Mum Reviews...

Blooming Delicious by Sophie Wright - Book Review

Delicious, Beautifully Photographed Recipes for Glowing Health, From Pre-Conception to Post-Baby

When professional chef and highly successful catering business owner Sophie Wright discovered she was pregnant, like many-mums-to-be, she decided to take a closer look at her diet. However, instead of keeping all her wonderful recipes to herself, she made the decision to publish them to help others also improve their diets from pre-pregnancy right up until post-baby.

Blooming Delicious is just that - a beautiful book bursting full of tasty, nutritionally balanced recipes, which, with the help of top nutritional therapist Henrietta Norton, ensure that both mother and baby will be carefully nourished. Alongside each section of the book Sophie has included lots of interesting information about what is happening developmentally to both mother and baby, before introducing many relevant recipes for the stage at which the mother to be has reached.

Bump - How to Make, Grow and Birth a Baby by Kate Evans

Acclaimed cartoonist Kate Evans delivers a no-nonsense illustrated guide to the joys and pains of getting pregnant and giving birth in a much-awaited sequel to her breastfeeding bestseller, The Food of Love.

Evans deftly handles the physical and emotional changes that come with being pregnant, looking at the practicalities of every stage as well as the challenges that may arise. Her straightforward, funny and accessible text is illustrated throughout with detailed artwork to guide the reader through the intricacies of human reproduction whilst her customary laugh-out-loud cartoons demystify the complexities of pregnancy and birth.

What midwives and mothers say about BUMP:

‘Informative and empowering. This is an epic work of love and deep understanding.’
‘This is just so wonderful – such a lovely way to describe how your body is designed to birth.
I felt relaxed just reading it.’

Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, is Pregnant!

It's just been revealed today that Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge is pregnant. Congratulations to her and her husband, William :) I feel really sorry for them though that they had to reveal the pregnancy before they were ready. One of the loveliest things about any pregnancy is keeping the little secret to yourself until you are ready to reveal all. However, the reason for the royal revelation  is that poor Kate is suffering from severe morning sickness, medically known as hyperemis gravidarium. Most women fortunately only suffer mild to moderate morning sickness, but for those who do suffer even from the milder forms, it's a plight with which many of us who have been pregnant can empathise.

Emily Evans Mother Brilliant Bust Cream - A Bust Firming Cream for Mothers to Be and Breastfeeding Mothers

Normally, when breastfeeding, I don't like to use body lotions and potions for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I worry that the ingredients may not be all that good for my baby and secondly, I worry that they won't taste very pleasant for her.

However, when I was asked to try Emily Evans Mother Brilliant Bust Cream, a new bust firming cream by mother of three and founder of maternity boutique 9 London, I was interested, not least because the formula contains a special blend of the natural ingredients centella and borage oil which help tone and tighten the bust, but also because, let's face it, after having four babies I feel like I could do with a little help in the bust firming area!

Now, before I go any further, let me make it very clear that breastfeeding in itself does not cause your breasts to become less firm. Many people will try to tell you otherwise, but the fact of the matter is that it is pregnancy that causes the damage! Now that I've cleared that up for everyone, let me continue...

Emily Evans bust firming cream arrived at my door in the most delightful manner, all packaged in a lovely big Harrod's box making me feel very special from the get go!

Maternity Clothing: The Basics Explained - Guest Post

Having to buy clothes to fit your changing body shape can be extremely costly over a nine-month period.

However, by kitting yourself out with basic maternity clothes, you will not only save yourself money, but will be prepared with the essential clothing to get you through your entire pregnancy.

The basics for your pregnancy

Jeans

Your maternity jeans will more than likely be the hardest working items in your wardrobe and will get you through your whole pregnancy, as you can wear them as casual or dressed up.

There’s a wide range of different styles available for pregnant women, which include the stretchy jegging, bootcut, straight, skinny and boyfriend jean.

You can choose to go for either a microfiber over the bump band that will provide great stretch and comfort, or there’s the jersey panel, which fits under your bump to give you support as you grow over the coming months.

Dresses

Wearing a simple dress is perhaps one of the easiest and most comfortable pieces of clothing for a pregnant woman.

It can be dressed up with jewellery and heels for an evening out or a smart work look, or can be teamed up with jeans and leggings for a more casual outfit.

Vests and tunics

Both of these types of tops are easy to mix and match with other clothes and by layering vests and tunics over leggings or jeans, you’ll create a look that can last throughout your entire pregnancy.

You can also add a cardigan, jumper or hooded top depending on the weather.

Pregnancy 101: Understanding the Ultrasound

"When is your ultrasound?" This is a question many expectant moms receive when their bellies start to show. Almost like a rite of passage, the ultrasound is almost a given in the modern pregnancy, offering moms-to-be a peek inside the womb and a chance to learn the gender of their growing baby, if they want to know ahead of time. Yet, many moms have no idea how this common test works, or why they should consider having one performed.

How Ultrasounds Work

Ultrasounds send sound waves into the body to gather images of the growing baby. The sound waves bounce off of the baby and back to the transducer, or probe, where they are translated into an image on the computer screen. The technician uses a specially designed keyboard to capture the images on the CPU, and the images display on the computer screen for the technician and the mom to see. A gel between the transducer and the mom's belly helps transmit the sound waves.

Discover How To Boost Your Fertility, And Increase The Chances Of Safely Carrying Your Baby To Term (Guest Post)

I want to become a mum, but… 

Infertility is perhaps the biggest struggle experienced by women who suffer from PCOS. Ninety to 95% of women who attend infertility clinics because of an ovulation suffer from PCOS¹.The challenges that PCOS causes in a woman’s reproductive life do not end with just infertility. Those women who are fortunate to conceive despite having PCOS face a legion of complications that can jeopardise their own health and the health of their precious baby. Thirty to 50% of women with PCOS suffer miscarriages in the first trimester (first three months) of their pregnancy².They may also have a greater risk for complications such as:

* Pregnancy induced hypertension – i.e. abnormally high blood pressure during pregnancy³

* Gestational Diabetes - i.e. diabetes induced by pregnancy³

* Preterm delivery – i.e. delivery before the completion of 37 weeks of pregnancy³

* Birth of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) babies³

2 important reasons women with PCOS have a higher risk of miscarriage

Hormones to blame

PCOS stems from hormonal imbalances^4,14. It is no different when it comes to pregnancy complications. Insulin resistance, high levels of the hormone LH, excessive testosterone and other hormonal imbalances can cause pregnancy loss and other pregnancy complications of PCOS^5,6.
In fact, abnormal LH levels, and low progesterone levels are two reasons why you have a higher risk of miscarriage.

How you can make simple changes to dramatically increase your chance of giving birth to a happy, bouncing baby.

Miscarriage Poems: To Our Baby Aiden by Nicholas Hise

We received this very moving miscarriage poem from Nicholas who told us:

My wife miscarried with our son Aiden 2 months ago. I help out as much as I can. When she cries at night I wipe her tears and hold her tight. I tell her that we are in this together and we will make it through this. 

My body is alive but I feel empty inside. 

The son I was supposed to have.

Aiden is his name, my son I can not have.

He is with God now, engraved in my mind.

It was amazing to finally see your face,

but saddened deeply that you weren’t alive.

I prayed to God several times before I knew you had died.

To keep you safe I cried with hopeful eyes.

 

After you were born, looking so peaceful.

I cried, I didn’t want to say goodbye.

I prayed to God and asked to keep you safe with Him.

As I paced back and forth all night to make sure you were still there

I finally said goodbye in despair. 

 

Our baby Aiden, we wanted you to survive.

Two years we had tried, we were so excited when you had arrived.

We picked out so many things for you; you would have had a happy life.

We are sad to know that we won’t watch you grow up to be a man,

but we are happy to know you are safe with God alive within. 

 

We Will Never Forget You Aiden and We Will Always Love You!

With Tons and Tons of Love, 

Your Daddy, Nicholas Hise      

 

Read more Miscarriage Poems

If you would like to recommend a miscarriage poem or story, or contribute one of your own, please contact us and we'll add it to the site. Thanks.

If you would like to contribute a pregnancy or breastfeeding poem, story or photos, again just email us.

Miscarriage Poems: Softly by Jackie Morgan

We received this wonderful little miscarriage poem from Jackie who said, "My sister-in-law has just lost her second baby and it inspired me to write this simple poem. I lost a baby at 12 weeks, after my first baby was born. But I went on to have five other healthy babes. There is hope for everyone."

Softly
by Jackie Morgan

Softly, softly
I knew you were there
Softly, softly
You grew – I swear

Miscarriage Poems: Born Sleeping by Emily Waters

This lovely miscarriage poem was written by Emily who told us "I wrote this poem for my baby sister, who was stillborn at 20 weeks on the 10th April 2012. I still can't believe how much it hurts to lose someone you never even got to know."

Born Sleeping
by Emily Waters

Daughter, sister, little pearl,
We waited for you, baby girl.
Unexpected, treasured still,
We loved you then and always will,

Ahead of time, too soon you came,
We didn’t take you home again.
Tiny hands and eyes closed tight,
Were taken from us, out of sight.