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!