Forcep Delivery...dont be scared!

I really wanted to write this post because one of my biggest fears when I was pregnant were the dreaded forceps. 

My problem is I like to do my research a little too much and when it came to labour and delivery that was no exception, I watched every possible episode of One Born Every Minute, looked at all the labour and delivery posts online and on Youtube. I think I must be a qualified midwife the amount I learnt in that 9 months hahaha. 

I wanted to prepare myself for any and every possibility whilst in labour, but somewhere in the back of my mind I kind of always knew I would need some help. Call me psychic if you like, I also predicted Finley's arrival 3 days before he was born, I was talking to my dad and said that he would appear before the end of the week and he arrived that Sunday at 11:45pm!

Anyway, the amount of horror storys I read about forcep and assisted deliveries was unbelievable, it was like there were no positive experiences out there. Even the episode of One Born Every Minute shown a week before my labour was a horrific forcep emergency that I couldn't even watch. I wont go into detail because if your reading this you have probably already seen/read or really do not want to know.

On the 15th January 2012 and after 2 hours of pushing with no sign of Finley making an entrance the decision was made for me to have a forcep delivery. 'oh crap'.

But it was far from what I expected, I had already had an epidural so I couldn't feel any pain and I was led back so my eyes were averted.

The doctor came into my delivery suite and chatted about what he was going to do, no rushing or any pressure. I wasn't wheeled off anywhere, I just stayed in my room which really helped because the environment was familiar and the same midwife stayed by my side the whole time.

I will go into a little detail here (do not read Dad if you don't want too much information) Skip this if you just do not want the details. 
My legs were raised for the doctor but by this point you really wont be bothered, I had been examined by 4 people 2 of them men....crikey!My dignity was definitely left at the door and picked up a few days later on the way out.

They advised me they had to do a small cut to allow room for the forceps, jeez people - they said it was the equivalent to a 2nd degree tear. Then calmly they advised they were inserting the first forcep - No pain at all. All I felt was a strange squeaking and rubbing sensation, imagine getting a teaspoon and running the edge along the roof of your mouth. Not painful just weird. Then within what seemed like seconds the 2nd forcep was on and we were ready. You still have to push but the doctor does most of the hard work to get the head out. It probably took less than a minute for Finley to arrive, I couldn't believe how easy that was. 

All I wanted to say was don't be scared by the thought of having an instrumental delivery, people are hardly ever shown or told about a happy assisted birth but I'm here to start a trend. 

Finley does have a little scar near his ear but it looks more like a dint, nothing major. He had a cone head but that was more down to my waters going early and was wedged in my cervix.

I will put a few pics of his little cone head and forcep burn below. His rash went within a week or so and his head settled down after a few weeks. He now has the roundest head ever hahaha. 

I really hope this gives at least one person that 'yes, its not that bad' feeling and gives you the courage to not panic and enjoy your labour and delivery regardless :) people only ever tell you scary stories about their friends sisters cousins labour but make sure you tell them about this one and how it was so much better than expected.

I would love to hear your stories and also if you had a similar experience to me? Comment, email or tweet me at beautylifebaby.

You can see the slight forcep line on his cheek

Nothing too major - just a little mark

3 days old with his cone head - the dried blood was from an internal monitor

Finley now with his tiny scar by his left ear

Love Kayleigh x

Hmmmm have my waters broken?

I want to post this on here because I asked the same question back in January and got the wrong answer.

My due date was the 3rd February 2012 but ended up having Finley on the 15th January at 37 weeks and 2days, see don't believe all those 'overdue' first time mum stories.
I can't put my finger on the exact date my waters broke but from memory it would have been around 2 weeks before I went into labour.

Lets set the scene, I was 35 weeks pregnant getting up 2/3 times a night to wee and already starting to feel pressure on my bladder like never before. It was the ritual 2am night time wee and as I stood up it felt like I did a little wee had escaped before I had chance to go, 'oh frigin heck, the weeing myself has started' I thought. I went to the toilet as normal and back I hopped into bed. As I led there the thought crossed mind 'could that have been my waters?' nooooo when peoples waters break its a huge gush, right?

That morning I had that same wee urge as I stood and it felt like I was desperate for the toilet. Ever since that night I had an urge to go for a wee 24/7 but how do I say this politely 'I didn't ever wet myself it just felt like that sensation'. Is this getting too much information already? Oh dear, wait till my labour and delivery post.

It became a running joke at work that I was weeing every hour and on my last day they even put some leaving posters in the toilet because I spent half my time there haha. I still worked right up till the end, 2 days before I had him :)

A little creased, they were all over the toilets hah

At home I took my usual stance and the laptop and of course googled 'have my waters broken'? All these results came back with no, don't worry, its the babies last growth spurt and he is pressing your bladder like never before. All these mums commenting saying that they went to the hospital only to say they got sent straight back home. There were so many comments saying that if your waters have gone you will leak if sat on the toilet, you will be wet all the time, there will be a distinct smell and colour - well none of these applied to me so off I went assuming I was just becoming one of those constant weeing pregnant women. 

I left work on the Friday with cards and present bags galore ready for a few weeks rest before my due date, but no i'm not allowed to rest according to Finley and I woke up in labour on Sunday! 

In the hospital they examined me and took ages, they were feeling for waters but I didnt have any. My waters had broken, Oh crap I thought I hope he is okay. Luckily for me he was but he did have to be given antibiotics for 3 days and it meant a longer stay in hospital, but luckily he had no infection :) 

I wanted to write this for all you 'Kayleighs' out there that answered no to all the questions online and thought you will be fine. Yes you probably will be but I wish I had gotten it checked out sooner, just pop along to hospital and you will either know if your waters have gone or if you are just plain old weeing your pants! 

I hope this post will help someone out there ; I would be interested to hear from you if you had a similar experience to me or if your waters exploded in the middle of Tesco. Let me know?

Love Kayleigh x

Clothing Christmas Haul

I have realised that I am much more Christmas obsessed than I first thought....another post in September.

The other day whilst browsing online I had a look to see if anywhere had any festive fancy dress in stock...I cant resist a bit of fancy dress. I didn't see anything earth shattering but I did find some Christmassy gems in Next.

The first thing I spotted were these snuggly sleepsuits

The Fairisle print on the left is far more up my street, I love the retro feel and if they made this in Adult size I would have it on right this minute. The second is a red and black stripey Christmas pud number, very cute and could be worn by little girlies too. 

 Both sleepsuits are in the size 9-12 months and came in a two pack for £12

By the time these were in my basket I went Christmas mad and decided to get Finley's Christmas Day outfit.  Here we have just a standard pair of jeans as he had none in his 9-12 month box of clothes, the best T-shirt ever and an adorable Christmas Pudding hat. 

Ignore all creases - They had just been de-parceled

The T-shirt has that wonderful Retro feel with the Fairisle heart, it is long sleeved for chilly December days but not too thick you can never let your baby wear it inside. 

The jeans are just a standard pair of denim elasticated waist band jeans...great feel and very soft for easy movement. I tend not to dress Finley in jeans at home, I always find them restricting so he is often seen sporting loungewear indoors....just like his mum and dad (Comfy pants are the way forward).

Finally there are not enough cute describing words (adjectives for you English teachers out there) in the world to go into detail on this bobble hat. Who wouldn't want to put this on your baby at Christmas, that's right nobody! I bought this is size 6-12months but because of Finley's 95th centile head it is a little snug, I'm sure if will be fine and I can always adjust if needed. It has a woollen knit look and a huge oversized red pom pom on top. I'm swooning already. 

I tried to get Finley to model the hat for you all but he was too interested in scooting in his walker so excuse the blurry pic. 

I still have two other things that are due to be delivered tomorrow but they are not Christmas related - surprisingly.

Let me know if your planning on getting any Christmas clothing? I would love to see it.

Love Kayleigh x

Sippy Cup Top Trumps

I was sat here trying to come up with a cool idea on how to review these two sippy cups without the obvious humdrum same old same old blog post, my original idea was 'Sippy Wars' but that seemed slightly ott for a baby blog. So I have settled on 'Sippy Cup Top Trumps'

The two sippy cups that are battling it in the face off are - 

1. The Nuby Grip and Sip (Old Skool Version) Even though this is the older version you can still get yours here

&

2. The Thermos Foogo - buy yours here

Both Sippys will be rated out of 10 in a number of categories and the winner will be the one with the highest score at the end. Easy Peasy.

Are we all ready....lets play Sippy Cup Top Trumps*cue X-factor style lighting change and dramatic music*

I'm going to start off shallow and judge them both on their looks (something never allowed on people....okay?) I would say both are appealing to the eye and look great, the Nuby cup has the funky edge where the Thermos is sleek looking with eye catching stainless steel. Personally I prefer the look of the Thermos mainly because it doesn't look like every other sippy cup out there....but read on further to see why there probably isn't another one like this on the market. 

Score Time - Looks

Nuby - 7

Thermos - 9

Next I will look at practicality - Both will score similar in this category as they are easy to take apart, easy to wash and both a handy size to place in your Baby bag. Neither of these cups leak and hold a very similar amount of water. 

Score Time - Practicality 

Nuby - 8

Thermos - 8

Now its time to look at the special features of each of the cups. Lets start with Nuby, as the cup is made of clear tinted plastic it is lightweight and easy for babys to lift and take a sip. You can easily see how much water your baby has had or if they need more. The best feature for me is the soft squishy plastic spout, it is so flexible and soft, something a must have for first time sippy users. Right lets take a gander at the Thermos, the insulated layer on the cup gets a big thumbs down from me. Apart from looking good I don't see any other use. Finley is not going to be stopping by at Starbucks anytime soon for a morning Latte with extra caramel syrup. Yes he might want cool water but I don't think he will mind it a few degrees warmer than it was a few hours ago. Hmmmmm I'm not sold on this thermos dealio. Also (sorry Thermos) you cannot see inside to have a nosey what is left and the insulated layer adds so much weight for tiny baby hands. 

Score Time - Speciality Features 

Nuby - 8 

Thermos - 4 :( 

Last but not least the most important category - Which cup does Finley prefer. 

I can rant on about sippy cups all night but im not the one who uses them so this part of the test belongs to Finners. 

He has used both cups loads of times but from my observations I have seen that he uses the Nuby cup far more confidently. He tends to struggle with the weight of the Thermos and also has problems when his nose is pressed against the lid. With the Nuby he can chew the flexible spout and  his nose squishes into the lid with no problem. 

Finley's scores 

 Nuby - 9 

Thermos - 6

I think we have a winner and that is Nuby with a total of 32 to Thermos who scored 27 - not a lot in the scores and this is just my opinion on both cups. I imagine the Thermos cup may be more handy when he is older but Nuby is the champion of Sippy Cups Top Trumps. 

I just wanted to quickly touch on price, the new version of the Grip and Sip is avalible on Nuby.co.uk for only £2.99. The Thermos I have linked above is showing as £16.89 WOW! I would say shop around as prices will vary.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this? Do you want to see more product related top trumps?

Love Kayleigh x

The cutest Christmas bag ever

Hi Everyone, as you probably know by now I have started planning for Finley's first Christmas and browsing ever website for anything festive and cute. 

One of my most favourite websites is notonthehighstreet.com I love how you browse through thinking "oooo that would be great in the bathroom, ooooo Matthew would love that" or "this is in the kids section but I want it for me". From what I have seen it is very similar to Etsy as in there are multiple sellers that offer some pretty cool stuff. 

As I browsed through the site one item caught me eye - this lovely little canvas Christmas bag from the seller 3 Blonde Bears :) 

I love the rustic feel of this bag, how his name is all raggedy and the Jolly Father Christmas just tops it off for me. I wouldn't say this is an alternative to a stocking as its around 20cm by 26cm, but I would say it is plenty big enough for your Christmas sweets and choccys or even better to put on your table for friends and family!

I think it will look blooming well lovely nestling under our tree all stuffed to the brim with treats - I'm getting so excited. I'm thinking of getting one for Matthew and I so we all match.

You can purchase yours here for £7 including delivery -  there are different designs to choose from and the seller offers allsorts of other lovely personalised items, including stockings, present sacks and babygrows.

I have added the business card info I got incase you want to get in touch with them - sorry its all crinkled, Finley got his hands on it tut tut tut.

Let me know what you have started buying if anything yet for Christmas? 

Love Kayleigh x

My Number 1 must have for baby.....

This might not be everyone's 'must have' but for me Muslin Squares are something that I couldn't have lived without.

From birth Finley has suffered from severe reflux and a possible milk intolerance which equals lots of sick! I could guarantee that during and after every feed he would be sick. Poor little Finners. 

One of the best buys ever were these Muslin Squares from Tesco. We have around 30 and trust me that is not over kill - we could go through 10 a day on a normal day. 

They are still in great condition after being washed over and over and over, however they do shrink slightly after the first wash but I dont think that is a problem....if anything is makes them much softer.

Finley showing off his Muslin squares

Even though Finley has got a little better with his reflux he is still sick almost daily and they are always on hand. However on another note I would not recommend the little burp cloths made out of fabric, they are tiny, not very soft and do not absorb anything. Dont waste your money on them as you will never get any use other than using them as a dishcloth.

I would rave all day about Muslin Squares so make sure if your pregnant you go out and grab them now - not the most beautiful baby purchase but definitely one of the best.

Let me know your thoughts? Do you have a baby that suffers from Reflux or a Milk Intolorence?

Love Kayleigh x

We have teeth

If i had been writing this blog as I should have been from the beginning you would know that Finley was teething from around the 3 month mark. *slaps wrist for not updating blog*

Drooling all over me and his Dad, Rosy cheeks galore and a developing a new finger chewing obsession, I was convinced that his teeth were on there way. Boasting how he would be one of those boys with 4 teeth before 6 months. Wow how wrong was I. 

 Here is a little pic of Fin when he was 4 months looking all flushed in teething hell

I was constantly checking those gums for little teeth and with every little change I was shouting "Matt, I think we have a tooth" or "he will defo have teeth this time next week". Alas that day would not come for months yet. Oh and our 'friend' Google has a lot to answer to as well, most sites saying by 6 months he will have two bottom teeth. I blame myself for being a persistent googler!

So at the 7 month or so mark I heard Marie Bits and Clips mention that Scarlet didn't get any teeth till after her 1st Birthday so I thought I better just relax and see what happens. I was determined to not be phased by the lack of peggies and just enjoy every gummy moment Finley and I had :) 

He loves his Nuby key teether but uses it more as a maraca and never chews on it. Until a few weeks ago I saw him gnawing on the handle and biting so hard his gums were squeaking. I had the obligatory feel on the gum and there is was *firework moment* THE TOOTH! Well not a tooth as such just a little hard sharp lump. Yay - that day was the 10th September 2012, Finely was just short of 8 months old.

Finley was very excited about his first tooth  - Excuse the quality it was still a little dark in the morning

 Matt and I were so excited that the day had come and Finley showed another sign of growing into a big boy. But the googler in me couldn't help but then type 'after the first tooth when does the second come through' I thought I have waited so long for this one now the moment is here i'm already searching for the next milestone - is this something that you do? Relax Kayleigh I thought, it will come when he is ready!

But yesterday on the 25th September 2012 his bottom right tooth appeared :) 15 days after the first. I'm sure they will keep popping up all over from now on. 

I was looking at Nubys Facebook site recently and they posted this very handy chart - I wish I had seen it earlier to save my worries

So what have I learnt - Finley's milestones and development will happen when he is ready - no amount of Googling will speed it up. A more relaxed approached is needed - lets see if it happens! 

Do you have the same approach with your little ones, is Google your friend? Let me know I would love to hear.

Love Kayleigh x

Finleys Favourite.....

I would like to run a regular post every so often on Finley's favourite 'thing' of that week or month. 

It could be absolutely anything from toys to food to games or even a strange habit. 

This week I will mention a few things that he is currently loving,

First off his favourite song, you may be expecting a pop song with an overly catchy tune but no not Finley. He is in love with a song called "French Navy" by Camera Obscura. Have a listen, you will probably recognise it from the sponsorship ad on Come Dine with Me. 

I could put it down to him having cultured taste and already loving music with meaning, but the likely explanation is that I have a un-healthy obsession addiction love for Come Dine with Me and he hears that 3 second Echo Falls ad almost daily.

Another love at the moment for Finley is the cats, great for him not so much for our 2 felines that are getting 'stroked' by tiny grabby baby hands.

He has always had his eye on them but recently he loves to interact with them and reaches for them when they pass by, giggles at them and smiles if they come over to say hello. We are trying to teach him to stroke gently but at the moment he just grabs the biggest clump of fur or an ear. They are so patient and we always supervise cat play so in no time im sure he will learn the basics :) 

Little Grabby and Mr T

Quick snooze on the couch with Mr T

What are your little ones Faves of this month?

Love Kayleigh x

Is there a money saving stigma?

My answer to that question is no not at all. 

Yes it is 2012 and we're in the 21st century but I still think that being thrifty is key for daily living especially when you have a baby.

I just want to give you an insight into what I do to save a few pounds here and there, trust me you will get addicted and never want to pay full price for anything ever again. 

All you need to do is ask my Husband how long it takes me to checkout online for anything and he will tell you it takes forever! Why? Because I'm on the search for discount codes, I would say 80% of the time I manage to find an active code online to get a % of the total price or free delivery. I just type into Google "discount code for ...." and usually the first couple of results list the newest codes. YAY! 

Another is having a gander on Martin Lewis - my all time favourite money saver is the Amazon Discount Finder you can save a small fortune with the loopholes. Also take a look on the forums - there are thrifters galore who can give you advice on anything from money worries to freebie grabbing. 

If you have coupons use them, some big supermarkets accept them against any item in store rather than what the original coupon is intended for. 

Don't fall for the obvious offers! Yes, sometimes you can save on multibuys and BOGOF offers but the majority of the time supermarkets are clever and tempt you to buy more than you need or, the item was cheaper before it was on offer! Cheeky Monkeys! 

Don't pay for delivery if you don't have too - Play.com offer free delivery on all items but be aware that delivery can take a week or more sometimes. Also if you are looking for books, click on the used section (just under the pic) - They are less than half the price and have only been read once or twice. Bargain! 

These are just a handful of general money saving tips I do without even noticing anymore. Once you get into the habit of taking a few extra minuets online bargain hunting you will preach the gospel of 'thrift' forever more. 

Coming soon - A dedicated post to baby thriftyness :) 

Do you save money when shopping or even on your debt? Let me know your tips and tricks 

Love Kayleigh x

Our Little Finners

I thought I better make a post to properly introduce you all to Finley. 

Finley Christopher Derek Bamber was born on Sunday 15th January 2012 at 11:45pm.

He was a little eager to meet us all and ended up being just short of 3 weeks early. He weighed in at 5pounds 15ounces (which has always baffled me because I thought the scale topped off at 14 Ounces?) Anyway he was a lot smaller than expected, I think the highest weight guessed on the sweepstake at work was knocking on 11pounds! Crikey - I must have that look about me haha. 

Anyway I will write a more detailed post on the lead up to labour and the delivery itself soon :) 

I will leave you with some lovely snaps of the one and only Finley

Love Kayleigh x

Only a few hours old - look at those milk spots :)

A couple of days old - wrinkled and crinkled

     

Cheeky Chops 6 months later

Instagram Obsession

Does anyone else have a slight obsession with Instagram, I know I do.

I love the ease of just whipping out my phone, mainly taking pictures of Finely then putting a retro filter over the top making it look 30 years old! Makes no sense but I love it. 

My username is - Kayleighpebble 

come on over and follow me

Here are a few of my faves

Love Kayleigh x

Am I about to talk about Christmas in September...

Well the answer to that question is yes, im sorry but im just too darn excited. 

Im not sure why but for some reason this year I have had the 'Christmas Urges' (yes that is a condition) since around June. A very new experience for 'lets wait till December pay day' me, I am assuming that once you have a baby a Christmas switch in your head is switched to overdrive. 

Finley will be only 11months this year but I think he will love all the fussing and paper scrunching...and of course the obligatory fancy dress and matching family pyjamas.

The thing I am most looking forward to is passing on little traditions and creating new ones as a family. I always think about the moment he understands and truly believes in all the magic of Christmas, that Christmas Eve when he can't sleep, the little letter written in crayon and that look of pure joy and happiness on Christmas morning where he cant speak for excitement.

Expect more posts on Christmas in the coming months for ideas on pressies, decorations and just general Christmas greatness. 

Do you plan Christmas months in advance or are you a last minute shopper?  

Love Kayleigh x

We are back up and running

After ummmin and aahhhing for months I have finally taken the plunge and redesigned my blog ready for posting more musings from the Bamber household. 

I have placed all my old posts into draft and will re-work them and add pretty pictures and re-activate when I can be bothered they look beautiful.

To celebrate the re-launch here is a picture of a cake and Finley....both good enough to eat. 

Love Kayleigh x

 

Thanks Weheartit.com

What a Beaut <3