The moment you find out that you're pregnant is significant for many, many reasons. Maybe you've been trying for a while and finally you're seeing a positive sign. Or maybe you just missed a period and want to double check. A to of feelings will come up at this moment: happy, sad, confused, apprehensive, fear or even all of these at once. Even if you are unsure of what the future holds for your family it is best to put a plan together as soon as possible and these steps may help.
Our first priority as parents is ensuring that our kids have everything they need right here and now. If they’re smiling, healthy, and all-around enjoying life, then we can sleep easy. However, it’s always important to ensure that we spend at least some time thinking about their future, too. If your kids are happy when they become adults, then you’ll have done a supremely good job. It’s all we want for our families, after all! While there are no guarantees for future happiness, there are some things that’ll definitely push them in the right direction. While there are a whole host of child psychology books out there, in this post we’ll take a look at a few easily achievable things that are good to teach your kids.
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When you find out that you are expecting, you’ll often find that everyone has opinions, suggestions, ingenious ideas and nuggets of wisdom to share. The problem is that every pregnancy and motherhood journey is different and unique. It’s impossible to write an instruction manual for new parents, but there are some steps you can take to make navigating those early days slightly easier. Here are some top tips for new mums.
Image source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/mother-holding-her-baby-3270224/
Prepare as much as you can.
It’s virtually impossible to ever be 100% ready for a new arrival, but preparing in advance can be hugely beneficial. Taking practical steps like making sure you have a hospital bag packed and ready and you have all the essentials you need to bring your new baby home can help to minimise stress and make you feel calmer and more relaxed after the birth. Get your bedroom and the nursery ready, have family members on standby if you have pets that need looking after and take some time to rest and recharge your batteries. It's important to note however that no matter how much you plan or prepare, things may not always go as expected so be ready to adapt.
Understand that nobody is perfect.
Perhaps the most important lesson to learn when you have a newborn is that nobody’s experience is perfect. Social media and Hollywood films can make life as a family with a tiny bundle look like utter bliss when in reality, it’s a hugely emotional time for everyone involved. There are likely to be highs and lows and the early days of sleep deprivation and adjusting to parenthood can be something of a roller coaster ride. Every parent goes through the same struggles. Even if it seems as though others are sailing through with no metaphorical icebergs to contend with, know that you’re not alone if you have a bad day or you’re so exhausted that you can barely function. Talking to your partner or friend openly can really help if you're struggling and may open you eyes to how amazing you are actually coping. Your mind can play tricks on you, this paired with hormones and being a new mum can really leave you feeling down. But just know you are amazing.
Don’t hesitate to ask for help.
Taking care of a baby is hard work and there is absolutely no shame in asking for help or calling in favours from friends and family. Don’t hesitate to ask for help or accept offers if your mum and dad are keen to sort the washing or clean the house, or you have friends and siblings queuing up to look after the baby while you grab a shower or have a nap. Use your support system to lighten the load. This is beneficial for you and it’s also a great way to encourage bonding between members of your family and close friends and your new addition. People can often want to at like superman and show they don't need help but this is the one time in your life where you don't need to act strong. Take all the help you can get.
Ask for expert advice if you’re worried.
Taking responsibility for a newborn can be incredibly daunting, especially if you’re worried that something is wrong. If you are concerned about your health, or your baby has started crying more than usual, or they seem unsettled or won’t feed, ask for advice. There are simple solutions you can try like colic tea for tummy troubles and adjusting breastfeeding positions for more comfortable, productive feeds, but in some cases, you may need additional help or treatment. It’s always best to get checked out or consult a midwife or your GP if you are worried. No matter how small the concern it always better to be safe than sorry.
Rest as much as you can.
Almost every parent will regale tales of sleepless nights when they talk about the first few weeks or months with their baby. As a new mum, it’s important to be prepared for sleep deprivation and disrupted nights and to rest as much as possible when you get the chance. Try to nap while your baby sleeps, ask others to help out so that you can rest in the knowledge that your baby is safe and don’t try to do too much too soon. Take it steady and let yourself recover from the birth mentally and physically. Be prepared to completely change your routine to suit the baby's.
Try to avoid putting pressure on yourself
Many of us approach parenthood with a rose-tinted vision, which makes us put pressure on ourselves and our partners. We have a perception, and if life doesn’t live up to that ideal, we can get frustrated and upset. Try to avoid putting pressure on yourself when you have a baby. Give yourself time to adjust, be kind to yourself, recognise that you can only do your best and go with the flow. Some people have amazingly positive experiences during the first few weeks, while others really struggle. Everyone is different. If you are finding it tough, try to identify and avoid triggers. You may want to stay off social media or minimise social contact for a while if seeing people makes you anxious or going on social apps makes you feel like you’re failing. You can only do your best and if you need help, advice or support, there are people there to make life easier.
Picture from https://www.pexels.com/photo/parents-looking-at-their-baby-3584088/
The early days as a new mum can be confusing, daunting, nerve-racking and amazing all at once. If you are expecting, or you’ve recently given birth, hopefully, this guide will help you navigate your way.
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With so much information about haircare out there, it’s hard not to think that if you followed every single piece of advice, treating your hair is all you would ever do.
When we walk into our local shop or browse hair products online, all brands suggest that their product is essential and worthwhile to use, but over treatment can cause damage, thinning, or even shedding of hair.
Image Credit: Chenspec from Pixabay.
Do you know how to look after your mental health? Some of the obvious ways may pop into your mind, including:
Practicing self-care.
Doing things you enjoy.
Seeing a therapist or taking medication, as needed.
These can all be simple effective ways to look after yourself. However sometimes a little bit more is needed. Getting yourself into good routines is a great starting point. But if you are feeling especially low then doing things to distract yourself can also be really helpful. Things such as, taking a walk, listening to music, doing some exercise, having a glass of water or even practising meditation have all been successful for me. Some things require more attention and I have noticed three areas which can have a big impact on mental health and would like to look at them a little deeper.
1. Look After Your Body
Looking after your body helps with your mental health more than you’d think. Eating right and exercising aren’t the only ways you can do this.
There are several ways to do so, including:
Getting enough sleep.
Drinking enough water.
Avoiding smoking/drinking excessive amounts of alcohol.
These are basics for mental health, making sure the body is working optimally helps the brain to work optimally. However sometimes no matter how much effort we put into our physical health some people can still have issues with this. For example with the link between body dysmorphia and plastic surgery . Body image can be a very detrimental factor when it comes to mental health as our expectations don't always live up to reality or societies standards. To help this I would limit social media and really focus on the goodness your body provides you. I myself having had three children can now appreciate my stretch marks a little more as they have provided me with such a gift.
2. Break Up Monotony
Having a routine can often be recommended. It can make you feel safe and secure. It can also lead to monotony, however.
Over time, this can impact your mental health. While you should still have a routine in place, you should aim to break up the monotony.
Plan things spontaneously. These can be one-offs or something that you decide to do relatively regularly. More than making plans spontaneously though, just make plans. Make sur you always have something in your diary that you can look forward to and enjoy.
You wouldn’t need to go too extravagant with these plans either. Instead, the focus should be on something that makes you feel happy, it could be as simple as a solo coffee date or a meal out with friends..
It’ll not only improve your mood, but help relieve any boredom or complacency you may be feeling.
3. Set Realistic Goals
Many peoples’ mental health can suffer because they feel as though they’re not accomplishing anything in their life. That could be financially, academically, professionally, and more.
Setting goals for yourself can help with this. If you already have these, then making sure they’re realistic is vital.
Should they not be realistic, then you might find it hard to achieve or or near impossible to achieve them, which can negatively impact your mental health. Adjusting your goals and putting a plan in place to achieve them is highly recommended.
Not only will this help your mental health, but you’ll be better able to achieve your goals. It could be worth having an overall aim broken down into smaller easier to achieve steps. Small and steady will help you to achieve your goals.
Though that could mean taking more time to achieve them, your mental health will be better for it.
How To Look After Your Mental Health: Wrapping Up
Figuring out how to look after your mental health can be overwhelming. It doesn’t need to be as difficult or complex as you’d expect. You have multiple options available and hopefully this article can act as a starting point. Determining what works for you can take time, although it’s more than worth spending time on it. Your mental health is key to your happiness so it is about time you started investing in it.
Eating at home comes with its advantages. For starters you can save a lot of money this way, as you can make various recipes out of basic food ingredients without straining your finances. But it also helps you to consume healthier meals that are great for your skin and body. Home cooked meals also help you avoid high amounts of sodium and unhealthy fats found in most takeout meals. The American Psychological Association also revealed that trying new things like cooking together can keep couples more engaged in their relationships. Despite these benefits, stats reveal that eating in restaurants or ordering takeouts have become increasingly popular as many find it much more convenient than cooking. So how can you make family meals more enjoyable? Here are some handy tips I use personally that will help.
Create themed dinners
An effective way to build excitement about family mealtimes is to create theme-styled meals for dinner. Not only does it allow you to explore new meals, but you can also lower the pressure of thinking about dinner ideas every night. Moreover, your family can be involved in the decision process, further heightening their anticipation. Fortunately, there are several meal themes you can choose from, so you can be sure that you wouldn’t run out of ideas.
For instance, you can opt for a Meat free Monday if you enjoy vegetarian meals or a Taco Tuesday to incorporate some Mexican food into your weekly routine. It’s best to plan for the week by picking 7 themes to get the most out of your themed dinners. If you’re concerned that it may get boring to repeat the same themes weekly, feel free to spice it up by mixing them up or having a two week schedule that is rotated. Also, the internet is loaded with different and exciting themes, so feel free to utilize this useful tool.
Schedule your mealtimes
Are you looking to build consistency regarding mealtimes? If yes, creating a schedule is the way to go. Indeed, your busy schedules may tempt you to skip mealtimes for takeouts or restaurant meals. However, a meal schedule can help you stick to your resolve to eat at home. Moreover, this makes everyone aware of what to expect and cancel other plans if necessary. As a tip, factor in your regular activities to determine what time you can cook without interruption. For instance, if you can’t cook meals on Tuesday nights, you can batch cook meals before hand and freeze them or prepare food which will last over two days rather than one so there is left overs. Likewise, prepping your ingredients in advance can also ensure that you can cook easily at the scheduled times, so keep this in mind.
Try new recipes
Sticking to the same food plan helps you maintain healthy eating habits while maintaining your calorie intake. Moreover, you avoid dinner panics and the trap of ordering takeouts to make up for not planning dinner. However, preparing the same meals repeatedly can become bring over time, defeating the purpose of making mealtime more exciting. What’s more, you may be missing out on nutritional content found in various meals you don’t consume. Research also indicates that lower good bacteria diversity was linked to abdominal fat and obesity, and eating diverse meals can increase this diversity. Therefore, you want to include new recipes in your meal plan if you haven’t already.
For instance, a simple potato leak soup recipe is a cost-effective yet satisfying meal to spice up your dining table. You can also source recipes from different cultures that you haven’t tried before, like Mediterranean-style and oriental dishes. As a tip, include one or two new foods weekly for the best results. However, ensure that your family actually enjoys it before adding it to your routine, this will avoid waste and an unpleasant dining experience.
Keep your meals simple
It may be tempting to go for elaborate dishes in a bid to make your mealtime more exciting. However, this idea may backfire, and you can find yourself resorting to takeouts again. Certain meals take more time and intense preparation, and doing this consistently can be challenging with a busy schedule. That said, your best option is to go for simpler meals. This way, you don’t have to dread meal time, and you can be consistent with your family mealtime. Fortunately, several easy food recipes are tasty and nutritious, so feel free to leverage them. For instance, you can opt for beef tenderloin with roasted spinach and cauliflower for dinner. Other meals you can try are creamy spinach, lasagna and mushroom soup, roasted chicken thighs and veggies, etc. These meals are simple and don't require much preparation therefore meaning you are more likely to make them again.
5. Get the Kids involved
If you have children this can also add another element which makes cooking and dinner times more difficult. Children tend to favour take out and see it as a treat, however if you get them involved in the cooking this can completely change meal times. Children enjoy taking part, and will always eat food they have created themselves. A great way to get started is by making home made pizzas, the children simply have to choose their own topping and place it on top.
I hope some of these tips will help you to make your meal times more enjoyable!
We have all had a day where our hair looks amazing (usually when we have just walked straight out of the hairdressers. It has the perfect bounce, looks glossy and thick and it leaves you feeling like you can do anything. Hair is such an important part of being a woman. It allows us to express ourselves but also frames the face. For me, my hair is my identity and the power great hair gives me is immense, which is why I give it so much attention.
Often, the only time you can feel the power your hair gives you is when we are just stepping out of the salon (hairdressers we love you). However if you don't want to splash the cash on a blow dry every week, follow these tips to keep your tresses looking lush.
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Hey Guys,
Happy New Year. This post has come a little late however we are only a few days into the new year so I thought I would post some of my favourite products from 2021. Some of these were new launches and some are simply just products I have used time and time again. These are all products I use daily and absolutely love so check them out!
If you’re currently very heavily pregnant and feeling like you’re going to burst at any moment, congratulations on your impending arrival! You’re about to bring a mini version of you into the world, and that’s something to be celebrated - but within all that celebration, you’re probably feeling an overwhelming amount of fear over whether or not you’re ready to bring them home from the hospital.
After all, babies demand every bit of your attention, and they’ll continue to do so for at least the next 16 years. You’re already thinking of all the trouble they might get into, and how many mistakes they might make along the way. You’re thinking about how they’ll get on at nursery, even though it’s still a long way off, and ultimately, you’re feeling equal parts worry and excitement for being a new parent.
Surprisingly, that’s a good position to be in. It means you’re getting ready to bring the baby home, and to provide as much love as possible during the first year of their life. But aside from that, you’ve also got the chance to double check that you’re truly ready for baby to arrive. So, with that in mind, here are the last minute checks you’ll benefit from doing right now.
Make Sure The Nursery is in Order
If you want your little one to have their own room, now’s the moment to go through and ensure the room is up to standard. Make sure it’s been baby proofed, and there’s no way your child could get hurt in any way when they’re in there. Start with the floor and work your way up. Could baby stick their fingers in anything? Is there anything they could try chewing on? Could they even just pull on something in trying to make their way around and end up pulling something down on top of them? These are all considerations to think about from the beginning, nevermind waiting until baby can crawl and/or walk!
Of course, you’re likely to have your baby sleeping in with you for a little while (usually the first 6 months), and it’s good to have an add-on mattress for your own bed as an option. However, one day they’ll have to upgrade to the nursery, and you’ll thank yourself for being this proactive right now. Start as you mean to go on!
Double Check Your Shopping Checklist
Everyone who’s about to be a new parent has a shopping checklist that’s at least the length of your arm! And when you or your partner feel like you’re about to drop, it’s time to go back through the list and see if there’s anything you’ve missed. Now could be your last chance to make sure you’ve got it in ‘the back’ and that it’s ready to use when your baby needs it.
Similarly, if you had a baby shower a couple of months ago, now’s also a good time to check your registry again and see what’s still left on it. If any of your friends and/or family didn’t attend or didn’t get you anything, now could be your moment to get in touch and ask if they’re in a position to help out.
After all, maybe they could invest in Bespoke Baby Gifts for you, especially if they’re about to be a grandparent and want to make the experience special? But above all else, make sure any essential items, like a breast pump or a bottle warmer have been bought and are ready to use when the moment suddenly arrives!
Prepare the Car Correctly
You’re going to need to transport your baby to and fro every now and then, so you’re going to want to fit the car out correctly right now as well. Of course, you need to start with the car seat and ensure it fits snugly and securely, but your hard work doesn’t end there. You’re also going to want to keep in mind the general state of the car, and how long you can drive for with a baby on board.
For example, you shouldn’t look to go any longer than 20 to 30 minutes with a baby in tow, thanks to just how uncomfortable baby can become when they’re sat in a car seat for too long. Similarly, always take your baby out with you when you stop, even if you’re just dashing out for a couple of minutes.
Some parents like to invest in another mirror to attach to the headrest of the seat the baby is strapped into. In doing so, you won't have to turn around and take your eyes off the road in order to check on your baby. You’ll be able to see their face and what they’re up to whenever you do the standard check of your car mirrors, and eliminate most of the worry you feel on bumpy drives!
Think About Making Your Own Birthing Plan
A birthing plan is what you put together when you decide what kind of birth you want to have. No matter what you see on TV or in films or hear about in the media, you’re the one in control when you’re giving birth, and it’s up to you how events will proceed. Not everyone takes time to put one together, and you can always walk through the possibility with a midwife first, but it’s good to get down in writing what you’d like to happen in an ideal world.
And of course, there’s always a chance the birth will deviate from the birthing plan you put together. In knowing this, it’s a good idea to be flexible about what you’d be OK with happening during your birth. For example, your water birth plans may go out of the window if you suddenly go into labour when you’re out at the shops - try to have a ‘go with the flow’ attitude on time and place, but keep the little details (if skin to skin is a priority, will you attempt breastfeeding or prefer bottle, how you would like the lighting etc) set in stone.
Thinking About a Name
Maybe you’ve already thought of one and both you and your partner love it? Maybe you’re still choosing between two or three you quite like? Maybe you have absolutely no clue what to name your baby, and you’re waiting until you meet your little one face to face to decide? No matter how you’re going about choosing a name for your child, make sure both you and your partner agree on the fundamentals.
For example, are any names out of the picture altogether? Do either of you want the child to have a middle name? Will the baby end up with both of your surnames? Get these questions decided on right now for less hassle later on, especially if there are push relatives on either side of the equation! What you name your baby is up to you, and you need to know you’re standing firm in your decision.
If your baby is about to make its way into the world, make sure you’re at a place (both physically and mentally) where you feel at peace with what’s going on. Stress is no good for you right now, and you want to have as pain-free a birthing process as possible, so get considerations like those above well out of the way. Bringing a baby home after the ordeal you’ve been through deserves to be a calm and collected time, so putting in effort now will make sure it is a smooth process!
Amina xx
