Lilah at Two Months Old

31.3.18

My goodness are the weeks whizzing by! Our lovely little Lilah is now 11 weeks old (so probably a little closer to three months.. but shh), and is growing and changing so much as each day passes. The last month has been clouded by my PND diagnosis, but that doesn't mean I don't want to document Lilah's milestones and changes.


We finally had her newborn check at 10 weeks old - late because we were away - and Lilah is doing brilliantly. She weighs 11 lbs now, which puts her on the 25th percentile. She's dropped down all the way from the 91st, but that's how all three of our babies have been. I seem to grow them big and they just gain slowly! She's also 56cm long and has a head circumference of 36cm. This check was also followed by her first injections, which she coped with relatively well!

We still don't really have a set routine with Lilah, which I think we're actually enjoying a little more at the moment. She's having 6oz bottles every 3/4 hours (or a little longer if we're out and about), and usually has around 5 bottles a day now. Her last feed is still at 10pm, where we'll pop her in her sleeping bag and feed with minimal distraction and noise, so she knows it's bedtime. She will then sleep through until anywhere between 6 and 8, waking occasionally for her dummy. For now we're so pleased with how she's sleeping, but I'm definitely not holding out hope for this lasting.

Throughout the day she'll feed, have a period of awake time, and then nap. She has around 3-4 naps a day, although these differ in length and really do depend on whether we're out and about or inside. She has really obvious sleepy cues though, so we always try and catch her at the right time for naps.She loves nothing more than to lay in her bouncer watching her toys, or having someone chat away to her as she wriggles about.


Development wise, Lilah has learnt soo much these last few weeks! She is constantly smiling away now, and is usually at her happiest in the mornings when she wakes up. She's a very quiet, content little thing, and isn't really cooing yet. But she does let you know when she's happy or sad - and I promise she really let's you know when she's unhappy!

Lilah has also discovered her hands which is oh so sweet. If she's not watching them wriggle about, they're in her mouth and she's chomping away. I remember this stage so well with the other two - especially the cheesy, fluffy hands they get from having them constantly in their mouths. She loves watching herself in a mirror too, and happily grins away at 'the other baby' she's looking at!

This month Lilah has been on lots of adventures, including her very first holiday to Disneyland Paris! It's crazy how different she already is to just a few weeks ago, and we already cannot wait to see what she'll learn this month. I just wish it didn't go quite so fast...

It's Okay not to be Okay... Postnatal Depression and Anxiety

26.3.18

This is a post I never thought I'd be writing. But I suppose no one really expects they're going to suffer with postnatal depression do they?

But I am.

I have postnatal depression and anxiety.

And I'm not going to be ashamed to talk about it. Because it's actually incredibly common, and there is no way I should feel embarrassed about it!

I was probably a bit nieve though. This was my third pregnancy. Our third baby. A little girl who we had planned for and were oh so excited to meet.

I had an whirlwind labour, but it was still incredibly positive. We were home within a few hours and settled into life with three little ones rather well I think. Well, apart from those pesky 'baby blues' that hit around 3-5 days (they were bloody awful this time around).

But that passed and I thought all was going well. We were in a good routine, and I was coping pretty well with life as a mama of three. Of course there was difficult moments, we did have a newborn after all. But it was nothing we couldn't handle!

But then 6 weeks came.

And the big black cloud appeared. Along with the panic. And dread. And fear.

I broke, and it was terrifying.

I am so thankful to have an incredibly supportive husband and family though. I was also lucky to recognise that things were not right quite quickly too. Talking to my doctor, and starting on antidepressants, and looking for support in other ways as soon as I could.

It's almost been a month since the cloud arrived, and I can't say it's completely passed yet. I know that this is going to be a long and incredibly hard journey. But I also know that I can get through this. And I will feel like my true self one day soon.


I wanted to share my experience to let other sufferers know that they're not alone. PND really can affect anyone, whether this is their first, third or fifth baby. It shouldn't be a taboo subject or hidden secret. It's nothing I've done wrong... my brain is just a little imbalanced at the moment!

I am so incredibly lucky to have three beautiful children, and the most supportive husband and family. I also cannot thank everyone enough for all the love and support I have received through social media too. It really does mean the world! Thank you xxx

The Siblings Project | March 2018

25.3.18


You may have noticed I've been a little quiet over on my blog recently, and if you follow me on Instagram you'll know why (blog post most likely coming soon as well). But I didn't want to simply forget about the lovely blog projects I join in with. So although this is slightly late, I wanted to document my cheeky little trio regardless!

March has been very much like February. My big two are still absolutely obsessed with their baby sister, and there's not a minute that passes where they're not smothering her in cuddles and kisses. I would have thought the novelty would have worn off by now, but apparently not! Parker is probably more guilty of this than Indie, and I must admit he's a little bit too loving at times - wanting to touch her when she's having milk or asleep isn't so ideal. But I know it's just because they love their little sister, so I shouldn't get too annoyed really.

Lilah absolutely adores her big brother and sister, and despite her rather confused expressions in these photos, she gives them huuuuge smiles now. She loves to just lay and watch them play and chat away, and I just know that when she's big enough to play with them she's going to be so happy.



One thing we're still struggling with, is the relationship between Indiana and Parker. They just can't decide if they love each other or can't stand each other at the moment... it's exhausting! While we were away they slept snuggled up as close as can be in a double bed. But the second we were home they were arguing, bickering and fighting again.

Parker is the definition of an annoying little brother (sorry P, but I like to keep things real), and Indie always falls for his wind ups. I just hope they grow out of it quickly. But I'm not hopeful!

The Siblings Project - Dear Beautiful

The Knuma Huddle+ Bedside Crib | Review

With Lilah being our third baby, there were not many items we really needed to buy during my pregnancy. One item that I desperately wanted this time around though, was a co-sleeper crib. I'd heard so many amazing reviews about them, and simply loved the idea of having baby so close to us at night. We were lucky enough to be sent the lovely Knuma Huddle+ Bedside Crib (in grey) to review. And as we've now been using it for over 10 weeks, I thought I'd share how we've been getting on with it!


There are a number of co-sleeper cribs on the market now, but the Huddle+ prides itself in being unique. It's 4-in-1 design means that it can be used once baby is all grown up too - a feature that I think is a fantastic idea! So as well as a co-sleeper, you can of course just use it as a stand alone crib (something we plan on doing before moving Lilah into her own room). The bassinet can also be removed and used separately around the house. And finally, once it's no longer needed as a bed, you can convert it to a child's desk and bench.

We are currently only using the crib as a co-sleeper, as Lilah is still too little to be napping on her own upstairs. But it has been oh so lovely to use over these last 10 weeks. During those very early newborn days, when night wakings were constant, it made getting up so much easier as she was right there next to us. And now she is sleeping a little longer at night, I love that if she stirs I can just reach my hand over to pop in her dummy, without having to really move and wake either of us up too much.

We haven't used the bassinet separately, as I personally find it a little too heavy to move around - our stairs are also quite thin so I wouldn't want to carry it up and down daily. I know it would be easy to do so though, as the bassinet just slots onto the frame.




The mattress (sold separately) is beautifully soft, and as the cover is made from natural bamboo fibres it is breathable and comfortable. Lilah looks comfortable while in the crib, and there is plenty of room for her to stretch out and grow. It is designed to be suitable for babies up to around 6 months, which I can definitely see happening! The Huddle+ is definitely much wider and longer than a regular moses basket, so I know we're going to get much more use out of it.

Another brilliant feature of the Knuma Huddle+ are it's impressive height settings. The Huddle has 10 different settings (up to a maximum mattress height of 70cm from the floor), which makes it one of the highest cribs in the market! We found it incredibly easy to find the right height setting for our bed, and actually overall the crib was relatively easy to put together. The provided straps make sure the crib is attached to the bed frame safely too, although I must admit we haven't actually used these. 




The Knuma Huddle+ currently retails at £219.95, which although seems like a big expensive, I believe is 100% worth it. Not only does it give you the beauty of safe co-sleeping, but it is a piece of furniture that can be used for your child well beyond their baby years. The award winning Huddle+ is also made from high quality wood and you can definitely tell it is a well-made and lovely looking item. Yes, maybe I wouldn't say it had 4 uses (I don't think we'd ever use the bassinet separately), but it is a perfect co-sleeper crib. I am just a little gutted we didn't have one when the other two were babies!

You can watch us building the crib in the video below!


We received the Knuma Huddle+ Bedside Crib and mattress in exchange for our honest review. All opinions are honest and my own.