Category: feeding

I’ve Stopped Eating Sugar

Ok, so the title is a little misleading.  I kind of have and kind of haven’t stopped eating sugar.  But I have made some big changes, and I thought I’d tell you about them!

I’ve always liked setting myself little challenges.  I love the idea of a monthly challenge, and have done them in the past.  But, have lagged a bit recently with ‘challenge Sam’!!  I noticed that I was slowly eating more and more sugar.  I was craving it.  I don’t get enough sleep, work hard, exercise, mother, and all that, and I just felt exhausted all the time and was reaching for the easiest thing to give me a boost – sugar!

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Mamia

Feeding a Toddler On The Go With #MamiaDaysOut

I swear my kids are bottomless pits!  They can eat and eat and eat, and still demand more!  I feel like I’m forever trying to figure out the best snacks to give them that keep them going for longer, while still being healthy.

We were really pleased to try out the Mamia range from Aldi.  This award winning 100% organic baby food range starts at just 59p, so it’s really affordable and great for on the go too.  And I’ve discovered it definitely isn’t just for babies.  Not only does Sienna (1 year old) love the range, but Ella (3 years old) does too.  In fact, our hamper of goodies was quickly pounced on by Ella, and she had a fruit pot open and eaten before I had put any of the food away!!

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Back to School with Hartleys No Added Sugar Jelly Pots

And, just like that, the summer seems to be coming to an end!  And parents all over the UK are quickly trying to get organised for back to school.  And this year, that includes me!  Ella will be starting pre-school next week.  While it’s not ‘big school’ just yet, it does signal the start of the daily school run, and a big change for Ella.  She can’t wait!

Ella will actually be having school dinners at pre-school.  But I’m sure the thought of having to fill lunchboxes is making many a parent come out in a cold sweat!  Especially when your aim is to get them to eat, and in doing so, eat the healthiest things possible.  Which is where the Hartleys No Added Sugar Jelly Pots come in super handy!!!

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Summer Days, Jumpoline and #EnjoyMoreWater

I’m loving the summer so far.  I really think summer days come more alive when you have young kids.  Mine have been in the garden constantly since the sun started showing its head a bit more.  We leave the back doors open in the kitchen and living room, and they’re in and out constantly.

One thing in particular that has proved a hit this summer was choosing to get a trampoline (or ‘jumpoline’ as Ella insists on calling it!!).  Ella is forever leaping up and down on it, or running round in circles.  And throwing her baby sister around with her jumps!  Sienna can’t walk yet, but she will crawl all over the trampoline, and lie down enjoying being bounced around by her sister!  They also love to load it up with all their toys, and spend ages on there playing with them!

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Weaning

Weaning – A Combined Baby Led Approach

We are now well and truly in to the weaning journey with Sienna, as she approaches 8 months old.  I’m not really one to be in a rush to start the whole weaning thing.  I know a lot of people can’t wait for their baby to have the first taste of solid food.  But for me, it’s one of those signals that the baby days are slowly coming to an end.  When they can manage proper food and not just milk.  When they suddenly seem so much more grown up, sat proud in their high chair.

With Ella, we took a mostly baby-led approach.  I fed her porridge and yoghurts, but otherwise she fed herself normal food.  I didn’t once puree anything or give her food from a jar or pouch.  As suggested with baby led, we started weaning her at 6 months.  Well actually, just before six months, as this meant her first taste of proper food was Christmas dinner!

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Breast vs. Bottle Feeding – My Experience

Before I start this post, I want to make it clear that it is in no way an argument for one side or the other.  I want to put across my experience of doing both and what I found the pros and cons to be personally (beyond the health benefits that get pushed to new mums).  The joy of modern technology is that we do have a choice how to feed our babies.  The important word being ‘choice’.  If you choose from day one to bottle or breast feed, that’s entirely up to you, and I completely respect that decision, particularly having done both!

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Those Newborn Days Are Gone

It’s just occurred to me today that I no longer have a newborn baby.

Sienna certainly doesn’t look newborn any more.  In fact, I think she only really looked newborn for around the first week of her life, as she is a big girl!  And she no longer acts like a newborn either.

I’ve not really acknowledged it happening, but the traits of that newborn stage are long gone too.  They say the first few months of a baby’s life should be classed as the fourth trimester.  They favour the conditions they are used to in the womb – white noise, being held close, their mother’s heartbeat.  Looking back over my Instagram pictures, so many of them are with Sienna fast asleep in my arms.  She wouldn’t be put down.  She wanted the comfort, and typically that comfort had to be me.

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breastfeeding

The End of Our Breastfeeding Journey

Sienna is just over three months old now, and our breastfeeding journey is coming to an end.

I’ve spoken a few times about Sienna’s fussiness.  She cries lots, struggles to settle, and has fussed during and after feeds.  To be honest, it was really starting to bring me down.  I was starting to feel that every waking minute had to be dedicated to her.  I could sometimes get away with putting her down once she fell asleep, but couldn’t dare leave the room, as the pram would need rocking if she stirred!

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Sienna at 10 Weeks – A Beautifully Fussy Baby

I’m not really a blogger who is likely to post a weekly, or even monthly, update about Sienna’s progress. But I think she’s at a point where there’s more to say about how she is doing, and how I’m doing too!!

Sienna turned 10 weeks old today. The last update I wrote, specific to Sienna, was at four weeks old, and it’s interesting to look back at how things have changed.

She’s growing brilliantly! She’s now 12lbs7oz, which is great for her age, just under the 75th centile. So my milk is doing the job!

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nursing pillow

Nursing Pillow from Pregnancy Pillows

I loved my L-shaped pillow from Pregnancy Pillows when I was pregnant! So, I was really pleased when they asked if I’d like to try out a nursing pillow too!

I opted for a sky blue pillow, and it is super soft and velvety.  And the cover is removable for ease of washing.  The nursing pillow is designed to fit around your waist to support the baby while either breast or bottle feeding, giving your arms freedom and comfort.

The one thing I have found handy about using the pillow to feed, is being hands free.  Though Sienna does have a habit of losing latch, so I do have to keep helping her out.  In all honesty, I’m more comfortable not using the pillow to support Sienna, but to the side to support my arm!  I find this works better for both of us.

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