Week 30

This week baby is 2.75lbs and the size of a cabbage.. I thought a cabbage was pretty big but I'm not so sure now. He is perfectly formed but still very small. He doesn't feel very small let me tell you! This week he's developed an interest in kicking my in the ribs.. so that's nice for him... something new. He's moved around so much I've been googling what he could be doing in there, I'm so curious. Lee has been able to feel him for a while but now it's getting creepy.. It feels like he's pushing so hard against me that I'm going to have a limb suddenly burst out of my belly like the scene from Alien. Scary stuff! I'm going to try my best this week to get his movement on tape again, it was cool before but the movement was so slight you culd barely see it. now he's bigger I think it will be more obvious. I have only 2 and a half weeks left at work which is both exciting and very scary (means it's nearly time).. Once I'm off you can be sure I'll be blogging/vlogging everyday. I'll be sat home all day looking up birth and all the things that could go wrong... it's just the kind of person I am.. big planner... big worrier! My blog will be my venting space. I can't believe I'm at 30 weeks already. It feel so close now. It's gone by so fast bearing in mind I found out early because we were trying I thought it was going to drag but It only feels like 2 minutes ago I was blogging about how I wanted to get pregnant.

Whenever I feel uncomfortable or like I've had enough I try and remember how much I wanted this and this might be the last time I get to do it.. I think that's really helped how well it's gone for me so far. I've started to get aches and pains in my lower abdomen, around the site of my original c-section scar. I was warned by my midwife that my scar tissue wont stretch and so it will start to hurt as I get bigger towards the end. Apparently some women think they're experiencing labour, it can hurt that much.. awesome! I've had a little discomfort in the area and one evening it was really aching but not TOO bad so far... I have a feeling that's going to get worse before the end. The breathlesness is increasing and sleeping is becoming a little more difficult but I'm not tossing and turning until the wee hours just yet... I've had a pretty easy time of it so far... oh and still no stretch marks.. keep your fingers crossed for me! 

 

Better Butter?

I just had to share this awesome find with you all. I will be doing a full review on my beauty blog but I couldn't wait to tell you how fantastic it is! I've been using this Soap & Glory body butter for a couple of days now and not only does it smell gorgeous it's the thickest body butter I've ever used and it still sinks in really well while leaving enough time for massage. It's the perfect pregnancy skincare product!

It's also a fraction of the cost of the Mama Mio butter I was planning on buying!

Win Win!

I had to share a quick bump picture of course...My nails match my jamas!!!!

 Note: I tried to compare valuefor money in the two products but it was tricky as Mama Mio measure their butter in grams and Soap and Glory use millilitres but here goes.. According to my online research friend, google, 125g is  235.85ml.  

Mama Mio Tummy Rub Stretch Mark Butter "235ml" - £23.00

Can be bought online here

Soap&Glory The Righteous Butter 300ml - £10.21

Can be bought online here

*EVEN BETTER - can currently be bought on 3 for 2 at Boots*

Both of these products contain the active ingredient Shea Butter and I just refuse to believe the Mama Mio option can be any better than Soap&Glory's offering. At more than twice the price I'm not willing to find out for myself.

Longing for my Leaner shape...

With all the new Autumn/Winter collections in the shops I am finding myself longing to be slim again recently. It's not that I don't love my bump, it's more I miss being able to wear my favourite clothes and, more importantly, shopping for new ones. I recently bought a couple of Maternity items which I am loving but I loathe spending money on clothes that I will only wear for the next 3 months or so.

I will do some outfit posts soon of the stuff I have and how I've adapted some of my non-maternity wear to fit my growing shape. Most of the things I have bought I'm hoping I will get some use from in the future even if it's just while I need looser clothing for the months after the birth.

One thing I have really enjoyed working in to my routine now I'm getting bigger is moisturising. I'm so wary of the stretch mark fairy I am not happy if I can't feel moisture on my skin. As soon as one lotion has absorbed I'm applying another. Right now my favourites are Palmers Cocoa Butter, Mamma Mio Boob Tube, Garnier Intensive 7 days body lotion and Asda's on "little angels" stretch mark oil. I use some or all of these every day and so far no marks but trust me the day the first one arrives you will all know about it! I don't remember exactly when they came last time but I think it was around this time. I'm coming up for 6 months. Since I had Ella I've toyed with "toning up" and such but always decided it was best to stay as stretched out as possible until I've had all my babies. I'm keeping everything crossed that my boobs, bum and thighs are still at their wobbliest and I don't gain anymore weight than the last time so maybe.. just MAYBE I might get away without this time. I have none on my tummy so I will cry if I get them this time.

For now I know that I'm doing all I can to keep them at bay and fingers crossed I will be back in my regular clothes in time for some January Sale shopping!!!

Pregnancy Pampering

This week I've been browsing the beauty aisles for pregnancy focused products. I figure I'm already a beauty junkie, why not take advantage of these speciality products while they I can?
One thing I have picked up and may already have mentioned is..
 Mama Mio Boob Tube 50ml £19.50
This is one of those products that you just don't believe can possibly be as good as everyone says. I thought it was over hyped and more expensive than I'd like but hey.. I'm a very vain person and how can you put a price on a firm, stretch mark free bust post pregnancy number two? I came off pretty badly the first time, I didn't pay attention to that area and the stretch marks found me close to the end... Not this time!!! I apply this stuff nightly and after 2 or 3 days I could see a huge improvement in skin tone and texture. Whether it will actually help prevent sagging or what have you I guess we'll never know for sure but I'm extremely hopeful and even if it doesn't I would still recommend this as a firming moisturiser - baby or no baby!
I have of course wanted to focus on my tummy too but I've been a little cavalier here as I am proud to brag I haven't one stretch mark anywhere on my middle (yet) I would love to tell you it was a miracle cream but I think it' more likely that I've never been very toned and although I wasn't heavy I was never super skinny and could pretty much always push my tummy out and feign pregnancy. I did, however, take a lot of care to moisturise my tummy so you never know.. maybe that did make a difference after all! What I used was..

Body Shop Coco Butter 200ml £12.50
This stuff was like crack to me back then. I can't tell you how many tubs of this stuff I went through. I slathered it on with wild abandon.. Unfortunately my tummy was my only focus area and by the time ugly purple lines appeared on my bum, boobs and thighs it was too late to recover. This time around I have taken to using the much more cost effective Palmers Cocoa Butter which takes forever to use up, melts into your warm skin and keeps me feeling moisturised for 24 hours... FOR REAL! Best of all the Palmers version is just £3.22 for 100g of concentrated formula. I think when it comes to pregnancy body care if it feels like it's working that's all you can ask for because nobody really ever knows do they? Cocoa butter is the ultimate moisturising treat for sure.
Since Ella was born I've tried the hugely popular Bio Oil to improve the look of the stretch marks but honestly I don't think it does a thing. I think once you've got them they're yours.. you have to learn to love them because you're going to have to live with them for a really long time! that being said I'm sure that theory wont stop me shelling out the big bucks for some miracle creams if I fall victim again.
I've looked into relaxing bathtime treats and the one that's appealing to me right now is..

Sanctuary Mum To Be Soft Skin Bath Soak 400g £9.14
This stuff just looks luxurious. It makes me want to go and fill up the tub. It's made with natural ingredients and essential oils and claims to leave you feeling fully pampered and glowing with motherhood. Hmm... Why is it when I hear these tag lines I feel a sudden scepticism rise in me? Either way I used to love bath salts and I like that it is a "soft skin" bath soak.. this suggests it might actually help with the whole moisturising/stretch mark prevention fight and as we know.. every little helps!
Overall I think this whole range looks really interesting. They do their own tummy rubs and oils, all aimed at Mums to be and new Mums that need a little TLC.
I, for one will definitely be picking up a couple of bits from the affordable brand (available in Boots) You are bombarded with pregnancy brands on the market right now and it's so tricky for expectant Mums to chose the good from the bad. For the most part we are talking the prevention of permanent scars on your body.. do you skimp on that? I mean surely the most expensive product is going to be the most effective? I don't think so! I am going to be trialling as many of these products as I can get my hands on (within reason) and sharing my discoveries with you. I am going to shell out for some high end, supposedly "better" lotions and potions as well as bog standard drugstore equivalents and telling you what I think is really worth spending your hard earned cash on and what is just an over hyped, overpriced label.
If you have any great recommendations for me to try or anything you'd like me to review drop me a comment below and I'll try and incorporate it! If you'd just like to share your own product review then leave your link for my readers and I to check out.
You can expect many more posts like this so watch this space.

Boob Tube

I ordered this a while ago and and this week it arrived!
This is the blurb...

Aim North, not South! One of the major body perks of pregnancy are your new and improved boobs. But alas, bountiful as they are, they are not yours forever and it is very important to protect the delicate skin of your bust from the post-baby droop. The skin in your decolleté is similar to the skin around your eyes; thin, fragile and not very elastic. A doubling in cup size can be too much for your skin to cope with without help. You need to nourish and protect this delicate skin on a daily basis. Boob Tube to the rescue! It will keep your skin as strong and elastic as possible and help prevent collagen, the skin's inbuilt support system, degradation so your boobs stay firm and proud for years to come.

What women really love about Boob Tube is that the quality of their skin changes so quickly. Within a week you will notice that the skin on your neck, your chest and your boobs looks firmer, fitter. glowing, more dewy and youthful.

It sounds too good to be true! As they say the boobs you acquire during pregnancy are on loan, not for keeps.. This miracle lotion supposedly prevents the dreaded droop caused by the loss of fullness after the babys born.
They say you see skin improvement in 7 days and I have to say already everything feels smoother and softer. I will of course update you on my thoughts of this product over the coming months. I intend to try a few other things from mama mio too including their tummy rub and stretch mark improver.. If you guys have tried these let me know what you think!

you can buy the mama mio pregnancy care range here...
http://www.mamamio.com/uk/pregnancy-skincare.html