Easy DIY Harry Potter Costume For Baby

Something Different...
Hi there readers! I hope you are all doing well. Today's blog post is something a bit different to what I usually write about, its a DIY (do it yourself) project. I'm in no way amazing at DIY but I do dabble in it now and again, its something I really enjoy doing and I know a lot of people would like to read. So here it is.

Why Harry Potter?...
Why Harry Potter? Well for 1. Why not? haha and 2. My niece turned 7 years old on Sunday and the day before (so the Saturday) she was having a harry potter themed birthday party. I had known about it for a while but couldn't decide what to dress Ella-Grace up as, all the costumes I had seen on the internet were either really expensive or not a character, just a quote on clothing such as 'snuggle this muggle' or 'she/he has just been born'. These although cute not what I wanted. So I decided last minute that I would make her outfit for her (I had never felt like more of a mum in my life haha). Toying between making her a Dobby costume or Harry Potter, I decided that Dobby's ears would be too difficult and Harry Potter would look so cute.
Off to the nearest/biggest craft store in town (Hobby-craft) I went hunting for the things I needed. Unfortunately I didn't have time to get some minor details I would of wanted such as the glasses which I couldn't find anywhere in baby size, a small owl toy or baby safe facepaint for the scar (I did draw it on with some brown eyeshadow and a brush but I was scared it was bad for her skin so I wiped it off)) so yeah she might just look like a school kid with a cape but oh well I thought it was cute and everyone at the party knew what I was going for.

What you need...

All this cost less than £10 (Probably around £6/7)
All you need is...
-Black felt (I used a sparkly one to add more magic)
-Red Felt
-Dark Yellow Felt
-Glue Gun and Some Glue to go in it (the one I bought came with glue)
-Safety Pins (which I never actually ended up using but you might)
-Scissors
-Plain White Vest
-Pencil

Steps...

Step 1: Draw a tie shape in the Yellow or Red Fabric

I personally chose to use the yellow fabric to draw out my tie on as it is a lighter color therefore easier to see the pencil lines on. I would advise using pencil not pen and starting to draw it nearer a corner for easier cutting and if you make a mistake then have to re-do it you will still have plenty space. So yes I googled 'Griffindor tie' and copied the shape the best I could. Remember this tie is for a baby (mine being almost 5 months old) so it doesn't have to be massive. After this move on to the next step: Cutting.

Step 2: Cut out the tie 

Not much to say for this one it is quite a simple task, just cut out the tie and check you are hapy with it. If not re-do it. I was happy with mine so I continued on,

Step 3: Cut out strips from the Red fabric

Again quite straigh forward, just cut out a few straight strips of the red fabric. I cut out 3 and that was enough but it depends on the length of your tie/width of strips.

Step 4: Place on tie and pencil on where needs cut

Obviously the strips will only cover part of the tie so once you have drawn and cut these out you will have to repeat this process for the end of the tie with the left over parts of the strips. But yes place on top of tie to see what angle the strips need to be and how they need to be cut then pencil marks on.

Step 5: Cut out strips and repeat step 4

You should end up with perfectly fitting strips (it was hard to get them at the right angle but possible) and then as I previously said repeat step 4 with the end of the tie and left over strips until you have a pile of stripes for your tie.

Step 6: Let the hot glue heat

Insert the stick of glue into the glue gun and let it heat for about 5 mins until ready to use.
SAFETY WARNING HOT GLUE CAN BE VERY HOT AND DANGEROUS PLEASE TAKE CARE WHEN USING IT.

Step 7: Glue stripes on tie and cut away excess glue

Carefully glue the stripes onto the tie (remember to cover your surface incase you spill some hot glue, I just used a bit of kitchen roll). Once they are all glued on and your happy with it let it dry for a minute or two and then cut away the excess glue around the edges of the tie.

Step 8: Decide where you want it on the vest and protect inside. 

Fold up a bit of kitchen roll or anything that could protect the inside of the vest and place it inside it making sure to be behindthe area you will be gluing the tie on. Position the tie where you want it and then move on to step 9.

Step 9: Glue the tie onto the vest

Start with the top edge place that on then glue an edge at a time. Be very careful not to use too much glue and keep checking the vest isn't gluing to the protector on the inside (mine never did so it should be fine).

Step 10: Press down the tie, glue any bits that aren't stuck down properly 

After you do this leave to dry for a minute checking that it is securely down then remove protector from the inside.

Step 11: The 'cloak'
'

Mine ended up looking like more of a cape but it did the job. Take the black fabric and place the vest on top of it (sparkly side out) position it the way you want it and glue top corners onto the vest making sure not to bend vest fabric or the fit on your baby wont be good and potentially uncomfortable.
Alternatively wait till the vest is on your baby and you could safety pin the cape/cloak over it but I think this is the comfier and more practical way to do it.

Step 12: Pair the costume with a pair of black trousers or jeans and add finishing touches. 


I chose to pair the costume with some confy black jeggings for Ella-Grace. You could also add harry potter glasses, a baby safe wand, the scar (with baby safe face paint) or a toy owl. None of which I had last minute unfortunately but if you had more time you could really make this costume the best at any Harry Potter party.


Cuteness Overload...





Happy costume making....
I hope you enjoyed this DIY. Its hardly a master piece but a fun little project for you to do for your baby and if you manage to add those little extra's it could look perfect. If you do decide to try this DIY or have done a different DIY costume for your baby please comment a picture below. Thabks as always for reading. This is my second blog post in two days so might take a bit of a break before the next but until then check out my articles on Babygaga.com and follow my social media (link on blog homepage/menu) I'M ON TWITTER NOW! Till next time readers.

15 Way Women Have Described Contractions

Stay Happy Everyone :)!

Best birthday ever and my thoughts on turning 21

Busy turning 21...

Sorry I haven't posted in over a week now, I was getting good at posting regularly but this past week has been crazy and very busy. Reece was off work for a week and oh yeah it was my 21ST BIRTHDAY!! So this blog post is just a little insight into my feelings on turning 21 and what I did to celebrate (pictures included too!) Enjoy!

Best Birthday Ever...

So my 21st birthday came round so quick and to be honest I wasn't even thinking about it at all on the run up to it as I was so busy looking after Ella-Grace and focusing on her. Everyone said this would happen when I became a mum, I never believed them haha. Anyway I was just expecting to go see my family for the day and then go home nothing massive but they had other plans. 

The morning of my birthday Reece and Ella-Grace surprised me with cards, gifts and two massive number balloons (21). Reece had bought me some things I had pointed out over the past few months that I really wanted (Zoella products mainly) and I got a massive surprise when two train tickets fell out of my birthday card and he revealed that we were going to Newcastle for four days- some people might not think that's anything extravagant but for our first little family trip to a city we had never been to, it was perfect. More about the trip later (and I'm planning to do a separate blog post on it). 

So after the morning of my birthday with my two favourite people, Reece's dad drove us to my parents. But Reece said we needed to stop off somewhere to book a table for my mums birthday (which is at the end of august), I didn't think much of it apart from he said we had to take Ella-Grace in- even though she was sleeping and his dad was in the car- but I just thought he didn't want to leave her. Walking in it was dark and I said to Reece "it must be closed" which is when everyone yelled "SURPRISE!!" never been more shocked in my life haha my sneaky parents and fiance had planned a surprise party. The whole night was great and Ella-Grace did so well considering she had never been to a party with lots of people or out that late, how she managed to sleep through all the noise I will never know. Pics below of how the night went.



The next day Reece, Ella-Grace and I went home leaving just a few hours to pack as we were going to Newcastle the next morning. Packed and ready to go we left at 7am on Monday and from there we had an amazing time. The best bits by far being taking Ella-Grace swimming (she is such a water baby, lasted a full 2 hours before basically passing out as I took her swimming costume off haha) and going to the Metro center- I think it the 2nd biggest shopping center in the UK- it made Union Square in Aberdeen feel so tiny. Didn't get a chance to do all the things we set out to do but that just gives us a reason to go pack. Pics here.


Feelings on being 21... 
21. The milestone age that everyone talks about and that the celebrations are the biggest. In my 21 years of life I have had major highs and lows as most people do. I have battled with anxiety and panic attacks in some very dark times and it has been hard but above all that I have met the love of my life who I am soon to marry, we have had the most beautiful and wonderful daughter, I am so proud to be her mum. I now have the best group of friends and an amazing family. I have passed 3 college courses and soon to start my degree from home. I now do something I love, writing from home and get paid for it. My blog is getting noticed and my other writing content is being featured on websites. I am more confident, happy and feel like I am making a difference in the world which is what I have always wanted to do. I may have had hard times and still do but in 21 years I am so grateful for all I have, not everyone in the world makes it to 21 or if they do aren't in the best place and I am lucky enough to be happy. 21 years old and looking forward to the future. I will be writing a blog post soon called "10 things I want to achieve before I turn 30" so that will give you more of insight into that. Stay tuned.


See you soon....
Just a short birthday update for those who are interested to know, I have a lot of different content I am hoping to share soon including DIY and recipes, let me know if you would like to read that or what else you would like me to write about. Until my next blog post don't forget to check out my articles on BabyGaGa.com (latest linked below) and follow my social media pages for updates on me, my family and my blog (links on homepage/menu of blog). I am on twitter now so make sure to follow me on there too. Thanks to everyone (especially my parents and Reece) for making my 21st so special! Comment below how you spent your 21st. Till next time readers.

15 Ways Women Have Described Contractions


Stay Happy Everyone :)!

Don't Even Get Me Started: Piercing Babies Ears

New Series....
Hi there readers! Thanks for coming back for more of my blog, hope your enjoying it and to all new here WELCOME! Today I have the start of a new series called 'Don't Even Get Me Started!'

"Don't Even Get Me Started" is basically going to be a series of me ranting about things than bug me, upset me or that I have a strong opinion on. Not everyone's cup of tea but 1. It will let me vent, it is after all my personal blog, and 2. I am still all about the positive vibes and nothing I rant about will be directed at a group of people or preached as everyone should think it, it is my personal opinion and if you disagree I encourage you to comment below- nothing wrong with a healthy debate.

Rant of the Day...

(This picture breaks my heart)
This has been on my mind after I seen a video being shared on Facebook. Piercing babies ears. I can't. This is no shade or disrespect to those who do decided to get their child's ears pierced, I'm sure you have your reasons but I just can't understand it and in my opinion it is cruel.
So here we go Don't Even Get Me Started!!!.....
Before I even had Ella-Grace or even found out I was pregnant I seen this same video of a mum taking her smiley baby to get her ears pierced and as they used the gun to pierce both ears the scream is horrendous and heartbreaking. And as I said I saw this video before I was pregnant and I was against it, I always say that people should have a choice in things that happen to them and a baby cannot verbalize this choice and I highly doubt they would choose this.  So it always made me sad but after having Ella-Grace and then seeing the video shared again, Oh my goodness I couldn't even finish the video. I felt sick to my stomach and it literally hurt my soul. I struggle enough to take Ella-Grace to get her immunizations (literally I stress about it for a week before and then almost faint when she gets them, dramatic but I just hate it and want to cuddle her) that she needs let alone some fashion accessories that cause unnecessary pain, all because why? They look pretty? So people know she's a 'girl'? I find that even more frustrating as ear piercings can be either gender and what kind of message is it to send to our children that you have to 'look like a girl' or 'look like a boy', but that's a totally different topic.

Not only will this hurt when the poor baby gets the piercings but the after care isn't the easiest either and she/he will likely be in a lot of pain for a while not to mention the change of infection. On top of all the other reasons for a baby to be unsettled why would you add another unnecessary one? It just does not make sense to me. I get when they get older they won't remember, people say the same thing to me about her injections but I still feel sick every single time she gets them and that doesn't make it any easier.

Not to mention this is a body modification which yes you can take out and it would heal up but it is still likely to leave a scar which might bother your child when they grow up. Yes they are our babies and we have to make decisions they cannot to keep them safe and alive but they are their own person and body modification is not one of these things we must choose.

Talking personally about my daughter now these are the reasons I would never think about getting her ears pierced as a baby...

1. I CANNOT bare to see her in any pain it physically makes me sick and all I want to do is remove her from the situation and make it all better. I had never felt this way before being a mum, the kind of feeling that your soul is literally pulling you towards your baby to save them from the pain. I had to make do with the injections as I knew they were for her health and that was hard enough, why would I put the both of us through this trauma as well? The guilt I would feel after would be overwhelming. 

2. It's not my body, it's hers. Yes she can't make decisions now but I'm pretty sure the innocent mind of a baby would not care if her ears were pierced and would choose the less painful option of not getting them done. Yes I put bows on her which she might not necessarily like, I don't know but she never cries when they are on and if she did it would be off as she clearly would be uncomfortable. As far as I possibly can I want her to make her own decisions and she's a baby so this is difficult, nearly impossible. So if I pierced her ears I would be going against everything I believe in. 

3. There is no need. Simple. I would much rather spend money on a new toy or play-set that could help her learn or develop, a new piece of clothing to keep her warm, a baby group where she can play. Something she needs or will love not something she has no interest in and will not aid her life in any way. 

Those are my reasons anyways. A lot of people may disagree which is fine let me know in the comments what you think I want to try and see your point of view but I can guarantee you won't change mine. Here I was actually going to link the video I seen but pains me so much I couldn't bring myself to look it up. If you want to watch one I am sure their are lots on You Tube, I bet you can't watch it without cringing or crying.
Just to add a very out there opinion on this, I think piercing babies ears should be illegal. Can you tattoo a baby? No. Any other bodily piercings? No. It is in my opinion a form of physical abuse as it is painful for them and so very unnecessary.


That's the end of the rant today, I told you I shouldn't of got started haha. I started being tame and ended in calling it abuse but I can't help it I just don't understand. Maybe your a mum, dad or guardian who has done this or would? Or someone who's parents did this to you? Please comment below if you disagree, I certainly don't want an argument but I am happy to read your opinion as you have read mine.

Bottom line for me, no ear piercings for Ella-Grace until the time she asks for it, IF she ever does. Over protective parent? Drama Queen? Maybe, but I'm happy with this opinion and living a ear piercing free life doesn't seem to be affecting her so we are all good.

Thanks for reading my first 'Don't Even Get Me Started" and letting me vent my feelings on this topic (and breathe haha). Until my next blog post why not check out one of my articles on Baby GaGa, links below:
15 Moms Reveal The One Thing They Said They Would Never Do (But Did Anyway) 
15 Most Ruthless Single Moms
15 Crazy Laws That Actually Discriminate Against Pregnant Women

Also please follow my social media accounts, links on blog homepage/menu.

Till next time readers...

Stay Happy Everyone!  




*I do not own nor did I personally take these images

How to keep your relationship strong after baby

One of my favourite things to write about... 

Good morning readers! I have been excited to write this blog post for you because -as cheesy as it sounds- Reece or mine and Reece's relationship, is one of my favourite things to write about because it's so happy! We have stayed just as in love, if not more since having Ella-Grace and I often get asked 'How do you make time for each other?' and that is how this blog post came about. I hope you find the the tips helpful or just enjoy reading how me and Reece have managed to keep our relationship strong since becoming parents.

A bit of info on our relationship...
So, I don't think I have ever gone into massive detail about mine and Reece's relationship before. How is started, how long we have been together etc. So I thought I would do that first. Reece and I have been together for 5 years now, I met him in my last year of school at a friend's birthday party. We bonded over the horrible taste of beer and we were both a bit shy compared to the other people at the party so I guess we just gravitated to each other (maybe it was fate).
When he had to leave that night he asked for my number and the rest is history.
Funny story, I was so shy when I met Reece that I barely looked at his face (tried to stare at my hands or anywhere else, I must of looked so nervous) so when he left that day up until I met up with him next I couldn't actually remember what he looked like hahaha! Now I see his face everyday I think it's imprinted in my memory for life! He has such a pretty face.... but I'm getting off track.
So yes as I said the rest is history. We moved in, got engaged, had our beautiful daughter and are now planning our 2018 wedding. Crazy how much can happen in 5 years! (Insert old pics).

 

Yes, we have have had arguments...
Now, I am not trying to sell us as this magical, fairytale relationship because of course it's not we have had some bad arguments, not often though to be honest. We always have this running joke after we have a big argument and make up, one of us end's up saying 'Well that's it till next year"!
As I was saying, I am in no way saying we are a the 'perfect couple', I mean there is really no such thing is there? But we are happy and love each other very much and I guess that's as close to perfect you can get.

The Tips...

1. Communication
This is the most important yet the easiest to forget. Communication in any relationship is key to maintaining it. Reece and I tell each other everything and always have, before Ella-Grace was born we had all the time in the world to talk about anything we wanted to. But when we had Ella-Grace everything became about her- as it should- so Reece and I found ourselves communicating only about Ella-Grace. Leaving him not being able to tell me about his work and me not telling him about how I was doing postpartum. So after a few weeks when everything settled we decided to fix this issue by simply asking questions! How was work? How was your day? How are you feeling? We would ask each other these questions if nothing else, every day. Making sure we each got out anything we needed to vent, keeping communication going and supporting one another.
So that's the tip here if you are struggling with communication since having a baby.... ASK QUESTIONS! I know it can be hard to remember when being a parent is the focus of your life but you have to remember to look after each other, through doing that you will both feel happy and be able to be the best parents you can be.

2. Date night
This is one you can only do when you feel comfortable and ready, go on a date. I had a tough time with baby blues, had a panic attack pretty much every night for the first 2 weeks of Ella-Grace's life. Obviously the fact I was a mum kept be going but as well as this Reece planned a date night for when Ella-Grace was a month old, to give me a chance to relax and show me what a good job I had been doing (he's cute like that). My sister watched Ella-Grace for 2 hours while we went for our date and although I pretty much spent the whole night texting my sister to check on the baby it was nice to sit with Reece and hold hands and be us. From then we decided that once a month we would do this and celebrate us. Which is again important. I know this is hard for some mothers and fathers to leave their baby- trust me I cried so much before hand- so don't feel you need to rush into it. Even if your date night is having a meal in the kitchen while your mum watching baby in the living room, that is still some time to spend as a couple and enjoy each other's company. This is another opportunity to open good communication between you and your partner also.



3. Don't Let Arguments Get Too Far
In the q&a I wrote last week, one of the questions was 'Do you and Reece argue more since becoming parents?' To which me and Reece answered no, we don't argue more but we do argue about different things and in the first few weeks when you are sleep deprived, the arguments can be quite petty. The trick is to not let the arguments go to far and try to forgive. For me when I get into an argument my anxiety always kicks in which can lead me to start having a panic attack due to the tension, which makes it hard for me not to keep arguing. I know that might sound confusing so here is an example if me and Reece are arguing and Reece (being his calm self) tries to walk away so we can both calm down, my anxiety kicks in and I can't let him walk off. I have to keep speaking, pacing and even if the argument is resolved I'm still spouting out anxious words. Reece is used to this and just let's me rant it out until I calm down, then we kiss and we are fine- this being what I mean by not letting things go to far.
I could stand and rant for an hour straight, Reece I'm sure is dying for me to shut up but we don't shout or scream or make threats. Instead we argue, we rant then kiss and its over. We love each other and we are not breaking up so what's the point in arguing. That is what every couple should remember in petty arguments, in the end you love each other so there is no point ruining that with threats and shouting. If the argument is serious enough that there is a potential for break up, that is a different story and I can't help you with that, sorry.
So yeah to round this tip up, yes arguments will happen but let them pan out, make up and never go to bed angry!

4. The Little Things
Some of my favourite times of the day, when small gestures are made. If you aren't ready for a full on date night or can't find time to sit and have supper together (which me and Reece definitely couldn't during the first month of being parents) there are still little things that mean so much. A hug, a kiss, a joke, something silly. All these little things are so important and I know things like silliness and jokes are part of the reason I fell in love with Reece, he always made me smile no matter what. So like communication after the first few weeks me and Reece were really trying to appreciate the little things that could be our time for example whenever Ella-Grace was having a nap we would give each other a big hug and say I love you, when I was feeding Ella-Grace we would watch a film or have a funny conversation about something silly. These times reminding me how much I loved Reece and that even though we are parents now, to each other we were still the same people that fell in love five years ago.
The little things. Reminding your partner of the reasons you fell in love or just reminding them that you do love them, can mean the world and will definitely help keep your relationship strong.


5. Stay Up That Little Bit Longer
I know, I know, sleep deprived enough and you should really 'sleep when baby is sleeping' but I tried this and I just felt that I seen Reece when he came home from work, fell asleep, then he was away again. Which made things so much harder because as I said communication is key and if you are sleeping there is no communication. I felt quite lonely at this point and all I wanted to do was cuddle Reece, watch a movie with him and ask him about his day. Which is exactly what we started doing and still do now. Yes we are more tired the next day but we both feel happy we had that time together to chill and communicate. Just like we did before Ella-Grace.
So if you and your partner are up for being a little bit extra tired now and again, I highly recommend this. It's worth your time.

6. Remember Your A Couple
Just a little one to finish. Remember your a couple. Yes, you are a mum and a dad ( or two mums or two dads, whatever your family situation may be) which are very important roles that should always be at the centre of who you are but you are also two people, in love and that is equally as wonderful. Remember it and appreciate it, cause not everyone has a happily ever after. This I make sure I never take for granted.


Thanks for reading...
So that's my tips, I hope they work for you and if not, comment below what works in your relationship. Thank you for reading as usual, I love hearing all the feedback. While your waiting for the next blog post why not check out one of my articles on 'Baby GaGa' (links below).

15 Crazy Laws That Actually Discriminate Against Pregnant Women
15 Most Ruthless Single Moms
15 Moms Reveal The One Thing They Said They Would Never Do But Ended Up Doing Anyway

Also if you want to follow my day to day life please follow my social media linked on my main blog page.

Till next time readers.

Stay Happy Everyone :)!

Q&A

Crazy week...

Well readers, this week has been very busy! I've obviously been doing the job of a stay at home home, looking after my beautiful Ella-Grace (who is badly teething at the moment ahh!). I have also just accepted a  writing job with the website 'Baby GaGa' - that i can do from home, what. a. dream! On top of all that I have been feeling really ill but despite all this I still wanted to post my weekly blog post!
So, I have now finished my first article, I thought I would use this free time to work on a little blog post, a Q & A.
Thanks to everyone who sent in questions I hope I answer them well enough for you, here they are!

Q&A...

1. What is the best part of pregnancy?

There is a lot of great things about pregnancy so I don't know how I am going to pick the best part! A few that are definitely some of the best things are: Feeling Kicks, The glow you get and the whole idea of carrying life. The glow you get I didn't really see till I actually gave birth to Ella-Grace when I  or even some of my friends look back at pictures when I was pregnant I looked so glamorous in some pictures and feel like my bump gave me more body confidence, I wanted to show it off. 
As for the kicks and the carrying life, that goes hand in hand. It is the purest, most natural experience: nothing like it. And to know you are giving this life to the world, someone you will raise to make a positive difference on the world is amazing. The greatest gift. 


2. What is the worst part of pregnancy?

There are also (like the previous question) a lot of negative things about pregnancy. Morning sickness, emergency situations and baby blues. Morning sickness for me was horrendous. 

Morning sickness- this is just horrible! So much worse than normal sickness, I suffered from it not only at the start of pregnancy but at the end also! And as you have probably heard before or if you have been pregnant before you would already know... it does not just hit in the morning... its all day. 

Emergency situations- Pregnancy and birth is a scary and dangerous thing so emergencies can happen. With my labor and delivery being very stressful and turning into emergency where I could of lost my little girl if a wrong decision was made, that is definitely one of the worst parts. The scare you get in emergency situations. You'd think I would say contractions or pain but no the scare of emergency and the risk is definitely worse- although the recovery from a c-section and all the injections are other things that weren't so fun. 

(Not to scare you away from pregnancy, it is a very safe process and nowadays mother and baby are usually both happy and healthy. It is the best experience in the world would do it again any day) 


3. Will you be having more babies?

I would like to point out the person that asked this actually said 'are you going to be having more adorable babies?' Thank you reader for the compliment! Reece and I have been back and forth with this one, one minute thinking we would love to just be a family of 3 but then the next minute thinking we want 1 or 2 more children in the future. 
After Ella-Grace was born I got the contraceptive implant which lasts 3 years (definitely knew we did not want any more children for a while) and we have decided- maybe- that after the implant runs out depending on our financial and living situation (as we like in a 2 bedroom flat now and would like to have a house before we have another baby) we will then try for another baby. 
This is obviously not set in stone so don't be surprised if we do not have another baby around that time, that is just the idea at the moment.  


4. Have you and Reece become closer since having Ella-Grace? Or has the stress of a new baby caused more arguments?

For this question I needed to consult Reece and we both thought the same thing. Since having Ella-Grace we love each other more than we ever thought we could as we are parents of a beautiful baby girl and that is a very special bond, it has re-enforced our strong relationship which we are thankful for as I know some couples struggle when they become parents, some even breaking up. 
As for arguments I wouldn't say we argue more but we argue about different things and if there is a particular night one of us is extremely tired their can be a bit of a tiff but nothing we can't get past. 
There is some tips I might have to keeping your relationship strong after baby, but I will leave that for another blog post (keep an eye out for it!). 


5. Would you take childcare advice from someone without children?

Personally, I am very stubborn and don't really like taking advice from anyone I like to figure it out myself and be the one giving the advice usually haha. But that does not mean I am rude or not open to hearing advice and this is from ANYONE. I don't mind if you give me advice if you don't have children yourself, maybe you have worked with children? Have small children in your family just not your own or even just read a tip on the internet. I am always willing to listen to anyone. Where I draw the line is if the 'advice' is putting me down as a mum (an insult) or put across as something I have to do rather than something I could try. I think it is important to respect one another's ability to look after your own children and give advice in a positive, helpful way. But yeah to answer the question properly, it wouldn't even cross my mind whether or not to take advice from someone if they did not have children of their own. As long as they are nice that's what matters. 

6. How do you feel about people calling their pets their babies? 

Great! I would do the same if I had a pet. Nothing wrong with this at all in my opinion. pets are important parts of peoples lives just like children and when you look after them they do feel like your babies. I find this lovely in fact as animals are so pure and deserve all the respect and love us humans demand. 

7. What age do you think is the right time to get pregnant? 

In general, I don't think there is a right age. Just whenever people feel ready in their lives- if they ever do- that is the right time for them. There should be no discrimination as I always say we need to be nice and support each other no matter of if you are a teen mum or older mother. 
For me personally I always wanted to be a young mother, don't know why really? Just always have and I would never change it for the world. 

8. What movies could you watch over and over again, and still love? 

Shrek. Despicable Me. Matilda. Any Leonardo DiCaprio Movie (especially Wolf of Wall Street) 

9. What was your dream job when you were younger? 

Singer or Author. Now singing I more do in my spare time (mostly in the shower haha) and Author is still a dream of mine if I ever finish writing a novel. 

10. Is there anything that makes you think "what was I thinking?" when you look back on life? If so what? 

Certain outfits or make up looks I have done. Old Facebook posts. 

11. What 3 things could you not live without?

I take it by things this does not mean people so I think I would choose 1. Ella-Grace's Photo Album  2. Books 3. My phone . (If the question was referring to non-material things Equal rights and Love would be top of that list!) 

12. Who was the first person you told you were pregnant? 

Reece. I whatsapped him a picture of the test but he didn't know what the lines meant so I had to type 'I'M PREGNANT!!' 

13. What's your favorite show to binge watch? 

Pretty Little Liars, Skins or American Horror Story (depending on my mood). I also love Criminal Minds. 

14. How has your life changed since having Ella-Grace? 

It has changed everything. Turned my world upside down in the best way. I am never bored, always busy and so much happier. Yes, it comes with added stress as being a parent is a big responsibility but it is the best thing in the world. I have a little girl, my best friend for life. Because of Ella-Grace as well she has encouraged me to pursue my dream as a writer to make her proud. She has enriched my life so much. 


15. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? 

Not going to write too much for this one as I would like to do a separate blog post on this, but I will say I see myself and my family living in a different location and maybe with another little one. 

Hope you liked it....
Just a quick Q & A for you guys, I hope you enjoyed reading! Let me know anymore questions in the comments or give me your opinion on the things that have been asked.

Don't forget to check out my first article on Babygaga.com '15 Laws That Actually Discriminate Against Pregnant Women' http://www.babygaga.com/15-crazy-laws-that-actually-discriminate-against-pregnant-women/?utm_source=BG-FB-P&utm_medium=Social-Distribution&utm_campaign=BG-FB-P&view=lista

and follow my other social media (which there is links to on my blog page).
Till next time readers!

Stay Happy Everyone :)!

9 Reasons A C-Section isn't the easy option

Its been bugging me....
Welcome regular readers and new comers! Today's blog post is one that has been burning up inside me for a while. As most of you know I had an emergency c-section with my daughter Ella-Grace and many friends and some family members as well have also been through this same experience. This experience of BIRTH and PAIN.. but for some reason there is a false belief in many peoples minds that having a C-Section (Cesarean Section) is 'a -cop out' or the 'easy option'. 'Too posh to push' I hear often. Well I'm here to say that this is very wrong and here are the reasons why.

Not taking away from natural births...
Before I go into these reasons, I would like to point out that in no way am I trying to take away from mothers who have had a natural labor and delivery. I am not saying a c-section is harder, I am just saying that they are different but also equal in difficulty - Equal, not better or worse or harder/easier- I would love to hear about the difficulties of natural labor and I encourage you to comment below this blog I am genuinely curious as my experience was so different. But for this blog I am focusing on the judgement cc-section mums face and I hope anyone reading this who has had a natural/vaginal birth can support this post as I, and every other c-section mum should support yours. As I say in a lot of posts, supporting each other is key, we are all doing our best including with the birth.

What is a C-section...
For those who may not know or want a clearer definition of what a c-section ( cesarean section) is here is the definition taken from the 'NHS Choices' website along with a statistic:

"A Cesarean section, or C-section, is an operation to deliver your baby through a cut made in your tummy and womb.

The cut is usually made across your tummy, just below your bikini line.

A caesarean is a major operation that carries a number of risks, so it's usually only done if it's the safest option for you and your baby.

Around one in every four to five pregnant women in the UK has a Cesarean."

Now for the reasons... 

7 reasons why a C-section isn't the easy option 

1. The after pain
The after pain to any type of childbirth is going to be bad, you just had a baby come out of you in some way- of course your going to be in pain. But for some reason I always hear comments like 'At least you don't have to deal with tearing' or 'You can have sex sooner since it wont hurt'. No, no, no, no and NO! First of all the waiting time for sex is the same as after a vaginal birth (6 weeks I was told) and as for dealing with tearing, HELLO I have a tear, an incision and trust me that pain is very much there when the numbness wears off and it is very painful. I found it so painful in fact that for the first week or two but I'm getting ahead of myself. 

2. The higher and additional risks 
Now I did check this multiple times on websites and with actual medical professionals before I put this down as a reason as of course I didn't want to make a false statement. So as a c-section is a major surgery according to my research there is a higher risk of blood clots, infection, blood loss and death (death being 3X more likely). Additional risks include, paralysis (due to the spinal you have to get before hand), bowel and/or bladder injury and blood transfusion. Personally I wouldn't put increased/additional risk and easier option in the same sentence. 

3. Longer recovery time
After a vaginal birth you obviously also need recovery time but with a c-section there is usually a longer hospital stay and recovery process. I can't speak for the recovery process of a vaginal birth (although I am well aware it would be difficult)  but from my experience of a c-section the recovery process takes a long time and is very painful! Before you even leave the hospital there are things you need to work on including getting feeling back in your legs, standing, walking, getting your catheter out therefore making sure you can go to the bathroom naturally, showering and more, all this before you even take your baby home. On top of this you aren't aloud to walk far, drive at all, have only showers no hot baths and 'don't do too much, relax' this being pretty much impossible when your looking after a new baby and for me this was mostly on my own as Reece had to go back to work and most family live far away. Respect for the single mums out there with no help, how you manage to look after yourself and your baby alone with no help I do not know. 

4. After care
Slightly linking to my last point but valid of being a reason of its own, after care. The after care for a c-section is intense, you have to make sure you take enough pain killers to get you through the day, clean the wound (when dressing is removed), make sure to move around or wear socks that help your circulation (to prevent blood clots) and the worst of it, the 10 injections you have to get following the c-section. I don't know if I am being a baby or if they are this sore for most women but the injection (I think its anti-D but I could be wrong) you have to get is a lot worse than a normal needle. I managed to leave hospital after 2 days so you would think that was the end of the needles but I was told that i either had to inject myself or get Reece to do it, I chose for Reece to do it and oh my goodness, the dread I felt every morning for those 10 days when Reece came to me with the injection was unreal. The  pain of the needle stings all the way through your leg and I would have to sit and wince  in pain for at least 5 mins. 5 mins of a day for 10 days might not sound too bad but when your already dealing with the pain of the c-section, baby blues and looking after a new baby all these things can get on top of you quite easily, those 5 mins of pain which you dread every day just making it worse (obviously I know your better off getting the injection I am just saying it is not pleasant). 

5. Tasks increasingly difficult
Again I did already touch on this but to elaborate, tasks after a major surgery are obviously increasingly difficult or even impossible for at least the first 6 weeks. As I said you can't walk far, drive at all or take hot baths (which I wanted to do as it relax's me so much) and with basic movements such as sitting, standing, turning being extremely painful- even with pain relief- just looking after your new baby can be very difficult not to mention any other tasks you can to do like clean or maybe cook something for yourself. Even the 5 minutes of the day I would have a shower hurt so bad. 

6. Judgement 
Oh the judgement. The judgement you can receive from other people when you tell them you have had a c-section is so dis-heartening and can make you feel like you failed. I was desperate for a natural birth and after having a c-section some people made me feel as though I had failed my body and my child, I had not done what my body was supposed to do. When in actual fact if I had gone down the natural route (because of the situation with Ella-Grace's chord) I don't think I would have her here today. So no, I did not fail- I did exactly what a mother should, did what is best for her baby. My child was saved by a c-section and there is no way I would change my decision. The unnecessary judgement from getting a c-section definitely makes things harder than they need to be.  

7. Emergency
Most c-sections are emergency- as mine was. An emergency c-section isn't an easier option, it is something that can potentially be life saving. I would never choose to be in an emergency situation as it is a highly dangerous and scary event, again showing that a c-section is hard not easy. 

8. VB-AC 
Other than an emergency there are planned sections for many reasons which is not making it an easy option because it is planned, it is something that needs to be done for either the welfare of the mother, the child or both. One reason people might choose a c-section is if they have had one before as it is more difficult to have a VB-AC ( vaginal delivery after cesarean) than a natural birth on its own as the muscles have been ruptured in that area. So if that is what is best for mother and child or even if the mother just feels safer and more comfortable having a planned section that is important- the happier and calmer the mum is the more likely things will turn out okay. Each birth is personal to each mother and no matter what they choose it should not be judged. 

9. Increase chance of PND
When having a c-section there is also an increased chance of having PND (postnatal depression). This being because a lot of mothers can struggle to bond with their child as they maybe didn't get the labor/birth they wanted, they feel they have failed or the judgement that follows. I luckily bonded with Ella-Grace as soon as I seen her but even now there is a part of me that feels like I didn't 'give birth' to her as I never actually pushed her out and I don't know that feeling of giving birth naturally and having my baby put straight on my chest (as you see on one born every minute constantly). I am so happy I had a c-section as I have said, it saved her life and our bond is so strong I wouldn't change anything that happened for the world and I am proud of my labor and delivery. But there are many mothers in the world that really struggle with the fact they had to have a c-section and that is why the chance of PND is increased again making it clear that a c-section is not the easier option. 

Thank you for reading....
That's the end of this blog post I hope you enjoyed reading and if you can think of any other reasons or want to tell me about your c-section experience comment below. Or if you had a vaginal delivery comment about that too, I would love to know the difficulties that comes with that a c-section mother does not experience. No matter what kind of labor and delivery you went through, we should all support each other no matter what. Not to forget the dads out there who are also effected by this and any other ways family's can be started (surrogacy, adoption, IVF). Be kind to each other and I will see you soon readers, I hope this has made you rethink somethings.


Stay Happy Everyone :)!

(I do not own the images below) 

Fed is best.

Another highly requested blog post....
Hello there my readers! I hope you are all doing well! If this is your first time reading one of my blog posts, welcome! Today I am again writing another post that has been requested- my views on bottle vs breast and how you first establish feeding. I did touch on this in my breastfeeding blog post but I have been asked to go more in depth, so that's what I am doing. I hope you enjoy!

Figuring out feeding...
Before I even get into the whole "debate" I was asked by a reader how do you know what to do? When to feed the baby etc? This being something you only really find out when you have a baby - no matter how many parenting for idiot books you read. Being a mum who has now experienced both breast and bottle feeding I can put across how I figured it out as timing, routine etc is different with the two different types of feeding.

Breastfeeding- 
Breastfeeding is 100% on demand. You can try your hardest to time feedings but ultimately the baby is in charge. As far as I am aware from speaking to my midwife and health visitor (but don't quote me I am not a medical professional) you cannot over feed on breast milk and babies can feed every hour or more. Ella-Grace cluster fed, meaning she would be on and off, on and off my breast whenever she was awake. Partly for comfort and obviously because she was hungry. So to answer the question when it comes to breastfeeding you don't really know how much they are getting as you would when measuring a bottle and over-feeding is not possible so the timing and 'knowing what to do' isn't really a thing, you do as the baby demands. This being my knowledge from my experience. If you are worried about whether your baby is getting enough milk though (as I was when I came home from hospital) you can track feeds as well as dirty nappies that way you will get an idea of if your baby is getting enough. The way I did this was through an app on my phone where you would log each dirty nappy and time each feed. If Ella-Grace was feeding for longer than 10 mins and less than 1 hour then pulling away and having dirty nappies following this, I was assured that she was doing well. All babies are different though so as I said you really just have to listen to your baby and don't be scared to ask for help if you need to. The amount of questions I have asked the health visitor I'm surprised her head didn't explode haha.

Bottle feeding- 
Bottle feeding is a lot more scheduled, with set amounts and timings. On the formula tin it has guidelines as to how much your baby should eat and how often depending on their age. Ella-Grace (almost 4 months old) now has 180 mls, every 3-4 hours. I personally do not wake her up from her sleep for a feed every 4 hours, I know some people think you should but Ella-Grace has a good sleeping pattern now. She sleeps through the whole night and I don't want to mess that up and confuse her sleeping pattern by waking her up for a feed. Through the day though, yes she gets fed every 4 hours. You can overfeed on formula and formula fed babies are likely to get worse reflux and trapped wind (from what I can remember the health visitor telling me) so you do have to be careful with timings and not to overfeed your baby when on formula, hence why I feed her no less than 3 hours apart. I also burp her half way through her bottle now as she can struggle burping otherwise.

Again I am not a medical professional and I am NOT trying to tell you how to feed/look after your baby, I was asked to write about how a new mum figures out feeding hence why I am writing this. This is my experience and opinion.

Fed is best...
Referring to the title of this post 'Fed is best'. I decided to title it this instead of 'Breast is best' or Breast vs Bottle' because my belief is that feeding your baby, whether that is breast, bottle or both, that is really what is best and judging anyone based on how they are feeding their baby is no good for anyone, including the baby. So whatever way you feed your baby, well done your doing a great job.

Short recap on my feeding experience...
My last full post on feeding I was exclusively breast feeding Ella-Grace with the occasional bottle night from her Dad. Wow, how things can change. In Ella-Graces 3 month update I mentioned that I am now bottle feeding, no breast. Just before Ella-Grace was 2 months old she was having really bad reflux, which progressed to her not keeping down my breastmilk.. at all! She would feed, spew, feed, spew.. a never ending cycle. We then found out she was lactose intolerant and decided to try her on lacto-free formula which worked wonders, still a bit of reflux but she was keeping her food down. I adored breast feeding Ella-Grace and once I had cut all the dairy out of my diet I tried to wean her back onto the breast but even with all the pumping I did, my milk supply had drastically reduced and Ella-Grace was confused/upset with the lack of milk and switching between two different feeding methods. This is when Reece and I decided, bottle feeding was the way to go. Disappointing for me aas I was very keen to breastfeed Ella-Grace for as long as I could but now we have been bottle feeding Ella-Grace for almost 2 months now I do not regret our decision. It helped Ella-Grace and Reece bond more and to be honest Ella-Grace and myself are 10x calmer and happier, our routine is going well and I think this has been the best decision for our family.

Unnecessary Judgement...
I have touched on this subject in another blog post before so sorry if I am repeating myself but again this was what was requested of me and I am more than happy to oblige.
So to put it plain and simple my opinion on this debate over bottle or breast is-not to be rude but- mind your own business. So sorry if that sounds abrupt but I just think fair enough you have your own opinion on how you think children should be fed but unless someone asks for your opinion, keep that for your children. Don't push it on someone else or make someone else feel bad if their feeding arrangement for their child is different to yours. I have first hand experience in being judged for stopping breastfeeding and I cant explain how much that hurt, I adored breastfeeding and if I could of I would of continued for a very long time but it just wasn't meant to be. I would prefer my baby to be happy and gaining weight on bottle rather than spewing up my breast milk and screaming non stop just because 'breast is best. Don't get me wrong as I have said before my opinion is yes, of course breast milk is best. Your body makes that milk specifically for your baby but that in no way means bottle feeding mums should be judged or called bad mums for choosing that route of feeding. We should all be supporting each other because do you know what really matters? Not how a baby is being fed and whether you view that good or bad but that the baby is just being looked after thats what matters, that we are all trying our best as parents and whether that baby is breast or bottle fed, that baby is loved and with all the awful things that happen in the world and all the rotten things people can do judging fellow mums based on feeding when we are all just trying our best is not only ignorant but so very unkind. Stop this unnecessary judgement, start supporting each other.

So....
So the next time you see a mum bottle feeding their new born instead of judging the fact they are not breastfeeding, go over and say hi- you might make a friend. Next time you see a mum breastfeeding in public and you see people making comments, don't join the snarky remarks-stand up for your fellow mother. Cause we are all just doing the best we can and as someone said to me once, if your worrying whether your doing the right thing, whether you are a good mum or not.. you already are one. Cause at the end of the day no matter how each baby is fed, I can almost guarantee that they will all be so loved and cared for and that right there is what matters.
So stop this silly debate, it shouldn't be a debate. Forget about 'breast vs bottle' and just support each other and spread love, you never know what that mum and baby have been through. Everyone has a different story, we just have to care enough to not judge the cover.

Till next time...
I hope that makes sense, I know I kind of rambled on near the end there. Thanks again for reading and all the support I have received, Why not leave a comment and let me know your feelings on this topic? How do you feed your baby? Till next time.

Stay Happy Everyone :) !