Pregnancy
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After wanting to start this business for the last ten years, being pregnant felt like the most perfect timing.
My insight to my ‘Loved by Laura‘ list took on a whole new meaning, whilst I prepared the nursery, choose the pram, car seat and made all those important decisions for my little one.
I was very lucky to have a straight forward pregnancy, apart from him being too cosy in there and not wanting out even at 42 weeks!
Here are just a few things that I have LOVED on my pregnancy journey;
BBHugme pregnancy pillow
Oh my goodness this is a complete game changer!
I was initially put off by the price tag but it is worth every penny. It is a long pillow that supports from head, baby bump, knees and ankles. It is SO supportive and moulds to your changing body shape. I started using it when I was 20 weeks and still use it now and Nico is four months old! My other half also loves it and i’m considering buying another for him as I get up in the night to go to the loo and find him on it when I return.
I didn’t have any sleep issues with my pregnancy and i’m sure that the pillow had a part to play in that.. or maybe i’m just very good at sleeping! It is also great support for on the sofa, I put it around my waist.
I use the pillow now as Nico is four months old and loves to sit supported onto the pillow.
There is a video review coming soon on my YouTube page For You And Your Baby.
Belly Bandit B.D.A Bra
I LOVE products that are multi use and this bra is exactly that. I bought one in the early weeks of pregnancy as my breasts changed so much, I needed a bra that would change with my body! The B.D.A is for Before, During and After pregnancy. It is a lovely soft wireless bra that gives you the support you need. It is also possible to feed with it, although I do prefer the straps that clip down.
I have also had a great experience at the shop Bravissimo where they measured me and had a great selection of non wired bras.
www.bravissimo.com
Jo Jo Maman Bebe also has a great selection for pregnancy – join their VIP maternity online and you can get 15% off your purchases.
www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk
Marks & Spencer longer length vests
I love to wear vests with a shirt and I soon noticed that my vests were becoming too short with the growing bump. I have been buying these M&S vests in a size bigger than my usual size and in the ‘longer length’. They have saved my wardrobe! I am still wearing them now as even though they are not ‘feeding vests’ its easy to pull it down to feed. They have been brilliant.
www.marksandspencer.com
H&M Maternity wear
My personal favourite for maternity clothes has been H&M, I find their over bump jeans really comfortable. I am currently loving the denim shirt too – when I was in the store a lovely mum came over to me and said, ‘buy that shirt, it covers everything!’ Its such a great purchase!
Is it ok to admit that Nico is four months old and I’m still wearing my maternity clothes!?
Glass or BPA free water bottle
I really noticed that I needed to up my daily water intake in pregnancy. I would definitely recommend buying a water bottle that you can keep near you at all times. My skin has been particularly dry, but with increased water intake it improves a lot.
With breastfeeding now I need water constantly by my side.
Bump to Birthday – Pregnancy & first year journal
I actually bought this lovely journal in my early weeks when I found out I was pregnant. I should have started filling it in at that point, but my fear of losing baby kicked in and it stayed on the shelf. I am now working backwards through the weeks, remembering the first little kick just before the 20 week scan.
I started taking weekly photographs in my underwear at 17 weeks and I am loving looking at my changing body and bump.
I love the app ‘Baby Pics’ which I have previously used to add text to baby photos, milestones etc – but its great for pregnancy as you can add what week you are and it shows you the size of baby with a fruit etc.
The Baby Show
I have always loved The Baby Show, seeing all my favourite brands and new products. I feel its a great place to go in pregnancy. I love listening to the speakers and they have ‘speaker corner’ where you can go and ask any questions you have.
Its also a great place to try out prams you love on the ‘buggy test track’. There are lots of free samples and offers to be had. Its a great day out.
The Positive Birth Company
I have also completed with my partner an incredible online Hypnobirthing course by the amazing Siobhan from
‘The Positive Birth Company‘.
It is a huge resource of Empowering information, six hours worth of videos that you can watch in your own time. I can honestly say that it shifted my mindset in a HUGE way. From my work I was full of ‘other people’s’ birth stories which were not ones that I wanted to keep in my mind. In my first trimester I was looking at booking an elective C section, in the second I wanted a hospital birth and in my final trimester I was exploring the idea of home birth! All thanks to this course.
The course is £35 and includes videos, positive affirmations and relaxing MP3’s. Myself and my partner are enjoying it so much.
I have also purchased the ‘positive affirmation’ cards for birth which are gorgeous mini cards with the most beautiful affirmations. I had them around the house and had them packed in my birth bag for positive reminders in labour.
Even though I ended up with a C section at 42 weeks, everything that I had learnt in the course was great. The breathing techniques really helped me in the surgery and I felt so calm.
You can read more about my birth story on my Instagram Highlights.
www.thepositivebirthcompany.co.uk
NCT Classes
I was unsure whether to sign up for NCT but heard that its so good for meeting like minded people at a similar stage of pregnancy.
I have to say its been brilliant for the exact above reason. I have now a whats app group with six other amazing ladies who have become my lifelines over the last four months. Its so good to have that close group of people all going through the exact same journey. It can really give you light and can help lift you out of the newborn ‘fog’ when things become challenging.
I also attended the free classes at my local hospital which I was really impressed with, the NHS was incredible me during my pregnancy. I felt really cared for and there was always someone there to help/ listen to my needs.
Pregnancy supplements
I took the Zita West Supplements throughout my pregnancy, they are designed specifically for each trimester.
Trimester one – 0-12 weeks
Trimester two – 13 to 28 weeks
Trimester three – 28 to 40 weeks
When I was in the third trimester I introduced a daily PROBIOTIC. I have also just added in an omega 3 supplement on advice from Zita West.
The daily Optibac probiotic is my personal choice but there are lots of brands which also have vitamins if you want to combine. There is a lot of research in the benefits of taking a probiotic in your last trimester to help little ones gut flora, especially if you need to have antibiotics during birth.
Skincare & Massage oil
At the beginning of my pregnancy I just used my normal body moisturiser which is actually Child’s Farm. I am prone to dry skin and I love this as an all over body moisturiser.
The Expert Midwife
I was gifted the most amazing products from ‘The Expert Midwife’. I am absolutely loved the ‘Fantastic Skin Elastic’ massage cream for my tummy. Other brands I used were too oily and actually caused irritation but this one is in a league of its own. I didn’t get any stretch marks.
Another product that I am going to start using was the ‘Peri Prep your bits’ – Perineal massage is recommended from 34 weeks and can reduce risk of tearing so I think its definitely worth a try. As I had a C section I didn’t in fact need this but was good to be prepared.
I also have some products to try after baby has been born, I have heard such amazing reviews about the ‘Spritz for Bitz’. This is a cooling, healing spray for aiding recovery after vaginal or c section birth. I think its a must for the birth bag! I didn’t end up using this but have also heard that it can be a great natural remedy for thrush.
Group B Streptococcus testing kit
I have ordered this kit from:
Email – gbs@tdlpathology.com and they will send you out the kit for free for you to use at the right time.
This test is not offered as part of the NHS but you can do yourself after 35 weeks and send off for the results.
It is a self swab test that you can do from 35 weeks and see if you carry Strep B – if you do, this just means you needing antibiotics during labour. If you are unaware that you have it it can pass to your baby and make them very unwell so for me its a great test to do for peace of mind.
Stem Cell and Tissue Collection
This is something that I have always wanted to do for my baby – its an investment like no other! Health is everything.
I was so kindly gifted this by the amazing Biovault who arranged a Phlebotomist to come to the hospital and take the blood from the cord and the tissue to store for Nico for 25 years.
For more information see their website and my Instagram.
Birth bag
It is advisable to start packing your birth bag at around 34 weeks, I started around then as my friends had had early babies and it felt good to be prepared.
If you are having a home birth, its still great to have everything packed just in case you need to go to the hospital at any stage.
A good tip is actually for your partner to pack it for you as he/she will be the one that needs to find exactly what you need when you need it!
I hope you are feeling well at which ever stage you are at – If you are on your fertility journey, always have hope.
Video on what to pack coming soon to my Youtube channel ‘For You And Your Baby’.
Fertility acupuncture
I found Acupuncture an amazing part of my fertility journey. If you are Sussex based, Mo at the unity clinic in Burgess Hill is a wonder;
My twice a month sessions were a godsend, Mo really gave me an insight to what my body was doing, and not doing each month. I started taking my basal body temperature every morning and tracking it on an app which really empowered me to understand what was happening in my body.
I also started taking Zita West Supplements to support my ovulation, for me this one really helped regulate my cycle –
My other half researched when we were trying to get pregnant into the difference between Folic acid and Folate – Folate is the more natural form and much better for your body.
I honestly didn’t believe it when the test said ‘pregnant’, and even now Nico is here, I am grateful every single day. The greatest blessing.
Love always, Laura and Nico xxx
