running shoes on for Bliss

Why I am Digging Out My Running Shoes to Raise Money For Bliss

Exercise has always been a big part of my life. I enjoyed it throughout school and have always had active, physical jobs. I have loved classes such as Pilates, step aerobics, Zumba and Hiit as well as running. I even lifted kettlebells and Bulgarian bags during my second pregnancy! Safely, of course, under the watch of an experienced fitness instructor. I wanted to be strong, fit and healthy in order to get the natural birth I so eagerly wanted after experiencing a traumatic emergency c-section with my first baby. And I was doing really well. My fitness levels were probably the best they had ever been, I was strong, I loved working out and it gave me focus.

Continue reading “Why I am Digging Out My Running Shoes to Raise Money For Bliss”
Related Posts:
All in One Cloth Nappies- everything you need
all in one cloth nappies plus wetbag, wipes and boosters

You would have probably read in my last post that we are making the move over to cloth nappies. This Read more

World Book Day: Our Top Ten Children’s Books
our top ten children's books writing across an image of books

*Amazon Affiliate Links It's World Book Day and to mark this, myself and Jake have put our heads together to Read more

How To Drastically Reduce Your Wash Loads Each Week
wooden pegs on a line

How much washing people do has been a bit of a topical point on social media just recently hasn't it? Read more

What You Need to Know About Occupational Therapy for Your Children
a child colouring

Did you know that one in four kids enters kindergarten with speech, fine motors skills or gross motor skills delays? Read more

London little lights walk, 5 lanterns walking across London

Support World Prematurity Day with Bliss London Little Lights Walk

World Prematurity Day is a global movement to raise awareness of premature birth and the sometimes devastating impact it can have on families. On 17 November, Bliss comes together with partners from around the world to talk about premature birth in their countries and to try and take action on behalf of the 15 million babies born early every year.

This year Bliss will be marking this day with their London Little Lights Walk but before I get into that I’d like to share my own story of prematurity with you and explain why this charity is so important…

Continue reading “Support World Prematurity Day with Bliss London Little Lights Walk”
Related Posts:
The Role of Play in Building Social and Emotional Intelligence
play written on building blocks

Playing comes naturally to children and is an enjoyable way to stay active, healthy, and happy. Allowing children to engage Read more

Help, My Four-Year-Old is Broken!
child on step, black and white photo with words help, my 4 year old is broken in a text box

Ok, so tell me this. How come I heard so much about the terrible two's and then the Threenager stage Read more

For First Steps Sustainable Toys Giveaway
for first steps logo and toys plus giveaway

*Collaborative Post 'For First Steps' is a brand new eco-friendly, ethically sourced, unique online shop which is brimming with beautiful Read more

How Positive Parenting Can Enrich Children’s Lives
a happy child

*This post was developed via a partnership with BetterHelp When raising a child, every parent approaches it a bit differently. Read more

preemie baby in an incubator

The Bittersweet Side of Becoming a Preemie Parent

I have held off writing this for a quite a while for a couple of reasons really. 1 I felt that I had covered quite a bit on prematurity and sometimes it really can sound like you are always being quite negative (without meaning to but until you’ve been in these shoes it can be difficult to understand where it is all coming from) and 2 because it is still painful to think about certain aspects and to reflect on how those moments made me feel.

Continue reading “The Bittersweet Side of Becoming a Preemie Parent”
Related Posts:
Breastfeeding and Prematurity
breastfeeding and prematurity- me sat feeding william for the first time in NICU

One thing I always knew I wanted to do as a Mother was to be able to breastfeed my babies. Read more

An Eventful Birth Story: PPROM, VBAC and Prematurity
new baby- my birth story

If you have been following my blog you will know that I have been openly documenting my pregnancy journey and Read more

What To Expect If Your Waters Break Early
waters break early

At 30 weeks pregnant, the last thing I expected to happen was to have my waters breaking this early. The Read more

C-Section Versus VBAC
C-Section versus VBAC black and white photo of baby's foot in hospital after birth

This is a post I have been meaning to write for so long now. Having had an emergency c-section with Read more

Jake with baby

How to Help Your Child Cope with Having a Sibling in NICU

I was recently contacted by a Mother asking me if I had written a post on how to help your child cope with having a sibling in NICU. I hadn’t even thought about this as a blog topic but also couldn’t believe I had overlooked it! Through the emotions, the tiredness, the back and forth to the hospital, I had constantly thought about our baby and writing about his journey yet the other superstar hasn’t had a mention, and he definitely deserves one. 

Continue reading “How to Help Your Child Cope with Having a Sibling in NICU”
Related Posts:
Our NICU Journey- Week Three (part one)
nicu journey week three

Another week, more hospital NICU visits to come and I begin to notice the toll it's having on all of Read more

Unique Ways To Explore Wildlife With Kids
tree

*Collaborative Post The natural world is a truly amazing thing. Even as an adult, there are things in the world Read more

7 Simple Tips To Help You To Achieve Your 1000 Hours Outside Challenge
2 boys in water, one balancing on a log and the other paddling

This year we decided to take part in the 1000 Hours Outside challenge. The idea behind this being that we Read more

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing Sunscreen for Kids: A Parent’s Handbook
a kid with sunscreen on

As a parent, your top priority is often seeking ways to protect your children from harm. One crucial aspect of Read more

preemie parent, 3 pictures of prem baby

The First Six Months as a Preemie Parent

Six months have somehow passed since our little ‘dinks’ arrived prematurely into our world and I cannot believe it. At times it still feels as though it was only last week that I was back and forth to the hospital, having emotional breakdowns, longing for my baby to be able to come home, yet here we are months later, sitting at home with a very happy and healthy little boy who has come on leaps and bounds. Becoming a preemie parent has been an eye-opener and a very different journey to having a full-term baby and I know I am incredibly lucky that my boy is here safe and well…

Continue reading “The First Six Months as a Preemie Parent”
Related Posts:
The Dawn of the Threenager
3 pictures, boy making funny face, boy holding 3 balloon and boy with toy tools

I had previously heard of the term 'Threenager' (a three year old who acts out as a teenager) but assumed Read more

Top Tips for Helping Your Child Learn a New Language
mum and duaghter sat ona sofa

Helping your child learn a new language from a young age can help set them up for future success. Not Read more

Road Safety for Children
road safety sign

Learning about road safety is one of the most crucial lessons in early life. By teaching your children the importance Read more

The Experience of Taking a Toddler Abroad
mum and child on a boat in Zante

If you follow my blog and facebook page you will be aware that we recently travelled to Zante for a Read more

preemie baby in a cot

55 Things a Preemie Parent Doesn’t Want to Hear (and tips on what to say and do)

When you become a preemie parent your entire newborn journey alters. You are thrown into a world that is scary, upsetting, unnerving and completely unpredictable. You lose all those firsts that should experience and you return home without your baby.

Even after your baby does come home, times can be tough and not all stories are straightforward. Whatever the situation is, those parents require support both emotional and physical. They need people to understand what they are going through and, most importantly, they need these people to be saying and asking the right things. Unfortunately, there are a lot of (ahem)

Continue reading “55 Things a Preemie Parent Doesn’t Want to Hear (and tips on what to say and do)”
Related Posts:
Review | Rocky Road Non-Toxic Play Mat by Pure Earth Collection
Rocky Road Play Mat

*Ad When it comes to choosing eco-friendly kids toys, there are plenty of options on the market and many of Read more

4 Reasons Why Saving Just Isn’t Enough For Most Families
piggy bank knocked over, saving money

*Collaborative Post Let me dispel a misconception that may be causing you to lose sleep some nights… You are not Read more

Our NICU Journey- Week Three (part one)
nicu journey week three

Another week, more hospital NICU visits to come and I begin to notice the toll it's having on all of Read more

5 Best Personal GPS Trackers For Kids Safety
tracking devices for kids

Your child vanishes into a crowd—again. This time, you’re ready. In a single moment of distraction. A split-second lapse. That’s Read more

breastfeeding and prematurity- me sat feeding william for the first time in NICU

Breastfeeding and Prematurity

One thing I always knew I wanted to do as a Mother was to be able to breastfeed my babies. I managed easily with my firstborn and he fed from me for 9 months– until he developed far too many teeth and learnt to bite! This time around, it was a no-brainer, breastfeed again and hopefully for longer. There were for 2 reasons for this, 1 because I loved the connection that breastfeeding brought me and my baby and 2 it’s free and so convenient.

What I didn’t envisage happening was

Continue reading “Breastfeeding and Prematurity”
Related Posts:
Why Southsea is a great day out for all the family
collage of southsea activities

I have lived in Hampshire all my life and spent a lot of my childhood visiting the great places it Read more

4 Ways To Get Your Children Ready To Start School
a child holding a handmade rocket

Even though summer break hasn't started yet, it's never too early to start thinking about the next school year. When Read more

How To Make A Diary of a Wimpy Kid World Book Day Costume
how to make a diary of a wimpy kid world book day costume

*Affiliate Links Diary of a Wimpy Kid has become a favourite book series in our household so when World Book Read more

How Does Being Fostered Impact A Child? A Short Guide For Foster Parents
foster parents with child

When a child enters the care system, they have already been through a lot. This means if you are a Read more