Tokophobia and Hypnobirthing

Tokophobia:

Tokophobia is a pathological fear of pregnancy and can lead to avoidance of childbirth.  It can be classified as primary or secondary.  Primary is morbid fear of childbirth in a woman, who has no previous experience of pregnancy. 

This was me.  Tokophobic.  Terrified of childbirth.  From memory, I had been terrified of childbirth from around the age of 19 or 20.  I don't remember being so scared as a child although I have always been quite a squeamish person. 

As an adult, such a phobia is debilitating and tokophobia specifically, doesn't seem to be recognised by many health professionals, especially midwives or any of those involved in caring for you and your pregnancy. 

So how I came to have a baby is as baffling to me as it will be to anyone reading this.  I always had the desire to have children but the fear was so strong that I pushed it to the back of my mind and was insistent that a life with children just was not for me.  My fear would manifest itself in a number of different ways.  Scenarios that were common ... 

1) Discussing with friends news of new baby arrivals;  If the conversation became detailed around the birth, I would begin to feel sick and usually I would have to hide myself away in the bathroom to be sick or sob into a tissue in the hope that when I returned to the room, the conversation had moved on. 

2) Overhearing a discussion about childbirth between strangers on the bus.  I fainted.  The bus had to be emptied while an ambulance was called for me. (overdramatic, much? CRINGE). 

3) Watching childbirth on TV (something I still avoid at all costs), I would very often pass out or get too upset to watch any further and turn over before it became gory.  

Of course, as with any phobia, it is completely psychological but it took me until the age of 32 for my desire to have children to become greater than my fear of childbirth.  Even then I knew it wouldn't be a simple journey and I would have to train my mind for D-day if I were to get through it with my sanity intact.  My worry was that childbirth may traumatise me so much that I wouldn't be able to go through it again. 

When I first discovered I was pregnant, I was delighted but of course, petrified.  For the first few weeks, I spent many a morning sobbing into my pillow in sheer terror of what was to come.  I tried to discuss my phobia with my GP and my midwives but they had no idea what I was talking about, with many of them completely disregarding me as just another scared mum to be.  Tokophobia is definitely more than your natural fear of what lies ahead so this is when I decided to do some of my own research and embark upon my hypnobirthing journey. 

The basic premise of hypnobirthing is to remove fear, which in doing so will reduce or eliminate pain.  I followed the Marie Mongan method which promotes natural, drug free births.  I was lucky enough to get in touch with an old school friend who was a hypnobirthing practicioner and together with my husband she took us through a series of classes that taught us about the fundamentals of childbirth along with all the tools and techniques I would need to get my through the birth of my first baby. Through hypnobirthing, I learned many techniques for relaxation and fear release and it taught me that despite how modern day society has shaped childbirth into a scary, horror inducing event, it is indeed a very natural, beautiful process.  You just have to tell someone your wonderful pregnancy news and the first thing they do is discuss labour stories with you, mainly horrific ones! Why ladies must you torture others? Why?? Seriously, what is up with you?  

Anyway, if you have read my previous posts, you will know that I ended up with a c-section.  A lot of friends and family were very cynical of my attempts at a hypnobirth (and a water birth at that too) ... and they felt my efforts had been a waste of time and money given the outcome of my baby's delivery but I still cannot recommend hypnobirthing enough.  The breathing and relaxation techniques helped me through my initial contractions (or surges as we referred to them in hypnobirthing) and c-section itself so it can definitely be adapted to whatever situation you end up in when delivering your baby. 

As part of the hypnobirthing classes, we watched a lot of dvd's of births and I managed to do so without fainting, although it was touch and go with the first couple! I wouldn't go as far as to watch One Born Every Minute but it's been nice to watch the birth stories of fellow bloggers/vloggers on you tube.  I would definitely recommend you watch Laura of Belles Boutique and Mrs Meldrum's you tube accounts of their birth stories. 

I wouldn't say I am completely over my fear, despite now having a baby of my own but I do know that I would be happy to have another baby and put my hypnobirth training to good use again whether I go for another c-section or a natural birth (VBAC).  It is disappointing however, that there aren't many resources, advice or help for women suffering tokophobia.  I have yet to speak to a medical professional who will take me seriously about it although I know there has to be some out there.  

If anything, I would love for anyone who suffers the same to be able to read this and know that they can do it.  They can control their fear, they can deliver a baby and they can enjoy it.  You don't have to live in fear of a few hours of your life that will give you the most precious gift you will ever know. 

Wearing My Baby

Before your baby is born, you learn about the importance of skin on skin contact in terms of bonding and the many benefits for you and your baby.  Likewise, baby wearing - i.e, actually wearing your baby on you whether it be on a carrier or a sling, offers many benefits.

As well as being convenient for getting things done when baby is restless or fussy, research shows that babies thrive on touch and in particular, babies that are 'worn' apparently cry less and are more in tune with their parents.

This wasn't the only reason I wanted to invest in a baby carrier.  We were going on our first mini holiday as a family and lugging a pram around the beach/countryside was never going to be the most convenient option. Through researching baby carriers, I wanted to make sure it was not only comfortable for me to wear (I suffer from a bad back) but that it was also going to be comfortable for Sylvie and not put her at risk of clunky hips.

Hip dysplasia is when a baby's ball and socket hip joint doesn't fully develop and fit together as it should.  I wanted to ensure that any carrier I bought encouraged healthy hip development.  It can be illustrated best in the following image:

This is what I kept in mind when looking for the perfect carrier for my needs.  I investigated the BabyBjorn and the Stokke carriers but found that they either didn't support my own back or  baby's hips as well as would be expected.  They also seemed a little complicated to put on although I am sure they aren't that hard to master with practise.

Just as I was ready to make my purchase, we found out about the newly released Ergo Baby 360.  A baby carrier that offers 4 different positions for baby - front inward, front outward, back and hip.  It also offered a newborn position which is what we needed, although we had to purchase a separate infant insert for this.  The carrier itself is simple to put on and the carrier is ergonomically shaped to house and support baby (and her precious hips) perfectly.  It does help that Ergo have a terrific name in the world of baby wearing and believe me, baby wearing is practically a movement in itself!

Sylvie does squirm and moan when she is being put into the carrier but once in, it's clear she is comfy and snug as she usually falls asleep within minutes.  It's simple to put on and it offers me just the right support for my back as it hasn't caused me any back pain as yet, thankfully.

The Ergo Baby 360 is a pricey purchase so I had to be sure that I was making the right choice.  At 12 weeks old, Sylvie is no longer using the infant insert and the carrier has become a staple of our daily dog walks.  It's especially great for my husband to wear Sylvie as it gives them lovely, close, one on one time together.

on our first holiday 

Hangover

Of course, traditional baby wearers (i.e slings) will be gawping and cursing my venture into it by going for a bulky carrier, however, I am on the look out for a reasonably priced sling for wearing around the house offering a bit more flexibility.  As great as the Ergo Baby 360 is for my husband and for myself when we are out on long walks ... it isn't great for doing your daily chores at home when Sylvie needs to be close and comforted, so a sling would help greatly.

If anyone has sling recommendations, leave me a wee message in the comments :)

Love to sleep

I have a list as long as my arm of blog posts I'd like to get through, either documenting or sharing tips and experiences of my adventures as a first time mummy.  In no particular order, I have plenty to blab on about!

One of my biggest apprehensions about motherhood was the lack of sleep that lay ahead of me.  I enjoy my sleep, my lie ins, my early nights, pyjama days ... the thought of this being reduced to as little as one hours sleep on any given night literally made me feel sick to the stomach.  How on earth would I cope?

Don't all tut at once but I have been pretty lucky as Sylvie sleeps well ... or at least she sleeps well through the night.  During the day is a different ball game, she rarely naps and I need to get her out and about in the pram or car to really get her asleep for any length of time.  Nighttime, however, is a different kettle of fish.  My little munchkin seemed to just 'get' nighttime from the minute she came home.

From the start, she has slept a minimum 4-5 hours before waking for feeds.  In the early days this was a huge relief as it meant I was able to function each day and be up and ready to face visitors.  This quickly progressed to 6-7 hours and most recently Sylvie has been sleeping 10 hours straight a night - no feeds or settling required in between, just 10 blissful hours.  I must also add, Sylvie is exclusively breast fed (so far) and she still manages to sleep so well.

A lot of this is luck but there are still times when Sylvie will startle herself in her sleep and wake so there have been some sleep aids that I have used along the way that have definitely helped.

White Noise App
There are a plethora of white noise apps for smart phones and I just downloaded one of the free ones. When Sylvie was days old, I would play the womb/heartbeat setting to help her settle for naps and it worked a treat.  This was mostly helpful at the very early stages and I only use it now if she is really struggling to settle.

Ewan the Sheep
Ewan is a cute, cuddly, purple sheep who plays 4 different settings of white noise.  His tummy also glows pink to mimic a womb like environment for baby.  I have used this a few times when Sylvie has been a bit grizzly and unsettled.  The white noise still helps to some extent and when the lighting is just right in the room then the pink glow seems to help.  Most of all, Ewan looks cute in the moses basket.

Air Cocoon swaddle by Ergo Pouch
Sylvie has been swaddled since birth, loosely swaddled that is.  The guidelines on this seems to change often.  We hear stories of overheating or swaddle blankets covering baby's face so I have always played it safe with a fairly loose swaddle.  Although this is worrying to think about, it also isn't helpful when your baby manages to twist their hands out of their swaddles causing them to scratch at themselves or startle themselves awake.  I had used muslins, blankets and pouches designed for swaddling on Sylvie but like David Blaine, she managed to get out of all of these - and some of them were even awkward to get her into!

I stumbled across the ergo cocoon on a trip to TK Maxx. It's a pouch that your baby can still wriggle around in but feel secure and cosy with no risk of startling.  There is a swaddle for each season so you can send baby to bed without having to bulk up on blankets and covers which can again cause overheating.  It's simple to put on, rolling it from the feet up like a sock, creating a baby glow worm ;) The minute we started using the ergo cocoon, Sylvie's sleep pattern changed and we started getting 8 hours sleep straight through the night.  You can buy the ergo cocoon here.

Ergo Pouch AirCocoon

Love to Dream Swaddle Up
I believe i've saved the best for last.  After investigating more about the air cocoon online, I came across the Love to Dream swaddle up.  This is a zip up swaddle and is great for babies who like to starfish as their little arms fit into tiny sleeves within the swaddle sac.  It looks restrictive but Sylvie can still move her arms around somewhat without the worry of startling herself or scratching her face and again reduces the risk of overheating etc.  She even seems to enjoy being in it.  The first night she wore it, she slept 9 hours straight which progressed to 10 hours the next night.  10 hours!!! She was 8 or 9 weeks old!

I now alternate between the air cocoon and the love to dream swaddle but it is the love to dream swaddle that i will repurchase in the next size up as Sylvie sleeps best in it.  It is an absolute gem of a product and I think every new mum needs to know about it!  You can buy a Love to Dream Swaddle Up here.

Love to Dream Swaddle Up

If there was only one thing I could recommend to new parents from a sleep perspective, it would be to buy the Love to Dream Swaddle Up, it really has been fantastic and anyone who follows me on twitter will have heard me sing its praises and recommend it to all the twitter mamma's!

Don't get me wrong, I am sure Sylvie's sleep pattern will continue to change and the swaddle may not always work but for now it is working a treat.

What sleep aids would you recommend?

This happened.

Since taking up blogging again and converting this particular blog to all things parenthood, I have been positively lax with keeping it up to date.  I have had little time to sit at my laptop because 11 weeks ago today, this happened:

This little angel came into our lives.  Sylvie Florence Paterson Read came into our world on Sunday 8 June, weighing in at 7lb 13oz.  With a thick mass of dark hair, plump cheeks, rosy lips and a pair of lungs that made my heart burst the minute I heard her cry ... Sylvie Read had arrived! 

I was 41+2 weeks when she decided it was time.  I was feeling impatient, fed up and downright demented by that stage.  I had so hoped she would come on time or even a few days early, so as you can imagine the waiting was driving me insane. 

I had a dream pregnancy but had trained hard for the birth, consuming my evenings reading about the nature of childbirth as well as going to hypnotherapy classes and practising relaxation techniques, visualisation and breathing.  I had planned on a water birth and had the tankini at the ready along with my aromatherapy oils and music playlist in my hospital bag.  

I wasn't naive enough to think that all would go to plan but I hadn't banked on what was ahead of me.  2 days before Sylvie's arrival and after a week of birth ball bouncing, eating pineapple and curries and going vigorous county walks, my waters at last started to show! I was elated and was sure this was the start of what I thought would be a beautiful journey to birthing my baby.

In actual fact my waters were leaking and when I merrily called the midwife to let her know, it transpired this wasn't actually a good thing as it meant there was a risk of infection.  They asked me to go to the hospital to be checked out which I admit I dilly dallied about as I really wanted to avoid any medical intervention (induction, drugs, monitoring etc).  At hospital, they confirmed my waters were leaking and they booked me in for induction the next morning, I was distraught.  I did not want this.  It was so off plan it broke my heart.  Just as I was about to leave hospital, they did one more check of my waters and this time it showed meconium. This is when your baby's poo is in your waters and can sometimes signal foetal distress.  They kept me in and cut to 12 hours later after a long night of contractions and monitoring, one thing led to another and Sylvie arrived by Caesarean section at 12:16 in the afternoon. 

I will never forget the emotional torment as I made my way to theatre.  I was so upset that things had gone way off plan and that I was now missing out on a natural birth.  Everything I had learned about over the past 9 months was all about how nature should run its course and not to accept medical interventions, in fact, I would go as far to say that everything I had read in terms of positive birthing put real shame and disgust on a c-section birth.  I was positive I would feel sorrowful and possibly resentful of how Sylvie had arrived. 

Thankfully, this couldn't have been further from the truth.  My c-section, although unplanned turned out to be a pleasant experience.  Nothing like the violent, unnatural, disgusting process that many mummy forums, positive birthing sites and even some Mothers had painted it to be.  Sylvie arrived within minutes and before I knew it, I was in the recovery room lapping up my wonderful new baby.  We had skin on skin contact at the earliest opportunity and she breastfed while in recovery.  Any fears  of not bonding or breastfeeding being hindered went out the window.  I had a very alert baby (not drugged up) who was already exceeding all my expectations.

My own recovery has been absolutely fine, I never felt too uncomfortable or in pain.  I was up and walking about, holding my baby within 6 hours of delivery (as soon as spinal had worn off) and I was back home within 48 hours.  Although it is major abdominal surgery, I do believe are a lot of myths surrounding c-sections and their recovery that didn't ring true for me but everyone is different.  

Anyway, that's my birth story of sorts and now that I can reflect 11 weeks on, the scariest part of it all is how quickly your baby grows and progresses.  I already feel like I have lost my newborn baby so my advice to any new mums is soak it all up.  Don't miss a minute of your baby because it all passes in a flash! 

Sylvie at 10 weeks

Maternity/Nursing Bra

One of the purchases I have been fretting over is a nursing bra.

I plan on breastfeeding so a comfortable, flexible nursing bra is essential.  Ensuring you wear a good fitting bra is always important but even more so during and after pregnancy when there are so many changes going on to your body.   I was originally fitted for a maternity bra a few months ago and my back had gone up 1 size and my cup by 2 sizes!! I still went for underwired, pretty bras but I knew I would need to lose the underwire when it came to choosing a nursing bra.

I didn't want to buy a nursing bra too soon as I realise my rack could stack up a few extra notches even between now and birth.  However, at week 34 I thought it was at least a good idea to start getting used to non underwire bras as it would probably be more beneficial and comfortable for me in the latter stages of my pregnancy.

I was offered to go along to Debenhams for a bra fitting.  Until 26th April, Debenhams are offering £5 off when you spend £30 or more on lingerie when you have a bra fit in store.  Lingerie is expensive as it is so I thought this was a good deal to take advantage of, especially when you know you can trust the fitting service.

I was fitted by Shaunice at the Glasgow Debenhams and I couldn't have asked for a friendlier more helpful member of staff.  She measured mostly by eye but she backed up her findings with a measuring tape for good measure (literally).  She had me try on a number of bras and styles to ensure the sizing was just right and I was making the right choice for me - after all, I have never had to wear a nursing bra before!

Of course, the sizing may alter slightly once the baby is here and Shaunice made allowance for that when helping me choose a bra.  The style I chose can be be moved up a few notches as my back size decreases after birth so this will hopefully mean longer life out of them.

Miriam Stoppard Nurture nursing/maternity bras

The main brand that Debenhams stock is Miriam Stoppard nursing bras - remember Miriam? She used to do an agony aunt stint on TV but I can't for the life of me remember what programme. Answers on a postcard ... !  I went for 2 double pack bras of the Miriam Stoppard Nurture range, one in cotton and the other a silkier, nylon material.  They are so comfortable, even if they aren't the fanciest bras I have ever worn. They have a clasp at the top of each cup for nursing which is easy to function one handed.  Although, they aren't super fancy, to be honest they do just look like pretty t-shirt bras.

My underwire bras are starting to dig a little and hurt my back so I am looking forward to wearing these now and getting used to the fit and feel of them before baby's arrival.

Until 26th April, Debenhams are offering £5 off when you spend £30 or more on lingerie when you have a bra fit in store.

Bump Update - Week 33/34

How far along?  34 weeks and 4 days (It's been a full month since my last update) 

Total weight gain:  So a month ago my weight gain sat at 14lbs, this has now increased to 18lbs.  I honestly expected to have put so much more weight on by this stage so I am quite pleased the gain has been steady and balanced. 

Dress: Christoper Kane for Topshop
Watch: Swatch 

Maternity clothes?  I have given up on maternity clothes. Seriously. Hate them.  I obviously still need to wear maternity trousers and leggings but when it comes to tops, I am now trying to stick with bigger sizes as most maternity items make me look frumpy or just aren't that comfortable.  Maternity jeans are still my nemesis with the 3 pairs I own being an absolute nightmare to wear.  They are Topshop and ASOS brands, 2 have low waistbands and one with a high waistband.  All 3 pairs fall down constantly and just leave me looking rather undignified as i try and sort myself every 5 minutes! 

Stretch marks? One! My first stretch mark appeared about 3 weeks ago.  It's very low down so I think it may have gone unnoticed for a while but I am oiling and creaming it up whenever I can in the hope it fades.  Regardless of whether it does or not, I secretly take pride in my stretch mark, it is a reminder of this wonderful time, growing my baby. 

Sleep:  My sleep has been fine with the occasional middle of the night loo trip.  Getting back to sleep after this can take a while but for the most part it's fine.  I do get some very strange dreams however, and I have started snoring and making the strangest noises in my sleep, sometimes even waking myself up and my husband! 

Best moment this week:  My best moment was last week when I went for my hospital scan and they confirmed the baby's weight and size was absolutely fine so previous worries of the baby being too small have disappeared.  Another great moment was finishing up work for maternity leave on Friday! :)  

Worst Moment This Week:  My worst moment coincides with a great moment.  Finishing up work.  It all felt very surreal and on one hand i felt delighted to leave but most of the weekend since, I have felt really down in the dumps.  Maybe it's reality all hitting at once but other mums have told me this is pretty normal.  I am definitely feeling much better now so hopefully my miserable mood will not reappear. 

Food cravings:  Chocolate still seems to be top of my list at the moment despite the fact I don't feel like I enjoy it as I eat it! 

Miss anything? In the last few weeks, I have started to really miss alcohol.  I think this weekend's better weather really pushed me over the edge.  Where I would normally enjoy a glass of wine on a sunny evening, I am now sitting nursing an orange juice or glass of water and it just doesn't feel the same! 

Movement:  I am still getting lots of movement from baby ... my favourite is when I can see my whole tummy move.  I like to give him/her a wee pat and have a chat when this happens :) 

Anything making you queasy or sick:  I have randomly started feeling very queasy at bed time.  When I am about to fall asleep i think i am about to be sick but it soon wears off and i fall asleep. 

Belly button in or out?  In. 

Happy or moody most of the time?  Still pretty happy and relaxed with a touch of the blues over the weekend. 

Looking forward to:  We have pretty much finished our nursery and have moved on to decorating our spare bedroom which we will be moving into.  The work is in progress at the moment so I am looking forward to it being finished so I can feel properly organised! 

My baby in 3D

After our babymoon, our next big milestone before baby's arrival was a 3D/4D scan.

We didn't know many people who had gone for this but after googling some 3D pics and given that this is our first baby and we are just mega excited, we thought we would book in for it.

We decided to use a local 3D scanning company based in Glasgow called Baby Scanning.  They are based in Ingram House on Ingram Street and to my surprise it was a relatively small set up, with just a small reception/waiting area and another little room where the scans take place.  Not at all the clinical set up I had imagined.  

They recommend you see them from 24 weeks onwards if you are looking to get a good look at baby as it's just the right size and stage of development.  We took advantage of a deal on their website which included 6 A4 3D pictures of our baby, a 4D DVD of our baby and at least half an hour scanning time.  In the end we got a little more than that.

I was asked to arrive with a full bladder, which is actually quite hard to do when you already constantly feel like you want to run pee every 15 minutes.  I knew as long as no one made me laugh, cry, cough, or generally pee myself, i'd be fine!  Anyway, once settled in the room, we were seen to by 2 lovely girls who ran the scanning session.

So on our first go on the scanning table - yes, I had more than one attempt at this - the baby was not in the correct position to see properly, although at this stage we did get a glimpse of baby, the cord covered most of baby's face.  Even at such short glance of seeing my baby, it was quite overwhelming.  At this point, I was asked to empty my bladder (praise be!) so they could try again.... but still the baby was being a little awkward and wasn't in an ideal position.  I was advised to go away, have some hot chocolate and cake before coming back a second time (you don't have to tell me twice when it comes to cake!).

On our second attempt, baby was in an even worse position!! They had me doing jumping jacks and shaking my hips about like Shakira but baby still wouldn't play ball.  At this point they offered me to either go for a walk and come back a third time or to make another appointment - I chose to go for a walk.

After a bit of shopping - i'm sure that excited baby, if he/she is anything like mum and dad - we returned for a third time and thankfully, baby was in a better position to see.  It was still not ideal as the cord did get in the way from time to time and if baby didn't have hands over his/her face, it was feet covering the face! Seriously, baby ... camera shy, much?

Baby Read

Baby Read

After 3 lengthy attempts, we were able to leave with our DVD and photos of our future baby.  All we have done since is analyse the pics to figure out who baby might look like but of course it really is still pretty hard to tell although I can totally see my husband's resemblance :)  The lovely girls at the baby scanning centre actually gave us a further discount because of all the hassle trying to see the baby, which was really lovely considering it wasn't their fault.

Baby Scanning have centres based in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Fife and Dundee.

Parisian Babymoon

It's been over a month since my Valentine's babymoon in Paris so I thought I would share some snaps we took while away.  

Although we arrived in Paris on Valentine's Day, I can't say I found the city to be as romantic as everyone tells me it is.  In fact, I failed to see where much of the city lived up to the hype but in saying that I still loved it and would definitely visit again.  We stayed in Le Marais district where we had a playing ground of cool shops, bars and restaurants.  I would definitely recommend this area to anyone visiting. 

The weekend became a bit of a tick box exercise at times as we had so little time to spend there but wanted to see and do so much.  Of course, I had time for a french pharmacy haul but I may need to divulge the contents of that haul in another post. 

For now, I will leave you with some of our photos, which for the record have been massively pared down as we took so many.  It was just fantastic to fit in one last city break before the baby gets here, especially to a city we hadn't seen together. 

Pram-a-rama

One of the most overwhelming, dauntless tasks as a parent to be is choosing the right pram for you and your lifestyle.

I had a list of requirements for my pram and before I went shopping I had an idea in my head what I wanted already.

* I knew the famous Bugaboo was out for me, as an attractive a pram as it is, it's just too low for my bad back, so height was important.
* A cupholder was a must.  Sounds ridiculous but ever since I had to forego a cupholder in my car, it has been an ultimate pet hate for me.
* It had to have an option of front and rear facing.
* Had to be lightweight enough for me to humph in and out of my car boot.
* Suitable for summer walks and days out with my newborn

It became clear it was a travel system I was looking for, rather than just a pram or buggy, so the search began.

The best tip I got from other parents was to go and see, touch, feel and road test (within reason) as many prams as you can.  So off, husband and I went to the Pram Centre in Glasgow which stocks pretty much every pram brand you can imagine and then some so we could have a proper informative pram testing session.  The staff at the Pram Centre really know their stuff, so getting a demonstration of each pram before we tried for ourselves was essential and very helpful.  After our visit, we had narrowed it down to 3 prams/travel systems:

UPPA BABY VISTA

Why I liked the Uppa Baby Vista:
* Forward and Rear facing options
* Sturdy build I felt confident in
* Good manoeuvrability
* Good basket space underneath
* Nice high seat/bassinet height so no bad backs lifting baby in and out
* It's an attractive pram

Why I didn't like the Uppa Baby Vista:
* There was something about the material that I didn't like.  Personal preference but it reminded me of a school bag although I am sure it is super durable
* No cupholder!
* Felt a little heavy to push around
* Looked similar to other prams (stupid reason)

STOKKE XPLORY

Why I liked the Stokke Xplory:
* Height! I loved how close I would be to my baby if I were to choose this pram, it would also save my chiropractor visits! (this was the pram I had decided on in my head before I even started my search)
* I loved the quirky design while still remaining sleek
* Forward and rear facing seat
* Good size change bag attachment
* Adjustable handle bar

Why I didn't like the Stokke Xplory:
* No cupholder!! This came as an extra at a ridiculously expensive price
* It was pretty expensive, not just the initial outlay but every accessory you would want to go with the pram was so overpriced
* I didn't like the handle bar so much, felt difficult to manoeuvre in store
* Was lightweight but almost felt so light that it may blow over in a gale
* The dismantle procedure didn't seem as easy as others

ORBIT BABY G2

Why I liked the Orbit Baby G2:
* It has a cupholder - YAY!
* Forward, rear and side facing seat positions.  Basically this is one of the only prams where the seat rotates 360, especially good for if you are living the cafe/lunch lifestyle as a new mum :)
* Fabric was beautiful and all organic and eco friendly, as well as nice and gentle for baby
* Adjustable handle height
* Seat height was high enough for my needs
* Bassinet also comes with a rocker that can be used at home
* Transfer of toddler seat, car seat and bassinet is super easy
* One hand fold down
* Lightweight
* Compatible with maxi cosi car seat (although I think most prams may be nowadays)

Why I didn't like the Orbit Baby G2:
* It's not the most attractive pram although the design is very unusual/moon buggyish
* No undercarriage basket (although there is one now available but yet to come to the UK)
* Small changing bag attachment

So, can you guess which one I went for??

Well, judging by pro's against cons, you have probably guessed it was the Orbit Baby G2.  We managed to get a great deal from Peppermint Nursery which included a car seat and some extras.  I do occasionally sway on my decision and wish I had gone for the Stokke or Uppa Baby but ultimately, Orbit Baby was ticking the majority of my boxes, so we will soon find out if it lives up to expectation when baby arrives.  As a side note, the Orbit Baby G2  has now been superseded by an updated model, the G3.

Anyway, my tips to you when buying a pram/travel system?

* Road test even if it is only in store.  This means having a good push about with it - up and down stairs if possible.  Try folding down and back up again, lifting it for weight etc
* Check the prices of any added accessories you may need to purchase.  Buying a pram is expensive as it is and you really don't want to be shelling out a lot of money for beneficial extras further down the line
* Think about your lifestyle, do you have the luxury of a car or will you have to lift your pram on and off public transport?  Do you live in an urban or country setting? These factors make such a difference to choosing a pram.

In a few months time, hopefully I can update you on my Orbit Baby experience and let you know if I actually did make the right decision!

TriBeCa - Glasgow South

I am lucky in that I live pretty close to the recently opened TriBeCa Glasgow South, sister to the West End's original Glasgow TriBeCa.

On the opening weekend, we decided to do brunch with my sister and brother in law to check out our new local.

Previously Leo's, the place has been given a massive makeover, looking a lot fresher, a little bit bigger and heaps cooler.  The atmosphere was also much brighter and relaxed from it's previous get up as Leo's.  From walking past most days since opening, I could see it was pretty busy all of the time but luckily for us my brother in law had managed to grab us a table before we got there so not waiting for these pregnant cankles :)

On offer were delights such as pancakes, french toast, burgers and bagels - all too delicious for words but stupidly I was the one from our party who decided to go with a non descriptive, boring option.  Don't get me wrong, there was nothing wrong with my tuna panini and fries but it just wasn't the choc chip and berries pancake my brother in law ordered or the french toast and maple syrup my husband was tucking into!

Despite my own dud order, I got to sample everyone else's delights.  Perk of being pregnant, people like to feed you.  The pancakes and french toast were amazing and even more to my surprise, the vanilla milkshake was scrumdiddly... I am not normally a milkshake fan.  I am also assured the burgers are to die for, although I didn't sample myself.

Needless to say, I enjoyed it so much and was left craving pancakes for the rest of the week, that Ann from Girl in the City Glasgow and I arranged a little rendez vous the following week.  My second visit wasn't quite as great with my water being missed from my order, no chocolate chip for my pancakes so had to make do with nutella (god forbid), a lack of berries in my berry portion and no glitter or silver balls on my milkshake (these things matter).

Not to mention Ann's order arriving sans bacon initially and had to be sent back.  So, a little disappointing on the second visit which has me wonder was the effort only put in for the opening wow factor and they are already tiring of the crowds?

It certainly doesn't make me want to hurry back but with my maternity leave just around the corner as is TriBeCa to my house, I might find myself hanging out there more often as long as the same little hitches don't continue to occur.

Bump Update - Week 29 ... and a bit

My laptop has been out of commission for the last couple of weeks so I haven't had the chance to update my blog as regularly as I would have liked in my new guise as a 'mummy/parent' blogger.  However, the laptop miraculously came back to life today so I thought it was an opportune time to post another bump update.

Dress: Ghost (non maternity)
Watch: Swatch

How far along?  29 weeks and 5 days 

Total weight gain:  In the last 4 weeks my weight gain has gone from a mere 4lb on to a whopping 14lb on!  My appetite hasn't increased greatly so I think thebulk of this must be baby/placenta etc.  I hope. 

Maternity clothes?  I am pretty much alternating the same 3 or 4 outfits and I absolutely detest my Topshop maternity Leigh jeans with both pairs needing pulled up every 5 minutes of wear!  I have ordered some other jeans, tops and dresses from ASOS however, so hopefully it will add a boost to my maternity wardrobe.  My best buys so far have been non maternity clothes from H&M but glide elegantly over my bump without looking frumpy. 

Stretch marks? Still none.  Thanking my lucky stars but don't want to speak too soon! 

Sleep:  I have had a cold and chest infection this week, which has left me unable to sleep for wheezing, coughing and generally sounding like Darth Vadar :( 

Best moment this week:  To be honest, i find most days to be pretty good being pregnant, even despite my chest infection and other ailments.  A highlight of the last couple of weeks has been seeing the nursery come together. If you follow me on instagram, you might have had a sneak peak already. It is getting there bit by bit and I will hopefully be able to show you the finished results shortly. 

Worst Moment This Week:  We transferred to a new hospital this week (more on that in another blog post) and I was given another scan.  Unfortunately, they felt the baby was smaller than would be expected so they want to monitor how things are moving along.  If baby remains underweight/small then I may be placed at high risk for the birth and may have to be induced earlier.  Keeping my fingers crossed that it all falls into place and that option isn't required! 

Food cravings:  Not really craving much but on a sweet tooth note, Cadbury's Flakes are my fave at the moment! 

Miss anything?  I miss not having a cold or cough.  Every 2 weeks I seem to come down with something and in fact the past 3 weekends, I have felt a bit poorly.  Getting back some normality healthwise will be very welcome. 

Movement:  Movement happens a lot just before bed, in the morning and around lunchtime.  It usually comes in the form of a few massive somersaults then some cheeky prods and pokes from baby.  I love it!  

Anything making you queasy or sick:  I went through some queasy days around week 27/28 but it never really came to much.  This week all my coughing and wheezing has made me pretty queasy. 

Belly button in or out?  In. 

Happy or moody most of the time?  Happy happy happy.

Looking forward to:  Feeling better, completing and organising the nursery, and finally getting my hosptial bag packed :) 

Introducing ... Razor Read II

Before there were any thoughts of a baby ... we decided to share our lives, hearts and home with our very own fur baby ... Razor Read II.

Razor at 5 weeks old 

Razor is only 9 months old but he has been with us since he was around 8 or 9 weeks old.  He is a Lachon puppy which is a cross between a Lhasa Apso and Bichon Frise to you and me.

Words cannot describe how much we adore this little one.  He is super friendly, mischievous, cheeky and smart, he is an absolute joy.

Razor was named so, in a bit of a tongue and cheek way as he is pretty fluffy and cute but it was also an old nickname of my husband, Garrath which is where Razor Read II comes in to it.  We thought it would be fun to resurrect it for our pup who is far from being anything fierce or razor like but somehow the name seems to suit him so well.

Before Razor, I wasn't much of a dog person but now I would offer my home to ALL the dogs (if only my husband wasn't allergic to most breeds!).  Even passing a dog in the street, I just want to stop and pet them.  I really do need to get a grip.

Razor even has his own dedicated instagram page and Facebook page.  It's ok, I can hear y'all judging me.  I was prepared for that.

We only hope that he and the baby become the best of friends once he/she arrives.  I am currently reading up on the best way of introducing a pet to your new baby as I don't want Razor to feel jealous or left out but equally he will need to learn his limitations.  So, if any of you are dog owners or other pet owners and have had to introduce your pet to babies/children, please pass on any tips you may have!

Razor is a big boy now!