Sunday 25 March 2018

Ella-Grace turns 1 year old- Looking back on her birth story


FLASHBACK! One week ago our baby girl, Ella-Grace turned 1 YEAR OLD! How is that even possible? I know that is a cliche and everyone says it but it is so so true that time just goes in a blink! I feel like it was yesterday that I gave birth to her and she was so tiny in my arms and now she is a almost walking, babbling, playing, adorable and hilarious toddler with 6 teeth, crazy hair and a smile that makes everyone's day! She is honestly such a blessing and I only wish I could relive her first year all over again (although of course I am looking forward to watching her grow- she is SO close to walking!). 

So in celebration of Ella-Grace's first birthday I thought I would look back on the post I wrote about her labor and delivery, comparing how I felt then to how I feel now and just a summary on what is happening with her one year on. I know the last proper update I did on Ella-Grace was when she was 6 months old (I meant to do one at nine months but life just got so busy) and I am going to a blog post about everything to do with Ella-Grace's development and how we are doing etc. I promise! But for today it is just going to be a recap of how her first year has been and how reading her birth story one year on makes me feel and how I view it now. For any readers that maybe started following me after Ella-Grace's birth blog post went up I guess this is a double blog post for you. Woo! 

Happy Reading Everyone! 

                                                                                                                                      

"Baby is sleeping which means time to... blog?

Hello readers, thank you for being patient! The last time I wrote I was part way through being induced with no sign of baby girl arriving any soon and now here I am just put my beautiful daughter down for a nap, I should probably be sleeping but thought it was the perfect chance to at least start writing my labor and delivery story while its fresh in my mind. It was a bit of a crazy one!



Induction process continued...
So last I updated you it was Friday night and labor seemed a long time away as my body was making no changes. Fair to say that changed quickly! Saturday morning wasn't very eventful, I got up, washed my face, brushed my teeth then went to see Reece and my parents in the little café until it was time to be examined (24 hours since they put the peccary on my cervix), nervous but excited I awaited 1pm. 1pm came and went and eventually someone came to check my cervix and.... still 0cm dilated. I almost cried, this baby was never going to get here is how it felt. I was officially the eternally pregnant woman of Aberdeen. I know this sounds silly as the induction process is bound to take a while but with Reece having to go back to work on Monday and me being stuck in a hospital room seeing other women come and go, at the time it just feels that way or did for me anyway.
The nurse told me that in 6 hours they would put in my first Pitocin tablet (a stronger medication that would hopefully move things along!) Disappointed I went again to the café to see my parents, Reece already by my side my mood was far from happy, this process felt never ending! Trying to cheer me up my parents suggested going for a walk as this might help things going so the four of us went for a walk round the hospital.
6 hours passed and the nurse inserted the Pitocin tablet, 6 more hours later (around 2am) it would be time to check it again, I wasn't expecting much but to my surprise.. 1CM!!! I WAS 1CM dilated!! 2am and here I am messaging everyone I know letting them know my progress, it felt like I'd come so far! Another Pitocin tablet was inserted and now another 6 hour wait, hopeful that this would be the last step before labor I forced myself to get some sleep. My baby girl would be here soon!!
Through my happiness of being 1cm dilated though I was concerned as the babies heart kept dropping on the monitor hence why I was stuck on that machine a lot of the time. Although the doctors said it was okay and not a major problem, I couldn't help but have this horrible niggle in my head that something was wrong which later on I was to learn was correct.

Well that escalated quickly...
Again 6 hours had past this now being about 11am. Reece held my hand as my cervix was again checked we were hopeful for a big change.. 1cm and a half. This was so frustrating because 2cm was all I needed to get to in order have my waters broken. The doctor who examined me said that they were going to try and break my waters but it would be difficult, at this point I was so done with waiting so agreed to let them try. Luckily by half 11 there was a space on the labor ward for me to go and get my waters broken, heart in my throat Reece and I nervously went to our newly assigned room with my proud parents taking pictures of us on the way, finally in the labor ward!!
As my midwife went over the process of breaking my waters and starting the oxytocin drip I couldn't help but be distracted by the screaming of the woman next door to me.. if I wasn't nervous before I was now. I was always planning on going through labor on only gas and air now doubting my ability, would I be that screaming woman in a few hours. I had to shove my lunch down through my nerves as this would be all I could eat for the next who knows how many hours.
Gas and Air at the ready, the midwife was ready to break my waters. After a few tries she managed to break into the membrane thus starting my waters breaking. After this my oxytocin drip was put in and things started to pick up fast!

Contractions and Pain Relief...

For those who have never had a baby I would love to be able to let you know what contractions feel like but I cant, the closest thing to it for me anyways is period pains that get worse and worse but even that cant prepare you for it.. not meaning to scare you don't worry you can get through it, your body knows what its doing!
As for pain relief there is obviously many options but for me I had been adamant from the start that I would be only using Gas and Air- this also known as nitrogen oxide, not a pain killer but a very good distraction from pain because it basically makes you feel drunk. I chose this method of pain relief for 2 reasons:
1. I am very stubborn when it comes to people helping me, I want to be able to do things myself for as long as I can and
2. Obviously throughout my pregnancy and induction there seemed to be a problem with baby's heart and a lot of the pain relief (particularly morphine) can slow down baby's heart which usually is safe enough but with the uncertainty on the condition on baby's heart I didn't want to take that chance.

So as my contractions picked up I breathed through them with my gas and air.  My mum and Reece laughing at me between contractions as the gas and air was making me giggle. Contraction. Break. Contraction. Break. This went on for about 7/8 hours with the contractions getting stronger and stronger and thanks to the support of Reece, mum and the midwife, gas and air making me laugh, Beyoncé in the background playing and my stubborn personality I managed to get through it! I like to think I could of continued this way up until I had to push but I didn't get that far as things took a turn.

Baby's Heart Rate Dropping...
Hours were passing and even though I was dealing with contractions as best as I could, with each labor pain baby girl's heartrate was dropping then going back then dropping. Doctors and midwives coming in and out to discuss the issue I couldn't help but worry. To find out what the problem was they tried to take blood from baby's head but I was barely over 2cm dilated so this was not manageable. It was now a guessing game and a decision had to be made whether to continue or have an emergency C-section- this being the situation I had dreaded and through all my hard-work was reluctant to get but baby was all that mattered so when the doctor asked what I wanted I didn't even hesitate to say C-section.

The wait...
Still having strong contractions, my oxytocin drip was detached hoping to stop my contractions before the C-section. My body had other ideas and naturally continued to contract right up until the C-section began. Anyway when the drip was switched off I was told another woman had been taken for a section so I would have at least an hours wait until it was my turn. I wasn't really keeping up with the time but I swear it felt longer than an hour! In and out of contractions different specialists came in to go over the risks of C-section, what could happen if baby isn't okay and how they would assess her downs syndrome risk. As a person obsessed with knowing every detail I had to get things repeated to me as my pain was blocking out the information. Reece knowing me so well he knew what my questions would be before I even needed to ask, so he got all the information I needed. With my contractions still going strong and baby's heartrate still continuing to drop I said bye to my mum, then Reece and I started to walk (well I was wheeled in my bed) to the theatre.

Hello Ella-Grace...
Being strong up to this point, the gas and air was wearing off, I was still getting contractions and Reece had to leave to get changed into scrubs I started to cry. Worried for the welfare of baby girl and without Reece by my side I started to get overwhelmed. Thank goodness for the amazing staff I had performing the spinal block and C-section on me, never in a million years did I think I would be calm in this situation let alone be able to laugh. For this I have high praise of the NHS staff of which were assigned to me.
Reece back in the room now, he was sat by my side holding my hand. All checks done, now numb from the waist down the surgeons started and told us in about 10-15 minutes we would see our baby girl. Reece and I anxiously waited for what felt like forever and to our relief, baby girl let out a massive cry. And so Ella-Grace was born (6 pounds 10 1/2 ounces, Time: 21.57, 19th March 2017). The best moment ever.
We found out at this moment that the chord had been wrapped round not only her neck but BOTH of her legs as well! This being the reason  her heart was dropping, making me even more proud of the decision I made to have a C-section or the situation may have been very different and we wouldn't of had her in our arms moments after birth. The doctor also checked for signs of down syndrome and nothing, even though we didn't mind either way this made us happy as it would then be unlikely she would have other complications. And FINALLY after all the checking I told the midwife to let Reece hold her next to me, I knew it would be an amazing moment for him to hold her first and I just loved looking at the two of them together. My entire world right in front of me, I got Reece's phone and started to take pictures and videos of this special moment. 
Around 45 minutes later Reece went again to get changed and Ella-Grace and I got wheeled to recovery. My beautiful daughter in my arms, this was a surreal moment.


Thank you for reading...
So that's the story of how our beautiful daughter: Ella-Grace, came into the world. Thank you to my friends, family, NHS staff and as always my AMAZING fiancé also now father of our child for all the support! I am very lucky! I hope everyone that read this has enjoyed it and found it interesting. I will continue to blog about my recovery/early days of being a mum but little Ella-Grace takes up a lot of time and attention so please be patient. As always I have been truthful throughout my blog and do remember that all this is my experience and my opinion (for example pain relief) if you decide to do different I totally respect you. Well that's Ella-Grace waking up for a feed  now so I better end this here. Happy Mothers day for tomorrow for all the mothers out there I know I'm looking forward to it being my first of many and for any expectant mothers don't be scared of labor you can do this!"


                                                                                                                                                


Well that made me emotional...

I just cannot believe that was a year ago- I promise I will try and not say that again in this post haha- Reading her birth story and how I felt in each moment it is almost like I am re-living it all over again! I can remember it as if it was yesterday and I think reading it back now I appreciate the whole experience more than I did when I was actually writing it, which is understandable considering how much pain I would of still been in only 1 week after a c-section. 
Looking back on this post now there are a few things that go through my mind. Firstly, wow I am a different person to who wrote this post! Not that I wrote anything I wouldn't write now as everything in this post is true but I just remember writing this and Ella-Grace would of been only one week old and I was a mess with baby blues but you wouldn't of known that reading this post. I later went on to write a post about baby blues that I was very candid in of course but reading this just reminded me of how much I was struggling with baby blues at the time but writing was and still is my outlet and for this moment when I wrote this I was calm and collected before going back to stressing and feeling very anxious! Luckily it got better as most things do with time and although I still struggle with anxiety I do feel a lot more in control, a lot more confident and all round happier. Having a 1 year old can be difficult as Ella-Grace is entering toddler hood but I feel I am no longer a new parent with lots of worries and stresses, I am a bit more experienced and I trust I know what is best for my child. I am a totally different person writing this post today to when I was writing Ella-Grace's birth post a year ago so that is the first thing I thought. 

The second thing I thought of when reading this post back was how truly amazing the NHS staff were, how lucky we are to have Ella-Grace in our lives and how freaking bad-ass women are to be able to go through all that and still suck it up and be great mothers after it no matter our struggles. Ella-Grace's birth was wonderful- totally not what I had planned and it turned into quite the emergency but it was still a beautiful experience as all birth is. I remember I felt a bit disappointed that I didn't get the completely natural birth I wanted and had to have a c-section and honestly sometimes I thought to myself 'Can I really say I gave birth to her when they actually cut her out of me?' and the answer is hell yes! That c-section LITERALLY saved my baby girls life and that was obviously thanks to the amazing surgeons and theatre staff but also thanks to me making that decision and putting myself through major surgery and painful recovery to make sure my little miracle could enter the world safely. So yes past me, you have earned the right to say you gave birth to her as have all my fellow cesarean section mothers out there, as I said we are badass haha. Anyway back to what I was saying (sorry I always go off on such a tangent) Ella-Grace's birth was so beautiful and 1 year on reading this again I just want to re-thank all the amazing staff that helped me through the c-section that I was so scared of and getting my baby girl into the world safe and sound, and of course I want to also re-thank my amazing birthing partners,  my Mum and Reece. Ella-Grace did not have the easiest of arrivals into the world and 1 year on I think I forgot how lucky I was to even have her here but reading this has reminded me that she was very close to not being here and I am so glad she is, SO glad! She is our entire world and I thank my past self for writing her birth story so every year I can go back to it and re-read the most amazing moment of my life and remember how lucky we are to have our beautiful child with us! I will never take her for granted and I will never forget her amazing birth and how well I did because yes, it is okay to be proud of yourself and say that YOU did a good job! 

Thirdly, re-reading this blog post has just made me think of what a crazy year it has been! I honestly cannot believe Ella-Grace was born 1 year ago and how much she has changed! I am so proud of Reece and I and how we have raised her so far, we have done a damn good job as parents and I know some people will read that and think that I am saying I am the best mother ever but I am not saying that because no one is the best it is not a competition but you can do the best by your child and that is where you triumph. It has not been an easy year in the slightest, getting used to being new parents and constantly trying to deal with the next change that Ella-Grace was going through from weaning to teething and more, if you have children you will know all the things that happen in baby's first year it is a lot! It is hard but oh my goodness the reward of having this wonderful little person in your life is the best. She has definitely changed our lives for the better and we thank her for that every day and I hope as she gets older she see's all that we have done for her. This post from 1 year ago has just put all this into perspective. I literally turned to Reece and was like well done! We have helped a little tiny baby who couldn't even lift her head turn into a confident, gentle, animal-loving, happy, funny and just all round amazing little toddler. Yes a lot of that is down to her but I whole-heartedly believe in nurture over nature (I know that is a big debate but lets not go into that right now) and I believe that what we teach our daughter will be the foundations of her beliefs about herself and the world and so far, we are doing a really good job. So well done Reece- because I know you are reading this- you have blossomed from a man who had never even held a baby to being the best dad ever who is not afraid to do silly faces in public and sing songs, who will go to work all day and still get up with Ella-Grace through the night if she needs you just so you can see her/she can see you, who will do anything for his little girl and his soon to be wife that brought his child into the world. I know I talk a lot about how Mum's have it hard which they do but a lot of the time Dad's can be ignored and swept under the carpet. I have seen you struggle just as I have and not nearly enough people have said Well Done to you for what a truly amazing father and role model you are to Ella-Grace so yeah Reece, you are a great dad, well done for getting through a year co-parenting with me haha. That turned into a bit of a soppy post to Reece there sorry but he deserved his moment in the spotlight. I am also of course proud of myself as I have said for bringing Ella-Grace into the world and for everything I have done for her the year following that. Struggling with anxiety and panic disorder I thought I wouldn't be able to cope at times but I have and I have done so well I think. Honestly the past year since writing this post I have become an all round better person, becoming a Mum is the best thing I have ever done it has made me the person I want to be and I love myself. Not going to lie. More people should feel comfortable saying that because self-love is so important! So yes, well done me, well done Reece and well done Ella-Grace! The three of us have had a great year and it can only get better!! 

Birthday Celebrations and Thank You...

Before I close the laptop for the night I thought you would like to see some of the pictures from Ella-Grace's birthday party/birthday celebrations (Disney Moana themed of course) she had an amazing time and it went better than I could of ever imagined!! Our little babe deserved a birthday to remember (although I am aware she will not remember it haha) and that is exactly what she got. So happy with how everything turned out. 













Thank you everyone from personal friends and family to fans of my blog for all the positive energy and support this past year! It is very much appreciated and of course I have to leave a message to the birthday girl herself; There is so much I could say about our little angel but I will leave it at this: 

Ella-Grace Angela, I may have given you your life but my dear you did the same for me. I love you and look forward to you reading your birth story one day. Daddy and I are so in love with you. Happy Birthday babe <3 







Stay Happy Everyone! :) 

Saturday 17 March 2018

Mothering Sunday


Happy Mothers Day....

Obviously Mothers Day has now passed but since this is a blog post all about the day that is 'Mothering Sunday', I would like to say a massive HAPPY MOTHERS DAY to all the mums, grandmothers, great-grandmothers, single dads and anyone else taking on the mothering role, I hope you all had an amazing day celebrating how amazing you are. I also know for some people this day is especially hard, whether that be because you are a mother who has lost a child, a child who has lost a mother, a woman struggling to become a mother, a child who's mother is not around or whom you do not have a good bond with. Everyone views this day differently and goes through different emotions but I hope at the end of this day we all come together and support each other whether that be in celebration or grief. 

I am fortunate enough to have my mother and be a mother and I cannot tell you how appreciative I am for these two things. This will be the basis of this blog post (as well as a little bit about how my second mothers day went). I hope you enjoy this post and happy reading. 


My Mum...


So to the woman that started it all for me: my mum. I am not going to say that our mother-daughter relationship has been perfect and we had some pretty bad arguments when I lived at home but since moving out and especially since I got pregnant, we have become very close. I guess it's true what they say 'A mum and a daughter are closest when a daughter becomes a mum'. So close in fact that as well as Reece, she was my birthing partner and I gave Ella-Grace her name as a middle name ( Ella-Grace Angela

My mum is the kindest, funniest and most polite person I know and how she handled me and all my siblings (all together there is 8 of us by the way) by herself sometimes when my Dad was away in the army I will never know. She has gone through some really hard times but has always managed to stay strong and do all she can for her children. She has also made Reece feel very welcomed since we started going out and Ella-Grace absolutely adores her. I am very proud to call her my mum. 



My Second Mothers Day...

26th March 2017- My first Mothers Day (Ella-Grace 1 week old) 


11th March 2018- My second Mothers Day (Ella-Grace 11 months old)
Now this may be a bit confusing to some of you because Ella-Grace hasn't even turned one yet but this is in fact my second Mothers Day, meaning I have been lucky enough to have two Mothers day's in less than a year and it's all down to the dates. So Ella-Grace was born on the 19th of March 2017 and Mothers Day was on the 26th of March 2017 then this year Mothers Day was on the 11th of March 2018, just over a week before Ella-Grace's birthday, resulting in this being my second Mothers Day. Sorry if that sounds patronising I have just had so many people saying happy first mothers day so didn't want any confusion when I said it was my second mothers day. 

So onto the day itself, apart from having a bad migraine in the afternoon and having to lie down for a while, I had a brilliant Mothers Day which was a lot better than my first. Now don;t get me wrong my first mothers day was very cute, Reece made me breakfast in bed and got me flowers and a card and Ella-Grace was so tiny and cute but that soon after having a baby (especially after my c-section) I was very sore and very emotional so I am pretty sure I spent most of the day reaching for my pain killers and wiping away tears. Baby blues is real and it won't just go away because it is Mothers Day, so if any Mom's out there are in the same boat I was in last year, struggling through pain and baby blues don't worry you will heal and feel better and it is okay if you are not ecstatic today, it will just make you appreciate your next mothers day even more. So pain gone and in a better frame of mind, I woke up on Mothers Day, walked into the living room and was greeted with Reece and Ella-Grace next to a Mothers Day banner, flowers and a card. It was very sweet. 
The day continued with pancakes for breakfast, a bit of shopping and a lovely lunch out (Reece had found somewhere that mum's ate free that day so we got to save some pennies for the wedding as well which is always a good thing!). Then honesty I spent the rest of the day in bed because I wasn't feeling well, I felt really lazy but Reece reminded me that Mothers Day is a day for me to relax from all my normal mum duties and let him take over haha, usually my control freak self would be like no way but I was in no position to argue and enjoyed my little nap. It also gave Ella-Grace some time with Daddy which she always loves. I, as all Mothers, work my butt off every day and try my best to be a great mum to Ella-Grace at the same time as balancing everything else (writing, cleaning, socialising, cooking and more) so I think Mothers Day is well deserved and I am very proud of the job I have done as a Mother so far. Giving myself a pat on the back as we speak haha (or should I say as I type? As you read? you know what I mean). 



Thank You...

Just a short one, I hope you enjoyed reading it! Mothers Day is quickly becoming my favourite day- except Christmas, nothing can beat Christmas- as I just adore being a Mum and it is something I am very proud to be so to be able to celebrate it makes me very happy and reinforces in me that I am doing a good job! All Mothers are amazing of course but before I go I would like to say a massive Happy Mothers Day to a few of my Mummy friends (pictures below) that I have made since I had Ella-Grace who have been such an amazing support and I can say first-hand that they are super women!.... 








Stay Happy Everyone :)!














Saturday 10 March 2018

Fun baby groups and activities that are a must! (Aberdeen, Scotland area)


Hello once again my wonderful readers! Before I get into this weeks blog post I wanted to thank everyone who sent me positive messages after my anxiety blog post and I am happy to say that I am feeling much better now. I am also glad that my being so open about my struggles have made those of my readers also having a hard time with their mental health not feel so alone: if anything those are the messages I appreciate most because it in turn makes me feel less alone and push me to keep being honest because I know I am making a difference. So once again I am very thankful for everyone's support and all the positivity that surrounds my blog, the kindness community I am building continues to grow. I guess it is true when they say that your vibe attracts your tribe because you are all so lovely. 

Back to what we are talking about today, baby groups and activities. Since Ella-Grace was 4 weeks old I have been taking her to groups and activities every week. It has been great for me to build my confidence in taking Ella-Grace out and also making some much needed mum friends as well as for Ella-Grace to get her being used to being around other children and adults and building her social skills/confidence. Now 11 months old she is confident, happy and adores being out at her groups. We have been to our fair share of groups/activities now, some great and we have stuck with some not so good and so we haven't been back to, so I thought I would share the one's we love in case any of my fellow mums and dads wanted to know. We live in Aberdeen, Scotland so this might not be helpful to those who don't live in this area but if you want an idea of things you could look for in your area or what is different here compared to where you live then you might still find it a good read. I will include any pictures I have from the groups as well as time, location and contact details in case anyone is interested in attending. Who knows, maybe we will see you at the groups. 


Peep Group

First time at Peep group- 4 weeks old 
Peep group at almost 1 year old 
Peep group was the first baby group that I took Ella-Grace to when she was just 4 weeks old- even though your not really meant to go anywhere for 6 weeks after a c-section but I couldn't help myself, I needed out of the flat and I am so glad I did. For those of you who may not know, Peep group is a free group that all mothers in Aberdeen are invited to by their health visitor, they are run in several areas in Aberdeen. There is a baby peep group and a toddler peep group (which Ella-Grace is soon to switch to). When my health visitor told me about it and my two nearest group locations I emailed them and got a space pretty quickly (there can be a waiting list sometimes I think). The group does lots of activities such as messy play, sensory play, songs, stories and more. I made a few very close mum friends in this group and Ella-Grace made a lot of baby friends which is such a boost to have people going what you are going through and you can support each other. This I have to say is one of my favourite groups still and I think that is because we have been going so long, the location is close and the leader is very welcoming and informative. Definitely recommend this weekly group (you may be able to access this group in other parts of the UK but I am not 100% sure).  
Ella-Grace and her best-friend Lauren at Peep


Nursery Rhyme and Story Time


This is another group that I have been going to since Ella-Grace was around 4 weeks old which I really love. It is located in the city centre (Waterstones, Trinity centre, Aberdeen) which is handy for going for a coffee after group with other parents, doing some shopping after or for Ella-Grace and I, we get to meet Daddy on his lunch break because he works just across the road from Trinity. It is only a half an hour group so good to get you started and as far as I am aware you get 10% off books the day of the group if you attend. It is not usually that busy and there are babies and children of all ages. So if you are interested this group runs half 10 till 11 every Wednesday in Waterstones, 



Swimming


Ella-Grace has always loved a bath so we weren't surprised that when we took her swimming for the first time when she was 4 months old that she loved it. We haven't taken her to any swimming lessons yet (although we are thinking about booking some after her birthday) but we have took her swimming a few times now and she enjoys it so much and it really tires her out. As long as she is fed and had a nap before she can stay in the pool for up to 2 hours with us- the only problem is getting out which she does not like haha. We prefer the beach leisure center pool as it is warmer for the babies and as far as I have seen very clean, the only thing to watch out for is that the showers are probably a bit too hot to just put your baby right under so make sure someone comes with you to hold your baby while you rinse off and you can splash some on your baby. There is also a cafe that you can go to after if you need to feed your baby or yourself after. More information such as prices and opening times on the website https://www.sportaberdeen.co.uk/beach-leisure-centre


Bookbug


Another group that Ella-Grace and I made a lot of friends at is the Bookbug group which is ran at several libraries around Aberdeen but we go to the one in the city centre again so we can meet Reece for lunch after, walk around the shops etc. This group is also free but you do have to book in advance which you can do over the phone or email. I found out about this through my health visitor when they gave me my first 'bookbug' pack for Ella-Grace when she was new born.It is quite a popular group so can be quite busy (not sure how it is at other locations) so if you prefer quieter groups it may not be for you but Ella-Grace has enjoyed it a lot in her first year and would still recommend giving it a go- you can borrow a book after to. More information on the website https://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/services/libraries-and-archives/children-and-young-people/bookbug/bookbug-sessions-aberdeen


Soft Play


There are so many soft play areas in Aberdeen and most of them have a baby area. We have been to a few and the one we really like is Little Monsters in Berryden. It is quiet and small compared more popular ones such as Codonas which is perfect for us. It is also near a big Sainsburies which we like to have a nosey in every now and again since we don't live near that area. The picture above and below is in Little Monsters. They have a good baby area, changing facilities and a small cafe and tables so you can have a cup of tea or some lunch. Under 6 months are free and Under 1's are £1. The only down side is it is upstairs so if you have a pram then it can be quite difficult to take it up the flight of stairs but worth it when you are up there. 


Ones we are hoping to try... 

All these groups and activities are really good and have really helped in Ella-Grace's first year when it comes to her confidence, social skills and routine. They have helped us make friends for life and stopped us from being cooped up at home- we barely have a spare moment with all our groups and meeting up with friends and family. I highly recommend getting out of the house as soon as you can with your baby and interacting with other parents and their children. It gives you support, it builds your confidence and really helps with baby's development and learning I think. Ella-Grace is now approaching 1 year old and every day I can see her changing more and more, going from baby to toddler so although we may go to some of these groups for a bit longer there will come a time where we will likely switch to other groups more appropriate for her age now and what she likes to do and we already have a few in mind which I will list below. We haven't tried and tested these yet so can't recommend but in case you were interested in what groups and activities we are going on to hopefully I thought I would let you know. 

-Monster Brunch, City moves https://citymoves.wordpress.com/classes/

I have always loved dancing and performing arts (not saying I was any good at them haha) and I would love for Ella-Grace to get into that too. Not only because I like it but because I think performing arts can build a lot of confidence. She is also starting to be a lot more mobile and is SO close to walking so a movement class will be so good for her and maybe give her that push she needs to get walking. We are going to this on Thursday with our friends, I am very excited. 

-Swimming Lessons

Not sure what age is best to start this (comment below if and when you started swimming lessons for your child) because I am pretty happy taking her swimming myself at the moment but at the same time a qualified teacher may be helpful. However, I am uncomfortable with putting Ella-Grace under the water when I can't communicate to her that it is a safe thing, I don't know if that makes any sense but please someone out there must know what I mean, right? Anyways I am definitely going to continue to take her swimming and book swimming lessons at some point, Ella-Grace is such a water baby. 

-More Outside Activities/Sports 

At the moment Ella-Grace is working on walking and still mostly crawls everywhere so apart from pushing her on the swing at the park (which she does love) there isn't much outdoor/sports I can do with her but when she is a bit older this is definitely something I will be trying to get her into. It is so important to me that Ella-Grace gets fresh air, enjoys the outdoors and learns to appreciate the nature around her because it truly is magical and we should respect and love our environment/world. I want her to have good exercise and learn confidence, teamwork and just all round new skills. 

-Toddler Group 

Ella-Grace is now moving from her baby peep group to her toddler peep group (still on the waiting list to be moved but hopefully will be soon). It will be interesting moving to a different age and seeing how Ella-Grace socializes and interacts with older toddlers. 

Thank you for reading...

Once again, I really appreciate everyone that reads my blog. I know at the moment my posting schedule is all over the place and I have promised posts that have not been done yet but please be patient and know I really do remember each and every request and really do value my readers opinions. Planning a first birthday party and a wedding so close together is keeping me so busy but once those are out the way in the second half of this year, I have so many plans for the blog so please, stay tuned. Any groups or activities you like to do with your little one? Please comment below. Till next time....

Stay Happy Everyone :)!

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