Mammy Monday : Our Positive Breastfeeding Journey

I thought I'd never in a million years breastfeed, I thought 1. I was too much of a prude and 2. Why should I do all the night feeds. As soon as I found out I was pregnant  on my first daughter I knew it was what I wanted to do.

 

I always looked on it with an open mind. I'd give it a go if it worked out it worked out if not there's nothing wrong with formula. Luckily for us we took to it like ducks to water!

The first few weeks were the hardest, Lauren fed almost constantly. Which led to a lot of discomfort. But once she got the supply up it was plain sailing. I am so lucky, I've never had any problems and have for the most part enjoyed the experience. 

 

I naively went into this journey thinking I was in charge lol how wrong was I! I had first said 12 weeks that's it we'll be done breastfeeding by then, wrong! Oh when she has teeth I'll stop nope wrong again, we ended up feeding until my first was 16 months old and my second was 5/6 months old (we only stopped sue to a change in my circumstances not because I wanted to)

 

 

Now don't get me wrong I enjoyed every day (almost) I've learned a lot on this road and the main thing I've learned is that I wanted to make my daughters happy as they are my number one concern.

 

 

I used to get asked a lot when would I stop breastfeeding and I used to have the answer, I used to have a time frame, but then I decided that all that was important wasn't what anyone else wanted but truly that my only concern was that my child's emotional and nutritional needs were being met, and not to be worrying about what "Mary" from down the road thought or anyone for that matter!

 

 I mean no one would ever ask the mother of a 10 month old when they were taking the bottle from them or when they would stop formula! I just wish the same respect could be given to breastfeeding mothers too. No one really has the intentions of breastfeeding a child until they are 16 lol but when they are still a baby its completely normal and I'm saying well done mama if you have fed your child till they are way past the baby stage and fair play to you for doing what is right for your family. Its a hard road so give yourself a well deserved pat on the back.

 

It's been a mostly positive journey for me,  I've met loads of breastfeeding mammies who can advise me and me them. I had no problems feeding her in public but that's been mainly thanks to my nursing cover, it's been the best €30 I've ever spent. I'd highly recommend buying one, especially for when you are out or you have visitors that you aren't 100% comfortable whipping your boobs out in front of ha ha ha.  I got mine in boots similar to this one here Boots don't seem to stock them on their website so that's a link to Bella Baby who are a fantastic baby shop.

 

 

If you pregnant and thinking of breastfeeding my advice is do your research, have an idea what to expect but for the most part just relax you'll be amazed at how much they teeny tiny person might already know. There are loads of support groups on facebook and in the community. At the time I attended a class which was organised by the public health nurses in my area so check that out, ask when the come to visit when you get out of hospital. Ask your own mam or a friend if they breast fed. Also have a back up plan, what will I do if it doesn't work for us. There are also lactation consultants in the maternity hospitals, so just ask for help.

 

I did use a pump for times when I was away from the babies or wanted to attempt bottles (which my first daughter point blank refused and she ended up never having a bottle.) I would say wait until you know if its going to work out for you or not before purchasing one as they are quite expensive, don't throw your money away. And for the first couple of weeks anyway you wont use one as you and baby will be getting used to things yourselves.

 

I'm not an expert by any means, but I found the following items really helped me :

 

An absolute essential : Multi Mam Compresses

Nursing Pads: I used both disposable (these were my favs) and the reusable ones which were so soft. I was given mine as a gift but there are loads of places online where you can buy some and boots have some here

Nipple Cream :) this was the one I used

Nursing cover as I mentioned above.

 

So like I say, I'm by no means an expert, far from it, I'm just a mammy who has a positive breast feeding story. Try relax, go into it with an open mind and remember, once your childs emotional needs and nutritional needs are being met that's all that matters and that can be achieved by breast or bottle or both.

 

Lots of Love

 

Donna

XXX 

 

 

Mammy Monday - Baby Wearing

When I was pregnant on my first I would ask friends and family what was their must have baby items. I was obsessed with getting the right items and not wasting money on the rubbish ones. I remember asking a guy in work and he recommended a baby carrier. He emphasised that we bought one that wasn't cheap as he had done which was uncomfortable to wear and ended up being thrown out and replaced by a more ergonomical one.

So after his advice I went and done my research and who knew how big a thing baby wearing was! There are so many options, Wraps, Slings, Buckles no buckles. On my first baby I wasn't comfortable enough to use a wrap. I just didn't have the confidence to handle a baby well enough to trust myself to get her into it safely lol but when baby no2 came along I was a pro and we used a wrap all the time.

For Lauren baby no 1 I went with the Ergo baby carrier, my dad had asked was there something he could by us for the baby and I knew straight away this was something he could get for us as they aren't cheap. We bought ours from HipBaby.ie. At the time it was €124, this included the newborn insert. I found this carrier so easy to use and Laure was so comfortable in it. It truly was a lifesaver for me in the early weeks. I wouldn't have gotten a thing done if I didn't have this carrier. It meant my hands were free to do my hair and my makeup if I wanted to leave the house.  Which sound so vain, but I can tell you now hair and makeup are really important to a new mam! Make you feel like you are some what human and a somewhat like the pre baby woman you were. 

Lauren was a savage as a newborn and if it wasn't for this carrier I may never have eaten again. She fed what felt like non stop in those early weeks and cried as soon as she left my arms and every mammy knows how hard that is. Especially when the fuss has died down and your visitors are few and far between and Daddy has returned to work. You would do anything for 5 mins of peace to have a cup of tea and a sambo.  Or when the washing is piling up and you think you'll never get it done, even though you just gave birth you are in this mad rush to get some normality back to your life and heaven forbid your house would be messy if a visitor arrived.  (yeah we are all nuts!!)

Anyway back to the baby wearing, I could go on and on about those early day episodes of new mammy crazy ha ha ha. I chose the ergo based on reviews I read on line and the ease of use too, knowing I would have to get this on without any help. I chose a very neutral colour so that daddy would use it too. I really wanted the galaxy (stars pattern) one but I knew daddy wouldn't be comfortable in that one. We also got it with the newborn insert so that we could use it straight away. The ergo can be used with the insert from birth up to 4 years old or 45lb and can be worn in 3 different positions. Front inwards facing, back inwards facing and on the hip. Ellie baby no 2 is now 15 months old and we continue to use it. People constantly say oh god is your back not broken with her in that and the answer is no its not and that's because its made to be as ergonomic as possible ensuring that the weight is distributed where it should be thus making it as comfortable for the person wearing it.

Since we bought ours Ergo have come out with a 360 carrier which can be worn with the baby facing out in the front. I'd love to try this one as I sometimes feel now that Ellie is older shes far more nosey and I think she would enjoy it more. I might sell on my ergo and use the money towards a new 360.

The wrap I used was a stretchy wrap by an company called funky flamingo, I got this one on amazon for around €20. It was fantastic. I loved it in the earlier newborn days, I didn't use it much as she grew as I felt the ergo was best for out on walks and taking with us on days out. But I know plenty of mam's who used theres much more than I did.

There are loads of great places now where you can read reviews and figure out which baby wearing option is the best for you and your family.  There are also sling meet up's held in local library's and cafes too where you can try out the slings before you buy. I'll leave some links below so you can arm yourself with as much information as you can before you buy. And no matter which option you choose you wont be disappointed.

There are so any benefits to baby wearing, happy baby, happy mammy and that's a win win situation. Great for babies with reflux too, cos they are in an upright position. Gives them a break and mammy and daddy a break too.  lets face it in those early days when you haven't a notion of what you are doing, the baby kind of knows more than you do and they love to be held and rocked it settles them and while holding them forever in your arms would be amazing its not always practical. So I'd highly recommend a carrier. A good one that's not going to break your back in the process.

Some of the sites I love are listed below.

Babywearing Ireland

ww.kneetokneeslings.com

Have you used the Ergo 360? Let me know if you  would recommend it.

Lots of love

Donna

xxx

Smoothie Recipe

This one is one we love in our house and its healthy and easy to make. Fruit can be a pain in the you know what to keep in this heat so I love the frozen smoothie mixes from Aldi, means less waste too.

We all have one for breakfast the odd morning and the kids love them, they do however prefer them a little sweeter so I add a drizzle of honey, when Ellie was under one I used the vanilla flavoured yogurts instead.

We use the breville active blend, we have the family one, which has 2 large bottles and 2 smaller bottles.

 

Its really quick and easy to make especially if you are tight for time and the breville bottles are dead handy for taking on the go. And its so easy to clean too. Win win :)

Recipe

Half a bag of Aldi Frozen Smoothie mix (strawberry and banana is a fav in this house)

A couple of tablespoons of Natural Yogurt (we like the Greek style ones)

Drizzle of honey

1 glass of orange juice

(quantities really depend on how many people and what you are using to blend, the quantities above do for myself and the two little ones)

 

 

 

 

Lots of Love

 

Donna

XXX



Favourite Summer Scent

There's nothing like a scent that takes you to a certain place in time. That fragrance for me I Estee Lauder Bronzed Goddess. It's like a little bottle of summer.

I discovered this perfume through a colleague in work. She would spray it throughout the day and I just loved it.

Its not overpowering and a soft fragrance. The main fragrance for me is the coconut but it also has a musty vanilla tone to it too. Which I don't normally like. I'm not a vanilla person.

There is an entire bronzed goddess range available too, I've yet to try them but the oil sounds like something I'd definitely be interested, it helps revitalise dull skin and helps tame frizzy fly away hair all with the Bronzed Goddess scent. I like the sound of that!

I believe though its only available in the summer months too. So make sure you get to your nearest Estee Lauder counter and grab yourself a bottle of summer.


Love

Donna
XXX

Emporio Armani Diamonds Rose Perfume Review

Hi my name is Donna and I am a perfume addict. Yep that's me, I have loads and loads of perfumes bottles in my bedroom. Some I love and always repurchase some not so much!

My all time fav perfume is most definitely Stella. I j'adore this stuff its my signature scent :) I am a fresh smelling perfume fan, not into flowery or sweet at all.

 

You would be forgiven for thinking that with the word Rose in the name this would be a flowery fragrance, I know I did presume myself. I was however pleasantly surprised. It does have a flowery undertone to it, it's also a teeny bit sweet something I am not normally a fan of, but its mainly fresh smelling it's very much a just out of the shower smell which I love. I am loving loads of things of late so I apologise for that :) but I am here to tell the truth and this fragrance is one to try.

And the price tag (which my dearly beloved Stella has a hefty one to say the least) Diamonds rose in my opinion has a great price tag at €34.50 for 30ml and €44.50 for 50ml.

After a couple of hours of wear I cant smell it off myself but I am told it is still noticeable on me. My granny once told me if you cant smell a fragrance off yourself then its a perfect match for you.

I must do a perfume collection post soon.

what fragrances are you loving this summer?

Love

Donna
XXX

Sunscreens and Sun Safety - Mammy Monday

Having worked in cancer services, sunscreen is something I am very passionate about. Having 2 kiddos in the recent good weather you get sick of applying it but its a necessity. Sunburn is so dangerous in so many ways. Especially for kids.

The following photo really caught my attention. It's got the wow factor big time. It's doing the rounds on Facebook at the moment. And it really shows the damage sun can do to your skin. It prompted me to do a post on sun safety.

I've used an array of sunscreens on myself, I suffer from prickly heat when I'm abroad so I need to ensure I choose a sunscreen that's not going to affect that. I've written a post on my favourite sunscreen for prickly heat suffers I'll link it here. Natural tone sun screen is a brand I 100% love. Its a bit more expensive than other brands but if you are like me and prickly heat has ruined many a holiday then you need to give this a go.  You can purchase from their website here. At home I can use anything as we don't get a long enough run in the sun for the prickly heat to take hold. I use the Aldi one on myself for days in Ireland and I haven't had any issues with it. I chose spf 30, I just feel there is absolutely no point in getting burned or trying to tan in Ireland as there is zero chance of maintaining a tan here so I'm not going to risk it.  And mama's and dada's please remember to also apply sunscreen to yourself too. This is a mistake plenty of parents make. We apply sunscreen to the kids but forget ourselves. And lets be honest, being burnt to a crisp with kids who are cranky from the heat ain't no ones idea of fun.

Did you know that skin cancer is the mist commonly diagnosed cancer in Ireland. In 2013 there was 10'785 of skin cancer diagnosed. So skin cancer is something we really need to take seriously in Ireland. We need to remember that the sun here in Ireland is the same sun that's abroad so is more than capable of causing damage to the skin.

Most of the skin damage occurs in childhood, and although those cute little bodies look adorable with a little tan, tanned skin is in fact damaged skin. Skin cancer takes 10-15 years to develop and is the most common cancer in people aged 15-44. The Irish cancer society website have some great tips on keeping little ones safe in the sun you can visit their website here.

Here are the things I do to keep my littlies sun safe:

• Sunscreen: A factor of at least 30 and with the highest UVA and UVB you can find. (La Roche-Posay ticks all these boxes). Apply 20mins before going out in the sun and at least every 2 hours during the day or after swimming/ pool fun.
• Hats: My eldest is very fair so I "try" my best to get her to wear a hat as much as possible when out in the sun. She's now 3 going on 30 so its hard to get her to wear anything she hasn't picked out herself so I try and pick hats that are character based or sparkly to get her attention. Shes goof most of the time. My baby is as bald lol get that's from me poor child lol so her head is really in danger. She will keep most hats on her head. But I always ensure I spray her head with factor too.
• Sunglasses: Really really important and really really hard to keep on the little shits. We bought my eldest a pair when we were in Portugal a few years ago they are the wrap around type and as babies they aren't too bothered with trying to take them off. In fact they are happy to wear them to take the glare off their eyes. They were expensive enough roughly €30 but worth the money. The older kid is harder to get to wear them. But throw aul Elsa on them and she will wear them 90% of the time. It is important that they are up to European standard en1836 and have UV protection.
• Shade: Where kids are concerned shade is really important so when you are looking for the best spot by the pool or at the beach make sure you have a parasol or there is somewhere you and the kiddos can escape to especially between the hours of 11am and 3pm when the sun is at its strongest and remember this applies to Ireland too.
• UV Index: You really need to be aware of the UV index this can range from zero to +11. the UV rays are what do the damage. I noticed yesterday in Hickey Pharmacy they are giving a free UV index patch when you purchase 2 or more La Roche- Posay products. You can also enter your details on their website where they will be randomly selecting 1500 people to send these patches to. You can visit their site here to join their waiting list to be sent a patch.

I know that the Aldi sun creams got great reviews online and my family and friends rave about them. So I tried them out, they are what I am currently using here at home. I am using the spf 50 spray bottle on the kids its one for sensitive skin, it's really important to use a sunscreen that's made for kids on their skin, they offer a protection with ingredients suitable for their delicate skin. However after a friend used the Aldi one abroad she found that it wasn't great with wet skin, so I have decided to revert back to La Roche-Posay kids sunscreen for holidays instead. They have one that is targeted at kids with wet skin, which will be ideal for us in Portugal as my eldest daughter loves the water. This is available from most pharmacies and retails for around €19.95. I've used it before and loved it. But it is pricey, but in my opinion its worth every cent to ensure my kids skin stays safe in the sun. 

Last year I was sent a bottle of Kiehl's Activated Sun Protector with SPF50+ and it was amazing on the kids skin. Especially on my daughter who was only a few months old at the time. She wasn't in the sun at all but for those moments in the buggy where the sun caught her skin I felt 100% assured she was protected. I used it on myself too and it left my skin feeling amazing after it. The bottle itself isn't very big so doesn't go a long way. But if you have sensitive skin I'd highly recommend it. They have a face one too, I used the body one.


I hope you find the above helpful and if it reaches out to just one person / family, I'll be happy.


Lots of Love

Donna
XXX

Review - Lidl Self tanners

I was really hoping this would be a better review but alas its not. If you frequent Lidl you'll have seen the Self tanning milk and self tanning mousse. At €1.99 and €2.99 I thought they were worth trying and certainly weren't going to break the bank. (and I even think at the moment they are on offer too with a euro off)

Now a wee disclaimer, I only tried the mousse, because after that I just couldn't be bothered trying the milk. The mouse is white so there is no guide colour, which I don't like anyway. I normally apply tan last thing at night after my shower,  I am generally rushing when applying it. So no guide colour can be disastrous. It has a really weird consistency too, almost felt soapy a bit like a shaving foam. It applied well but took a while to dry into the skin.

The results: I got all the fake tan smell but very very little tan. Now I will say, my skin is absolutely crap at tanning and developing a fake tan,  especially my legs. This was more like one of those gradual tanners rather than a fake tan, if that makes sense. It wore off well and although I wasn't a golden goddess, there was a noticeable change to my skin.

It wasn't the worst I've tried but I'd rather spend the extra money and buy the Cocoa Brown tan instead.

I'm almost out of the Cocoa Brown at the moment so I think I might try one of the other newer tans on the market and see how I get on. So watch this space for more reviews.


Lots of love

Donna

XXX