Belly bandit!

I felt more comfortable the last few days, so I decided to try on the Belly Bandit I bought. Having not used one the first time round I didn’t know what it would feel like or if it would work but sure I’m giving it a go!
Now they are expensive but if nothing else it is really helping my back with its support. The instructions say to wear it day and night and to only take it off to shower, so I am (not sure how long I’ll last but this week I’m following it to the letter. I have to lie down on the bed to close it ha ha….but once strapped in I feel great. And even after a few days I definitely think it’s helping to push things back in place. Now I’m not sure it’s worth the money I paid as I know there are cheaper versions available, but too late now.
If you remember after my last pregnancy I suffered from diastasis recti (where my stomach muscles separated during pregnancy and never re-joined – you could fit 2 fingers into the gap!) and it really drove me mad, I hated my stomach as I had a permanent pot belly no matter how much exercise I did. So if this can help improve it brilliant, but if nothing else once it prevents it from getting any worse, I’ll be happy.
Only time will tell!

The final countdown!

The hospital ‘kit bag’, is packed, the cot is assembled, the travel system sits in the corner and I appear to taken up residence on the couch a la Jabba the Hutt.  Yep, the final countdown is on, we are officially in the ‘drop zone’ – which just makes me hum ‘The danger zone’, each time I think about it.   The professional assessment of the doctor is ‘sit tight’, and, randomly, a thumbs up (what does that mean; 2 days? 2 weeks?!).
Finishing work was a bit strange.  I guess like a lot of other people in my situation the prospect of having such an extended period of time off work is a bit daunting, let alone contemplating the slightly scary prospect of what lies ahead – this new job is going to be a challenge and I suspect the new boss is going to be the most demanding yet….!
Another thing struck me as I took myself and my cankles out the office door last week – work may never be the same again.  My career is important to me, but I’m about to embark upon an adventure that is going to become probably the most important thing to me and my other half.  It is a long way off but combining the day job with the 24/7 job that is parenthood is going to be a challenge – a challenge I am most definitely looking forward to but , let’s just say, I’m feeling a bit philosophical about it at the moment.

Baby’s sleep routine after being unwell

Parents can struggle with their children’s sleep due to bouts of typical sicknesses that young children will have.  Common illnesses in childhood are coughs, colds, ear and chest infections, chicken pox…the list goes on.  All sickness can impact on good sleep and during the sickness period parents can expect a sleepless child and sleepless nights. However, all things being equal, if you respond correctly during the sick stage then as soon as your child recovers, then their healthy sleep habits will return….provided you haven’t ingrained some poor associations on the way.
Depending on the level of sickness always seek advice from your GP or health visitor, trust your instincts and meet your child’s every need. 
Have a response plan for times of sickness.

1. Avoid re-introducing the original crutches if you have worked hard to eliminate rocking, co sleeping, overnight bottles.
2. Of course hold your child, but try not to do this all the way to sleep
3. Keep your child hydrated with sippy cups/beakers of water
4. Avoid changing the sleeping location-camp out in your child’s bedroom if they are too sick to be left alone.
5. If your child needs pain management for teething/sickness consult your GP
6. Camp out with them.  It would be better to stay in their bedroom on the floor than change their sleeping location
7. Be mindful that new sleep associations can be formed within 1-3 days
8. As soon as your child is on the mend, try to resume normal sleep practises
9. If they are still a bit needy, then work of phasing yourself out of their sleep process over the course of a few days, don’t be left with a sleepless child, long after illness has gone away
10. Understand that you will lose out on sleep yourself during this time-it is our journey as parents!

And so the back pain begins

I’d heard a lot about back pain in pregnancy from various people and books.  It’s inevitable really, there is a lot going on in terms of growing and stretching – the result being you are pretty much carrying a keg up front by the time you hit trimester three.  Yes, a keg – I’ve checked and as of this week my weight gain corresponds to that of an average sized keg of beer.  I find this amusing.
Something I find considerably less amusing, however, is sciatica.  I have had sciatica once or twice before over the past couple of years.  I am not a doctor so I don’t know the ‘science’, behind it but it is a pain in the backside, literally.  The nerves and muscles deep in your lower back get all knotted up due to pressure on your sciatic nerve resulting in a big L.  Another classic symptom is shooting pains down your leg(s) kind of like a cramp.  These can go all the way to your toes – sounds pleasant right?  The end result is a niggling, constant pain which can make it near impossible to sit or lie down no matter how many different cushion combos you try on the couch.
Pre pregnancy when I got sciatica I reached for the painkillers and tried to get comfortable.  If you are pregnant, popping a pill might not be an option.  The following may not work for everyone but this is what has worked for me;
1. Seek help ASAP.  Sciatica gets worse the longer you leave it.  My help of choice – a good physio. I can’t say enough good things about getting a physio session to work out some of the tension.  Yes, it will hurt quite a bit and yes when I went I came out battered and bruised, literally (much to the horror of the physio when I went back for the next session – I do bruise easily) but I hobbled in like an old lady and walked out with a definite spring in my step.

Keeping bedtime with the brighter evenings

As the evenings are now brighter it can be more difficult to maintain your child’s early bedtime.  Unfortunately, despite the stretch in the evening, bed time stays the same!  Most young children under the age of 5 years will benefit from a bedtime between 6-8pm.  If your child is going to bed later than this and it is working for you, then don’t worry.  However, often too late bedtimes wreak havoc on good sleep, causes bedtime battles, frequent waking and a messed up nap schedule.
I like to work on a 7-8pm bedtime most of the time, provided that the child is well rested throughout the day and is not irritable and cranky.  Read your child’s sleep cues and don’t be afraid of a slightly earlier bedtime if your young child appears ready to sleep-it rarely causes a child to wake too early to start the day which is what frightens most parents.  Young children naturally waken from 6am onwards.
Helping your child go easily to sleep with these brighter evening means more effort from you.
Within the hour of bedtime I would advise dimming the environment-closing blinds and curtains downstairs and switching off the television and any other gadgets.

Weaning Mythbusters

Here on our Careline, we often get questions from parents who are unsure about certain foods in the weaning diet and who can blame them with all the conflicting advice on the internet! Here are a few of the most common misconceptions that we come across:
Can my baby eat eggs?
Yes! Eggs are suitable from 6 months of age onwards once they are well cooked. So hard boiled eggs, well-cooked scrambled eggs, omelettes or frittatas are all great choices for baby. Eggs are a superfood rich in protein for baby’s growth, iron for their brain development and Vitamin D for their healthy bones.
I can’t give my baby meat until they are a bit older, right?
FALSE! Red meat, chicken and fish are all perfectly suitable from the beginning of weaning once they are well cooked and there are no bones. Choose lean cuts of meat and offer oily fish such as salmon or mackerel at least once per week. It is best to start weaning with baby rice, fruit & veg and then after they have had a few tastes you can go ahead with the meat/fish.
Can I give my baby tomatoes?
Yes! I’m not sure where this one came from but it is a question I have now been asked several times by mums weaning their baby. Tomatoes are perfectly suitable while weaning and are a great source of vitamin C. Try a homemade tomato based sauce with chopped tomatoes, garlic and herbs – much better than packet sauces which can be high in salt.

Sleep tips when the clocks go forward

I get a lot of requests at this time of year about the clocks going forward.  I have to say that I don’t find this time change as punishing as the clocks going back and for those of you whose children wake on the early side this can be a bonus.  However, it can take a few days and as long as a week, for their body to adjust to a different mood lighting caused by losing an hour and the fact that our natural body clock is being challenged.

I tend to encourage parents not to over-think this transition as I find as parents we have enough to contend with.  The best options are the following

Firstly, ensure that your child is well rested in the run up to this weekend.  So, getting good naps and night time sleep; then on the day of the change either:

1. Do nothing; slot them into the new time.  Adjust your clock to reflect the new time and by and follow your typical daily routine, with everything pushed ahead by one hour.  This way your child will lose an hour and this will mean that bedtime is potentially a whole hour earlier than the night before and you may encounter a struggle, so respond accordingly as they process the change.

Or

2. Spilt the difference between the new time and the “old” time for the first few days with the notion of getting back to your original bedtime within a few days.  Match your feeding schedule to this change.  For example.  If bedtime is usually 7pm, aim for 7.30 “new time”, this in reality would be 6.30pm before the change.  This way you may alleviate the struggle and allow their body to adjust with minimum upset to your daily routine.

Dealing with postnatal depression

Becoming a new mother can be an emotional rollercoaster ride from the word go. This makes perfect sense when you think of the hormonal changes taking place in your body and the arrival of a new tiny person into your family.
A lot of mothers feel that their previous identity is somewhat stripped away from them and they are instead left with a foreboding responsibility of looking after a young baby. Although many mothers who develop signs of postnatal depression can feel hopeless and dejected, you are not alone. As many as 1 in 6 women have to deal with postnatal depression in the aftermath of childbirth.
The first signs of postnatal depression can vary from feeling low, sad and inadequate to an inability to cope with what used to be the usual. Postnatal depression can range from the baby blues which usually begins 2-4 days after your baby is born and can pass quickly within a few weeks to postnatal depression which affects 1 in 6 new mothers and becomes evident at a later stage when the baby is 4-6 months old.
The best tips to deal with signs of postnatal depression include:
- Be open about your feelings and worries with your partner, a sister, your mother or a friend you trust.

Valentine’s day recipes

Tantalize your loved ones taste buds this Valentine’s night with a range of romantic dishes ideal for a date night. If you are planning a romantic night in this Valentine’s Day and don’t know what to cook or want to try something new here are a few tasty recipes.
Tapas restaurants are becoming increasing popular, and for a good reason! Tapas are a great date night food as they can be shared with your loved ones. Tapas are a terrific way of having a little bit of everything if you have different food preferences.  As tapas are smaller portions, five dishes will be plenty! I have chosen recipes that are not only relatively healthy but simple to prepare too…trust me! Don’t be afraid to freeze the leftovers or use them for lunches the next day.

Sleep and returning to work

It’s difficult for us to process the thought of going back to work, whether you are a first time parent or returning to work after a second or subsequent child.  Those first few months of maternity leave tend to fly by, but when you know when your are returning to work you will need to make some informed choices about your childcare provisions and I would encourage you to include sleep within those decisions.  It may also be easier to tolerate sleep deprivation whilst on maternity leave, but it will be increasingly more difficult when you are trying to work and function at an optimum level in a professional capacity and still be the best parent and partner that you can be.
There are plenty of choices from a day care perspective; from formal crèche environments, to people minding children in their own homes.   If you are not opting for a child care option that keeps your child in their own home, then a major consideration should be given to where your child will sleep during the day whilst in someone else’s care.
A young child will have a day time sleep need to at least to age 3 and very possibly beyond.  Where and at what time they will sleep needs to be considered by you and by the people that are minding your child.  Ensure that you know what kind of a template of a day your child should be on for his/her age group and the amount of daytime sleep s/he requires and at what times.  That way you can be assertive over your child’s day care sleep from the start of the parent/childcare relationship.

Bed wetting! Survival of the fittest

Ok so I decided to tackle the night-time bed wetting issue with Jack again. He is toilet trained for nearly a year now, well during the day only. I kept the pull-ups on at night.
I asked friends and searched the internet and wow the information is so conflicting. Some people say to lift them during the night; others say not to do this. Some say that it was the pull-ups that has delayed his progress, other disagree…..ahhhh!!!
What is the best way to go about this??
It is night 5 now and we have only had one dry night (I think that one was pure luck!). We have been lifting him but as a result he is exhausted in the morning because his sleep has been disturbed and now he gets really upset when we lift him and blankly refuses to go! So I tried not lifting – It actually makes no difference. It seems that he is in such a deep sleep that he can’t feel how wet he is. So those that said the pull-ups stop them from feeling being wet, well it makes absolutely no difference in Jack’s case.
I have read that if it’s a physical problem a doctor wont do anything until they are older? I feel so sorry for him because he is just wrecked now (we all are)!
Can anyone help me?? Do I give up and leave him alone, he is still young, or do I stick with it??
How have you gotten through it, any tips/advice you can share would really be appreciated by this very disheartened mother!
PS: I had also blocked out the amount of extra washing involved in this process!!

5 Top Beauty Tips for during Pregnancy

Pregnancy is an emotional time as your body is changing and your hormones are all over the place. Many pregnant women can also experience a variety of physical changes that you may not expect.

Here are our 5 top beauty boosting tips for during pregnancy:
1.       Water
Water is important for us all but during pregnancy it is even more important to make sure to have around 2 litres (6-8 glasses) of water per day. Water helps to flush out toxins, hydrate the skin and it can boost your energy levels. Also for baby it helps to maintain sufficient levels of amniotic fluids in the womb.
2.       Get your beauty sleep
Sleep is very important for the body and getting enough sleep each night can help to boost your skin’s appearance. However, as your pregnancy progresses you might find it harder to get an uninterrupted night’s sleep. Try and aim for at least 8 hours per night and have a look at our article on the topic for some tips if you are having difficulties.
3.       Stretchmarks
At least half of all pregnant women can experience stretchmarks during their pregnancy. While sometimes the likelihood of experiencing them can be hereditary there are some preventative steps you can add to your daily routine. Keep the skin deeply moisturised using an oil or stretchmark cream. Popular products as recommended by our Facebook fans are Bio-Oil, CocoButter and Mama Mio. Gently massage these products into your bump, thighs and legs after a warm shower or bath.

Choose Wisely: How to Select a Care Provider

 
hoosing the right care provider is critical to having your best birth.  This week we are so excited to feature writer Meagan Church who discusses the importance of aligning your birth ideals with your care provider. 
 
Shortly after I discovered I was pregnant with my first, I met with my family doctor. He had stopped doing obstetric care a few months prior, so I knew he wouldn’t be my care provider for my pregnancy. Even still, I felt compelled to meet with him. I believe that meeting shaped my journey to finding the right provider for me and set the course for a more desirable birth experience.
During the visit, I asked if he had any recommendations for a care provider. Since my husband and I wanted to wait to share the pregnancy news until after the first trimester, I couldn’t turn to family or friends for advice. My doctor simply asked, “What kind of provider do you want?” I hesitated for a moment, not knowing how to respond. Basically I wanted someone who would be covered by my insurance. What else was there to know? He then said he sometimes recommended a certain OB/GYN, but I should first consider that he takes a very patriarchal approach. Then he asked if I’d ever considered a midwife. My doctor said his wife had an at-home birth with a midwife, so perhaps I should consider whether a midwife would more closely match my desires. Essentially what he was asking me to consider is what my birth philosophy was.
Before that conversation, I had never thought of there being such a thing as a birth philosophy. But in the days and weeks after that appointment, I soon learned that practices and philosophies definitely do exist. I needed to understand my thoughts on birth and find a provider who matched those, and not base my choice solely on my HMO. Thankfully my research led me to a great midwifery practice.
As I’ve talked to more and more moms, I’ve come to realize that many women enter pregnancy with the same misconception that I did, not realizing that differences other than personality quirks separate providers from one another. It’s not until much further along in the pregnancy and sometimes even after a traumatic birth experience that some women have realized their birth philosophy and their provider’s did not align. Unfortunately, I have a good friend whose story is precisely that.

Happy Pills: Preventing the Baby Blues Naturally?

Postpartum depression is a very real and physiological occurrence that can begin anytime between birth and twelve months postpartum.  It is generally experienced as a series of symptoms, which are identified along a spectrum of severity — ranging from baby blues (which is the mildest and generally corrects itself in the first three to four weeks postpartum), all the way to postpartum psychosis. Postpartum psychosis is incredibly serious and often leads to hospitalization.
The majority (80%) of women experience some sort of post-natal mood instability, mostly in the “baby blues” range.  Baby blues shares many common symptoms with full-blown postpartum depression, but is not technically considered a “disorder” by the medical establishment unless the symptoms extend longer than 3-weeks. Symptoms may include: weepiness, mood instability, mood swings, feelings of anxiety, not wanting anyone else to hold the baby, unwillingness to be alone with the baby, or fear husband or partner going back to work or even leaving the house.
15-20% of women who experience the baby blues will go on to experience full-on postpartum depression.  When depressive symptoms last for longer than 6-8 weeks, a doctor may prescribe an anti-depressant.

Oxytocin: The Love & Birth Hormone

The number one priority in preparing for birth is to understand the physiology of birth and to know in advance that wherever you will be the most physically and emotionally comfortable is where you should labor.
There is a powerful player in birth called oxytocin, otherwise known as the “love hormone” because it is the hormone that we release with sexual activity. Even more, this is the hormone we release at the mere thought of sexual activity. Just thinking about a lover and becoming aroused, that’s oxytocin.  New mothers, just hearing a baby cry – even if it’s not their own – will let down their milk, and that’s oxytocin.
Never in a woman’s life is oxytocin higher than in pregnancy and during labor, as well as the moments immediately after birth (when it’s at it’s all-time peak).  Therefore if you think of birth as a sexual event, then you begin to understand how important the setting and the set of people around you really are.  It’s not too far afield to say “imagine yourself having sex with a room full of strangers parading in and out of your room.” Could you change positions spontaneously? Could you move and groan and moan and do the things that are natural in birth if you’re being observed?