New Centrum Pregnancy Care Range

Did you know that us Brits spend up to 5 years planning for a baby but we don't count looking after our health as part of the plan? Centrum Pregnancy Care carried out a survey amongst 3000 women and found some interesting data.

The majority of women in the UK planned to have their first child between the ages of 26 - 30 and over a quarter of the women surveyed said that they wanted to save at least £5000 before starting a family. Over a third of the women wanted to reach certain career goals before starting a family and where they lived was also a key factor in making the decision to conceive with 41% saying it was important to move to a larger house. Now all of the above are important things to think about and the women surveyed are obviously taking great care over their decision but the survey also found that one of the most important areas is being forgotten and that is the health of mother and child.

The Centrum Pregnancy Care survey found that 20% of women would not consider altering their diet or taking supplements in order to help them try to conceive, during pregnancy or whilst breastfeeding. Also only 1 in 10 said that they would cut down alcohol during their pregnancy.

One of the results that came out of the survey was that 1 in 6 women don't know about the importance of folic acid and aren't taking a supplement before they conceive and aren't taking one during the early stages of pregnancy. Folic acid has been proven to dramatically reduce the chances of your baby developing neural tube defects such as Spina Bifida and is easily taken in tablet form.

So how did I fit into the results of the survey? Well I would have loved to have had a baby by the time I was 30 but all the factors above weren't in place - I wanted to live in a bigger place and I didn't have the savings I felt we'd need. So I was 34 when I had my first baby and by that time we had moved to a house and we'd managed to put some savings together. I am one of the women who did know about the importance of Folic Acid but I put that down to my former obsession with magazines, I'm a bit of an information junkie and so I did take supplements while trying to conceive and also throughout pregnancy. It does amaze me that the importance of Folic Acid isn't on every one's radar but then I think we can be reminded of it all too late. Typically when a woman goes to the GP to tell them about their pregnancy, the GP will ask them they're taking folic acid and if they're not then they will be reminded to take it but that is a little late in the day at that stage.

Centrum have now developed Centrum Pregnancy Care and Pregnancy Care Plus with Omega 3 containing a unique blend of 19 vitamins and minerals including folic acid to support healthy foetal growth and help the baby's bone, brain and eye development. If you want to give your baby the best start then supplements including Folic acid are a must.

Centrum Pregnancy Care costs £5.29 for 30 tablets and is available from supermarkets and pharmacies.

My Debenhams Outfit for the MAD Blog Awards!

I was lucky enough to be dressed by Debenhams for my night out at the MAD Blog Awards. Having not long had a baby I wasn't all that confident about my body and my sense of style disappeared long ago. So it was great for someone else to look for my outfit.

I was given the full personal shopper treatment, a lovely guy called Peter ran around the store selecting a few dresses for me to try out and once the dress was selected he went off to source me some fab accessories! I particularly loved the fluffy stole from Debenhams designer range.

My final outfit was a gorgeous Debut by Debenhams Dress, fluffy stole was J by Jasper Conran, bag was Star by Julien MacDonald and coral shoes were from Faith.

I didn't realise that the personal shopper service is completely free and I truly believe that this method of shopping found me my party outfit a lot quicker than I would have done on my own. I felt like a winner on the night even I didn't win my category and that is all thanks to Peter and Debenhams. Thank you so much for making me look the part at The MAD Blog Awards.

Woah! Bye Bye Nappies!

I've wanted to tackle potty training with Isla for a while but with the arrival of Noah it's just been impossible, I haven't been able to concentrate and not had the patience for it. But this week it seems to have suddenly clicked in Isla's head that she wants to be out of nappies and if I'm honest it's me that's pulling back from it! But no, we're going for it head on and today was a whole day out in London wearing 'Big Girl Pants'!

Ever since she was about 1 we've had the potty in the bathroom and we've always encouraged her to go on it and she has used it on and off since the beginning of this year but we've not been regimented about it, it's all a very relaxed thing. For quite a while she has only done poo's on the potty as she clearly doesn't want it in her nappy but wees have not been as regular. Whenever we've asked her if she needs a wee she decides whether she wants to use the potty or not. I've always felt that it's important to remain as relaxed about the whole thing as possible so as not to have a power struggle over it.

The other thing we've been doing is reading Princess Polly's Potty - a brilliant book about Princess Polly and her journey through potty training which also involves the reader in the story. Isla really loves it and loves picking out her favourite potty from the ones pictured. It explains what Princess Polly goes through when learning to use her potty.

This week though, things have stepped up a gear and I partly attribute it to moving up to the older class at nursery. They have the potties out in a row in the classroom and the kids are encouraged to use it as and when they need. Also her best friend at nursery has started potty training so she has seen her going on it and has chosen to go and sit next to her on the potty and apparently they sit and have a little chat while they're on them! So when my Other Half went to collect Isla on Thursday they told him she'd done 4 wees that day on the potty and for us to bring her in knickers for the following day at nursery (with a bag of spare trousers and knickers in case of accidents) and they'd see how she got on the next day.

She was brilliant - no accidents, and loved wearing BIG GIRL PANTS!

So this morning, I didn't know what to do as we were going out for the whole day and I wasn't mentally ready for the challenge but I felt that if I put her in her pull ups we'd be going backwards on the good work that the nursery had done the day before. I took a deep breath and put her in knickers. We went out with the potty in tow and it was fine, even when there was an accident! I just had to remember to keep asking her at intervals if she needed a wee.

As I said there was an accident, but really I think it was more my fault as I didn't give her a reminder - and although it was an accident it became apparent that she was trying to hold it in once she told me she needed it. It leaked on her pants and trousers but once we'd reached the toilets there was still plenty more to come, so she'd tried hard not to let go! My only scary moment of the day was when we were at a bus stop near London Zoo and in this little voice she said 'I need a poo'. I just looked around and thought, 'where the hell are we going to do this?!' Luckily this proved to be a false alarm and I didn't have another poo situation on my hands!

Watch this space to see how we get on with this mission.

The Lion King 3D & BOGOF on Disney Films

The Lion King is my all time favourite Disney film and I can't wait for Isla to see it, and she won't have to wait long because it comes out again in cinemas on the 7th October in 3D! It is such a heart warming emotional story and the music gets a lump in my throat every time. A month after its 3D release at the cinema it will be out on Disney Blu-ray™, Disney 3D Blu-ray and DVD along with a special Triple Pack featuring The Lion King movie trilogy. Glad we got that new flat screen TV - it will make good viewing!

It's also worth mentioning that if you're looking to start your Christmas shopping early there is a Buy One Get One Free Promotion on Disney Films until 31st October, which is such a bargain! It includes new releases such as Tangled and old releases like Fantasia (the first Disney film I ever saw at the cinema!). Snatch a bargain while you can!

Aaargh I'm losing my hair!

It's happening again! I'm losing my hair, handfuls of the stuff and it's already starting to wind up my other half.
Him: "Your hair's everywhere!"
Me: "Er, yes, so sorry about that....DON'T YOU THINK I'D PREFER IT IF IT WAS ON MY HEAD!!??"

Obviously I realise that this is a temporary situation and that this hair is all excess that my body has hung on to for 9 months while I was pregnant, but there is this slightly panicky side of me that wonders if my head will ever stop shedding? Will I have to fashion a comb over for the rest of my life?

To be honest it's more the pain in the arse that it causes as I have to clear the plughole more regularly - yuck! And hoover more often - yawn. So.....

Dear Hair,
Please hurry up and decide whether you're staying or going.
Love,
Me

*In case you're worried this picture isn't real*

Maclaren Beginnings - Review

A while back I went to The Baby Show in London and came across the Maclaren Beginning bath and body products. I was given a wonderful hand massage using the oil from the range and I ended up buying a Beginning travel kit for mums to be. I loved all the products and towards the end of my pregnancy the massage oil was thrust in my Other Half's hand of an evening to give me a foot massage!

So a few weeks back Babythings4U offered me the chance to try the baby range on Noah and I didn't need to consider it really as I knew that I loved the products for myself. We were sent the Calming Bath Milk with pure organic Lavender, Gernanium and Mandarin essential oils and the Absorbing Dusting Powder with pure organic Lavender, Tea Tree and Cornstarch.

Beginning is a holistic personal care range containing natural and organic ingredients as well as 100% pure essential oils and is certified by the UK Soil Association. The range was created by Maclaren, which came as a real surprise as I didn't know they did anything other than excellent buggies!

First of all I used the Calming Bath Milk, a capful is all that's needed and the smell is gorgeous, filling the bathroom with the scent of Lavender. Noah is loving his baths now he's getting older and although bath time is supposed to be the wind down zone, it really isn't in our house, he kicks his legs like a little frog. I don't visibly see him calm down in the bath but he does when he comes out and is getting dressed for bed. He smells absolutely divine and the oils keep his skin soft.

We used the Dusting Powder once he came out of the bath. It is talc free and is said to be good for soothing chaffing and irritated skin. I only use it around his bottom, as a way of making sure he's all nice and dry. I don't use it every night as I'm not big on covering his skin in creams and stuff but once or twice a week is fine.

I really do like these products whether they are for me or for the kids, and I'd definitely recommend them. They are nice and gentle for young skin which is essential for when they are so young, like Noah. If you think you'd like to try them then you can buy them from BabyThings4U

I was sent these products to try by BabyThings4U. The post has been written honestly and the opinion expressed is my own.

Rio The Movie!

This weekend Isla and I are very much looking forward to attending a special screening of RIO! Check out the trailer above to get a taste of it. Isla already loves watching animated movies and this one comes from the makers of one of her favourites ICE AGE, so I'm expecting her to love it! It will be an experiment though as she hasn't watched a film outside of our home, so I hope she settles down to watch it in exactly the same way as she will at home.....I'll be back to report on the film and how Isla liked it next week.