Posted: July 26th, 2011 | Author: Leila | Filed under: Baby, Breastfeeding, Fashion (Post-Natal), Maternity Wear, Nursing, Pregnancy | Tags: breastfeeding, emma jane, Nursing, the bithing shirt co, Vertabaudet | No Comments »
If you are a new Mum, you might get very confused by the sheer number of products on the market for giving birth and especially breastfeeding. The one issue I was faced with when I gave birth was that I didn’t have any nursing clothes or products to support my breastfeeding. As you can imagine, when Alex came along, there was a huge rush.
Here are a few of my favourite bits n bobs that I have religiously used since giving birth:
The birthing shirt co
So lets start with the birth. There’s not a great deal you need other than something comfortable to wear during and after birth. I opted for
The Birthing Shirt Co nursing nighty. This fabulously versatile nighty can be used from pregnancy as an alternative to your usual nighty/ pjs as it’s roomy and incredibly comfortable. During labour it’s great as it’s loose fitting and it’s bamboo fabric allows is moisture absorbing and is breathable. I found the poppers at the top perfect for when Alex was born as it allowed me instant skin to skin contact and feeding. For post pregnancy it continues to support you during breastfeeding as it’s easy open top allows you to breastfeed at anytime. I found this shirt especially handy at night times as it kept me warm whilst breastfeeding.
In addition to this shirt, there were some nursing tops and bras that I just couldn’t do without. Emma Jane has to be one of my favourite brands from pregnancy through to post pregnancy. As well as using the Emma Jane maternity bras whilst pregnant, I had to try out the nursing wear they offered. The Emma Jane Nursing Top 826 is so soft and comfortable, together with the Emma Jane nursing bra made breast feeding exceptionally easy during the day. The top was a lovely soft feel bamboo material and has great functionality with an easy to do/ undo clip for quick and easy access whist breastfeeding. The top comes in back and white as does the bra.
Vertabaudet breastfeeding top
Last but not least is probably my favourite top to wear out, the
Vertabaudet nursing top in grey marl. I’m pretty sure everyone feels rather frumpy after they’ve given birth, I know I did, but this top looks great, covers the flab and has easy access openings to feed your baby. I felt smart and confident wearing this top as most maternity/ nursing wear can be rather dull. Definitely one to get all the colours in and a bargain at just £19 a pop!
In our next post, we’ll be looking at the Medela Swing and Calma bottle range. So keep checking back for more up to date parenting news!
Posted: May 16th, 2011 | Author: Leila | Filed under: Health, Pregnancy | Tags: dental care, dentist, philips, smilepod | No Comments »
After a short break away, we’re back! With some fantastic features for you.
Today we’re going to be talking about why good dental hygiene is especially important in pregnancy.
During pregnancy, it’s even more essential that you take care of your teeth. You’ll notice as your pregnancy goes on that your gums are much more likely to bleed when brushing and sometimes when eating. Pregnancy hormones are to blame for this – they cause swelling and inflammation, both of which will give you that sore, tender feeling. They also leave your mouth more vulnerable to bacteria and plaque which is why the extra care is needed.
Here are a few tips on dental care during pregnancy:
- Visit your dentist at least once during you pregnancy for a check up and a thorough clean.
- Brush and floss at least twice a day. Don’t forget the tongue as this will carry a lot of bacteria also.
- Ensure you are getting a decent daily calcium intake to keep your teeth in ship shape!
- Make sure if you’re suffering from any sickness during your pregnancy that you’re rinsing your mouth out afterwards.
- Invest in a softer bristle toothbrush if you find you are bleeding a lot. Aggressive brushing will not help your teeth, it will only cause you more pain and discomfort.
We all know that getting a dentist appointment can be a real chore sometimes.
There are times I have had to wait weeks for a check up, just because it wasn’t urgent. For those of you who are London based, there is hope!
Smilepod are a new ‘high street’ dentist, where you can walk in and be treated at reasonable rates. We went to try out Smilepod to see if their results matched their hype!
With stores in the City, West End and more recently, Canary Wharf, they have London pretty much covered! Their stores are welcoming and close to transport links, so if you are travelling in from outside London, you won’t have too far to go.
Prices start from £35 for a smile on the run, which is a 15 minute cleaning treatment. We tried out their High Gloss Diamond Polish which is £85 and takes around 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the patient. I have to admit, I was a little skeptical before the treatment as I have slightly overlapping teeth which I’ve always found hard to brush and so had yellowed over the years. However, when presented with the mirror afterwards, my teeth were whiter than I ever remembered them and felt so unbelievably clean!
For those of you who are smokers, there are specialist treatments for that also. The ‘Smokers Makeover’ is £125 and will leave you with lovely whites. They boast the best smokers clean in London! That’s quite a claim.
Overall, I think for the convenience and the price combined, Smilepod are great value. Not only do they offer cleaning, they offer straightening, protection and even facial treatments!
So, you have cleaned your teeth and now you want to keep that sparkle… Your toothbrush isn’t much to shout about… What do you do?!
Look no further than Phillips Sonicare range! I have never been one to buy a super expensive toothbrush, but after experiencing the Sonicare range, I was converted. I’ve been using the Sonicare Flexcare+ and I have been astounded by the results! You can pick them up at the moment half price at around the £100 mark. They’re not exactly cheap, but for the difference it’s made to my teeth and my daily routine, it’s certainly well worth the money.
Sonicare Flexcare +
The toothbrush has 5 settings:
- Clean: for maximum cleaning efficacy
- Gum care: improves gum health
- Refresh: perfect for the quick freshen-up
- Sensitive: extra-gentle on sensitive teeth
- Massage: to stimulate gums with an invigorating and pulsing motion
Other features of the brush include:
- UV sanitising storage
- travel case
- Multi-voltage travel charger
- 2 contoured brush heads
- 30 second interval changer
- 3 week battery life
- Patented sonic technology
Posted: April 4th, 2011 | Author: Leila | Filed under: Breastfeeding, Maternity Wear, Nursing, Pregnancy | 1 Comment »
Pregnancy is not the most glamorous of times, as most people can appreciate. Finding the right under garments can be a bit of a nightmare and during this time of huge change within your body, you want underwear that’s practical and supportive.
Being pregnant myself, I can appreciate how hard it is to find a nice brand that makes you feel more confident with your clothes off. Afterall, your body during pregnancy is beautiful, even if it doesn’t feel it!
Here are a couple of brands we swear by at Bumps ‘n’ Bubs:
Carriwell
Carriwell are a nursing and maternity brand who have been around for over 14 years and have expanded to over 30 countries world wide.
They have a wide range of products and styles. So no matter how you’re feeling, they have something to cater for your mood, from comfy seamless bras through to sexy lacy ones for those more intimate moments.
Carriwell’s latest addition is their organic range. The soft organic cotton is perfect for how sensitive your skin becomes when pregnant. The fabric is flexible and allows for any growth in your changing body and breasts.
Carriwell Organic Bra
The product of Carriwell‘s that I SWEAR by is their Seamless Maternity Support Band. What an absolute God send this has been! Since wearing this, I have felt so much more support and comfort. My growing bump hasn’t seemed too heavy and there really is a noticable difference in my lower back when wearing the band. Other than my Dreamgenii pregnancy pillow, this has got to be the best pregnancy item I own!
Carriwell - Maternity Bump Support
Carriwell are an affordable and great quality maternity brand. I would higly recommend them and their products. They can be found on various online retailers including Amazon.com.
Emma Jane
The other brand I have taken to wearing during my pregnancy is Emma Jane. Again, their bras especially are very comfortable and provide fantastic support. They have been in the maternity underwear business for 25 years, so they surely know their stuff!
The Emma Jane 311 Bra
Their swimwear is also great! They have a fantastic new Tankini, so no need to go to the pool or seaside showing more flesh than you’re comfortable with!
Emma Jane Swimwear
As with Carriwell, Emma Jane’s products are also very affordable and are available to buy from various online shops, including www.figleaves.com. See their full range on their website http://www.emma-jane.com
So two great maternity brands at affordable prices and everything you need to feel comfortable with your body during pregnancy.
Posted: February 23rd, 2011 | Author: Leila | Filed under: Fitness, Pregnancy | 1 Comment »
Meet Anthony Mayatt, owner of Breathe Fitness. Anthony is our resident Fitness Guru and will be bringing you some great fitness tips on a monthly basis. If you have any questions, please email fitness@bumpsnbubs.co.uk
Welcome to my first article here based on exercise and pregnancy. What I do want to stress first is that I would recommend hiring a qualified pre and post natal trainer if you are pregnant or just given birth so that you know you are in safe hands. There is safe exercise you can do on your own but if entering a gym then I would recommend having that trainer with you.
Benefits
These are the list of benefits to exercising during pregnancy
- Labour is perceived to be less painful (not proven)
- Improves circulation
- Reduces swelling
- Less weight gain
- Improves balance and posture
- Reduces cramps, aches and joint soreness
- Improves aerobic and muscular fitness
- Reduces post natal belly fat
- More rapid return to pre-pregnancy weight and strength
I am sure you are reading those benefits and thinking yes without a doubt I must exercise now I am pregnant. Before you do though you must follow these guidlines as you cannot just exercise the same way as everybody else due to physiological changes happening within your body.
- Try to exercise at least 3 x per week.
- Don’t exercise laying on your back after the first trimester (after 3 months)
- Don’t do exercises that mean a sudden change of direction.
- Avoid exercises that put trauma on the abdominal region i.e. crunches
- Try not to overheat and make sure you replace all lost fluids
- Warm up and cool down every single session.
- Consume enough calories roughly 300 additional calories a day to maintain metabolic homeostasis.
- Also do not hold your breath during exercises, if you havn’t exercised before then start very slowly and progress over time.
- MOST IMPORTANTLY consult your doctor regularly to make sure everything is progressing safely.
If you was to notice any small change in your body physiologically then stop exercise all together and seek advice of a doctor. This could be as small as a headache to bloody discharge. That is obviously a very severe problem and is very unlikely to happen but make sure you listen to your own body.
I am not going to post any actual exercises you can do as I feel it would be better to seek advice from a professional in person. It wouldn’t feel right to give you an exercise that you could preform wrongly by yourself and cause a problem.
Post natal
Ok so once you have given birth the main question I am always asked is how long should I wait before I can start exercising again. There really is no general time frame as it depends how healthy you were leading into the pregnancy. If you exercised during pregnancy then you can start immediately whereas if you stopped during pregnancy then it is best to start back very slowly and progress. Everyone should be able to do lower abdominal and pelvic floor exercises immediately to help to start strengthening up the core muscles. Aim to get out and walk more so that you can improve your cardio fitness and over time pick up your training even more. Over time you will notice your strength return then you will be able to do more with your exercise regime.
I hope this blog gave you some useful info away from the usual exercise list as I felt it was important for people to know a different side to when and how to exercise during and after pregnancy.
See you all soon for another blog!
Anthony Mayatt, Personal Trainer and Sports Scientist (BSc Hons)
www.breathefitness.uk.com
Follow on Twitter – @breathefit
Posted: February 22nd, 2011 | Author: Leila | Filed under: Launch, Pregnancy | Tags: dreamgenii, Pillow, Pregnancy, pregnancy pillow | 1 Comment »
Welcome to Bumps n Bubs, a new preganancy and parenting website for parents and parents to be everywhere! We’re kicking off with a review of the Dreamgenii Pregnancy support and feeding Pillow.
Sleeping can be a real pain during pregnancy – sometimes literally. The further along you get, the more uncomfortable and frustrated things can become – especially if, like me, you sleep on your front out of choice.
After the 12 week scan, everything became a lot more ‘real’ to me and although I wasn’t showing or feeling anything yet, I was petrified I was crushing my baby.
There are many different types of pregnancy pillows out there to choose from, however, the shape and length of the Dreamgenii appealed more to me. Up until I tried the DreamGenii, I was sleeping with a pillow lengthways under my belly and between my legs. Obviously, this wasn’t long enough by any means and most nights it would end up on the floor.
So, enter the DreamGenii…
Before I get into the official spiel, I’d like to start by sharing my personal experience with you on the Dreamgenii.
It comes neatly packaged in a plastic zip up carry bag, which makes it so much easier to carry around with you should you travel a fair bit. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not the smallest of packages, but it’s light and if you become as reliant on the pillow as I have, you’ll find this very useful.
The pillow comes with a plain white pillow case, but you can get some beautiful patterened ones from the website - I love the cherry one! The Dreamgenii has a short pillow to support your back and a long pillow to support your belly and fit comfortably between your legs, giving you extra comfort when sleeping. For those of you that normally sleep on your front, or right hand side, it really does help you sleep comfortably on your left (which is advised by doctors and midwives). This doesn’t mean you don’t have the ability to move or turn over in the night though. I started using the pillow at around 19 weeks and am currently at the 24 week stage, and can say hand on heart, the Dreamgenii has improved my sleep a great deal.
It does take some getting used to and when sharing your bed with your husband/ parner, it can take a bit of practice to snuggle up with eachother. Once we figured it out, it really didn’t get in the way.
So now the more medical explinations as to why the Dreamgenii is such a great addition.
Recommended by midvives across the UK, the Dreamgenii is the only specifically designed maternity pillow that will ‘adequately support back, bump and knees at the same time without taking up all of the room in the bed.’ Using the Dreamgenii from 20 weeks onwards encourages your baby to ‘adopt the optimal birth position which can mean a shorter and less painful labour.’
As if that wasn’t enough, once you’ve given birth to your little bundle of joy, the pillow can be used as a breastfeeding support pillow, giving you much needed support during feeding. Overall, I would highly recommend the Dreamgenii. In fact, I think I’m probably going to find it hard to give up even once I give birth! An easy full marks from me.
They’re available from their website, priced £45.99. For our US readers, you can buy one from www.dreamgeniiusa.com
priced at $69.95
