Introducing the mama necklace

Anyone who knows me, or who reads this blog, will know how much motherhood has changed my life. So I thought I'd make something that celebrated that, and here it is - the mama necklace. A delicately engraved, hand lettered, mahogany necklace. A tribute to the most important ladies out there - the mamas. Where with pride :-)

To celebrate the mama necklace and mothers day I'm offering free shipping in my etsy shop until March 31st! Use the code MAMA31 at the checkout to claim. 

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/JulesandClem

 

Me again

Having a baby undeniably changes your life, and for the better in my opinion. But there may come a day when you wake up and wonder where 'you' went.  This happened to me. I was so in love with my little one that I got a bit lost along the way. I found it hard to digest all the newness - new person, new life, new routine, new role - it was overwhelming just getting from day to day. I was happy, of course, how could I not be spending my days with little E, but I didn't do any of the things that used to make me me. One day, back in February I woke up feeling down and it didn't pass. I wrote this post about it. It took a while to figure it out but by making some changes I started to feel better. One of the most significant changes was creating time for myself. This is how I've been filling it.

1 - Jewellery. Making it, marketing it, selling it - I am excited about it all again. It's amazing what a good nights sleep can do - I feel like I have the energy to be creative for the first time since I can't remember when. Pictured is the pyramid necklace, the latest addition to my shop

2 - Reading. I already talked about this here but to recap: I love reading in bed. I treasure this ritual. Sometimes just the thought of my book, neatly tucked up by the side of my bed, is enough to get me through the day. Pictured is Heads and Straights by Lucy Wadham, part of the Penguin series celebrating 150 years of the London underground. I just bought this and cannot wait to start reading it.

3 - Fashion. Before I had Elizabeth I used to think about clothes a lot (possibly too much). I used to read fashion magazines and blogs, plan outfits in my head and actually look good (sometimes). The last 7 months have been spent largely in leggins and Matt's shirts. Elizabeth doesn't care, right? But I do. Something I used to get so much pleasure from has been almost completely missing from my life. So I bought Vogue, read my favourite blogs and went shopping. It felt SO good. Pictured are my new geomeric, monochrome GAP trousers. Two trends in one. Get in. 

4 - Not pictured - time with friends. This weekend I'm visiting my bestie down in Bristol. I'm staying the night. Alone. No husband, no baby. We're going out, we might have a few drinks, a good time. It's been so long. 

Happy weekend! What are you up to? I hope you're making some time for yourself whatever you're doing.

Bad day at the office

It's been a long hard week. More teething, night wakings and endlessly domestic days. Motherhood is all consuming. Right now there's not a lot of room in my life for much else. Not a lot of time for me.

It's ok - this is what she needs right now, I'm her mum, it's my job, I'll do whatever it takes - of course. And she always manages to cheer me up - that smile - it's impossible not to smile along with her. The nice bits are still nice. I just feel like we've lost our balance a little.

We're moving her into her own room tomorrow. For me this a big step with mixed emotions. On one hand it is a sign my baby is growing up, growing further away from me, which I feel sad about. On the other hand it will, hopefully, help her sleep better, help her become more independent, give me a little space. Perhaps get that balance back.

Am I selfish for wanting that? Is it possible to be a mum and your own person? How do you find balance? Would love to know your thoughts.

What you need: the first 6 months

Now Elizabeth is 6 months old I thought I'd share a few of the things that we have found useful for life with a 0-6 month old. This is by no means a definitive guide or a guide to 'essentials', those would be more along the lines of buggy/car seat/cot, dependent on your location/lifestyle/budget and a bit boring. These are the things that have made our life easier and/or more enjoyable with our young baby.

1. A decent nursing bra. Very important if you plan to breastfeed. I started out with an M&S 2 pack (thanks mum!) and although they were good for the hospital and the first few weeks when my boobs were like watermelons and I didn't leave the house much, they weren't supportive enough for everyday life (I do wear them in bed though - worth doing when you're breastfeeding and run the risk of boob leakage all over your new Orla Kiely duvet set). I got measured at a specialist shop and was reassured by the saleswoman that it's fine to have an underwired nursing bra - hooray! Getting the correct support and a better shape did wonders for my postpartum confidence. I got this one from Anita maternity.  
2.  A baby carrier or sling. We have a baby bjorn on long-term lone from a friend. I use it nearly everyday. In the early days it calms your baby whilst giving you free hands to do more important things, like go to the toilet or apply make-up. Useful. You can go on walks, cruise the supermarket and easily ride the tube/bus, and your baby will love it. It used to send Elizabeth to sleep in minutes. Nowadays she loves facing out and I use it to wind her down her at the end of the day. If I were to buy one I'd go for a sling that you could breastfeed in like this one.
3. A bouncy chair - doesn't need to be fancy at all - the one pictured is just an example as we inherited a pink vibrating one from a friend. Like the sling, it's good for co-existing happily with your baby. Babies don't want to be lying down all the time, Elizabeth certainly didn't. She welcomed the change in perspective and for a while the vibrations calmed her down. She's outgrown it now and really objects to being strapped in. Good till about 5 months or until your baby can sit unsupported. 
4. Hand cream. You will be constantly washing your hands, washing your baby, washing bottles and wiping stuff up. Your hands will get dry. Very dry. My bestie bought me this Neil's Yard Melissa hand cream after E's birth. It does the job and smells divine.
5. The Nuk. This might not be for everyone but getting a baby who's used to nipples to accept a bottle can be challenging. Elizabeth wouldn't take the tommee tippee bottles we had naively stocked up on. After weeks of unsuccessful and stressful attempts we remembered a recommendation for the Nuk which (sorry this is gross) flattens out in the mouth more like a nipple. We bought one and it wasn't a miracle cure but it did work eventually. Essential if you want to do anything that involves being away from your baby for longer than 3 hours.
6. A bouncer. This is just for fun. My folks bought it for E for Christmas and she absolutely LOVES it. This is the one we have. Buy for a very happy baby. 
7. Le Sophie. The best teething toy we have come across so far (and we have a lot), bought for E by her Auntie Eddy. There isn't a photo of Elizabeth from Christmas without Sophie's head poking out of her mouth. She goes back to it time and time again.
8. Instagram. I'm a bit addicted to instagram (@julesandclem in case you were wondering) and have loved documenting E's life so far on this fun app. I can barely remember those funny new born faces she used to pull, her first smile, our first trip out together, how tiny she was. But it's ok, I don't have to, it's all on instagram! Highly recommend this free app. 

There you have it. Have I missed anything? Do you agree/disagree? 

3 months old

Today Elizabeth is 3 months old, or 12 weeks depending how you look at it (the wrong way or the right way if you ask Matt).

A LOT has changed since my last baby update. E has gotten so much bigger. People are always shocked when we tell them her age. Even more so when we tell them she is solely breastfed. Breast feeding was one of the things I was initially very worried about, more so than birth (ha, more fool me!), and I count myself very lucky to be having such an overwhelmingly positive experience, I love it.  I'm not sure how long we'll continue (kind of missing wine) but I'm hoping we'll make it to 6 months. I'm happy and she's thriving (such a health visitor word!) so why stop.

E is fast becoming a lively, giggly baby. She is happiest when you are smiling and talking to her and her latest skill - standing (supported by a willing volunteer) - elicits shrieks of pure joy. Her motor skills are improving fast. Yesterday she gripped a rattle and brought it to her mouth for a taste. I'm sure this isn't interesting to anyone who doesn't know her but to me it's auh-may-zing. I didn't realise just how fascinating watching your baby develop would be. It's so rewarding to be encouraging and supporting her development.

Sleeping is not so great. Before we moved she had fallen into a bedtime routine all by herself. We'd put her in her moses basket at about 9.30 and by 10 or 10.30 she would have fallen into a deep sleep all by herself with little fuss. Result we thought. Then we moved and it stopped. She would cry furiously when we put her in her basket and only stop when we picked her up. The move has unsettled her we thought. We went back to her newborn routine -  feeding her all evening and putting her to bed when we went. Then this stopped working. After reading up on it I think she has developed 'bad sleep associations', so along with a bedtime routine and scheduled daytime naps, we're trying to correct this. It. Is. Hard. Once we've put her down we are up and down stairs constantly trying to settle her. We even tried a bit of sleep training but I'm worried she's too young. Night time is a battle, and with me trying to enforce structured naps daytime is fast becoming one too. I need help. What are your experiences? Is she too young to sleep train? How do you encourage daytime naps? Any advice would be welcome :) 

Drunk on milk and love

Zonked out on milk E cuddles up to a handsome stranger

Elizabeth turned a month old on Saturday. And what a month it's been. Our little baby is getting big, filling out those baby grows that were so baggy in her first days, all chubby knees and elbows, fingers clamped shut in tight little fists. She cries more now and makes strange animal noises in her sleep, which is still very broken. Some nights she'll sleep for 4 hours straight, some for just an hour at a time. There's no predicting it. Unpredictability seems to pretty much sum our little lady up. When Matt was on paternity leave we managed a few trips out, watching the last of the Olympics in the sunshine, enjoying our little family and showing her off to friends and loved ones. But now it's just the two of us. It's hard work, that's for sure. The lack of sleep and routine can get to me, but we're figuring it out. On hot days, when there's nothing to do, we don't get dressed, hanging out in our underwear like two lushes drunk on milk and love. These are my favourite times. 

Elizabeth Erin Foster

Baby Elizabeth was born on Wednesday 25th July at 7.05am. Bang on time. Her journey into the world took a few unexpected turns - hypertension, induction, epidural, forceps - but she is perfect. I've struggled to find the time to write this as Baby E's first days have been so full. Full of well wishers and first experiences; for mummy, daddy and baby. Looking after a little one whilst recovering from birth has been tougher than I could have thought possible, but with Matt's unfaltering help we've made it through and day by day it's getting easier. Here are some snap shots from her first week...

Just born 

Flowers from work and Matt

Waking on her first morning at home and cuddles with Auntie Roz

 

Hanging out with Daddy 

Enjoying foods missed for 9 months 

Asleep and awake
 Hospital bands and thoughtful gifts
Our beautiful baby

All photos by Juliet and Matt Foster