7 Ways You Can Really Help a Pregnant Friend

Sabrina’s Honest Posts: 7 Ways That You Can Really Help a Pregnant Friend

We all get to that age where we all know of someone who is pregnant. Sometimes several friends will be pregnant together and lean on one another for support. If you’ve been there or been through pregnancy and birth it’s very easy to put our opinions across, and they won’t always be welcome. So try to avoid offending and start by helping with these 7 tips of mine, how you can be a better friend and really help that pregnant pal!

  • 1. Be honest about the birth and what she can expect about the feelings of the experience, it can be overwhelming but positively tell her about the first time you held baby. Certainly don’t rub it in if you had an easy time in labour, just include the facts. Remind your friend about the miracle of life and encourage her to be positive and listen to the health professionals when the time comes.
  • 2. Don’t be honest about everything, steer clear of horror stories so as not to frighten or make her anxious. Don’t go into a negative story either, if you had a traumatic time you can be honest about what went wrong, but perhaps outline to her the reasons why it happened. You could be completely different people, as in medically, plus every baby, mother and birth is different.
  • 3. Give her a maternity bag list to help, there is nothing worse than when baby brain kicks in and you forget something vitally important on the run up to the big event! So help a pregnant friend out by giving her a list of what you took, and even add on anything that you wished you had had when it was you! All hospitals vary so tell her to find out what her local one allows.
  • 4. Tell her to go somewhere or treat herself to something before her baby comes, it may be to have a haircut or to get her nails done. Go together if you can! Or throw her a baby shower or a Mummy-Moon (a day out for just mums-to-be!). Something to distress and give her a day out of her house because soon she’ll be in there a lot.
  • 5. Give her a list of the baby essentials that you found most useful… this is tricky and depends on the person, but I know I was grateful for friends input on what they bought and used versus never needed. For example we bought a baby bath and our son loved it. Other parents don’t bother with them. Each to their own but it’s good to hear people’s opinions.
  • 6. Be a shoulder to lean on and an ear to listen to all her concerns, you don’t always need to have an opinion, she may just want to vent, so don’t make it about you and yours, listen and respond only if she asks you. Hormones can spin your head around sometimes.
  • 7. Don’t be condescending about this new chapter of her life. It’s a hard transition even for the best prepared of people. For example, avoid saying clichés like “Oh you think you’re tired now wait until…” and instead give her positives about those first few (albeit) difficult weeks! You can start with the sweet and funny things like “Think of all those cuddles” and “Is it wind or their first smile?” things like that.

Thank you for reading this post today, I hope I have given you some food for thought and you may consider helping one of your pregnant friends out.

 Sabrina 

What I Put Into My Hospital Bag for Labour, My Experience with Tips and Tips From Friends


What I Put In My Hospital Bag, My Experience In Hospital and Tips from Me and from Friends

As the due date of my little one was fast approaching I had begun to compile my items for my hospital bag. I had done a lot of research because I didn’t want to be bringing anything unnecessary, and I also didn’t want to forget something either that I could have otherwise over looked being a first time mum.

One thing I knew that I wanted was a nice blanket to wrap our baby in. My husband and I wanted to personally choose a nice outfit to bring baby home in too. And other than the usual necessities of a hospital stay, I was clueless as to what other items I may need for baby.

When you sign up to various baby things you will undoubtedly get a list or two about what you do and don’t need for hospital. Of course every couple is different and you also have to consider the time of year too. The best ones we found were the Bounty one and also one that we had at a Mothercare baby event.

I also talked to friends who had had babies recently to get their take on what they used the most and what they may have wished that they had had with them. Here is what a few of them told me…

Pip Said; “My son was born with lots of hair and I didn’t consider I would need a baby brush or comb! I sent my partner out to buy one so that we could comb all the baby gunk out of his hair!”

Louise Said; “We used two separate bags for convenience. Consider that you might be in labour or in hospital for a while, so headphones, a book or magazine might be a good idea. Don’t forget to have a car seat ready for when you go home as the hospital need to see you with it when you leave with your baby”.

The image above shows all of the items that I got inside the bag that I ordered from “Goodies 4 Mummies Pre Packed Maternity Hospital Bags”. I wanted a new bag specifically for going into hospital, but one large enough to put everything inside. I did not want to carrying multiple things because they wouldn’t fit. I contacted this page via their Facebook messenger section and discussed what I needed. In the end I chose this gorgeous bird design bag. The contents you see were all included, and most of it is excellent quality. You can choose whether you need a specific gender of items or neutral. We already knew we were having a little boy so I chose the blue. This included a Muslin Cloth and a Hat that were blue in colour.

I would rate the bag and the contents a 5/5 for range and quality.
I would rate the service of this business a 5/5 as well, fast delivery too!

The one thing I had read online that my mind hadn’t even considered was a pair of disposable slippers for the ward and (because I was having a summer baby) a portable fan. The slippers were luckily included in the Maternity Bag that I had ordered.

Our son decided to make an entrance into the world on one of the warmest days of the summer so far. It was 30 degrees Celsius in the delivery suite room. It was at that moment I was so happy that I had purchased a portable fan!

This fan was only £11 on Amazon at the time I ordered it. The device can be charged up via a USB cable and then runs on a full charge for approximately 10 hours. With 3 speed settings as well it was rather handy. The fan has a fold-able handle that is situated at the back when not in use. Ideal size for holding and for transporting, and in my opinion not that heavy either. I would review this item as a 5/5 considering the price and convenience of it, it was used throughout my labour during the day and night, my lovely mum was in charge of holding it over me, and a great job she did too. Here is the link below if anyone is interested in purchasing one.

EasyAcc Handheld Electric Fans Mini Portable Outdoor Fan with Rechargeable 2600 mAh Battery Foldable Handle Desktop for Home and Travel – Black

Knowing that we also got an opportunity to have a photograph taken of our baby by the hospital Bounty Photographer, meant that I wanted it to be memorable. They suggest a tiny soft toy, blanket or comforter to be in this photo. My husband and I have decided a comforter with a soft toy attached, and a spare blanket are the right things to take with us. Although you can bring almost anything you can think of.

Here is a final list of exactly what I have put into my hospital bags. I eventually did one for our baby and one for me. Just so that it was easier to find items for either person on the day or days that followed in hospital. It turned out to be a very good idea too!

Here is the final list of exactly what I have put into the bag for our newborn baby.

2 Packets of Baby Wipes – newborn and sensitive skin friendly
Cotton Wool Balls
Nappies – Newborn and Smaller Baby
Baby Grow and Sleepsuits for while in Hospital – Mixed Sizes
Outfit for Coming Home In
Small Cuddly Toy / Comfort Blanket
Baby Blanket
1 Set of Hat / Mittens / Booties / Socks
Baby Changing Mat
Barrier Ointment and Nappy Rash Cream
Baby Hair Brush and Comb
Muslin Cloth
1 Bib

We ended up being in hospital for 4 days first of all after my sons birth. I was very lucky that my husband was able to go home and collect items for me including spare muslin cloths, spare outfits for baby and he also had to go out and buy some tiny baby clothes too after our little one lost some weight.

You are always better to have more than you need than not enough. I would say it’s a good idea to bring several outfits with you because you don’t actually know the size of your baby until they arrive. And the majority of babies lose weight in the first couple of days as well. Be prepared!

Here is the final list of everything that went into my Hospital Bag. This key will identify to you whether or not I used the item or I didn’t.
★ Used
✩ Didn’t Use / Need
After this list I will be briefly outlining what my most used items were and what I definitely couldn’t have been without.

Hospital Notes and Birth Plan ★
Maternity Pads ★
Breast Pads ★
Old Pants/Underwear (Several) ★
A Top To Wear In Labour or just Afterwards ★
Old Vests / T-Shirts ★
Nursing Top / Nursing Bra ★
Nightie (Staying Overnight in Hospital) ★
Hair Bands and Hair Brush ★
Deodorant ★
Toothbrush and Toothpaste ★
Toiletries – Face Cream / Shampoo / Eyedrops etc ★
Lip Balm ★
Glasses Case and Cleaning Cloth ✩
Towel (Old One) ✩
Face Cloth ★
Cloth for Other Areas ★
Bag for Dirty Cloths to go into ★
Money – Spare Change for Drinks / Snacks ★
Mobile Phone Charger ★
Disposable Slippers ★
Hand Sanitiser ★
Spray Bottle for Water ✩
Face Wipes ✩
My Expert Midwife – Spritz for Bits and Nipple Balm ★
Handheld Fan ★
Bottle of Water and Bottle of Isotonic Drink ★
High Energy Snacks ★

Overall there was very little that I didn’t use out of my bag. And what I didn’t was usually down to the hospital providing the items for me, such as towels for showering etc. Sometimes you would of course prefer to use your own which is understandable. Some things such as the Spray Bottle for Water I was recommended by so many lists to take with me, to spray water on to my body while hot in labour, and to spray on sensitive and swollen areas after to cool myself down. However it was forgotten all about during my labour which progressed quite quickly.

There were a few items I couldn’t have done without. The disposable slippers for one, a godsend on a busy ward recovering from birth. Another thing was the lip balm, you won’t believe how dry your lips get in that environment. And also the isotonic drinks I had brought with me were an excellent choice, and I have my midwife to thank for their recommendation.

I will be reviewing the My Expert Midwife items in a separate blog post.

Thank you very much for reading this blog post today. I hope you have found it interesting and I have to say I cannot believe I’ve brought this post to you after baby is born. He was definitely in a hurry to meet everyone. However it’s exciting! Thanks to my friends who contributed their ideas to this post and thanks to everyone for their patience while I adjusted to life as a new mum!

Come back soon to Severn Wishes for Reviews and Lifestyle!

✩ Sabrina 

Types of Baby Kicks, Learning About Your Baby and Things to do in the Third Trimester


Types of Baby Kicks, Learning About Your Baby (Facts) and Things You Should Do In The Third Trimester

I have been writing this blog post for some time now, I keep adding to it whenever I come across a great fact! Hopefully you will find this post interesting ans also beneficial if you or someone you know is pregnant. Feel free to send them to link to my website!


✩ 12 Different Types of Baby Kicks ✩

By the time you reach the middle of trimester two your baby should be making a routine for itself. This is important to take note of because these movements should remain similar right up until the day you give birth.
The Kicks Count Charity is really useful for anyone who wants to know more about how their baby should be moving during their pregnancy.
Remember that taking a five minute time out every couple of hours to sit or lie down and just focus on feeling your baby is a good idea.
Doctors recommend that healthy movements are around 10 an hour for a baby between trimester two and birth. This varies with all mothers and babies and some move more at different times of the day. But monitoring what is normal for you and your baby is extremely important. If you don’t feel any movements for a few hours contact your midwife – don’t leave it until the next day!

Here are some cool facts about the different kinds of baby kicks you should feel.

✩ Flutters – The First Feelings – Similar to Trapped Gas

✩ Tapping or Butterfly Wings – It feels very light but if you focus you can feel it

✩ Kicks – You know when you’ve been kicked & the force only gets stronger


✩ Punches – Punches feel different to Kicks – you will learn the difference trust me


✩ Rolling – Looks like a Ripple across your skin – usually caused by Babies Bum during a turn


✩ Squirming – Baby is running out of Room and Wriggles a lot instead of Kicks


✩ Bubbles – this tickling feeling and popping can be Baby blowing Bubbles of Amniotic Fluid – cheeky!

✩ Hiccups – A rhythmic tapping or popping that goes on for a minute or so…

✩ Spasm like Feelings – Baby makes a Rapid Movement and you will know about it from the force!


✩ Nudges – Usually in Third Trimester – You’re getting Elbowed! Not much room to kick out!

✩ Pressure – The final new feeling will be the pressure of babies head as they descend down ready for birth…


✩ Third Trimester Feelings ✩

So as the due date for our baby is fast approaching I thought I would share some knowledge with you all that I came across this past month or so, and I found these facts really interesting and wanted to pass them on.
I have been relatively well in my second trimester, and really enjoyed being pregnant at this stage but it’s gone by all too fast. Now that I am well into the third however I am feeling a lot more tired, lack of sleep has a lot to do with that because I’m suffering with my hips (SPD) and it can be very painful at times. Always aim to lay on your left side!
My advice to any of you at this stage is to keep active. I have only finished work (full time on my feet) as of three weeks from my due date week but I have had a lot to do at home. Do a bit and Rest a bit, is my new motto!
Here are some great facts!

✩ Interesting Third Trimester Facts ✩

✩ Doctors class 28 weeks gestation and onwards as the third trimester. At this stage your baby will be as big as a Canteloupe Melon and weigh around 2 pounds!

✩ Make sure (if you don’t already do so) that you always sleep on your left hand side of your body from now, it’s so important for your blood flow and reducing the risks to the baby!

✩ Your partner might be able to hear the babies heartbeat from now on, in a quiet space get them to gently press an ear to your bump (where you think babies body is) and listen closely…

✩ At around 28/29 weeks gestation your baby will be able to smell the same things that you smell!

✩ During this stage of Pregnancy your baby will receive all the essential nutrients that it needs from the food you have eaten, it gets this first at your Digestion, and you just end up with the leftovers baby doesn’t require. Therefore it’s always important to make sure you’re getting the right minerals and vitamins from your food and (if you need it) a Pregnancy supplement.

✩ Some women suffer with Constipation at this point of Pregnancy. Eat High Fibre Cereals as well as wholegrain or wholewheat products. Broccoli and Cauliflower are also very good for you too!

✩ Don’t forget to drink plenty of Water! Pregnant women should aim for between 2 and 3 litres a day, closer to 3 if they can on warmer days.

✩ Did you know that what you eat now can determine what baby may eat at the stage of weaning? By consuming a varied diet which includes a variety of spices, herbs and strong tastes, this can help your baby when they begin eating solid foods later in their life. Baby should recognise Garlic for example, if you ate a lot of it while you were pregnant. Fascinating stuff!

✩ You are now using an extra 900-1000 kilo-joules of energy each and every day just to fuel that baby growing you’re doing! That is why women in the third trimester need around 250 extra calories a day added to their diet. I recommend full fat yoghurt as a snack with some fruit, and an extra bowl of cereal for how I get mine most days.

✩ Did you know that during the third trimester you should be able to feel when your baby has the hiccups? It will feel like a rhythmic tapping or popping feeling and often lasts a couple of minutes at a time.

✩ After around week 34 of pregnancy your baby can put on around half a pound of weight per week.

✩ At around week 35 your “Nesting” instincts might kick in. (For me it was even earlier!) So don’t worry if you feel the need to clean and tidy up a lot!

✩ Only 5% of Babies are born on their actual due date! Bare this in mind when booking time off work!

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✩ Things To Do In The Third Trimester ✩


✩ Make Some Time For Yourself and Partner

✩ Do Something You Won’t Be Able To Do When Baby Arrives – Like Watch That Movie

✩ Read To Your Baby (See my other Pregnancy blog posts about this)

✩ In the final weeks of pregnancy you might want to consider some batch or bulk cooking, or at least filling up your cupboards.

✩ Stay Active! Short steady walks or Swims are really beneficial.

✩ Drink more Water! And eat more Vegetables!

✩ Consider looking into your Birth Plan, Pain Relief Options, Nursery Ideas and Baby Names! (if you haven’t already!)

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I hope you have enjoyed reading this lifestyle and pregnancy post today. There will be many more coming up and different ones once my baby arrives too! Thanks for reading Severn Wishes today.

✩ Sabrina ✩

Heavily Pregnant At A Summer Wedding, Reviewing My Outfit Choices And How I Coped


Being Heavily Pregnant At A Summer Wedding,

Reviewing My Outfit Choices And How I Coped During The Day

I very recently attended a family wedding, which was really lovely and I thoroughly enjoyed the day and the evening. However being heavily pregnant there were some precautions that I needed to take for my safety, and also some decisions I had to make that some people might not have considered for themselves.

I wanted to write this blog post for two reasons, one is to review the items that I bought for my outfit and why I chose them. And reason two is because I hadn’t thought about some things until I was being a sensible adult and realised that quite a lot could be over looked. So I am sharing my experiences with you all today in this honest post.

Firstly I want to talk about my outfit. I’ve been quite lucky in regards my pregnancy, I haven’t put on a great deal of weight and I am mostly bump! However this proved tricky for me when I was shopping for maternity wear dresses…

Most places have taken into consideration people who may have gained weight all over, especially on certain areas like the bottom and boobs! However this isn’t me, and I tried on several beautiful items that sadly just made me feel like a sack of spuds! They gave me no shape or were too baggy in most areas…

So… then I decided to do a BooHoo order of two of their Maternity dresses, and there was one dress that fitted me well and I finally got some of my confidence back. Any pregnant woman will tell you, your confidence goes down after the second trimester, because everything makes you feel like your bump is massive (even if it isn’t) and I just wanted to flaunt my great figure and my bump too! But I just had to find something that made me feel like that.

Out of the two dresses I had from BooHoo the first fitted perfectly when I had my shoulders back and I stood tall, it was however a little low cut with a v-neck style. I knew how I wanted to fix this and decided to take myself off to New Look.

New Look always have what I want, I very rarely go into the store and come out empty handed. What I wanted to buy was either a crop top, vest or cami top that was pretty and high neck, and something that suited the dress too! My plan was to wear the top underneath and it look like it was just part of the dress. I wasn’t disappointed when I found the perfect top, and not only was it a great price, but I also got into my pre-pregnancy size because (as I mentioned) I haven’t put much weight on on my chest at all…

Finally I needed a pair of shoes to go with the dress and a cardigan if it were to be a cooler day. It was a good job that I bought a nice cardigan in the end because it turned out to be a rather windy day! And as for the shoes… well I got these gorgeous pregnancy friendly flat ballet shoes half price! What a successful shopping trip.

My ensemble of these items ended up looking like this… and I was very happy and comfortable (which was my main aim!) with what I chose. This is the practice dress up, I had leggings on in this image but swapped for tights on the actual wedding day. I also decided to add a white rose accessory clip in order to hold the dress snugly to the top underneath it.

✩ Clothing Reviews ✩


Name: White Maternity Polka Dot Wrap Smock Dress
Details: Available in White, Black or Terracotta. This dress sports half sleeves and an all over Polka Dot style. Total length is 92cm (36.5″). Available in Sizes 8 to 16.
Materials: 95% Viscose and 5% Elastane.
Purchased: Online at BooHoo
Price: £15.00
Link BooHoo Website

Material Quality 5✩
Overall Design 5✩
Overall Fit 4✩
Value for Money 5✩

I really liked the overall style of this dress and I would most definitely wear it again. The material might be a little thin but it’s just what you need for summer. It’s soft and comfortable to wear and the skirt section flows just enough to make you feel feminine – even with a baby bump!

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Name: Pink Sheer Lace Bow Ballet Pumps
Details: These type of shoes are available in many Colours and Styles but the Pink has Low Stock online – check your local stores. Available in Sizes 3 to 8. Sheer Design with Bow on the front. Black still available online.
Purchased: In Store at New Look
Price: £5.00 – £8.00
Link New Look Website

Material Quality 5✩
Overall Design 5✩
Overall Fit 5✩
Value for Money 5✩

I really like the pretty lace on these shoes, they aren’t just attractive though they are so comfortable to wear too. The price was excellent and I would happily wear them throughout the summer with any outfit they would go with. I already own many different colours and styles of this exact fitting shoe, I always go back to New Look when I need new versions, usually this is to match one to an outfit that I don’t already have a pair for.

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Name: Pink Jersey Longline Cardigan
Details: Available in many Colours and Styles (online currently in Pink or Pale Blue). Available in store in Sizes 6 to 18. These cardigans are soft and have two nice large pockets one on either side. They are long sleeved and lightweight, ideal for Summer.
Materials: 96% Viscose and 4% Elastane.
Purchased: In Store at New Look
Price: £12.99
Link New Look Website

Material Quality 5✩
Overall Design 5✩
Overall Fit 5✩
Value for Money 5✩

These cardigans from New Look wash and wear really well. Would you believe me if I said I owned fourteen of these now? I have collected this style for over the past ten years, and whenever New Look release a new colour I usually buy it! I wanted this lovely light pink to go with my outfit and I am always pleased with this type of cardigan.

 

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Name:
 Black Crochet Neck Ribbed Cami Top
Details: Available in the Colours or Black, White, Olive and Pink. Available in Sizes 8 to 18. A pretty top that is ideal for Summer, Crochet is in this year. Wear alone on a hot day or pair with other clothing to add a textured touch (like I did with my dress).
Materials: 95% Cotton and 5% Elastane.
Purchased: In Store at New Look
Price: £8.99
Link New Look Website

Material Quality 5✩
Overall Design 5✩
Overall Fit 5✩
Value for Money 5✩

I was impressed with this cami top. Due to my baby bump I wouldn’t be able to wear it on it’s own this summer. However underneath other clothing to fill in gaps like I have done with my dress for this particular outfit, it works perfectly. It fitted really well and was comfortable too. Being mostly cotton I expected it to be of a good quality and it certainly was, it washed well too.

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How I Coped During The Long Day

My main tips for coping during long days out are to carry a water bottle with you. In the summer it’s even more important to stay hydrated. Make sure that you take regular seated breaks to avoid any unnecessary swelling of your feet and ankles, especially if it’s a warm day. Make sure those who are attending with you know how to help you if you need it.

It’s a good idea to bring your hospital bag and notes with you in your vehicle if you’re going to be a long way from home for more than a few hours. At my stage of pregnancy I could easily have gone into labour, better to be prepared. Also look up your nearest hospital or maternity unit just in case!

I made sure that my outfit was lightweight overall and that I was comfortable from my head to my toes. Nothing was too restricting or tight. Another top tip of mine is make sure you do a test run of the outfit before the day, that way you can see if there are any issues with it that you may want to fix.


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I hope you have enjoyed reading this post today. Have a great day!

✩ Sabrina 

 

Baby Books and Why Reading To Baby While They Are Still In The Womb Is So Important

Baby Books We Have Purchased and Why Reading To Baby While They Are Still In The Womb Is So Important

 

A lot of parents “to be” will speak and even sing to their babies while they are still confined to the mothers womb. This isn’t an uncommon practice, but what is becoming more and more popular is to read aloud to them. From around 24 weeks your baby will be able to hear your voice and start to distinguish it from others. If you regularly talk to your baby they may even move in response to your voice pattern. Being repetitive with your words each day can help with this too. Books that have a rhythm to them are supposed to be the most effective, and you can also introduce multiple languages in a basic form if you feel brave enough.

A baby can develop cognitive responses to what happens while they are inside the womb. For example if the mother relaxes to the same piece of music regularly, the baby is often soothed by the same thing when they hear it outside of the womb. This is because they recognise how their mother felt at that time. By taking the time to use speech and music in the run up to our children being born, we could be aiding them with learning. Scientists believe that talking to a baby in the womb and interacting with both feelings and sound, could be beneficial. It is also a great bonding exercise for the parents.

Scientists believe that babies not only become used to the regular voices, sounds and music that they hear, such as Mom and Dad, but they may also begin to pick up words and tones that are used often as well. Other things they can pick up on as they grow are whether or not they are getting repetitive environments. Some move around when they hear and feel the rumble of a car engine for example. Or if someone turns on a loud noise like a hoover or a coffee grinder in close proximity to bump, they can squirm like they want to move away from the loud noise. It is all a learning process.

When I first read about this on the Bounty Pregnancy App I found it all fascinating. I immediately went online to see if I could get any of the baby books that I remember being read to me in my younger years. If any of them were still available now I wanted to read them to my child. Luckily about one third of my chosen few were still in print, and so I set about ordering some. My plan is to read to my baby as a method of soothing them once they are born, and after reading this study I thought why not begin while baby is still inside me.

I ordered the following items from The Works, because they have some great deals on books, especially children’s ones. I managed to get 10 books for £10 on a weekend deal. Some were usually more than £3.00 each so it was a bargain! And they were delivered quickly which was a bonus.

I will put the website link at the end of my blog post for those of you who want to take a look at the current range.


Some of the books from my childhood in the 1980’s were favorable for me getting for my child. A lot of them taught about morals and about family, and making learning and understanding fun! I have also invested in newer titles that have been a hit with many of my friends who are already parents, such as “Mog the Cat” and books about Animals. We are big on both nature and Cats in my house, so anything along these lines would go down well. I think it’s really important that children learn about Animals and how to treat them right, in my opinion the younger that they recognise them the better.

A few of the titles that I have bought so far for our baby are these;

Mog and Bunny
Say Goodnight to the Sleepy Animals
Say Hello to the Animals
Say Hello to the Jungle Animals
Little Bear Won’t Sleep
The Large Family – Five Minutes Peace
The Large Family – All In One Piece
Counting 123
Five Little Dinosaurs

For both storyline and art work I would highly rate “Mog and Bunny”, the range of “Goodnight and Hello to the Animals” Books and also one of my childhood favourites “Five Minutes Peace”. I do plan on getting more books once we have exhausted this pile and are in need of something new to stimulate both our brains and baby too! I believe in reading, turning pages and showing pictures to children. I won’t be one of these tablet only mothers put it that way! Books all the way!

So as my due date gets ever closer, I am talking to baby more and more. I am also encouraging my husband to read to baby as a way of them bonding. Hopefully our baby will know both of our voices when we meet, and this will allow us all to be more calm. I also look forward to reading to our baby and watching their reactions…

Do you enjoy reading books? Is there a title that you read or have read to your children that you can recommend? If so, please leave me a comment.

Don’t forget you can follow me on social media for more baby and bump updates! Such as Fashion choices and days out!

Have a great day and thank you for visiting Severn Wishes Blog!

✩ Sabrina 

The Works Website HERE

Our Baby Items Wish List and Changes We Are Making At Home

Baby Items Wish List and Changes We Are Making At Home

When you get to the shopping stage of having a baby it can be quite overwhelming. I have read so many reviews I am not sure what to go for in some aspects. However there are some items that I most definitely want to buy, products that I feel will help my husband and I overall when our baby does arrive.

This blog post is quite a short one, I’m outlining a few things that are still on our wish list to buy and why we would like to get them…

Wish List for our Baby

Considering I’m such an organised person there are still a few things that we don’t have for baby as yet. The reason being is that we were researching and comparing brands in some product cases, and some things we just couldn’t make up our mind on.

You often get told to buy things that are actually quite unnecessary, however there are also things that both fellow parents and bloggers have recommended to me. I’ve then done my own research and also attended demonstrations at baby shows in order to help make my decisions.

My plan is to review each of the main items that we do purchase, I can only do that once baby is here though and we are actually using them. So today, I want to outline my current wish list and the items I’ve considered getting. Some things that we have in fact bought, will be reviewed in time.

In the next few paragraphs I’m going to be explaining why I want these particular products for baby and the reasons that others have given me for buying the item which has sparked my interest in the first place.

Belo Teething Mitt £12.99

Website Here

I have been introduced to Belo Teething Mitts recently via Facebook when a friend shared their recent competition. I liked the style of them, although they aren’t as popular as some brands they seemed quite affordable and peoples reviews reflected a good quality.

Once baby is born I would consider ordering a pair of these mittens especially if our baby begins to chew their hand or digits for example.

These Belo Mittens are available for babies aged 3-12 months. They are BPA Free and Safety Tested, they can also be washed in the washing machine.

Here is an image of their mittens, they are only available in blue or pink at the moment.


Bean Bag Planet £39.99

Website Here

One thing I have been looking at for months has been the baby bean bags available on the market. My husband and I bought a Poddle Pod already from a baby show. But I like the look of the bean bag because baby will grow with it.

Here are the main reasons why I would love to buy our baby one of these. The product has two covers, one for newborns with a harness and the other one is suitable from toddler to ten years old. The bean bag base is waterproof and wipe clean. Not only is the inner product fire retardant but the bean bag also features a removable and adjustable filling.

Here are some photographic examples of the sorts of styles that Bean Bag Planet currently do. It also costs an additional £3.99 to have the bean bag filled.

 

 

Gummee Glove Teething Mitten £10.99

Website Here

Another Mitten that I have seen and like the look of is the Gummee Glove. This baby mitten has teething sections attached and they make several sizes for different babies stages. I would love to invest in the first one which is for 3-6 months, and if baby gets on with it I can get the next size up.

The reason I like the look of this teething mitten is because they are made with 100% cotton. It is BPA, Latex and Phthalate Free, Safety Tested and Machine Washable. Gummee Glove currently comes in three colours, Yellow, Turquoise or Pink.
Here are some images of the Gloves currently available and I have included a link to the website too for anyone who wants to see it.

 


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Changes We Are Making at Home in Preparation For Baby

 

It’s taken a while but we’ve finally began to order things for our baby. We’ve decided to make some changes at home, getting rid of things to make room for new items such as furniture. We have removed a wardrobe so that we can have a baby changing table with storage shelving that will be ideal for us to store nappies and things in.

Something else that we have done is rearranged our bedroom so that when baby is here the Moses basket won’t be against any external walls. It’s important to read up about the safety aspects of your home, and make sure you have taken any precautions or rearranged furniture so the room is well ventilated for example.

Other preparations that we still have to make are more tidying and putting away of items that may create allergen risks. It also means I will have less to do when baby is here, such as making hoovering easier and dusting time less – neither of which are bad things!

We hope that in these final few weeks we will still have the time to complete the rooms exactly how we want them, before baby makes its appearance. I will be reviewing items we have been particularly impressed with individually on the blog, as and when I have time to. So stay tuned to Severn Wishes in the coming months if you’re interested in any of that!

Thanks for reading everyone! Do you own any of these products? Please let me know what they’re like in the comments section if you do!

✩ Sabrina 

Argos Hygena Evie Fabric Chair In A Box Review

Maternity and Pregnancy Week

Argos Hygena Evie Fabric Chair In A Box Review

Today I am reviewing the Hygena Evie Fabric Chair. We purchased this in Charcoal Grey because we plan on using it for when I am nursing our baby, and Grey is one of the colours we have chosen for our nursery.

When I read about the “Chair in a Box” I was astounded by how many good reviews it had on the Argos website. I wanted something that was sturdy and comfortable that wouldn’t cost the earth, and there were so many positives from customers on the site. Eventually we decided we liked the darker colour available and decided to see what other websites were offering chairs of a similar design and shade.

We shopped around for a couple of evenings and nothing seemed to compare to this one for both the quality and the price. What swayed us in the end was the Argos Furniture Weekend in April, where the chair was reduced in price. We took advantage of this deal and after having reserved one, we picked it up from our local store. It did fit in the back of the car with a squeeze through the door, it was a heavy and awkward square box you see.

Prices

We Paid For The Chair On A Furniture Deal Weekend of £103.99
The Usual Price is £129.99


Chair Details

Colour: Charcoal Grey. (Other Colours Available).
Dimensions: Height 79cm Width 74cm and Depth 76cm.
Materials: Wooden Feet, Foam Filling and Polyester Fabric.
Additional Information: Seat Depth 52cm and Weight of Assembled Chair is 20kg. Width between the Chair Arms is 44cm. Height of Arm Rest is 43cm.
Link to Argos Website


My Honest Opinion

Overall I am impressed with the look and feel of this chair. It is firm to sit on and has a good ratio between its back and the arm height. The colour is suitable for most rooms, we are displaying it in the bedroom, ready for me to use to get dressed during late pregnancy and then for nursing my baby at night time.

My Photographs

Here are some images of the chair fully assembled and in place in the room, and a few of the closer details such as the buttons and the fabric.


Thank you for reading this blog post today, and I hope you have enjoyed this review!

 Sabrina ✩

Winter to Spring Wardrobe Transitions and Dorothy Perkins Maternity Top Reviews

REVIEW WEEK ON SEVERN WISHES

Winter to Spring and Spring to Summer Wardrobe Transitions
and
Dorothy Perkins Maternity Top Reviews

It’s that time of the year when we should be saying goodbye to the cold and damp weather of Winter, and are looking forward to the warm and the dry of Spring into Summer. In this post today I am talking about making those Winter to Spring fashion transitions for 2018. What I am wearing and some latest purchases too.

So what can we expect for the transition this year. There are many things that are still in this season, one of which is Lace, another Embroidery and the other one is Stripes. Nautical and Striped themed clothing is well and truly in still this year, with several brands mixing the stripes with a variety of other fashion trends such as Bardot and Cold Shoulder. I have noticed a great deal of striped trousers, both work wear and casual that look very sophisticated and can be paired with shirts, blouses or a nice top. It’s good to mix your trends, but shapes are often hard to match, a plain bright top can really work with some striped trousers and high heels.

Another style making a comeback is Polka Dots! These spots can range in the tiny to the huge with lots of companies choosing to put them on everything from tops to dresses and I have even seen trousers!

Something else I have seen these past few weeks was Bold Colours. Bold Reds and Blues seem to be all over the markets and the LBD (Little Black Dress) seems to have been reinvented by some, making it more of a statement piece that is no longer just a black dress anymore. It often now has lace, embroidery, varying hem lengths or even unusual material combinations!

Saying all that though Pastels are also in for Summer, so be prepared to see a lot of Pink, Yellow and Turquoise shades in the high street.

Finally, and a style that I love all year around is Floral! Floral’s are still in, and contrary to what most people think they are not just for Spring and Summer! I have seen work wear, dresses and tops in the “new in” sections on various websites. There are so many trends that have major floral inspirations for 2018.

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My Latest Dorothy Perkins Spring Purchases

Maternity T-Shirts and Tops

I wanted some new maternity tops for the Spring to Summer transition of my pregnancy. It’s always nice to have a couple of things that are new, but I also wanted items that I could still wear after my baby is born as well.

Because I am due in July I will still have many weeks of the Summer left to hopefully enjoy my new purchases.

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Appearance 5/5
Quality 3/5
Value for Money 3/5


Review
I really love the look of this top but after two wears and washes the material began to bobble and look quite old. It is a real shame because it fits my bump perfectly. I just wear it around the home now and not out as I had originally done so.


Style:
Maternity T-Shirt
Trend: Floral
Name: Maternity Navy Floral Ruched Side T-Shirt
Materials: Polyester 95% and Elastane 5%
Colours: Navy Blue and Pink Floral Details
Price: £12.80
Link: Here

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Appearance 5/5

Quality 4/5
Value for Money 4/5

 

Review
I really like the colours of this top, it was flattering for my shape including my shoulders and my bump because of the curved neckline. It washed well and I feel I will get a lot of use out of it. It’s easy to pair with both my maternity leggings or maternity jeans.

Style: Maternity T-Shirt
Trend: Striped
Name: Maternity Multicoloured Striped Curve Hem T-Shirt
Materials: Viscose 71%, Polyester 26% and Elastane 3%
Colours: Khaki Green, Pink, Grey and White
Price: £10.00
Link: Here


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Appearance 5/5
Quality 5/5
Value for Money 4/5


Review

I really like this top, it was flattering for my bump and it looked nicer than just another striped tee because of the pretty floral details on the sleeves. So far it has washed and worn well but it’s only been worn twice.

Style: Maternity T-Shirt
Trends: Floral, Lace, Striped and Embroidered
Name: Maternity Grey Striped Lace Insert T-Shirt
Materials: Polyester 66% and Viscose 34%
Colours: White and Grey Striped
Price: £12.80
Link: Here


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Appearance 4/5
Quality 4/5
Value for Money 3/5


Review
This top was a little bigger than the others I had chosen, it was therefore less flattering, but on a warm day I would feel more comfortable wearing this one rather than a fully fitted tee. The bows are a nice addition to the back of the top.

Style: Maternity T-Shirt
Trends: Nautical Stripes and Bows
Name: Maternity Blue Striped Bow Back Top
Materials: Polyester 96% and Elastane 4%
Colours: Blue and White Striped
Current Price: £16.00
Link: Here 

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To visit the Dorothy Perkins website to see all of the current Maternity Tops available please click this link here

Thank you for reading this fashion and maternity related post today.

✩ Sabrina ✩

The Baby and Toddler Show at Event City in Manchester – Our Experience and Our Purchases

The Baby and Toddler Show at Event City in Manchester – Our Experience and Our Purchases

When my husband suggested we visited a baby show in order to get some ideas on baby purchases, I jumped at the chance to try some products out and begin to look at what we wanted to get for our baby. The closest two for us were Manchester and Birmingham, however I felt the one at Birmingham Event was too close to our due date.

The Baby and Toddler Event is sponsored by Emma’s Diary, and you receive a free pack from them for attending the event. We booked tickets online, it was cheaper to do that and by doing so we also got a discount. Check out the link at the end of my blog for more information on the tickets and next show available. Until then…

Here is a look at the show and a map of the general layout at Event City.

What I Thought Of The Venue

Event City is easy to get to from the Trafford Centre, if you use the main directions on a sat nav you cannot miss the Event City signs. Event City is just off from one of the main roundabouts at the Trafford Centre ring road.

It was a clean area and the arena was big enough for the stalls without you feeling like you were sardines at all times. Not only was there enough room but the stalls had adequate room for their samples and stock to be displayed.

The parking was ample at Event City but we were on the overflow car park because the tarmac part was full even an hour after the show opening.

There were some companies doing product demonstrations which were particularly useful to us. It was also good to see so many passionate people who were selling their products and who had a good knowledge base. In my opinion these stalls were the best, directly explaining how their products work.

Several talks from experts also went on during the show and times were available in the brochure.

There was a brochure and a board which had the map layout for the floor which was handy too. Because there were a good number of stalls, some for baby related items and some for toddler, we tended to stick to those that would be relevant for us.

Facilities for Pregnant Women

There were toilets by the entrance and a fairly large dining area situated in the centre of the arena with plenty of tables and chairs for people to sit.

Freebies from the Show

Emma’s Diary Bump to Baby Pack 2
Aqua Wipes pack of 12 baby wipes
AproDerm Barrier Cream 30g

Emma’s Diary Pack Bump To Baby

Included the following items;

Pack for £5: Made for Mums

Included in this pack that you order for £5 when you order tickets;

Items That We Purchased

While going around the show we witnessed several excellent demonstrations such as Snugglebundl and Poddle Pod. Although having followed both of these brands on Facebook for some time, I wanted to see the items for myself before making any purchases. My husband and I were most impressed by these two brands and bought both products. I do plan to review both of these items once our baby has arrived. So watch out for those reviews later in the summer.

Here are some images and information on all the products that we came home with.

Snugglebundl Blanket in Grey with white Stars £32.99

Poddle Pod and Elephant Cover £34.99

The Sleepybobo – Gerry the Giraffe – 2 items – £19.00

Bibs at Funky Giraffe – 6 Bibs for £10

Bibs at Zippy Bibs – 2 for £5

Our Event City Baby Show Haul!

Overall I was happy that we went to the show, and very happy to have purchased the above items. Not only did we get some cool freebies but we have also made a start on the items for our baby, and that was our main goal. We managed to enjoy some of the facilities at the Trafford Centre afterwards with it being next door, and really made a day of it.

The next one is being held at Birmingham NEC from the 18th to the 20th of May 2018, if you’re considering going or to book tickets, or just to see more information about the event click the link below.

Thank you for reading this blog post today, I hope that you have enjoyed looking at our purchases and reading about our experience at the show. If you have any questions feel free to comment, I will answer them if I can, if not check out the link below.

 Sabrina 

Emma’s Diary Baby Show Page

Pregnancy Items – What I Have Purchased And What I Would Recommend

Pregnancy Items – What I Have Purchased And What I Would Recommend

Being well over half way into my pregnancy now, I have began to purchase some items. So I thought I should start to give my opinions on a few of them, and whether or not I recommend them. I shall score review the best ones!

Here is what bump and I currently look like, it’s going so quickly!


Pregnancy Pillow

The one item that I knew that I wanted to buy from the beginning was a pregnancy pillow. I have heard friends say they’re great and others say they couldn’t get on with them. But being small and already suffering with back and hip aches, I wanted some support at night. I actually bought this at around twelve weeks gone, and I began using it at around sixteen weeks.

I have not only found it supportive but it’s also helping me to get a better nights sleep in general. I have always suffered with a lot of mucus, especially when I lie down flat and during the Spring months of the year when I get hay fever. But since becoming pregnant it is three times worse, and you literally cannot do anything about it. So I use my three regular pillows to lay the pregnancy pillow against, and at night I lean on the pillow, one arm over the top and one underneath. The rest of the pillow bends around above my head and extends down my back. It isn’t easy to roll over at this stage of pregnancy anyway, but it’s the stage where I need to be lay on my left as long as possible, the pillow definitely helps me to do this.

I managed to get my pillow on a deal through the Bounty App on my mobile phone. Pregnant women can make the most of a range of discounts that regularly come around through the app and through emails. The company is called Online 4 Baby and they do a range of great pregnancy and nursing items.

This pillow can be used during pregnancy and for nursing too. It can easily be shaped to fit behind a person sitting or lying down.

Here is a photo of one of my cats leaning on the pillow when I wasn’t using it. Cheeky! But it really is comfortable.

My Top Tips are to buy a pillow that will fit around your height, I am classed as the high end of Petite, so a 6ft Pillow was more than adequate for me. Because they do a range of sizes you should consider which would be better for you.


This is a close up of the fabric I chose, and the pillow shape without a cover on below.

Colour: Grey with White Stars (other colours available such as grey or cream.
Price: £14.45 (RRP £59.95)
Dimensions: 6 ft (also available in 9ft and 12ft)
Cover Quality: Very Good Cover that is both Removable and Machine Washable.
Pillow Quality: The Pillow itself after several nights needed to be plumped up reshaped.
Overall Rating: 4/5 ‘s

Pillows at Online 4 Baby

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How Many Weeks – Frame

I purchased this gorgeous frame so that my husband and I could count down the weeks until we meet our little miracle. And funnily when I was searching online, those were almost the exact words etched into the wood of this particular frame. I bought this one from Amazon from a Seller called Hello Baby who sell the Bambino products, it currently costs £7.49 (As of the date of this post).

What I like most is the ratio between the frame aspects, the space for the photograph is 4×3″ and then it has both beautiful words and a chalkboard heart for you to write the numbers inside. The quote reads “_ weeks until we meet our little miracle”. The frame itself is cream and free standing, with grey details of stars and the writing.

I purchased this one because of the smaller dimensions, I had a specific shelf I wanted it to fit upon. There are many choices for Sonogram Photo Frames on the internet, though I liked this one the most. My Top Tip when buying a frame online is to look at dimensions and whether or not you want a wall mounted one or a free standing one. There are even some that say “Grandparent” or other quotes on them, making them more personal.


Colours: Cream and Grey
Dimensions: H:15 W:15 D:2 cm
Details: Free Standing
Quality: Very Good, Well Made and Presented
Rating: 4/5 ‘s

If you want to purchase this or take a closer look at the link to it here it is under its title;

Bambino little miracle’ Scan Sonogram Countdown Photo Frame ‘… weeks until we meet”


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Maternity Leggings

Something that I couldn’t live without now that I have them, are Maternity Leggings. They are not only versatile but super comfortable. You can choose to dress them up or dress them down too. My favourites are from George at Asda (I reviewed them already just search for Maternity in my categories), and they wash and wear well. I have several colours now after ordering twice, and I would buy more in a heartbeat if I begin to wear these ones out. So far so good though after a dozen or so washes already!


Thank you for reading this blog post today, I do hope that you have enjoyed it and perhaps you’ve gotten some ideas for purchases for any loved ones or yourself who may be expecting this year. The frames can make great gifts!

When I purchase more items and find they are good quality I will review them. And I have gotten some items for help when our baby arrives, I hope to review these too when I have the time. Look out for these pregnancy related posts as the summer weeks go by.

 Sabrina