Pregnancy the good, the bad, the ugly  First trimester  So I have been pregnant and or breastfeeding for a full consecutive 4.5 years (since 2015) so I feel fully self qualified to write this blog (I am not a midwife this is purely a mum blog). Currently pregnant with baby no. 4 (I will have 3 under 4 in a matter of 13 weeks). So here’s the thing not every mama will glow up! In fact most don’t I don’t even think I did with my first ( if you are going to glow it will be in your first pregnancy when your not bedraggled with kids hanging off you like a chimpanzee). Pregnancy is not pretty, we draw the short straw an the fellas get the easy ride don’t you think? Even from the moment of conception.... First things first about when them little two lines appear around 4-5 week comes the sickness - most girls get sickness and or nausea at least for the first 12 weeks (which isn’t pleasant). However a select lucky few get hyperemesis gravidum which is serve sickness to...

In my life time I’ve had 3 c -sections (non through choice) which would of cost £6040 per section an 2 night stay. Two of my babies were in for 12 days stays each so you can imagine the money that could have been spent if we didn’t have the NHS!!! I’ve had to stay in hospital literally countless times with all three of my babies. I have received gold standard care free of charge! No need to worry, no insurance needed. Two out of my three children spent time in neonates! Which would of cost upwards of £35000!  (That’s well over the average years salary in the UK) Tell me someone who could afford that but you have no choice when it’s your child’s life you would pay anything, but where would you source this money would you sell your home? Then have nowhere to live? Well this could be a stark reality soon! If we loose the NHS due to Tory austerity. One of my daughters has a life long condition which she needs medication every day of her life (the medication is free an will be free ...

As it comes to the end of baby loss awareness week I just wanted to share how I feel because it is such a taboo subject. I want to try an normalise grief    and allow bereaved parents to grieve freely and without judgement if I can.... Every year October consumes me with grief I am not a nice person! Not only is it baby loss awareness week but my son was born in October. I feel it creeping up on me and    I can’t do anything about it no matter how hard I try to distract myself it’s still there like a black dog waiting around every corner. The smallest thing sets the tears off, my heart actually aches for my baby who will never be here. It could be a song, smell, a memory or someone else telling me their story. But after 9 years every October I let myself open the box that is locked away in my heart. I’ve learned to control it in a weird way it has taken along time a lot of panic attacks a lot of bad days a lot of events i couldn’t go to due to other people’s bab...

Part time working mum  What’s your job? Oh I only work part time.... But is that really true? The average full time working week in the uk is 37.5 hours.  The average part time working week is around 20 hours per week. There is 168 hours in each week. How many hours do you think you work as a part time working mum?  How much money do you think you save your family by being at home part time?  Laundry- say a single load of washing takes 1.5 hours to wash and dry then another 20 mins to fold and put away that’s 2 hours just for one wash. So if you do 6 washes per week that is 12 hours (6 washes per week is nothing in our house my machine is on twice a day with everything from accidents to messy play)! If you were to pay for this service it costs around £4.50 per load not including drying that would be around £27 per week! Cooking - I probably spend a hour cooking each day ( that would be 7 hours per week) possibly more on a Sunday so there ...

Holidaying with children under a certain age can be a difficult task for any parents but I’ve compiled a list of little hints an tips    by no means is this the right way but I’d thought I’d share our experiences. Our two are nearly 3 & nearly 1! So the airport is a nightmare even our eldest said so herself (which made me laugh- travelling with two bambino’s is 100 x more stressful than just the one) Anyway we got extra baggage allowance to check in - therefore not taking extra hand luggage well that was the plan) We still had a double pram, baby carrier, my hand bag, Lee’s “man bag” and Doll’s backpack - which she obviously didn’t want to carry. So after the carry on of getting 2 out of the 3 bags, Lee & Doll searched an drug swabbed we were all set to get to the nearest bar!!  Two pints of your finest please barmaid! Drink them quickly as both babies will not want to sit for long also feed them in the airport, and get snacks an butties from boots ...

National neonatal mental health week I am a mum to three our first baby was very poorly and unfortunately died we now have two more little ones but I still think about those 12 days on the neonatal unit and yes it definitely impacted on mental health. I am also a neonatal nurse which is my passion since having my first baby. I just wanted share my experience on both sides of the coin.  I have nursed neonates all over the north west for the last three and a half years being part of many babies different journeys. Watching parents as they go to hell and back but also being there for many tears of joy. I do feel very privileged to do the job I do sharing moments that are so raw with emotion. You see neonatal units are different to any other ward to me it feels like walking into a womb! With a comforting smell (usually freshly washed sheets and toast). Weather your stay is short or long it affects you!  When most    families see the two little pink l...