Our Breastfeeding Journey

A post many of you have been waiting for and one I have been very excited to write. I am now 7 months into exclusively breastfeeding and LOVING it (although it has come with its challenges of course). 
So, with my silver boobs badge on and new knowledge/experience of breastfeeding I hope to help other Mamas hoping to breastfeed. 

My thoughts on breast vs bottle...

Reece bottle feeding Ella-Grace

So, I guess we should start with the age old- somewhat controversial- debate. Firstly, I think there should be no 'VS', this is not a fight, we are all mothers trying to do the best for their baby and everyone's circumstances are different so no matter your opinion you should always support your fellow Mother. 

I have experienced both bottle feeding and breastfeeding and so I do believe I had a holistic view. 

Me breastfeeding Sunday

My opinion, and speaking truthfully is that breast milk is of course better. It is the healthiest option, the milk is made for your baby and speaking from an environmentalist stand point it is far more environmentally friendly than formula. There is no competition for the amazing antibodies in breast milk along with so many benefits for mother and baby. BUT this does not mean that bottle feeding is bad NOT AT ALL! There are women who physically cannot breastfeed or their circumstances mean they are unable to. Some women find it overwhelming, painful, mentally draining or simply do not want to. It is a Mothers choice and that should not be judged. Breastfeeding may be natural but that certainly does not mean it is easy and although I definitely think breastfeeding should be encouraged and more information should be readily available to pregnant women and new mothers I also support bottle feeding as in many situations it can save the lives of many babies and the mental health of a Mother. It is a choice only the Mother can make and she should be supported whatever she chooses. 

I would like to say also that many women mix feed or exclusively pump breast milk, which again should be supported. 

My past breastfeeding experience...

Breastfeeding Ella-Grace

My past breastfeeding experience was not positive and really I breastfed Ella-Grace for such a short amount of time I don't even know if I would call it an experience. I have spoken about it before on my blog but I will recap for anyone who does not know. 

From 2 days old Ella-Grace was mixed fed (formula and breast-milk). Before having Ella-Grace I was determined to breastfeed but once she was here despite latching perfectly, misinformation and lack of knowledge were my down fall. Cluster-feeding almost immediately I thought I did not have enough milk (so so wrong) and through my hysteric crying the nurse told me that 'all babies get a cup feed of formula in the first few days' (again wrong but I think she was just trying to help) so that is what we did. On the way home from the hospital convinced I had to mix feed and that I did not have enough breast milk I got my parents to pick up some formula for her. From then on she was mixed fed (having breast milk all day and one bottle at night) I was keen to take her off the formula and just have breastmilk but then Ella-Grace started being very sick when she fed and losing weight. I quickly realised that this was because of the dairy in my diet and that it did not agree with her. We managed to switch to a prescribed dairy free formula that she managed to keep down easily and although I tried to keep up the breastfeeding now no longer having dairy in my diet, that was not enough as the dairy can stay in your breast milk for up to 6 weeks. She would projectile vomit my breast milk but keep down her prescribed formula so to avoid her losing more and more weight we switched. From 8 weeks old Ella-Grace was bottle fed. I feel guilt about this now and wished I could have breastfed her for longer. 

My breastfeeding aims...

Pregnant again and now thinking about how I want to feed my second child. Breastfeeding was what I wanted, as the healthiest option and a healing experience as the first time round it did not go to plan. I wanted the breastfeeding experience I never got with Ella-Grace especially as I knew this would be my last chance as we did not want anymore than two children. I was determined to exclusively breastfeed this time and so I informed myself and set goals. First I wanted to get past 8 weeks (once I had completed that I would be further than I ever got with Ella-Grace), then 3 months, 6 months and finally a year. 1 year was the goal any after that is a huge bonus! Goals were set and now to see if I could meet those goals we just had to wait for our little baby to make her appearance. 

Ready, steady, breastfeed...

She is here!!! Latched on instantly! I was euphoric! A good latch (I had learned through my research on breastfeeding) was key to a good breastfeeding journey and Sunday went from womb to latched on so fast. Step one complete! Things got complicated at this point as I had to go to surgery but after a discussion with the midwives and doctors they were happy for me to take her with me to continue bonding and breastfeeding. This was key to getting us off to a good start to our breastfeeding journey so I fought for it. She was latched onto me the whole time in surgery (an insight into the future right there haha). 

The early days...

Now in recovery it was time to really focus on breastfeeding (I just wanted to clarify here that there was a lot going on with mine and Sunday's complications, recovery etc but for the sake of this post I am just focusing on what happened with breastfeeding). 

Hindsight is a wonderful thing especially when it is accompanied with increased knowledge. This was now my second time attempting to start exclusively breastfeeding and my attitude second time round was so different (even if I was still full of emotion and sleep deprived). First time round I was not informed and I think naively expected breastfeeding to just work out, I mean its the most natural thing right? I quickly learnt that natural did not necessarily mean easy. My lack of knowledge and the misinformation I had received made for a bad start first time round. 
Second time round however I was much more informed and much more confident. I did track how often Sunday fed, how many dirty nappies she was having etc (they give you a little feeding diary in the hospital) but really I just trusted my body and whenever Sunday wanted to nurse, I nursed her. That was my mindset from the get go. Sunday was born on Friday afternoon and clusterfed pretty much straight away, by Saturday evening my colostrum had turned to full milk (everyone's body is different so do not stress if this did not or does not happen for you, the early days babies need very very little).   

Going well...

The first few weeks of Sunday's life were stressful to say the least. In and out of hospital, I was sick and also suffering very mentally, Sunday had an infection, a lot was happening. Breastfeeding however was still going strong and I really think this is what got us both through the tough recovery. Breastfeeding obviously is amazing for both mother and baby's health but also for bonding. My mind was all over the place and so I felt guilty that I was not just enjoying my new baby and being in the new born bubble but thanks to breastfeeding the bond was strong and the smooth start to the journey was a light in a dark situation. 

Slowly we were recovering and breastfeeding continued to go well. I did experience a clogged duct and some nipple pain in the beginning which is not nice but we got past it. The early days/weeks while your body and your baby adjust to breastfeeding can be the most difficult but it certainly does get easier. 

Pumping and expressing...

Quite early on I started to pump/express breast milk. I was not planning on leaving Sunday any time soon I just knew I wanted a stash of breast milk in case I ever did need to leave her and also to give Reece a chance to feed her (which was great if I was in the bath and she needed fed- Reece could grab the bottle of breast milk and feed her). 

As time went on I pumped less (I just don't have the time) and now I just do it if I know I am going to be away from her which is very rare. I also thought pumping would help me keep my supply up but it is not a necessary thing to do for your supply as your baby is the one who will regulate that. 

Reduced milk supply scare...

When Sunday was around 4 months old I got a really bad tummy bug. Thanks to the amazing antibodies in breastmilk, Sunday did not get sick. I however was very sick and could not even keep water down- I noticed by supply slightly decrease and that was so stressful. Luckily I did have some stored breastmilk at this point so Reece managed to give her one bottle of pumped breastmilk but mainly I had her on me as that is the only way to keep your supply up- feed, feed, feed! Once I was better and eating and drinking again my supply went back up. 

Back on track...

Now back on track with my supply back to normal, breastfeeding was once again going well. Around when Sunday was 4 months old I felt my supply had regulated. I was no longer scared I didn't have 'enough milk' nor feeling painfully engorged if Sunday slept for a long time. It has seemed my body now knew how much milk I needed to produce for baby Sunday. Since then there is not much to tell, breastfeeding has become second nature. Some days Sunday is on me non stop and I can have times where I feel overly touched-just being honest- but I know it won't last forever, I will be so sad when she stops breastfeeding and for every 1 time I feel like its too much I love it 1000 times more. I love breastfeeding my baby Sunday, 7 months exclusively breastfeeding now and no stopping in sight. 

My worries and how I dealt with them...

Although I had done a lot of research and listened to other peoples positive experiences with breastfeeding before Sunday was born, I still had my worries. 

1. Is Sunday getting enough milk? 

I think most if not all Mothers have this worry when they start to breastfeed. I think it is because with bottle feeding you can literally see how much they are getting. I felt like this was a constant worry but what always made me feel better was asking myself these questions.. Is she very unsettled? No. Is she getting wet and dirty nappies? Yes. This on top of reminding myself to trust my body and trust my baby, this worry was soon gone. 

2. Leaving her and how it would affect my milk supply

I was petrified of leaving Sunday because I thought that leaving her too soon even just for a few hours would greatly affect milk supply and we would end up formula feeding which is not what I wanted. I planned to not leave her at all until she was at least 6 months old but around when she was 3 months old my sister was turning 30. I had helped plan a night out for her and wasn't going to go but after reassurance from my health visitor I pumped a good amount of breast milk and was went for about 4 hours. It was in the evening and Sunday had been sleeping for about 7 hours straight at this point. Not having a feed for those 7 hours meaning 4 hours away during a time where she would not usually have a feed was fine. Of course breastfeeding is on demand so I left milk for her in a bottle (she had, had a few bottles of breastmilk before just to see if she would take one) and off I went. I had a great time even though I was worried a lot but she slept the whole time. I have now been away from her a hand full of times now and everything has been fine with supply, latch etc. Now that does not mean it would be like that for everyone, this is just my experience. Also keeping in mind the max time I have been away from her is 4 hours and in that time she has either been sleeping, I feed her before I leave and when I get back or if she has a feed while I am out I will make sure to pump when I get home. Leaving a breastfed baby over night, for days or long periods of time I do not have experience in. But a for leaving Sunday for a couple hours I am no longer worried about that. 

(Update on this- Sunday has refused to take a bottle the past two times I have left her- one time was for 2 hours and the other was for 4 hours- she is now eating food so she had food while I was gone and weirdly she was happy to drink my breast milk out of a sippy cup. So yeah as you can see you just have to adapt with your baby. No one experience is the same.) 

3. Clogged milk duct 

I was so scared of getting a clogged milk duct or even worse having mastitis (an infection you can get from a clogged milk duct). Around 2 or 3 months into breastfeeding Sunday I woke up with a very sore right breast. It felt like someone had punched me in the chest and I had a really bad bruise. It looked very red and sore. I phoned my health visitor and she told me to keep feeding Sunday on that side and to massage the area that is sore and that would hopefully fix it. It worked!! I also put a heat pack on it to take away some of the pain while it was sore. That has happened again recently (Sunday is now 7 months old) and I did the same thing and it fixed it again. If you are worried however do not hesitate going to the doctor for advice, I am not medically trained so please speak to a professional. 

Advice for others...

1. Trust your body 

This was the biggest change from the first time I tried breastfeeding to the second and also this was what helped me the most. Trusting my body. First time round I did not believe in my body at all and was convinced I had to teach my body how to breastfeed basically and I had no confidence in myself. This time round determined to breastfeed for at least 12 months I told myself to trust my body and that it knows what to do. Yes I had worries but when it came down to it as long as I was trusting by body I knew that everything would be okay. This meant when baby wanted fed, feed her, the more feeding the more milk supply was built, this was the simple truth and what I kept in mind. This trusting my body also went hand in hand with my next point..trust your baby. 

2. Trust your baby

Women have been breastfeeding since time began; it is the most natural thing in the world. This is why the most important thing when going into breastfeeding is to, like I said, trust your body but also trust your baby. Before the internet, formula etc all there was, was Mum and baby. A baby would be born and without any knowledge Mothers would latch their baby onto their chest and that was that, the trust for baby and body was a necessity. Now although the internet is an amazing invention and like I said, formula has it's place for those who struggle to or do not want to breastfeed, it has also made us doubt ourselves. Many women thinking their body doesn't know how to breastfeed, won't make 'enough milk', their baby won't latch and more before they have even had their baby in their arms; there is no confidence. I cannot stress enough that once that baby is put on your chest and latches on, that is what you need to focus on. Just the two of you. Of course ask for help if you need it and do not stress if baby does not latch instantly but just remember at the end of the day all that is really needed for breastfeeding to work out is to trust the process, trust what as women our bodies are naturally inclined to do and trust that your baby knows this too. Mum and baby, live in that bubble. This helped me so much!!

3. Be informed

Going along with the trusting your body and your baby is this, being informed. This is where the internet can come in handy. When I was pregnant with my first I did no research into breastfeeding and naively believed that because it is natural that it is easy which was so wrong. For some women it may come easy but for other it may be difficult and need to be worked on. Even if it does come easy however being informed about breastfeeding is still a must as there is so much misinformation that can throw you off track or make you worried about breastfeeding when there is no need to be. First time round I listened to a lot of misinformation which really did not get me off to a great start. So read into breastfeeding, follow some breastfeeding mamas on social media, attend a breastfeeding group, talk to a lactation consultant. Please be informed and DO NOT listen to anyone that is telling you that you "won't be able to breastfeed" or any silly myths a long those lines. For example when I was breastfeeding Ella-Grace at 2 days old I was concerned her cluster-feeding was a sign of her not getting enough milk from me and someone very wrongly told me I "had to give her formula because I had no milk", I naively listened but this was of course not true and if I had done my research or spoke to experienced breastfeeding Mothers I would have known that cluster-feeding is NORMAL, babies need only the colostrum in the first few days that you DO have and that it can take days at least for full breast milk to come through. More knowledgeable and informed second time round I was so much more confident and sure of myself and my body. I will leave some links below that I felt helped me prepare for breastfeeding. 

[Helpful breastfeeding links: Breastfeeding NHS 
https://www.laleche.org.uk/get-support/
https://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/
NCT Early Days Breastfeeding ]

4. Keep a log

In the hospital likely you will be given a book in which you can log how often baby feeds and how many wet and dirty nappies baby has. This really helped settle any nerves I had. Seeing this information written down made me feel a lot better, I would not stress about how she was doing because I had logged her progress and did not have to try and keep all the information stored in my sleep deprived head. I could relax which again does help with breastfeeding. If anyone is willing to help you whether that be family member or friend, get them to log it for you. It is not for everyone and I did only keep up with it for about a week or two but it really does give you that extra boost in the beginning to see it down on paper especially if you are a control freak like me. 

5. Ask for help (from the right people) 

Lastly, armed with all of the above if you still have worries please do ask for help- from the right people. By the right people I mean please consult a medical professional (doctor, midwife, lactation consultant) or if you do feel more comfortable with a friend make sure it is someone who knows about breastfeeding and supports that breastfeeding is what you want. Because hearing "you have done 3 weeks of breastfeeding that's good enough you can feel good about formula feeding now" from an in experienced or unsupportive person is not the advice you want if you want to continue breastfeeding. Of course if you did choose to change to formula feeding that is your choice but there is nothing worse than wanting to be supported in your decision and although most people will mean well hearing "just switch to formula" is not advice. Get the right advice from the right people, you and your baby deserve to be supported. 

Proud of myself...

Nearing the end of this post now I would like to say how proud I am of my baby girl, Sunday. She had a bit of a rough start in the world but she is a trouper and a big reason why breastfeeding has gone well is basically because she has latched on and never let go since haha she has taught me how to breastfeed in a way. It is team work however and with that I am so so so proud of myself. I was determined to breastfeed this time round and here I am almost 8 months of exclusively breastfeeding beautiful baby Sunday girl. I believed in myself, my baby and I was informed. I ignored negative comments and unhelpful advice. I embraced the breastfeeding mama I was meant to be and although not always easy is has been one of the best experiences of my life, long may it continue. 12 month breastfeeding goal here I come!!!

Thanks for reading...

And that's it... my breastfeeding blog post is finally complete. I hope it was worth the wait and the read for all you wonderful people. I am so happy to have my experience written out for you all. Please remember I am not a medical professional so any problems or queries please consult qualified people. Again all of this was my own experience and I support all my fellow Mothers (and fathers) in their parenting/feeding experience. The world is a much happier place when we all support each other, no good comes from judgement. 

Please remember to follow me on all my social media to see more of my daily life as a vegan, home ed, Mum of two girls. Drop me a message I love to speak to all my readers!

Lastly, to all my fellow Mamas who want to breastfeed or are just starting out YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!!!!! 

Social media : FB - https://www.facebook.com/laurajaneblog20/

Instagram- @laurajanelifex

Stay Happy Everyone :) <3

World Vegan Month: I went vegan because...

Happy World Vegan Month...

A blog post not about Motherhood? Yes I do occasionally write those haha and this one is something I am very passionate about. I have been vegan now for almost 3 years and those who read my blog/follow me on social media will know I am also raising my girls vegan (with the full support of my husband/their dad who is also trying to make the transition). With this in mind as World Vegan Day (1st November) and World Vegan Month (November) rolled around I really wanted to celebrate it on my blog a long with some fellow vegans. I have wrote a very long winded blog post on Veganism before with tips on going vegan, reasons for being vegan and busting myths attached to being vegan, I did not want this to be a repeat of that (I will link that post at the end). I more wanted this post to be plain and simple; why do we do what we do? Why are so many people choosing to live plant-based and raise their children plant-based? Why go vegan? Well get ready because myself and some other remarkable vegans are going to tell you why we made the BEST decision of a lifetime. 

I went vegan because... 

I guess I should start with myself. I went vegan because I learnt the reality of consuming animal products. In all honesty it started with meat giving me severe morning sickness so that was gone, it then went onto finding out my daughter was allergic to dairy (now with the information I know I would say it's just because that cow milk is NOT for humans but I am getting off track). Then from this I delve into the world of veganism, gained more knowledge and soon eggs were gone, honey was gone etc Anything and everything that could cause harm to animals, gone! I fell into Veganism and it was the best decision I ever made for both myself and my two daughters who I am also raising vegan. It has done wonders for my health and I have two very healthy little girls; I know it is doing good for the animals and is 100% the best way to look after our planet and battle climate change. Started off as just a lifestyle change for minor reasons and now I am a vegan activist for the animals, for the planet and for my health (and the health of my daughters of course). 

Lisa (aka The Viet Vegan), 29, Canada 

"I was initially vegetarian to help with my eczema, but I went vegan because I learned that unlike what we were told in school, cows don't need to be milked, they produce milk like any other mammal: when they are pregnant. Their babies can't drink the milk when humans drink it, so their babies become the veal industry, and the cows endure a lot of trauma from repeating that process over and over. After learning that and the impact of animal agriculture on the planet, I transitioned over a year and discovered that eating vegan can be easier than you think and is a great way to live in line with your values".

Claudia, 22, Lincoln England

"I went vegan because I failed miserably at sober October. I wanted to attempt dry January and whilst researching things to stop consuming for a whole month I saw an advert for 'Veganuary'. I thought that this was more realistic for me since I was a student in my second year of uni where the drinking culture was rife. I completed 'Veganuary' and realised how easy it was! So I stuck at it and now two and a half years later I haven’t stopped. Began as a challenge and stayed for the animals, environment and health".

Tyler, 24, Aberdeenshire

"Why I went vegan: I have always been very health conscious since joining the Army so I’ve always been interested in eating a healthy diet and putting the best foods into my body, the more research I did the more I was seeing the health benefits of eating a varied plant based diet and the more I was seeing the serious health risks of eating animals and their byproducts. I watched documentaries such as What The Health and that was it I committed to going fully vegan. So the first reason I went vegan was for my health but then I learned the horrors of the meat and dairy industry and how unnecessary it is for these animals to suffer for my taste pleasure".

Joel, 25, Aberdeen

"I went vegan because I realised my reasons to eat animals were non consistent. After we got our first cat I began to question how I could love one animal and accept that she feels pain and could suffer but ignore the fact that billions of animals were killed for me to eat food. It was all very sudden and I went vegetarian for a few months with aim to go vegan. I had always known that bad things went on in animal agriculture but, like a lot of people, I told myself that my meat came from some suffering free fantasy land. I quickly realised that there is  no good reason for an animal to die for me to continue living. I phased out all animal products and then changed cleaning products/household products I use and then toiletries. This was all over a few months".

Shania, 19, Aberdeenshire

"I went vegan for many reasons. I am an animal rights supporter, killing animals or hurting them in any form is wrong and killing cannot be humane. Climate change is the biggest reason as it is the biggest issue of our generation ad will be for generations to come, this is mostly down to the meat and dairy industry. I do not want to be part of this, I want to be part of giving younger generations the opportunities and experiences we have- instead of facing the consequences of our actions through climate change. Lastly, veganism solves all my skin problems (when I eat healthy) and vegan food in Glasgow is ace, more choice and easier". 

Keely, 24, Edinburgh.

"I went vegan for many reasons, it started to do with my health, I wanted to feel better on the inside and do my body some good. I then watched a vegan documentary and that’s when being vegan became less about myself and more about animal welfare and the environment. In short I cannot justify eating a dead animal or torturing an animal for what it can give me (eggs, milk etc) I see them as living things and cannot believe I ever felt any different before! last but not least, the meat and dairy industry is destroying the environment we live in and how can I add to that destruction? I won’t!"

Laura, 35, Kintore Aberdeenshire

"I am vegan because I cannot bear the thought of any animal suffering in any way so that I can enjoy a few minutes of a meal. In this modern world that we live in, it is absolutely not necessary to eat/use/wear animals when there are vegan options available. Animals are here with us, not for us. Taking their milk, eggs and bodies for our own use is not only unethical but it is unnatural. Our vegan life extends well beyond diet, it encompasses all areas of our life and I sleep better at night knowing that each day, I've done as little harm as possible to the sentient beings we share our planet with". 

Charlotte, 27, Aberdeen

"I am vegan because, simply, it is right. Logically, environmentally, ethically and morally; there is no sound argument that can defend a non-vegan lifestyle. My world view is summed up by Dr Paul Farmer's quote "The idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that is wrong with the world". The life of an animal is just that: a life. Animals are not a commodity and humans have no right to treat them as such. Ask yourselves, if animals could talk- would you eat them then? Would you skin them alive? Would you rub burning chemicals into their eyes? Would your tear their newborn babies away from them? Would your grind them up if they weren't useful to you? I don't think so- but why does the lack of speech mean a life is forfeit? Veganism is compassion and love and peace, and is the only way forward".

Zoe, 25, Cruden Bay

"I went vegan because I felt like it was a natural transition from being vegetarian. I love all animals and I had been vegetarian for a very long time before going vegan. I always felt like a hypocrite just being vegetarian as I know the egg and dairy industry is heartbreaking. With some help from my wonderful vegan friend I did 'Veganuary' this year and I have never looked back since! I know now that I am vegan, I'm doing everything I possibly can to save the animals and to save our planet".

(I do not own this image)

Vicki, 28, Ellon Aberdeenshire 

"I am vegan because I believe speciesism is wrong. We do not have the right to dictate what is done to another earthling purely based on their species. Animals have a right to be here. In fact, they have MORE of a right to be here. It is the natural world. It's time we started living with animals and not using them for our benefit".

Short and sweet...

Like I said I wanted this to be a short post with some insight from fellow vegans, so I will finish off here. 

To anyone reading this who is not vegan, I challenge you to consider the reasons you have read, really do your research and just try to make a small change towards a vegan lifestyle. I swear you will not regret it and it is in the best interest of yourself, the planet and the animals. 

If you are vegan and reading this then why not join in? Comment below your "I went vegan because..." I would love to read it.

Thank you to everyone who took part in this blog post, I really appreciate the participation. Also thank you to everyone for reading. Don't forget to share and follow me on my social media (Instagram- @laurajanelifex , Facebook- LauraJaneLife). 

Happy World Vegan Month! 

[For more vegan content read my previous blog post- Lets Talk About Veganism] 

10 Names I Love But Wont Be Using

Finally I get to write this post...

I cannot count how many baby name videos I have watched over the years (and still watch to be honest all though I am 99.9% sure I am finished having babies). I just love names whether it be a pet name, a baby name or.. I don't know.. a name for your car maybe? I just love names. I also think that my taste in names is quite unique (some may say too unique haha) but there are also some more common, classic names that I love meaning something for everyone. With all this in mind I thought it would be a great idea to make a baby name blog post for my lovely readers- not to mention the fact I have been so excited to jump on the 'baby names I love but won't be using' band wagon. So, lets get right into it. Happy Reading!

My daughters names and why we picked them...

Ella-Grace (2 years old) and Sunday (4 months old) 

Ella-Grace Angela

Before going into the names I love but won't be using I thought I would talk about the names I love and have used; the names I chose for my beautiful daughters. Starting off of course with our first born, Ella-Grace. 

When I was 17 weeks pregnant with Ella-Grace, Reece and I got a gender scan leading to us finding out we were having a baby girl. Although I feel you can name a child any name no matter what sex they are, we personally have certain names in mind for a 'girl' or for a 'boy' and so when we found out we were having a baby girl picking a name became so real. We spoke about a few names (including Khaleesi- we were big GOT fans at the time) and we settled on Ella-Grace probably about half way through my pregnancy so we knew her name well in advance and so did our family and friends. I adored the name Grace FOREVER, it has always been my favourite name for a little girl and I always saw myself one day having a daughter called Grace but Reece didn't like it when I first suggested it, I was gutted. Now with Grace off the table we were going through other names and the few we really liked were Elsa, Ellie or Ella (Riley was also a contender for a while but that soon went). Elsa (according to Reece) would remind to many people of Elsa from Disney's Frozen so that was gone. Now between Ellie or Ella. I liked both but because one of my best friend's is called Ellie I was leaning more towards Ella; Reece on the other hand liked Ellie. To decide we thought it would be nice to have a double barrelled name for our daughter as of course my name (LauraJane) is double barrelled so we just thought that was a sweet idea. Ellie-Rose or Ella-Rose? No. Ellie-May or Ella-May? Definitely no. We went on like this until I thought I would give Grace one last try. Reece surprisingly loved it and we decided Ella-Grace sounded best. As for her middle name 'Angela' that is my wonderful Mother's name, we were always close but since becoming pregnant she had become my best friend and so I really wanted her represented in my daughters name and so before she was even out of my womb her name was Ella-Grace Angela. 

We have never regretted her name, it suits her and we love it still. My personal taste in names is usually a bit more out there but with the two names being together I think it is unique. This being one of the reasons I do not like when people call her 'Ella' as her name is 'Ella-Grace' but now she is nearing 3 years old there is rarely anyone in our family and friends group that would say Ella, it's just not her name. She is our amazing Ella-Grace. No nickname ever stuck as her full name is just so beautiful. 

Fun Fact: The live-action Beauty and the Beast film was released on Ella-Grace's due date and during my c-section as they were taking her out, Ariana Grande and John Legend's version of 'Tale as old as time' was playing on the radio and so for a split second I considered changing Ella-Grace's name to Belle but I am glad I didn't. 

Sunday Eva Ray

Now for our newest (and most likely last) addition to our family; our little Sunday girl. 

Sunday has been in the world now for 4 months and how we chose her name was drastically different to how we chose Ella-Grace's. For one we decided this time around to keep the sex of the baby a surprise and so had to think of both boy and girl names (although, again, I am of the opinion any name can be for anyone). We also seemed to be pickier on names this time maybe because we were pretty confident this baby would be our last and when you already have a child the next name you pick has to 'fit' with the first child's name- although whatever you pick will fit because they will be your kids names haha but that is just how I found myself thinking. I also did want to keep our names secret this time round so it was a surprise to everyone when baby was born. Very different to the first time round. 

So the entire pregnancy Reece and I went back and fourth on our 'top' names. The closer it got to my due date the more names that went off the list. Reece never really found a name he loved and for me I just could not commit to any boy names. When it came to girl's names there were two I loved however Reece hated both. One of those names was the name Sunday and I just could not get that name out of my head I just loved it. It was unique, beautiful and I felt went so well with Ella-Grace. Eventually Reece came round on the name on the condition 'if the baby is a girl and is born on a Sunday' (fyi Sunday was born on a Friday hahaha). 

So the day arrived where our little surprise was born, we didn't love any boys names and although there was many girls names I adored only one stuck (Sunday) that Reece was still slightly unsure of. A quick birth and there SHE was. The midwife asked if our baby girl had a name and I looked over and Reece and said 'can we use the name I like' to which he responded 'of course!' and so we had ourselves a little Sunday. I think after seeing me push her out he thought I deserved to pick the name haha. 

Sunday's middle names 'Eva' and 'Ray' are, like Ella-Grace's, two very special family names. Eva was the name of Reece's late Grandma who he was close with as a child (she passed away when Reece was quite young, I unfortunately never met her and it was important to Reece to have her represented if we were to have another girl) and Ray is my Dad's name (I love my Dad so much and especially as I took Reece's last name when we got married I wanted to keep part of my Dad's name somewhere). We knew from the start that we wanted those names as the middle names. 

Fun Fact: Ray was on our name list as a first name if Sunday had been a boy. 

Names I love but wont be using...

I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS! I adore all these names and hope you find one or multiple that you like too. 

Girls names

I could fill so many lists with girls names it was so hard to whittle it down to just 10 names but these were the ones that came to mind first when writing this post. A good mixture of unique and classic I think. So many gorgeous names for a baby girl. 

Lavender

My favourite girls name (apart from the one's I chose for my daughters of course). When I said earlier I had two names I loved for Sunday, this was the second name but Reece did not like it at all (he said that if we used Lavender people would call her 'Lavvy' *). I on the other hand think it is a beautiful name and first heard it in one of my favourite childhood novels, Matilda. Lavender was Matilda's best friend. The little girl who plays Lavender in the film adaption is also so cute so that made me love it even more. So unique, so beautiful! 


Matilda

Matilda. Can you tell how much I love the film/book? Aside from the obvious reasons of loving the character I just love the name Matilda. It's not that common and because I have a love of books I loved the thought of naming my daughter after a character/book. Again, Reece did not like it. 

Melody

A name I have loved since I was younger along side Grace was, Melody. If any of you reading this are hardcore Disney fans you may recognise this name from Little Mermaid 2: Return to the Sea. Melody is the name of Prince Eric and Ariel's daughter. Ever since I heard Ariel sing "You are the song I'm singing, You're my beautiful Melody" I was sold on that name. Like many of the names on this list though Reece was did not like it and so it was unfortunately vetoed. I still think it is a beautiful and unique name,

Winter

I think this one I may have used for a boy also but I first thought of it as a potential name for our daughter. Winter again I think is such a unique and beautiful name (I will probably say that a lot), there is something about names of seasons, weather, animals and (clearly) days of the week that I just love! These are the names that people often think are too out there but that is exactly what I love about them. Come on, little baby Winter! That is just adorable but also a name I could really see someone growing into- not to mention the cute nickname of Winnie- I just love it. Reece... not so much and so here it is on this list. 

Aria

A name I first heard on the programme Pretty Little Liars and at the time it was quite unique was Aria. For a while this was my favourite TV show and I adored Aria's character. It was the first time I had ever heard this name and from then loved it and vowed one day I would have a daughter with this name. As time went on though the name grew more popular and by the time I was pregnant with Ella-Grace I knew many Aria's, including Reece's cousin's daughter, and so felt we couldn't use the name. I still do think it is a gorgeous name though. 

Reese

Reese Witherspoon anyone? I personally am a big fan of her and have always thought she had a great name. But Reece.. Reese... I think you can see why Reece was not keen on using this name for our daughter but I still think it is a lovely name and slightly less 'girly' you could say. Again unique. 

Elle

Similar to Ella, Elle was another name I suggested. Legally Blonde being one of my favourite films and Elle Woods being a role model to young girls everywhere why would I not want to use this name. Slightly more unique than Ella but with the same classic beauty. Not too out there so I thought I would be able to get Reece on board but he didn't like it when I was pregnant with Ella-Grace and then when I was pregnant again I knew we couldn't have an Elle and an Ella so didn't even mention the name. I love it though. 

Arizona

Another more 'out there' name that I adore is the name Arizona and for a while this was a strong contender to be Sunday's name. I mean "Hi these are my daughters Ella-Grace and Arizona" I just thought it had an amazing ring to it, even Reece was on board for a while but what can I say it just didn't feel quite right and as I said Sunday just stuck in my head so that is why we did not use that name. I first heard Arizona as a name in Greys Anatomy, character Arizona Robbins was my favourite. Obviously not for everyone but I think stands out and would be a great name for a little girl. 

True or Truly

Like it or not the Kardashians (in my opinion) have some amazing baby names, the name True being my personal favourite. I actually prefer Truly and as they are so similar I thought I would put them both here. I am a big fan of Modern Virtue Names, meaning names that you give your child based on qualities you hope they have to for example with this name 'True' you want your child to be truthful. I just think that is so sweet. Reece did not think it was so sweet however so the name was off the table. True or Truly though, I think are so cute for a baby girl. 

Sophie

Back to a more classic name now with Sophie. This name I think was one I loved back in Primary School, I just thought it was really nice. I forgot about it for a while until I watched Mamma Mia and of course Amanda Seyfried's character is called Sophie, this made me fall in love with it all over again. Reece was on board with this name for a while (although he preferred Sophia) until we realised he was related to two Sophie's and it just put us off. I do think Sophie is a great name though, classic and beautiful. 

Boy names

I found boys names so much harder- good job I had two girls- and think if Sunday had been a boy it would of took us at least a week to name her we just could not agree on a name. I personally am not a fan of overly 'masculine' names and like a softer name for a boy which is a theme you will see through out this.

Chance

The first boy name I have is Chance. Everyone I spoke to about this name said it was a name for a dog not a person (which is kind of correct it is the name of a dog in the movie Homeward Bound) but I thought different. I could see us having a little Chance running around but like I said it reminded everyone, including Reece of a dog name. 

Harry

Who doesn't love the name Harry to be honest? It is very common but so classic and sweet. This may have been Sunday's name if she had been a boy. We were struggling with boys names and I remember sitting in the hospital before Sunday was born watching Harry Potter and thinking that I really like that name. I had for a while but was trying to think of something more unique. But these names are popular for a reason I guess, they are lovely names and Ella-Grace and Harry? How cute. 

Jonas

Another top contender for if Sunday had been a boy was the name Jonas. I don't know how we came across this name but both Reece and I loved it. Paired with my Dad's name, Jonas Ray just sounded cool. Sitting in the labor room we were really warming up to this name. 

Blakely

I really tried to get Reece to come around on this name but he didn't like it. I really like names, especially boys names, that end in 'ely' and this was my favourite. It's not too masculine, its sweet and I loved the nickname 'Blake'. I loved it so much that I also suggested it for a girl but again Reece didn't like it. 

Hero

A bit more unique now is the name 'Hero'. This was locked in as Sunday's name had she had been a boy for almost my whole pregnancy with her, it was only towards the end I started to waiver from it but I still think had she of been a he we may have used it still. How cute having a little Hero in my arms, definitely one of my favourite names. We also considered it for a girl but that never stuck. 

Cullen

One Reece was not a fan of but I liked was the name Cullen. It may remind some people too much of the vampire Edward Cullen from Twilight but for me I just thought it was a strong but somewhat romantic name. Unique and sweet I could picture a little boy called Cullen but also picture a man with this name, it was a name you could really grow into. 

Cody

Now for Reece's all time favourite name (other than his own haha) and that is Cody. I wasn't as in love with this name as Reece was but I did like it and seeing him love a name so much made me like it even more. A sweet name for a baby boy and not too common. This was on our list for both Ella-Grace and Sunday but obviously we never got a chance to use it.

Leonardo

My FAVOURITE boys name ever. 100% this would have been Ella-Grace's name if she had been a boy. I adore the actor Leonardo Dicaprio and think he is an amazing role model, as well as this I think Leonardo is just the most beautiful name for a baby boy. Reece liked the nickname Leo and so when we found out we were pregnant with Ella-Grace instantly we knew this was our boy name. With Sunday Reece had gone off the name a bit so it was no longer top of our boys name list but it is still my favourite boys name ever. Personally I would not use the nickname Leo because I think Leonardo is just too beautiful to shorten. Strong, gorgeous name for a perfect baby boy. 

Eduardo

While we are on the Italian name train, Eduardo was another of my favourite boy names but Reece did not like it at all. Ignoring the not so nice (only in my opinion) nicknames of Ed or Eddie, I thought the name Eduardo was again so sweet for a little boy. I thought Ella-Grace and Eduardo had a nice ring to it but like I said Reece was not a fan. 

Fox

The last name on this list and the final boys name is Fox. Like I said earlier I am a fan of animal names as baby names and I think Fox is my favourite one. I also liked Foxley and Fox for short. Reece said no straight away so it was never on our list really but I always thought a little Foxley Webster would of been so cute! Unique and adorable. 

Thanks for reading!

And that brings me to the end of this blog post. I really hope you all enjoyed it and hopefully liked some of the names. Leave a comment if you have used or would use any of these names! Also let me know if you would like me do to do a part two, I have lots more names that I would love to share. Thanks for reading and don't forget to follow my social media pages- Instagram @laurajanelifex Facebook LauraJaneLife. 

Stay Happy Everyone :) !