Those blissful first few months after having a baby should 100% be spent soaking up every moment - napping with your baby, eating all the food (especially if you're breastfeeding as you're burning extra calories), and just resting your body. But many mums find that once they're out of the fourth trimester, they want to start doing things for themselves again! Getting fit and healthy after having a baby can be a daunting task though, especially if it was your first baby. But it doesn't have to be. In this post I'm going to share 4 easy ways to get fit and healthy again after having a baby.

Get out Every Day for a Walk

It sounds incredibly simple, but walking is a fantastic - and free - way to kick-start your journey to getting fit and healthy. And best of all, is that you can take baby along with you! Map out a simple route for those first few walks, and then once you get your energy levels back up you can start going further afield. Plus, getting out for a walk every day is really good for your mental health as well. Fresh air, and moving your body will definitely improve your mood - and baby is likely to nap too. Win, win!

Wear an Activity Tracker

If you're wanting to keep an eye on how many steps you're doing, or how many calories you're burning, then wearing an activity tracker such as an Apple watch is a great idea. Most trackers let you set goals, so you can keep an eye on your progress throughout the day, and see what you need to do to achieve them. If you've already got an Apple watch, then why not give it an upgrade with a new watch strap? 

Meal Plan and Prep

A great change you can make at home to help improve your health, is to start meal planning and prepping. Decide what meals you want to eat over the week, and then you only have to buy the ingredients and items you need for those meals - a great money-saver too! Once your shop arrives you can then get prepping. Clean and chop-up vegetables so they're easy to grab for snacks, and get your fridge organised. You can even go a step further and cook all the meals / lunches for week so you won't be tempted to order a takeaway. This way you don't have to worry about being in the kitchen for hours when your baby needs you either.

Join a Mum and Baby Exercise Class

You may have signed up to plenty of classes for your baby to enjoy, but why not have a look around for classes you can enjoy for yourself too. Many areas offer mum and baby exercise classes, so you don't even need to wait late evening (when you're most likely too tired to head out), or find someone to have baby. There are lots of different options such as buggy fit classes, mum and baby yoga, gym sessions where babies can come along, and more. Swimming is also a great way to exercise, so why not look at joining a gym that offers creche sessions instead.

How did you get fit and healthy after having your baby?

This is a collaborative post.

3 Ways to Prepare your Home when Expecting a Baby

Although everyone says that you don't actually need to prepare much when expecting, the process of preparing for a baby can sometimes be surprisingly long and expensive. There are so many different things we need to do around the house, and we also need to get our finances in order to pay for some of the more pricey aspects of raising a child. With that said, one of the most time-consuming parts of preparing for a child is getting your house sorted before your baby arrives. There are many different components to this, so in this post I've put together a brief guide sharing the top 3 things you need to prepare before your child arrives.

Start Budgeting for Baby Equipment
First you'll want to make sure that you budget for all of the necessary accessories and equipment that your baby will be using. The bigger items such as the pram, car seat, cot and furniture can really add up in price! It's always a good idea to start budgeting and saving as soon as you find out you're expecting; this way you can spread the cost over the 9 months. Don't be afraid to look into second hand (or hand-me-down) options. Many parents find they hardly use items, so you can then get them for a fraction of the cost but still in great condition.

There are also some helpful accessories that you shouldn’t overlook. For instance a baby parasol is a great item to have if your baby is due in the sunnier months - it's recommend to not cover the pram, so these are great for protecting little one from the sun in a safe way. Of course a baby monitor is also an item that you should think about. Although it can seem like an expensive investment, you'll find it gives you great peace of mind when your little one is sleeping in a room away from you.

Have a Big Spring Clean
Although babies are small, they sure do take up a lot of space in your home. It's therefore a good idea to have a big spring clean / clear out of your home before they arrive, to make sure that you have space for all of the equipment we discussed above. Clearing out space ahead of time will make it a lot easier to store these items in bulk so that you always have them ready for when they’re needed.

Of course this can be done once your little one arrives - they'll be in your room for the first 6 months anyway. But getting this done during the nesting phase of pregnancy is usually easier, especially if this is your first child! 

Think about Home Safety
Stretching your family budget can be challenging at times, but one of the things you should never skimp on is baby safety. There are many different components to this, but it generally involves understanding where your baby will crawl and how you can protect them. Look out for sharp corners, door hinges, and definitely consider cupboard locks to keep harmful products and chemicals safely away from little ones.

This safety message is also important if you have pets at home. Stair gates are usually used to stop little ones going up stairs, but they are helpful for also keeping pets away from babies too. You can buy special nets to put over prams and moses baskets to keep cats away from babies too - especially important if your pet loves to snuggle up close in warm places! Both are important to introduce as early as possible so that your pets learn boundaries around your baby.

This is a collaborative post.

Finding out we're Expecting Again... {Baby Number Three}

Writing this post back in May, I had no idea whether it was ever going to be published or not. It was VERY early days. I'm so glad I managed to type down my initial thoughts and feelings though, and I can still feel that adrenaline I felt just reading it back.

I also just want to say I hope this post doesn't come across as me sounding smug, or 'in your face'. I feel extremely blessed that we are expecting again, and this was just my initial thoughts.

............

Typing this it is the 9th of May. Parker is sleeping upstairs, and I'm trying my best to stay awake; absolutely exhausted. You see, I'm currently estimated to be 4 weeks and 5 days pregnant. But no one knows about our little baby secret just yet. I don't even think I believe it.

But I just knew.

We decided we wanted a third little bundle a few months ago. Picking April / May to start trying - not properly, but to 'see how it goes'. I've been off of any contraception since Parker was born, so I know my body well, and we didn't want to put too much pressure on ourselves.

A few weeks after my last period I started feeling strange. I rarely get ovulation / period symptoms, so I just knew this meant something. Aching boobs, stomach cramps, drinking more and then subsequently needing the loo a lot more... and my goodness the exhaustion! Having two little ones feeling tired is kind of standard, but this was on another level.

I just knew.

May 7th (just as Jack left the house) I took a First Response test. I couldn't even wait the 3 minutes, and I watched it as the line developed from an "is that something?" to an "oh my goodness, I'm pregnant!" kind of line.

I knew it!

May 8th I had the confirmation I needed. Pregnant 1-2 weeks on a Clearblue Digital. Anyone else feel it sinks in more seeing the words instead of a line?

I know it's still early day. And I know that anything can happen. But we are just so excited.

Please stay sticky little baby bean.

We are so excited to meet you already!

Setting up Your Own Baby Sensory Room

When you have babies and toddlers, it’s easy to get caught in the trap of spending lots of money to attend different developmental classes. From baby music and massage classes through to baby yoga and swimming, it can be difficult to know which ones to attend - or even get into a class!

Baby sensory classes are just one of the options available, and while it’s great to get out and meet other mums and babies; it’s not essential that you give your baby the experience in a class setting.

What is sensory play?

Little ones learn through what they see, hear and touch. These experiences help to build connections in the brain that help them to begin to understand the world around them. Sensory play aims to tap into the way babies’ brains develop, encouraging exploration to aid progress and provide lots of fun too.

What are the benefits of sensory play for babies?

As well as providing bonding time for you and baby, sensory play stimulates babies’ motor skills; aids language development and can enhance their memory and problem solving abilities. Lots of colours, textures, light and soothing sounds are incorporated into this type of play, which makes it a great way to calm little ones down too.

Creating a sensory station

Baby sensory is all about stimulation, though it is helpful to have a quiet corner or a separate room, where you can concentrate on the objects you’re working with for the session. This area could well evolve into your child’s playroom, so don’t be afraid to make a few changes to free up some space (and keep the mess all in one area!).

If you’d like to create a dedicated play area that will grow with your child but don’t want to sacrifice a full room, you could consider fitting bi-fold doors to section some special play space. Doors like these from Vufold are designed with floor to ceiling panes for maximum flow of light and also provide an extra surface to work with during play!

Your sensory area should be warm and comfortable for both you and baby. You could use a play mat or soft baby blankets and cushions to give a comfortable base from which to explore. Think about including textiles with different textures and colours, but don’t forget you’ll need to wash items if any little accidents occur! Babies are often mesmerised by lights. So, if you’re planning on using some LED lights or even swapping the bulb in the room for a disco lightbulb for a session being able to close the curtains is a must.

When it comes to choosing items to introduce to your baby, don’t worry too much about buying expensive toys, though you will find lots of great options designed for sensory play available. Many parents choose to create an evolving box of sensory stimulating items, many of which can be found around the house. You do of course need to be mindful of safety when choosing things to put in the box and ensure you supervise their use. These could include:

• Rattles and tambourines
• Bubbles
• Silk scarves
• Light reflective balls
• Feathered items
• Finger puppets
• Mesh bags that allow baby to explore textures within
• Wrapping paper and holographic card
• Foil blanket (the type runners use)

Whether you fill a box or an entire area with sensory items, your little one will soon come to think of it as their own personal treasure trove!

Do you attend any classes for babies and toddlers? If you’d like to get out and about more but can’t afford the cost of classes, check out what’s happening at your local library or Surestart centre.

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Flying with Little Ones | Tips from the Bloggers

Flying with little ones can seem scary, and I know many people who avoid it altogether. This doesn't have to be the case though! We've flown twice now with babies and once with a toddler, and both times the thought of the trip has been worse than actually doing it. 

You can see what we packed for our toddler Indiana (2) here, but honestly the best thing we did was take the iPad and of course lots of snacks! Then for Parker (and when Indie was a baby) a bottle on take off helped to settle him, and put him to sleep for a short while too. We then found taking it in turns with the baby helped. He was constantly entertained, and it gave each of us a break throughout as well.


This is what worked for us, but I'm very aware that all children are different. I thought I'd ask some fellow bloggers for their tips too, so hopefully with this list you'll find something that works for you! 

We filled a Trunki with various new toys, books, colouring etc that we got from cheapy shops and every so often got a new thing out to keep him amused during the flight - Beth Twinderelmo

Check what the airport has on offer to entertain little ones, a lot offer a free play area which can help with the boredom whilst waiting. - Laura dearbearandbeany

Pack a dedicated activity bag and just cram it with anything that you think your kids will enjoy and be entertained by. I crammed the iPad with fun games and downloaded as much Sarah and Duck off BBC iPlayer, sourced some inexpensive toys from Poundland etc, plus water pen drawing books. If possible, secure the waterpen to the notepad as we found pens and crayons to fall down and roll away quite easily. - Sophie sophieandlily

Put spare outfits/clothes into zip lock bags incase of accidents / spilt drinks / illness. Make sure mum and dad have them as well as the kids. Clean clothes go on and dirty ones into the bag so doesn't ruin anything else in the bag. - Ellie havingababyandlivingathome

Feed the baby on landing and take off if you can. It helps their ears adjust to the pressure. - Naomi lifebynaomi

Something we used different on the way back from Australia just recently was the insert bag for the Trunki. You have to buy it separately but it was great as we packed core things in that such as iPad, small toys, colouring books etc. Then you can leave the Trunki in overhead locker and then the insert fits over the magazine pocket. Always think a calm, relaxed attitude from mum and dad is the best advice ever. - Kerry allaboutamininorris

Use all your hand luggage space to pack games, toys, books, snacks for them... Anything that will keep them busy! And use bags instead of cases so you can pop them underneath the seat instead of the locker - Heledd yummyblogger

We bought the Usborne travel activity cards, they were fantastic, my daughter loves them and in the end used them the whole holiday, not just for travelling. They are wipe clean so can be used over and over. - Vicki cake escapes

Little magnetic drawing boards are a godsend! Oh and sticker books! - Lauren belledubrighton

We took a little miniature toy plane and talked all about it during out journey. Even though he'd only 2, Eli was obsessed and enthralled by the fact he was inside a plane like the little one he had. Take a fully loaded ipad or tablet - it WILL be your best friend, especially on a long flight. Be friendly to your fellow passengers .. you'll appreciate their niceness if your little angel kicks off during the flight - Cat rockandrollpussycat 

Plan flight times well, we always aim for 6/7 am flights as the excitement of the airport combined with a ridiculously early morning means they conk out as soon as they get on the plane - Becky themummyadventure

Never ever ever forget to put calpol into your hand luggage with a syringe. The one time you don't is usually the one time you need it on the flight! - Taslima Notmyyearoff

I think the main thing is to not overpack. It's good to have a change of clothes, a snack or two and a sticker book or game but other than that little ones probably won't need much. - Lauren mummyisagadgetgeek

Travelling with little ones is always going to be trickier, but it doesn't have to be stressful -  I really hope this list helps and gives you some ideas for the next time you fly. Thank you everyone who gave tips, I know I'll be using these next time we fly!

Things Only Parents Would Say!

Do you ever say something and then think to yourself "that's something I'd never thought I'd say!"? I think since becoming a mum I have this happen at least once a day, and even more now I've got two little monkeys. I even find myself saying these things in public and not feeling embarrassed one bit.

It definitely seems like it's not only me though! I asked my lovely Facebook followers if they feel the same and wanted to share. Here are just some of their examples:

"Please stop hitting your brother over the head with a cabbage!"

"Which one of you has pooed?!"

"I'm going to the toilet, are you coming?"

"No, we don't eat the cats tail!"

"Stop licking the TV/mirror/window/door/daddy/mummy"

'Please don't lick the bottom of your shoes!!'

"No we don't pick up poo"

"Stop drinking bath water"

"No don't rub your soup in your hair!"

'Darling it would be much better if you didn't eat the fluff off the floor'

"Don't pull your brothers wink!"

"Are you telling a fibaroonie?"

"Do you need a wee?!" - which is then repeated every 2 seconds!

"Why are you licking the sofa?"

"Please don't hit your sister with Peppa Pig!"

I loved reading all of your comments and was giggling for ages, so thank you to everyone who helped out! Do you have any you would add to this list? Tweet me yours with the hashtag #parentphrases and I'll share them!

Gro Egg Room Thermometer | Review

While at The Baby Show recently we met the lovely team from The Gro Company. We were given the chance to test out one of their products that we've both been eyeing up for ages, the Gro Egg.

The 'egg' is a room thermometer designed to give quick, easy readings, making it perfect for a nursery. Just plug it in and it will glow and show the temperature. Easy as that! The colour shown will depend on how hot or cold the room is. This makes it very easy to tell whether the room is too hot, too cold, or at that perfect temperature.

The yellow glow is a comfortable temperature, blue is too cold and red is too hot. You can then adjust the room to suit - adding/taking away layers for example. The glow is then gentle enough to act as a nightlight, which is a lovely little bonus.

As well as the glow, the little screen shows the accurate temperature, so you can see what's classed as too high or too low. A little sad face accompanies the red glow and a sweet little smiley face will show when it's a comfortable temperature! The box also explains everything in more detail, and gives you a guide on how to dress baby to suit the temperature.

To add a little extra to your Gro Egg you can also purchase shells separately. There are 3 different options: an owl, monkey or penguin. These are a cute little touch, and make it fun for your child.

Honestly I don't know why we've never purchased one before! I was always worried that the nursery was too cold, despite using the free little thermometer that comes with the Gro Bags. This gives a quick, accurate measurement, and also looks SO sweet sat on the side in the nursery. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone with a baby or expecting. The egg currently retails at £21.99 and the shells are £4.99 each.

Disclaimer - we were given the gro egg and shell free of charge for the purpose of this review, however all opinions are honest and my own

Parker's 1 Month Update

It's so crazy to believe Parker's been a part of our family for over a month now. These newborn weeks really do fly by and don't last long at all! Parker turned a month old on the 4th September; he's changed a lot in just a few short weeks.

I had him weighed on the 8th at exactly 5 weeks (slightly late but I lost track of when the weighing clinic was haha), and he now weighs 9lb 7oz. He was 8lb 9oz born - dropped to 8lb 3oz at 2 days old - and was back up to his exact birth weight at 2 weeks so he's gaining well.

Now he's uncurcled you can see he's a long baby compared to Indiana, and he has the biggest fingers and feet I've ever seen haha. He's still fitting into first size although these are getting tight around his legs, so we need to move out of these already. Most of his clothes are currently up to 1 month or newborn.

I still can't get over the amount of dark hair Parker was born with, especially when Indie was such a baldy haha! It's rubbing off slightly at the back now but still going strong. It's lightening up though and it's definitely turning blonde/ginger. His eyes are turning blue just like everyone else in my family. He now coos and gurgles instead of always crying, and he gave us his first smiles at 4 weeks 6 days old! He adores bath time and will be instantly calm once he's in the water.

Parker was breastfed for the first few days and then I slowly switched to bottles (I expressed to begin with so he didn't go straight to formula). We were using Tommee Tippee bottles but quickly switched to Dr Browns. He has a lot of trouble with wind and really struggles to get it up. We were using Infacol which did help a bit, but now we're using Gripe Water which seems to be doing a better job. He takes between 2-4 ounces every 3/4 hours - I remember Indiana taking a lot more this early on, but clearly he's not as greedy as her haha.

We have been suffering the dreaded colic in the evenings, which I remember very well. Around 4-10 is when he's at his worst, which is probably when having two under two is the hardest. I really need to invest in a sling/carrier so I can wear him during these times - any recommendations very welcome! He's a very cuddly, clingy baby compared to Indiana and loves to be held; preferably with you stood up holding him close to your chest. At the moment he doesn't really enjoy being laid down on his playmat, and will usually cry after about 5/10 minutes.

Sleep-wise we're getting into some sort of routine. During the day he mostly cat-naps as Indiana doesn't really let him have a long sleep. He can then go to 'bed' anytime between 8-11 and then this is when he has his long period of sleep. He usually wakes up around 3ish and then 5ish which we're really happy with at the moment. He has slept through twice now (10-5) so fingers crossed he carries on! He sleeps happily in his moses basket and generally settles well after a night feed; thank you Ewan the Dreamsheep!

Parker has fitted into the family perfectly. Indiana is still very much besotted with him and actually asks for her 'bubba' before Jack and I now haha. I just wish they didn't grow up so fast!

My Birth Story | Parker John

I still cannot believe my baby boy is here and just how amazing his labour and delivery was. I thought it was finally time to share the story with you (I've filmed a more detailed version which you can watch too!).

Sunday 2nd August 
We had spent the whole weekend walking, cleaning, preparing and enjoying time as a family of 3. Sunday evening I started getting period pains that were coming and going in waves. They got worse throughout the night - the hot water bottle wasn't working, I couldn't sleep and I was sick - I really thought this was the start of something.

Monday 3rd August
After finally getting to sleep Sunday night I woke up and most of the pains were gone, I was just left with a few aches and pains. I spend the whole day doing absolutely nothing (Indiana was at nursery) and catching up on sleep.

Tuesday 4th August
I woke at 5am to my waters trickling. It wasn't much but I knew it wasn't nothing! I put a pad on and got back into bed and told Jack. We called triage around 9am who said if nothing had happened since it was probably nothing; so Jack went to work and we carried on as usual.

Just before 1pm I went to the toilet and I'd had my bloody show - a sign something was happening at least haha - and then not long after, I lost a lot more of my waters (there was no denying it this time)! I got Jack home from work and we went into triage to get things checked over.

I'd not had any pains since so we weren't worried. They offered us a scan while we were there, as there was a group of trainee midwives who needed volunteers haha. They measured my fluid levels and according to the main midwife she didn't think they had gone; it may have been my hind waters. However when I went to get properly checked they went again all over the bed! As I wasn't in labour they booked me in for an induction and sent us on our way.

By 3pm we were back at Gemma's (my sister who was my second birth partner) and within half an hour my contractions started. They were ALL in my back and never went around to my belly throughout my whole labour. They started around 6/7 minutes apart and by 5pm were every 3-5 minutes lasting around a minute! Indiana was collected by Jack's parents at 6.30pm and that's when they became a lot more intense.

I was now making noises throughout each contraction so I knew things were progressing a lot faster than with Indiana. I got in the bath around 7/7.30pm which did help but not massively. By this point they were coming as close as 1/2 minutes apart and lasting a minute - and bloody painful!! We decided to go into hospital at this point as things were going SO fast.

We arrived at 8.15 and I was checked pretty quickly (after the midwife tried to get me to do a urine sample!). I was 6cm dilated but she said she could stretch me to 8cm! I was given gas and air finally and we were wheeled over to the delivery suite where I got the pool room I wanted. I had to wait for it to fill up though which was the longest wait of my life!

Since arriving at hospital I was getting loads of pressure in my bum; by the time we got to the room I felt like I needed to push. I will admit I was screaming in pain at this point and almost accidental broke Jack's finger haha. I was hanging over the back of the bed where I begged for the epidural - yes I know how dramatic haha - but there really wasn't time.

I finally made it into the pool and within two contractions our baby boy was born. Once in the pool I really got into the zone and was much more focused. The sensation of pushing is the strangest thing I've ever experienced and they don't lie about the 'ring of fire' haha. His arm came out next to his head so I did suffer a 2nd degree tear; but honestly that has felt like nothing compared to the episiotomy I had with Indiana!

Parker was born in the pool at 9.30pm after just 12 minutes of pushing and Jack got to cut the cord. It was the most painful but also the most amazing experience, and I'm so glad I got the birth I wanted. He latched on really well and wasn't the huge boy we were expecting, weighing 8lb 9oz.

He's now 2 weeks old and I can't believe it.  It's gone even faster than my pregnancy - if you missed my weekly updates you can find them all here!

How different were your labours? Parker's birth was completely different to Indiana's!

Introducing...

So you may have noticed if you follow me on social media, that our beautiful baby boy decided to surprise us with an early appearance on Tuesday!

Parker John arrived on Tuesday 4th August at 9.30pm  weighing 8lb 9oz - born at 39+2 (39+1 according to my 'official' scan dates haha). He made a very quick entrance with my official length of labour down as under 5hours. It was totally natural with just gas and air, and a quick dash into the pool where he was delivered. I will be writing a proper birth story at a later date though.

We are now home and recovering well. Indiana is totally besotted with her baby brother and we are so proud of how well she's taken to him so far.

I may be quiet on here for a little bit while we enjoy our new bundle, and adjust to life with 2 under 2. Thank you for all of your well wishes, love and support throughout my whole pregnancy. We cannot wait to share the next step in our journey with you as a family of four.

Emily, Jack, Indiana and Parker xx

Preparing Indiana For The New Baby

When we first found out we were expecting Indiana had only just turned 1. She was still my baby and if I'm honest I was slightly worried about the age gap. However now she's 20 months old and baby can arrive any day, I'm not as worried anymore.

Indie's very caring and loving; her recent nursery report even said how she helps out with the younger babies in her room, giving them their dummies when they're crying. She loves her baby doll and enjoys feeding her her bottle - followed by patting her on the back and putting her in her bed to 'sleep' and trying to change her nappy too. Although she seems pretty ready by herself, these are the few things we did to help her understand a bit more, and to get her involved with the pregnancy.

From day one we explained to her about the baby in mummy's tummy. As my bump has grown she now refers to it as 'baby', and the second it's on show she runs over to give it kisses and cuddles. We talk to her constantly about her baby brother and if you ask her about him she nearly always points at my tummy. It's so so sweet and I do think she has some sort of understanding about what's going on.

We have also read a number of books to her about babies and being a sibling. My personal favourite is 'There's A House Inside My Mummy', which is all about a little boy and the baby in his mummy's tummy. I'd definitely recommend it! She now points out the people in the story as well as pointing at the 'baby' when it's a bump, and when it's finally born at the end.

I've let Indiana listen to her brother on the doppler a number of times as well. Her little face lights up with awe when she hears the heartbeat through the headphones. She's now taken to getting it out herself and bringing it to me to listen, I even caught her trying to listen to her own baby in her belly the other day; too cute!

Indie's come to most of my midwife appointments with me too. She never takes her eyes off of me when the midwife is doing her checks, and she absolutely loves hearing his heartbeat on the doppler. I think this is great as it gives her even more understanding of what is going on. It's also taught her to sit pretty well in her pushchair while mummy is busy - hopefully something she'll keep up when her brother has his jabs and appointments.

Finally we've let her help with sorting out his baby things. We've now washed and got out all of her old baby equipment such as the swing and bouncer. She's loved putting her baby in them and 'playing mum' and although not the best, she's even been enjoying the bouncer for herself haha.

We think we're as ready as we can be for baby to arrive now. A 20 month age gap still does seem a bit scary - two in nappies, double pram, a demanding baby AND toddler - but I think we're going to be just fine. Any tips would be amazing though, and wish us lots of luck haha!

26 Week Pregnancy Update | Baby #2

Another week has flown by and I can finally say I've had a week of feeling pretty good... YAY! Pip is now the size of a butternut squash and is gaining lots of fat this week (and apparently I'm going to be gaining a lot in the next few weeks too haha). He is around 36cm and weighs a little more than 760g.

After spending all of his time buried on the right hand side of my bump (and in my ribs) this week he actually finally moved! He's now been wiggling all over on both the left and right sides which suggests he's laying across my bump. It's been a lovely relief for my ribs and I even managed to capture some of those movements on camera too!

I have been a bit achy in places this week when walking long distances. I've noticed it's more when I walk to/from work than with the pram - it must add some support for my hips. I even had swollen feet on Sunday which I never experienced with my first pregnancy; they were not a pretty sight haha.

Another aching area - warning TMI coming up haha - is my downstairs. It really feels like there's pressure pushing against it a lot of time which is SO uncomfortable. I just generally feel swollen sometimes as if he's been kicking me 'down there' which again, is something I never experienced with Indiana.

Ending on a high this week I have officially booked and sorted my Maternity Leave! I've only got 6 weeks left at work before my annual leave starts on the 15th June, and then my actual leave starts on the 6th July. I can't believe I'll be finishing work next month, but I really think I need the time to prepare and enjoy quality time with Indiana before he arrives.

I can't believe I'm almost in the third trimester already; time is flying!

20 Week Pregnancy Update | Baby #2

20 Weeks! That's half way and I still cannot believe how quickly these weeks are flying by. Pip has grown to the length of a small banana, around 26cm long (from now on they'll take measurements from head to toe, instead of head to bum which is exciting). Vernix is starting to appear on baby too! I was planned to have my 20 week scan tomorrow but as we're away in Wales we had to rebook - so my scan is booked for the 30th March instead, when I'll be 21+1 weeks.

I have absolutely no notes written down for this week, it's been pretty quiet and plane sailing. I spoke to OH (occupational health) at work on Monday, and they're referring me for physio for my back. Fingers crossed it helps, but who knows!

I've finally booked the last of my holiday too and have started thinking about maternity leave - crazy to be thinking of it again so soon! I'm hoping to start my leave at 35 weeks (the same I did with Indiana), but take holiday before - so I'll leave work actually around 32 weeks if all goes to plan. I'm in retail so being on my feet all day is pretty tough going, and with my back and hips aching like they do already, I'll be lucky to reach this I think.

The only other update is that I've actually got around to buying my pregnancy pillow. After everyone's suggestions I've gone with a basic v-shaped pillow. It's AMAZING already; I've been using it to sit up with, sleep with and I know I can eventually use it when baby arrives too.

As usual my bump update vlog will be live on my channel at some point today, and I'll be back next week for my 21 week pregnancy update!

Indiana's 13 Month Update

With Indiana turning 13 months on Boxing Day I haven't had much time to blog. This past month has flown by and I truly see Indie as a toddler now and not my baby girl. We've had a busy month filled with shopping, jabs, a photo-shoot and Indiana's second Christmas and Boxing Day! 

It's also been a pretty tough month with the worst leap yet, leap 8. I'm so glad to be on the other side of it, but my god was it a toughie! The tantrums left behind are not exactly the most fun, but they do make me laugh sometimes. Especially if she's having a breakdown over something silly, like me taking away her spoon haha.

Weight

I've been a bad mummy and haven't got Indiana weighed since before her 1st birthday! This is the longest I've gone without finding out her weight so I'll hopefully go in the new year; I'm guessing she's still around 20lb ish.

Daily

I could probably copy this from last month to be honest. She's still being a monkey and waking pretty early around 6ish which isn't so fun! However she does go to bed easily and still has 2 naps (more 1 if we're out) so I can't complain too much haha. She's still having 2x8 oz of cow's milk; in the morning and before bed, but not really during the day anymore. She's really getting into her books now, and will bring them to you for you to read to her which is so lovely. Her favourite games the past month is to open every cupboard and get everything out; especially her bowls and the cereal haha. She also throws the DVDs everywhere, turns off the tv when you're watching it, and throws some pretty impressive tantrums too!

Bedtime

Again still the same. It's bottle and bed by 7ish and that's her gone. We're still pretty iffy with remembering to brush her teeth, especially as she's usually asleep by the time her bottles gone!

Eating

This month has been a bit of a strange one for Indiana. She's over night turned pretty fussy and now pretty much refuses most vegetables (with the exception of peas, sweetcorn, and potatoes). She is definitely starting to decide what she does and doesn't like and makes it known! She still eats really well however so we're not worried about the faze. Her favourites are still satsumas, chilli con carne and to be honest any meat haha. She was a very lucky girl and enjoyed her first advent calender leading up to Christmas, and has definitely got my sweet tooth!

Sizes

Still 9-12 here. Everything fits her pretty much perfectly now though so I know it won't be long until the become a bit too tight haha. Still size 4+ nappies which I think she's going to be in for ages.

Milestones

• Walking everywhere! She now walks when we're out and about and crawling practically never happens now. She can stand herself up too,
• Second Christmas!
• 1 Year jabs :(
• New words: 'NO', 'row row' if she's sat on your lap to do the rhyme, bubba (as in baby), and she's constantly babbling, trying to have conversations with you.
• Opening and closing - she loves opening the cupboards and finding what's inside.
• Giving cuddles and kisses - okay she's done this for ages, but now she gives you them without even having to ask!
• Dancing! Everytime she hears music or the theme tune of her favourite programme she starts to boogy.
• Reading - she's now bringing me books for me to read to her.

There's so much more I could say about her, but I'd be here all night gushing about how beautiful and clever she is! I do video updates on my YouTube Channel if you do want to hear a bit more and see the little lady herself!