "The Chair" in the bedroom which is almost always home to a stack of clean washing to put away. However, just because I filter out the not-so-good bits, doesn't mean I'm being fake or that I'm lying. I don't like dwelling on sadness, I'd rather move on. I don't feel a need or want to share with you daily struggles and I'm lucky enough to have a very supportive husband. I enjoy sharing the good bits because 90% of the time, I'm having the time of my life! Instagram to me, is a fun way of sharing things I want to remember. Making good memories. I frequently enjoy scrolling through old photos, reading old comments and being proud of the life I've made for myself  when just prior to signing up to Instagram, I was living by myself with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, unable to work and very, very lonely. To think, back then, that I'd ever be in the position I'm in now is unthinkable and I'll be forever grateful to Ben for doing nothing but support me since I met him in 2012. I genuinely never thought anyone would want to marry me or that I'd ever be lucky enough to have a family of my own. That has always been my goal, no matter how mediocre and average it appears to many.
That said, recently, I began to start feeling like we were just plodding along. Not really doing anything significant. I was guilty of seeing other peoples' online lives, going on day trips, going on holiday etc and realising that we weren't doing enough as a family. I wouldn't call it jealousy as such, we're just as capable of doing these things. It just made me realise that we didn't have enough "get up and go" and I felt frustrated.
I'm a class A procrastinator, I faff. I faff so much that I can easily make 9am to 1pm disappear in the blink of an eye without even getting out of my pyjamas; if I'm not careful, by the time I'm ready, it's too late to have a proper "day out". When the weekend arrives and it's "family time", any routine (very loose sense of the word!) with Bronte goes out of the window. Having Ben at home throws Bronte and I out of sync with daytime naps and feedings that I end up getting flustered, confused and we often let the weekend pass us by without doing anything. When I say "without doing anything", I'm sure you're aware that I don't mean lay-ins, relaxing and naps... I mean, playing with Bronte at home or doing a bit of tidying. These would be absolutely acceptable weekend "activities" if our minds were set on doing these things from the off. Unfortunately, the entire day passes us by whilst our minds are trying to think of exciting things to do. This means that the joy of an average day at home gets ignored and we wind up feeling lack lustre come Sunday evening because we feel like we haven't made the most of our weekend.
I'm sure others can relate? I'm not lusting over an expensive holiday or an exhilarating bungee jump, I'd just like to have the motivation to decide on a day trip prior to the day and actually do it. Once a weekend. Be it a long walk through the woods, a trip to the zoo or exploring a city we've not yet visited. Ben and I now make sure we've got a few plans in place for the weekend and we ensure that, give or take a few adjustments, it happens.
We've visited St. Fagans National History Museum, an open-air museum in Cardiff chronicling the historical lifestyle, culture, and architecture of the Welsh people. I went there as a child and we had such a nice day there with Bronte. It's set up like a little village with all the buildings set up as they would have been in different time periods. It's free entry and I totally recommend a visit if you're ever near by!
I've also booked for the 3 of us to have a night in our wedding suite for a change of scenery, a swim and some nice food. Plans went out the window this weekend as we've all been unwell but we still made the effort to go for a walk in the fresh air and go to our local garden centre to show Bronte the animals in her push along VW Beetle! It all seems so ordinary but honestly, it's an achievement for me!
If anybody has any suggestions on things to do and places you enjoy, please share as we're now ready and excited to live a little!
If you're anything like me and have been feeling like you're not making the most of your days, try writing a list of achievable things to do and places to visit. It's honestly made me feel so much better. Sometimes it's easy to let having a baby consume you and it really is a task to get out of the door sometimes, especially if you don't have anything in particular to do. Failing that, just accept that you're having a day inside and give yourself chance to enjoy it!
Remember to give yourself your own goals, be inspired by others but just view Instagram photos at face value. Roll on the Summer, the Winter months always leave me feeling a little low! I can't wait to enjoy picnics and simply enjoy warmer weather!

Handy Baby Gadgets - What's Worth It.

Whether you're a mum-to-be or a fully fledged mother of 4, you're probably aware of the heaps of baby related products that are out there. I have an obsession with baby stuff. I'm bombarded. Lots of parents like to get by with the bare minimum of gadgets but if you're anything like myself, you've probably scoured the internet for products for each stage of your baby's development and wonder what's worth buying.

I thought I'd make a list of what products I have found helpful along the parenthood way! If you have any recommendations of products that parents may enjoy, please add in the comments!

Enjoy!

Greentom Upp Reversible.

I was sent this pram by Greentom after contacting them about how much I loved the idea. It's 100% recycled and is RIDCULOUSLY light. When I was pregnant, I bought a Quinny Moodd pram which I love the look of and once I was on the move, I enjoyed it however it's super bulky, heavy and hard to get round smaller shops. The Greentom Upp is like a breath of fresh air, I find it difficult to go back to my Quinny after using the Greentom as it's just a lovely experience to push! I'd recommend it to anyone, the quality of the fabric feels luxurious in comparison to other brands, it's an ease to move around, it looks amazing and it's recycled! You get to choose from a range of coloured fabrics and frames so it's really customisable. What's not to love? It's affordable too! I'd recommend to anyone. I'll be reviewing this pram in more depth soon so watch this space.

Check them out here!

www.greentom.com

Widgey Breastfeeding Pillow.

I was given this pillow by a friend and it came in super handy. I originally used it to support Bronte in the early weeks of breastfeeding. You place it around your stomach and then lay your baby on it at the breast. Once Bronte was beginning to sit, I used it as support for her and to cushion her fall as she got stronger. The majority of the time she sat with one of these instead of a Bumbo or similar. I felt like it required her to do more of the "sitting" rather than a Bumbo that does most of the work for her!

Babymoov Cosysleep Positioner

I wasn't planning on buying any of these sleep positioners but after about 6 weeks of very frequent wakings, I caved and decided to give this a try. I found Bronte slept for longer periods of time and definitely seemed more cosy. I could transfer her from pram to moses basket by using it wherever I lay her down. It had the option to have her legs slightly raised too which is supposed to help with reflux and there's a dip for the head to prevent it from becoming flat. I really took it everywhere with us so that she'd always have somewhere to sleep that was familiar. We used this until Bronte could roll over.

Mamas and Papas Astro Bouncer

This was the first gadget we bought when I was pregnant. Again, I wasn't planning on buying one but Ben got excited at all the flashing lights and sounds. I must admit, it was a good purchase and I found it super handy to occupy Bronte whilst I had a shower or needed to do the washing up. As well as the usual vibrating settings and music, this bouncer has an LED light display in the arch, interactive "dangly things" to pull and foot pads that set off different sounds when the baby kicks. It also came with different cartridges to change the theme of songs and activities, you can buy more separately and they can be used in other Mamas and Papas products! Oh and an auxiliary cable to play your own music from your iPod or phone! Super techy but we got a lot of use out of it and Bronte loved it!

A Baby Carrier

Since the beginning, I've worn Bronte an awful lot. I started off by wearing her in my Soothe Shirt from Lalabu which is an amazing top with a little pouch to carry your newborn safely in by supporting with one hand and easily accessible for breastfeeding. Then I moved onto a ring sling made by my friend, Sid. I tried a mei tai carrier which I didn't get on with as I found the tying fiddley and I used by sister-in-law's stretchy wrap for a short while. From about 3 months I've used more structured carriers. The two I have are an Ergobaby which I LOVE and is super comfortable and ergonomic but I didn't get the 360 version which allows a front facing carry so I also bought a Baby Bjorn One carrier which allows for that and that's also ergonomic. I love them both for different reasons. I think the Ergobaby is marginally more comfortable and has a handy pocket to keep keys etc but the bulky straps mean I look like the hulk if I try wearing a coat over the top. The Baby Bjorn is far more streamlined, has the added carry option and I find getting Bronte in and out of it more simple!

Natursutten Natural Rubber Dummy

Bronte wouldn't really take to a dummy but this was the closest we got to her accepting one. I'd still recommend giving them a look though as not only are they a nicer alternative to your average dummy, they're also 100% natural and super soft.

Bottles

I've pretty much completely breast fed Bronte and only expressed on the very, very rare occasion. I can't say there's a real reason for it. I didn't have an opinion on it or anything, it's just happened that way. I guess I just haven't really had the reason to use a bottle. The first bottle I tried her with at about 3 months was the Twist Shake bottle which is a beautiful, colourful bottle with a formula mixer built in. Not something I used but I'd recommend for any formula feeders out there, looking for a bottle! I also got sent a Minbie bottle which prides itself for being an easy bottle to use whilst breastfeeding as it mimics the breast. Bronte did take to it on the occasions I've used it so if you're looking for a bottle that your baby might accept, this could be the one for you!

BebePOD Flex Plus Seat

A super, super handy seat which I've used since Bronte was 3/4 months old. First to support her sitting and give her a different view of the world whilst playing, then as a chair to feed her in. I still don't use a highchair at 9 months old. She sits in this on our table or on a dining room chair. We take it round friends and family's house so we can feed her easily wherever we go! It's light and doesn't take up much room.

Num Num Spoons

These spoons are brilliant and allow Bronte to feed herself far easier than with a conventional baby spoon. They are small enough for tiny hands and have ridges in to keep food from falling off easily. All your baby needs to do is dip the spoon into their food rather than scoop. Brilliant!

Beaba Babycook Food Processor Solo

This little beauty allows me to steam meat and veg in 15 minutes and then blend it to the consistency I want, all in the same, compact food processor. It's really easy to use and clean and also comes with recipes to try out! We've really found it helpful and store extra meals in our freezer!

Munchkin Miracle 360 Cup

We love this sippy cup! Bronte can sip from any edge of the cup to drink. It doesn't spill like her Tommy Tippee sippy cup, no matter how much she throws it around. It's easy to clean and gentle on her toothy pegs!

Sophie la Girafe

A firm favourite in our household! We've tried lots of teethers but this one is by far Bronte's favourite. As soon as I present her to Bronte, she's beaming!

gNappies

If you're umming and ahhing between disposable and cloth nappies, this may be the nappy for you! Neither cloth or fully disposable, gNappies have washable outers called gPants and biodegradable, disposable inserts. They're slightly more difficult to use than your average disposable as there's obviously some washing involved but as long as you've prepared your gNappy prior to changing a nappy, it's super easy to put on your baby and Bronte is super comfy in it. The gPants come in such cute designs and are good for the environment! 

You can purchase these from www.gnappies.com

Jumperoo

I swore I wouldn't need one of these. They're big and bulky and let's be honest, not the most beautiful of toys. It has however, been quite handy. I only use it for about ten minutes daily but it keeps a now very active Bronte entertained for enough time that I can get showered and go to the toilet! It was a life saver when she was not yet sitting as all she ever wanted to do was jump and my arms couldn't take it. I'd recommend, even if it's just to get the little things done! They're quite easy to pick up second hand and you can always sell on as soon as your baby is over it!

Betty the Bee Slumber Buddy

Part of our bedtime "routine". The music and the star light projector are signs for Bronte that it's time for bed! We love ours if you're looking for a night time soother/night light/ music gadget!

Ikea Stacking Cups

These glorious cups deserve a mention as they're super portable for entertaining when we're out, they keep Bronte interested for prolonged periods of time, her face lights up every time she sees them stacked, some have different holes in for water play, they're just brilliant and the best bit... they were £1.50! Best money I've ever spent... I've also noticed they've brought out a new colour way of these this year! (I'm obviously going to buy them too!)