family in nicu

How Can You Support A Family With A Baby In NICU?

It can be difficult for people to know what the right things to say or do when a family welcome a baby prematurely. I must admit that before we had William I was pretty clueless about the ins and outs of NICU life and even though I have known of couples who have had a baby pre-term it felt as though if I asked lots of questions I may have seemed as though I was prying and I didn’t want to offend by asking the wrong thing. Now I have been in those shoes I know what a scary, lonely time it can be and for me, I found talking helped. I think we can all be a little too polite at times and perhaps if we spoke about situations a little more we could all offer and receive more help and support.

So, what does a family with a baby in NICU need and how can you provide that support?

Continue reading “How Can You Support A Family With A Baby In NICU?”
Related Posts:
Our NICU Journey- Week One
our nicu journey

So, you arrived early. I expected it, I just knew my body hadn't felt right, I'd been saying this since Read more

Our NICU Journey- Week Two
our nicu journey week two

One week has passed in NICU and so much happened that it was all a whirlwind. We had the elation 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

Our NICU Journey- Week Three (part two)
our NICU journey week three part two

Our NICU journey continues: That night in NICU... I was told about prem baby's and their little noises but wow, Read more

our NICU journey week three part two

Our NICU Journey- Week Three (part two)

Our NICU journey continues:

That night in NICU…

I was told about prem baby’s and their little noises but wow, I wasn’t prepared for quite so many groans, grunts, snuffles and squeaks! I wasn’t sure if I was going to get any sleep but you settle after a 2am feed and you go through until 4:30am then wake again at 6:30am. You show me that you can breastfeed on demand and wake for it ok. Your temperature seemed ok throughout the night– I checked the back of your neck, your chest and your back just to be on the safe side… I may have also checked your breathing a little too much!! I can see how I am going to be once you are home.

Continue reading “Our NICU Journey- Week Three (part two)”
Related Posts:
The Sod’s Laws of Parenting
the sods laws of parenting

If you are a parent you would have most probably noticed by now that some things happen in patterns. Patterns Read more

How to Support Your Partner After a Difficult Birth
baby being born

Childbirth can be a joyful experience for new parents, but it can also be physically and emotionally challenging, especially if Read more

The Summer Holidays: Expectations Vs Reality
summer holidays expectations vs reality

Ahhhh, the summer holidays, the time of year when you get to spend more time with your kids, where routines Read more

Ziggle Leggings and Socks Review PLUS Giveaway!!
ziggle leggings and socks review

*Gifted Items I recently attended a blogging conference in Manchester which not only held amazing sessions to help us to Read more

nicu journey week three

Our NICU Journey- Week Three (part one)

Another week, more hospital NICU visits to come and I begin to notice the toll it’s having on all of us. The tiredness, the worry, the stress, the juggling of normal life with hospital life. You can only fully understand all of this if you have been in the same position, it’s a whole other world. Having Jake around is a lovely distraction from the seriousness of it all but trying to balance his needs with yours is a skill I am only just about managing.

Continue reading “Our NICU Journey- Week Three (part one)”
Related Posts:
The First Six Months as a Preemie Parent
preemie parent, 3 pictures of prem baby

Six months have somehow passed since our little 'dinks' arrived prematurely into our world and I cannot believe it. At Read more

What Not to Say to an Autistic Child: Words and Phrases to Avoid
a child holding building blocks

Communicating effectively with autistic children requires sensitivity and understanding. Words have power, and certain phrases can unintentionally hurt or frustrate Read more

Disney Parks Tips and Tricks
disney world at night with fireworks

As I am off on my holiday to Florida, I wanted to be able to provide relevant content for you as Read more

How to Choose Baby Formula: Newborn Guide & Types
a happy smiling baby

Newborn babies need proper nutrition and attentive parental care. Parents should pay attention to different formula compositions and consult with Read more

packing your hospital bag

Packing Your Hospital Bag

*Gifted TENS machine

Packing your hospital bag is usually something you can end up leaving until the last month or so but in my case, I have just chosen to frantically pack mine now (with what I have to hand) as I have now been told twice this week that my baby seems to be getting himself into position, which with all my issues recently I am not overly surprised. If he doesn’t come naturally I will more than likely be induced a little earlier anyway so now is the time to plan, prepare and get my head around the fact I will probably have a baby this year and not next year!

Continue reading “Packing Your Hospital Bag”
Related Posts:
SpeedBump Maternity Activewear Review
speedbump activewear worn by me whilst working out. A review

*Gifted Items Staying fit and healthy during this pregnancy was something I had decided upon even before I fell with Read more

Maternity Wear: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
maternity wear

*Gifted Product I have such a love-hate relationship with maternity wear. Don't you find that there is such a gap in Read more

How Different Breastfeeding Positions Can Help with Feeding Your Baby
Baby feeding from a Mums breast in cradle position

When it comes to breastfeeding, most of us automatically picture a woman cradling her baby across her body to feed. Read more

Why I’ve Never Written A Birth Plan And Never Will
baby's feet wrapped in a white sheet maybe just after birth

When I was pregnant the first time around I remember being asked quite early on to write out my birth Read more

waters break early

What To Expect If Your Waters Break Early

At 30 weeks pregnant, the last thing I expected to happen was to have my waters breaking this early. The pregnancy has been a little up and down due to the presence of Group B Strep but as this was known about and I was monitoring myself for any changes I just assumed everything would be ok up until my due date.

I first felt something at around 7pm but as I hadn’t experienced my waters breaking during my first labour I just assumed that I’d had a little urine leakage… just an oops moment! However, ten minutes later and I felt the same thing.

Continue reading “What To Expect If Your Waters Break Early”
Related Posts:
My Pregnancy: The Consultant Meeting
my pregnancy the consultant meeting

If you follow me on social media you will know that today we were a little nervous because we had Read more

My Pregnancy: Birth Reflections Meeting
birth reflections meeting

When I had Jake on Christmas Day 2013 it ended in a very traumatic emergency c-section which affected me for Read more

My Pregnancy: The Second Trimester
the second trimester

This trimester has felt long. What makes it feel even longer is the fact that no one can decide precisely Read more

Our NICU Journey- Week One
our nicu journey

So, you arrived early. I expected it, I just knew my body hadn't felt right, I'd been saying this since Read more

teddy bear's picnic feature post

Making a Difference with a Teddy Bear’s Picnic

 

″If you go down to the woods today you’re sure of a big surprise…″

The surprise being that you can help towards raising funds to build a new Children’s Emergency & Trauma Department at Southampton University Hospital which will be a ground-breaking major trauma unit supplying state of the art, life-saving equipment. The Ginormous Teddy Bear’s picnic is taking place between 5th and 11th June this year as part of the #2millionsteps campaign and you too can get involved! All you need to do is sign up, get your friends, neighbours, groups or schools involved and start planning your ‘bear-illiant’ picnic! Each person will need to donate the suggested amount of £1 (more would be gratefully received as every penny counts) to this great cause and the only other requirement is to just have fun!

Continue reading “Making a Difference with a Teddy Bear’s Picnic”
Related Posts:
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

3 Nature and Activity Places to Visit in Hampshire
Hormoor Inclosure in Hampshire

We are really lucky to live in the county of Hampshire there is just so much in and around this Read more

8 Easy and Creative Crafts for Kids
kids crafts

Arts and crafts are not only highly engaging, but they inspire creativity. And, as an added bonus, craft activities can Read more

Enchanted Beginnings: Discovering the Magical World of Childhood Wonders
kid playing at creche

In the tapestry of early childhood, each moment is a thread weaving a story of enchantment and discovery. In this Read more

me in hospital after c-section

My Emergency C-Section

April is c-section awareness month and many people are sharing their stories of their experiences of their births. Many of these I have read and seen were elective c-sections and photos were taken and the experience was all very calm, prepared and straight forward.

I really don’t want to write my story and upset, worry or concern those who are pregnant now, but I wish I had known more

Continue reading “My Emergency C-Section”
Related Posts:
5 Signs Money Stress is Getting on Top of You
a man with his hand on his head sat at a table. Looks like he is worrying

Money stress – it’s one of the worst feelings in the world. Not only does it have a horrible impact Read more

Managing Maternity Pay: Making Ends Meet on Less Money 
finances and laptop for maternity pay

*Collaborative Post Your new baby is a fantastic new arrival in your life. When your youngster arrives, you can expect Read more

4 Common Budgeting Mistakes
hand on a calculator

*Collaborative Post When it comes to financial management, there’s no greater tool than a well-designed budget. While the idea of Read more

How Can You Support A Family With A Baby In NICU?
family in nicu

It can be difficult for people to know what the right things to say or do when a family welcome Read more