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    • BEAUTY
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Motherhood

Inclusive books notetoiris
LifeMotherhood

How To Talk About Race With Your Child – Inclusive Children’s Books

written by notetoiris

I Stand In Solidarity With The Black Community.

Recent events have sparked conversations that need to be out in the open. Therefor I thought it would be good for me to share with you all how we talk about race at home, what we read to our toddler, what we are watching when we are allowing screen time and other useful resources.

Nza is 19 months and loves to be read to, of course she also loves screen time, we try and minimise that to an average of 1 hour or less a day. This is flexible as we watch more on rainy days…

Inclusive books notetoiris

An excellent resource for parents:

  • Are your kids to young to talk about race?

Kids talk about race notetoiris

Book shops

Of course, where you can, please visit your local library or by secondhand books!

We have a lovely bookshop close to us: Moon Lane Ink, they also have an excellent YouTube channel where they read stories.

New Beacon Books specialises in African and African-Caribbean literature, they are based in London.

Sankofa Read Aloud – Online African American Children’s Stories read aloud.

Black Well Oxford have book stores but also have a great eBay account featuring lots of inclusive books.

Children’s books written by authors from African descent

  • My Hair by Hannah Lee

  • Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry (which was originally an Oscar-winning short film)
  • Tiana Eat Up! by Akitoye Sunday
  • I Am Enough and I Believe I Can by Grace Byers
  • Dream Big Little Leaders written & illustrated by Vashti Harrison
  • Sulwe by Lupita Nyong’o illustrated by Vashti Harrison

  • Mommy’s Khimar by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow illustrated by Ebony Glenn
  • Grandad Mandela by Zindzi Mandela, Zazi Mandela, Ziwelene Mandela illustrated by Sean Qualls
  • Saturday and Thank you, Omu! by Oge Mora
  • Hands Up by Brenna J. McDaniel illustrated byShane W. Evans
  • Girl of Mine by Jabari Asim illustrated by LeUyen Pham
  • Going Down Home with Daddy by Kelly Starling Lyons illustrated by
  • Another written and illustrated by Christian Robinson
  • The Proudest Blue by Ibtihaj Muhammad with S. K. Ali illustrated by Hatem Aly

  • The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson
  • My Daddy Doesn’t Need a Cape by Sheryl Smiley-Oliphant
  • Welcome To the Party by Gabrielle Union illustrated by Ashley Evans
  • My Hair is a Garden written and illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera

Picture books celebrating Black Fathers and Black Father-Figures.

RESOURCES FOR MULTICULTURAL BOOKS

The Brown Bookshelf: http://www.thebrownbookshelf.com/
We Need Diverse Books: https://diversebooks.org/
Just Us Books: http://justusbooks.com/
Lee & Low: http://www.leeandlow.com/
Helping Kids Rise: https://www.helpingkidsrise.org
Black Children’s Books & Authors: http://bcbooksandauthors.com/
Here Wee Read: http://hereweeread.com/
EyeSeeMe: http://www.eyeseeme.com
The Conscious Kid: https://www.theconsciouskid.org/
Cynsations: https://cynthialeitichsmith.com/cynsations/
CBC Diversity: http://www.cbcdiversity.com/
Cinco Puntos Press: http://www.cincopuntos.com/
American Indians in Children’s Literature: http://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/
Cooperative Children’s Book Center: http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/
Social Justice Books: https://socialjusticebooks.org/
Crazy Quilt Edi: http://campbele.wordpress.com/
Diversity in YA: http://www.diversityinya.com/
Sweet Honey Child Book Club: http://sweethoneychildbookclub.tumblr.com/

Inclusive children’s books by non-Black authors

It’s important to know if the author is or isn’t of African descent as the story might be less authentic or feel stereotypical instead of it being a personal story. These books might also be more supported already, they might have bigger publishers in some cases, so please first try and support the above list and than the list below.

  • Last Stop On Market Street by Matt de la Pena illustrated by Christian Robinson
  • My Friend Earth by Patricia MacLachlan
  • Izzy Gizmo and the Invention Convention by Pip Jones
  • Handa’s Surprise by Eileen Browne
  • Off to the Beach by Childs Play
  • Earth Hour A Lights-Out Event for Our Planet by Nanette Heffernan illustrated by Bao Luu
  • Lola Goes to School by Anna McQuinn illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw
  • The Youngest Marcher by Cynthia Levinson
  • When’s My Birthday? by Julie Fogliano

This is an ongoing list, last updated 22 June 2020, please comment if you have any suggestions! 🙂

How To Talk About Race With Your Child – Inclusive Children’s Books was last modified: June 22nd, 2020 by notetoiris
June 3, 2020
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Nza hummus toddler eats
BabyMotherhood

What My Vegan Toddler Eats (Examples with Pictures)

written by notetoiris

Toddler eats. Where do I begin? Our little girl simply loves breastmilk and she is in no rush to explore solid food. I breastfed her all through our wedding, which was both beautiful and tiring.

As long as you make sure everything is:

Cut in appropriate sizes,
Large pips are removed,
and you eat next to them,

you can let your toddler safely explore solid food.

She has come on leaps and bounds and now eats whatever we are eating, cut in to appropriate sizes.

This is a really useful Instagram account for vegan toddler eats.

and so is this one.

Nza Caribbean toddler food

Daddy and daughter sharing Nanabaa’s Caribbean dinner. At 13 months old.

Nza toddler breakfast blueberry pancakes

Spelt blueberry pancake with kiwi and chickpeas. At 15 months old.

Nza toddler dinner

Sweet potato pakora, bean stew, green peas, pomegranate seeds, and oranges. At 16 months old.

Vegan Toddler dinner

Broken up falafel, Jollof rice, coleslaw and low salty olives. At 17 months old.

Toddler dinner

Spelt penne, low salt olives, spelt bread, clementine, mango and blueberries. At 17 months old.

Toddler eats notetoiris

Courgetti with mashed avocado, green peas, quinoa and jollof rice, radish and cooked mushrooms. At 17 months old.

Nza also loves snacking, these peanut butter and coconut bliss balls are one of her favourites, the recipe you can find here.

What My Vegan Toddler Eats (Examples with Pictures) was last modified: May 8th, 2020 by notetoiris
May 8, 2020
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Cloth Nappies
BabyMotherhood

All You Need To Know About Cloth Nappies

written by notetoiris

This is what I learned using cloth nappies now for a year, I can definitely recommend it!

If you are feeling daunted by the thought of poonami nappies in cloth… The endless washing and folding than please, this post is for you especially. It really isn’t as bad as you might think.

Our baby is a toddler now, we have been using cloth nappies for almost a year and started at 6 weeks old.  I wish we started earlier but I just needed a few weeks to adjust to motherhood and enjoy the time we had with Nza. Baby brain is real and I would have felt better if I was more prepared with my cloth nappy collection before the birth of my baby.

Playing with wet bags notetoiris

Playing with ‘wet bags’

Cloth nappies, inserts

This is a really useful chart showing you what is in your nappy. Comparing costs, leaks and absorption.

We are based in the UK and have a mixture of:

  • TotsBots
  • Little Lamb
  • Bambino Mio
  • Little & Bloomz

I got a combination of these brands to start and figure out which nappies I liked best. Turns out I like them all for different reasons.

TotsBots

The TotsBots Bamboozle nappies I love. They are super soakers and great for night time nappies, even as they get older. I didn’t find these great for when small baby is in the carrier (especially travelling long distance) because Nza’s bum would get a little sore, she didn’t stay dry enough in them. They are also lovely for indoors, when you don’t necessarily need to use a outer waterproof cover. Their PUL (waterproof cover) is made from recycled water bottles, which is a massive plus. The nappies are made from 90% bamboo and 10% microfibre.
TotsBots also do great packs & kits, TeenyFit tiny baby nappies, EasyFit All-In-Ones, and Swim nappies (I recommend getting size 2).

Cloth nappies bamboozle notetoiris

TotsBots Bamboozle nappy

Little Lamb

Little Lamb have amazing soft bamboo nappies that soak up a lot as well. Remember that bamboo fabric, although soaks up a lot, also retains a lot of water after washing so it takes longer to dry. They also have cloth versions. We got 5 pocket nappies (that you can stuff with your desired material) and I love these because they are plain and colourful + quick drying.

Little Lamb Nappy

Bambino Mio

I thought I would like these the most, as I got sold on all the cute patterns, but turns out I got bored of them very easily… They are velcro and are usually easy to use for newbies and might be good to use if baby is going to nursery.

Bambino Mio Aldi event

The velcro can seem handy but the square tabs can sometimes catch on clothes, towels and other items. When your baby starts to explore, they might be successful in taking the nappy off, whereas with poppers that will be difficult/impossible.
These Miosolo All-In-One nappies are made with a microfibre insert, this will be okay for absorption of  baby’s wees but not if you have a heavy wetter/toddler. By that time you’ll also need to purchase added inserts/boosters.
Bambino Mio also have Mioduo two-piece nappies and sets which will be a cheaper option.

Also widely available at Aldi and Sainsbury’s, which is a plus, as other cloth nappies can only be ordered online.

Little & Bloomz

Purchase these ‘China nappies’ as they are called in the cloth nappy community, for a fraction of the price of other brands, on Amazon or eBay. They come with a choice of inserts, make a note that their bamboo insert is mostly microfibre.

All you need to know about cloth nappies

Sunning out stains cloth nappies

Remember you can sun out most baby poo stains in the sun, of course after washing them!

Cloth nappies sunning out stains

Cloth nappies sunning out stainsThis is the result after just one hour of sun, not using any bleach.

All You Need To Know About Cloth Nappies was last modified: April 29th, 2020 by notetoiris
November 28, 2019
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nipple balm cold and raw
Motherhood

Soothing Vegan Nipple Balm Recipe

written by notetoiris

Breastfeeding isn’t always easy. Especially at the beginning of your breastfeeding journey. What really helped me is a soothing nipple balm!

Soft, Luxurious and filled with 100% natural ingredients, these nipple balms are sure to become a regular in your breastfeeding routine.

nipple balm recipe cold and raw

This is a vegan nipple balm with a silky texture and a glossy finish, no beeswax was used – instead, this lip balm is made with candelilla wax, a plant-based beeswax alternative.

Smooths, softens and heals dry and cracked nipples. Free from petroleum’s, alcohols and other nasty’s. Also important to note to not add essential oils because it needs to be baby safe.

Soothing Vegan Nipple Balm Recipe

Print This

Ingredients

  • *Try to source organic if you can
  • 4g Organic Cocoa butter
  • 1g Candelilla wax
  • 5g Organic Cold-Pressed Coconut oil
  • 7g Jojoba oil
  • 3g Organic Unrefined Shea butter
  • (If you want to add CBD - Holistic Hemp of Scotland CBD shatter 20mg)

Instructions

This recipe will fill a 20-gram lip balm tin.

Use 1 small pan filled with boiling water

Place on a stovetop on a low heat to remain warm temperature

Place one oven-safe ceramic or glass bowl  on top, a bain-marie style

Fill the bowl with the cocoa butter, coconut oil, jojoba oil, shea butter and leave to melt

Add in the candelilla wax, wait for that to melt

Take off the heat

Then add the CBD (if you are adding this)

Pour in your tins or container and leave to cool

Soothing Vegan Nipple Balm Recipe was last modified: April 24th, 2019 by notetoiris
Soothing Vegan Nipple Balm Recipe was last modified: April 24th, 2019 by notetoiris
March 25, 2019
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BabyMotherhood

My Newborn Baby Must-Haves! Natural and Cruelty-Free 👶🏽

written by notetoiris

Being a new mum you’ll need all the help you can get. I know it takes a village to raise a child but sometimes you’re at it alone and could use a little help. That’s why I wanted to share a few of my favourite things!

A nest/pod: This little nest has been a big help in creating a safe space for Nza. As soon as she was out of the womb she could feel a little like she was back in a womb-like environment. It’s also been helpful when she was lying next to me in bed or on the sofa. Especially when you’re super tired and are afraid of maybe rolling over on your baby or need to go to the bathroom without being in a panic. Our nest goes up to 6 months by opening up one side of it.

Sling/Carrier: Embrace being a kangaroo mama and get yourself a sling. Not just good for when you take your baby our, also handy for indoors when you want to have your hands free! We like the Closer Parent Caboo carrier as it’s easy to put on.

Hot water bottle: Since Nza is a winter baby, the hot water bottle has come in handy. It warms up her Moses basket and she usually finds comfort from it too. Sleeping bags are also a favourite as otherwise she kicks off her blanket. Anything to help her fall a sleep or stay a sleep is a winner in my books.

Pram/Buggy/Stroller: Trust me, you will be making quite a few trips up and down the road trying to get your little one to sleep. Best to have a good quality pram to keep you going. It’s an investment but so worth it! We got ours secondhand so no need to break the bank.

Cloth nappies: Not only great for the environment but also super soft on your newborns bum 🙂 We decided to invest in cloth/bamboo nappies and I love these especially by Totsbots.

 

 

My Newborn Baby Must-Haves! Natural and Cruelty-Free 👶🏽 was last modified: April 23rd, 2020 by notetoiris
March 5, 2019
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BabyMotherhood

Natural Postpartum Sitz Bath After Birth Recipe

written by notetoiris

A sitz bath is a warm, shallow bath that cleanses the perineum. It can help heal haemorrhoids, bowel issues, and infections and is great after given birth. This recipe really helped heal me after having my first child, I used the baby bath to sit in myself but you can use your bathtub if you have one. I hope it will be useful to another person who has just given birth.

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup comfrey leaf
  • 1 cup lavender flower
  • 1 cup raspberry leaf
  • 1/2 cup yarrow
  • 1 cup calendula
  • 1/2 cup sea salt
  • 1/2 cup chamomile
  • 1/2 cup plantain leaf

I bought all of these in bulk and mixed them in a big glass jar.

Mix 1 cup herbs with 2 litres boiling water, brew for at least 20 minutes, strain and add to bath/sitz bath or use in a peri bottle.

Please let me know if this recipe has helped you or send it to someone who could find it helpful.

Natural Postpartum Sitz Bath After Birth Recipe was last modified: February 11th, 2019 by notetoiris
December 20, 2018
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Baby checklist
BabyMotherhood

My Ultimate (Vegan) Baby Checklist/Wishlist 👶🏽

written by notetoiris

This is my ultimate baby checklist, I hope it is useful to other (new) mums out there. I will be updating this as I go along but found this useful to keep in my phone notes.

Pregnancy Shopping List

*Non of these items are sponsored unless clearly stated*

List of things to get:

Lotions and potions

  • Nipple Balm/Cream (I made my own, see recipe here and also bought Kit & Kin)
  • Baby wash/shampoo (They won’t need this first thing, just use water)
  • Shea butter (For sore bottoms)
  • Coconut oil (Good moisturiser)
  • A gentle laundry detergent (Either make your own, see recipe here. Or I bought Ecover)
  • Baby Mild Castile Soap by Dr Bronners
  • Buy or make all cleaning products in bulk ahead of babies arrival: washing powder, bleach, all purpose cleaner, toilet roll (I ordered Who Gives A Crap), Soap nuts etc
  • Primrose Evening oil for perennial massage (From 35 weeks take orally, from 38 weeks vaginally)
  • Vitamin D drops for baby
  • Jojoba oil (or un-fragranced oil of choice) in small pipette bottle
  • Clary Sage essential oil (Helps to stimulate birth, only use at 40 weeks)
  • Other essential oils I found useful: Peppermint, Lavender
  • Tucks Medicated Cooling Pads (For mama to use after birth)
  • Peri bottle, either reuse a water bottle or try these (For mama to use after birth)
  • Aloe Vera gel or fresh Aloe Vera to make your own Postpartum Cold Packs (For mama to use after birth)

Clothes/soft items

  • Sleep onesies newborn 4x
  • Sleep onesies 0-3 months 4x
  • Sleep onesies 3-6 months 2x
  • Sleeping bag 0-6 months 2x
  • Baby hooded towels 2x
  • Bamboo reusable or cotton breast pads
  • Muslin squares 5x
  • Baby grows 0-3 months 5x
  • Baby grows 3-6 months (fruit days of the week Gap sale £8) 7x
  • Baby grows 6-9 months (buy what you find in sale or secondhand)  7x
  • Baby clothes 0-3 months: 1 cardigan Gap sale, (1 soft jacket, 2 t-shirts, 6 leggings, 1 coat/pram suit  all eBay)
  • Baby clothes 3-6 months: 1 cardigan, 1 coat, 1 jumper dress, 2 tights, 1 wedding outfit (we’re going to a wedding)
  • Baby clothes 6-9 months: 1 cardigan
  • Baby clothes 12-18 months (1 summer jumpsuit eBay)
  • Baby socks 0-6 months 10x (you might lose some or you can use them for scratch mittens)
  • Baby socks 6-9 months 1x
  • Baby scratching mittens/gloves for nails 1x
  • Bibs 3-6 months 3x
  • Bibs 6-12 months
  • Winter coat 0-3 months (Depending on where you live and the season)
  • Newborn hats (Thin cotton hat 1x, seasonal winter hat 1x)
  • Receiving blankets (If giving birth at home)
  • Ergo baby carrier (*Sponsored)
  • Cute going home outfit for pictures (If applicable)

Clothes/soft items for mum

  • Maternity wear, I bought: 2x jeans, 1x jeans shorts, 1x dungarees, 3x tank tops, 2x charity shop dresses
  • Nursing bras 3x (I got mine from Mothercare) (halter backs Kate lingerie)
  • Nursing tops
  • Nursing nightdresses 5x I plan on living in these! (I got mine from Mothercare)
  • Sleep nursing bra 3x
  • Big dark coloured natural cotton pants for postpartum
  • Secret Saviour Stretch Mark Prevention Band (*Sponsored)

Nappies

I’m going to attempt cloth nappies, starting from about 1 month after birth. I got a few cloth nappies from different brands to try out to see which ones baby suits best.

  • Cloth nappies (2x Bambino Mio, 1x Tots bots size 1, 2x Tots bots birth to potty, 3x Little Lambs)
  • Extra inserts for nappies if needed for overnight
  • Biodegradable nappies size 1 2x (Kit & Kin 40 nappies)
  • Biodegradable nappies size 2 2x (Kit & Kin 80 nappies)
  • Biodegradable wipes (Kit & Kin 2x packs)
  • Nappies bin
  • Wash/wet bag for on the go 3x
  • Wash bag for at home bin 2x
  • Changing mat for home 1x
  • Changing mat for on the go 2x
  • Re-usable baby wipes (Use up old t-shirts or towels or buy 10x wipes Bambino Mio)
  • Soft washcloths 10x
  • Cloth pads or disposable chemical free ones for postpartum bleeding
  • Big cotton disposable pads
  • Changing bag (I got this Skiphop bag from John Lewis)

Toys and books

  • Baby books (I got a couple from the charity shop)
  • Wooden teether 2x (I got mine on Etsy)
  • Wooden development toys (gift)
  • Teddies (mix of my childhood teddies and gifts)
  • Comfort blanket (gift)
  • Pregnancy books (These were gifts and I will be re-gifting after birth)
  • Wooden gym (Make your own or buy on Etsy)

Furniture

  • Nursing pillow (I was gifted a My Breast Friend nursing pillow by a friend who no longer needed it)
  • Sling (I bought mine secondhand on EBay)
  • Pram/Buggy
  • Bouncer chair (*Sponsored by Baby Bjorn)
  • Co-sleeper bed if you’re co-sleeping
  • Rocking chair (If you find it useful to rock baby to sleep)
  • Manual or Electric Breast pump
  • Chair (They won’t need this until they can sit up, I’m planning on getting a Tripp Trapp from Stokke)
  • Moses basket (I bought mine for £10 secondhand with extra mattress and sheets)
  • Monitor
  • Pod/Nest (I got this Nanami mustard yellow one £69, 10% discount if you sign up for the newsletter)
  • Hot water bottle if winter baby (gift)
  • Nightlight (I used my childhood nightlight)
  • Bathtub or bath support (I bought mine £10 secondhand)
  • Changing table with storage (I got this table from John Lewis £59)
  • Cot/Crib (If you’re using co-sleeper or Moses basket omit this)
  • Fitted crib sheets 3x  (If you’re using co-sleeper or Moses basket omit this)
  • Crib mattress cover  (If you’re using co-sleeper or Moses basket omit this)
  • Soft Cotton Blanket
  • Swaddle blanket (I bought a bamboo one on Etsy)
  • Knitted blanket (Seasonal)
  • Car seat (Make sure it’s safe if you’re buying secondhand)
  • Full body support car seat cushion (*Sponsored from Benbat)
  • Headrest (*Sponsored from Benbat I got the Lion one)
  • Forehead thermometer (I chose this one)
  • Room thermometer (I got a Groegg)
  • Power outlet covers
  • Nail clippers (I got two just in case I lose one)
  • Plates (I like these from Bamboo Bamboo for when baby starts feeding)

Feeding/Food

  • Freezer Meals to make in advance
  • Lactation Cookies
  • Overnight Oats (I ordered Bexfast breakfast pots)
  • Raspberry Leaf Tea (For end of pregnancy and postpartum)
  • Dates (I ate 6 a day for most of the pregnancy)
  • Herbs and spices for postpartum bath
  • Herbs and spices for postpartum tea

If you’re bottle feeding or pumping:

  • Glass bottles
  • Pump of choice

What I’m going to do to help stimulate labour ( most from 40 weeks)

  • 2 oz Castor oil, 1 tsp baking soda, 6 oz orange juice
  • Dates
  • Pineapple contains an enzyme called Bromelain that could bring on labour (in fact, other tropical fruits like kiwi, mango and papaya do, too).
  • Clary Sage essential oil
  • Red Raspberry Leaf tea
  • Liquorice root
  • Going on long walks
  • Massage, reflexology and acupuncture
  • Being intimate with your partner 😉

Postpartum tips

  • Herbs and spices for postpartum sitz bath
  • Herbs and spices for postpartum tea

My Ultimate (Vegan) Baby Checklist/Wishlist 👶🏽 was last modified: January 18th, 2020 by notetoiris
November 4, 2018
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Secret Saviour Stretch Mark Prevention Band
Motherhood

Stretch Mark Prevention Band Review (Pregnancy Post) 🤰🏼

written by notetoiris

Pregnancy is full of changes and it usually includes getting some stretch marks on your belly, breasts, bum and hips. Everyone has them, I have them mostly on my upper legs and hips, now I also have some on my breasts. That’s why I’m so excited to share with you my honest opinion on the Secret Saviours Stretch Mark Prevention Band to (as it says on the tin!) it helps prevent stretch marks during pregnancy. Because stretch marks are a part of life but having a few less definitely couldn’t hurt…

Secret Saviour Stretch Mark Prevention BandMade from good quality, lightweight, breathable fabric that’s comfortable and supportive, I have worn it day in and day out. I’ve only not worn it overnight when it needed a wash and I let it air dry.

Secret Saviours is a small team of mums and medical specialists who are passionate about helping women prevent stretch marks. Their belly band has been fully researched, tried and tested. I’m so happy I got to test the product myself and have given it 2 months to review this item so I would be sure to give you all the ins and outs!

The Secret Saviours system is really simple and easy to follow. All the items are also available separately. I think the set makes for a lovely baby shower gift, something for both mum and baby.

Secret Saviours Belly Band for Pregnancy Review by notetoiris

Secret Saviour Stretch Mark Prevention Band

Secret Saviour Stretch Mark Prevention Band

  • Comfort
    10
  • Durability
    8
  • Design
    8
  • Does as it says on the tin
    9
  • Worth the price
    9
The Goods
  • I have rated this product really high for a reason, I love it. I've used it almost 24/7 so far and feel like it works really well. If it prevents stretch marks is something to be seen after the baby is born, but for now it relieves the tightness around my growing belly and therefor it's not so itchy.
  • This would make for a perfect gift for a mum-to-be!
The Bads
  • As the product is in almost constant use, I would recommend getting two bands so you can wash one while the other is in use. You will also need to buy different sizes as your belly will not stay the same for the duration of your pregnancy.
  • I hand-washed mine but you will obviously notice some wear and tear as you use the product round the clock...
8.8
Average Score

 

Stretch Mark Prevention Band Review (Pregnancy Post) 🤰🏼 was last modified: January 18th, 2020 by notetoiris
September 18, 2018
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Juicing greens - notetoiris
JournalMotherhood

What I Ate During My First Trimester of Pregnancy (Vegan) 🤰🏼

written by notetoiris

For my first trimester I counted myself pretty lucky, I only had mild nausea spells in the mornings… By being able to rest, eating mostly raw vegan diet and continuing exercising it felt very manageable. I know not everyone feels like they’re on a pink cloud but I thought I’d share what was helpful for me and maybe it’ll be helpful for you too!

Always travel with a bottle of water! And a snack.

I felt the most nauseous I’ve ever felt in transport, while I never feel car-sick, I certainly did now. Travelling with a bottle of water to hand and an apple/banana, some crackers and possible a healthy snack bar, all turned out to be life-savers for me.

Breakfast, most important meal of the day.

Although it was sometimes a struggle keeping anything in, especially in the mornings, I force fed myself a bowl of oats with fruit every morning. Your body is craving fuel and sometimes you think you’re feeling nauseous but you might just be hungry…

Breakfast in my first trimester of pregnancy by notetoiris

Juicing, especially with adding fresh ginger.

I read somewhere that ginger is a great natural remedy to nausea and therefor morning sickness! I love ginger and I know it’s not everyones cup of tea. Try adding a little bit of ginger at a time if you’re not into spicy foods.

Also green juices are an excellent source of vitamins and minerals when you’re finding it hard to eat. Make sure they are full of dark green leafy vegetables.

Rest as much as you can!

“Even when you’re not sleeping, you are resting” is what my family used to say. It couldn’t be more true now. I find it hard to take a nap during the day but I do love to read a book or listen to a podcast. This also relaxes you, try not to watch tv or your phone during your time of relaxation. You can also try meditation or yoga for pregnancy which I both find very helpful to center myself.

Exercise, even when you only want to rest.

By going for a walk or breaking a sweat at least once a day, you make sure that you’re readying yourself for the birth of your child. If you’re not into weightlifting (which I struggle with at times) try using your body weight only by doing exercises like squats, press ups, donkey kicks etc.

Bye for now, from me and the bump x

Pregnancy Announcement - First trimester notetoiris

What I Ate During My First Trimester of Pregnancy (Vegan) 🤰🏼 was last modified: January 18th, 2020 by notetoiris
June 4, 2018
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Pregnancy Announcement Scan notetoiris
JournalMotherhood

Pregnancy Announcement – Vegan Baby On The Way!

written by notetoiris

We are expecting a little bubba!

You might have noticed I’ve been quiet on my Instagram lately and I’m sorry if I cancelled last minute to catch up, I’ve been a little preoccupied…
Later this year, for our 5 year anniversary, we’ll receive the gift of life, a new life for us 3 👶🏽 So excited to share this special time with you all!
First scan went well, we’ll have a healthy vegan bubba end of this year ✨

Pregnancy Announcement notetoiris

Pregnancy announcement first photographs!

 

 

 

Pregnancy Announcement – Vegan Baby On The Way! was last modified: June 3rd, 2018 by notetoiris
May 29, 2018
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