Where's My Pregnancy Glow?

I was overjoyed when I found out we had a little Mini Milburn on the way, we had been trying to conceive for some time and were starting to have infertility tests.  So when the two little blue lines appeared on the pregnancy test we could not have been happier. We were so excited and couldn't wait to meet her.

I always wanted to be a Mum and had visions of me with a lovely neat bump, all glowing and radiant. I thought I would be a mother earth type and take to pregnancy as mother nature intended.  But what I imagined and what became reality were worlds apart. 

Pregnancy can be very very hard.

I think I suffered from the vast majority of pregnancy related illnesses, Hyperemesis Gravadarum, severely swollen legs and feet, painful hips, back and knees, dry mouth, constant thirst, heart burn, indigestion and acid reflux, carpel tunnel, head aches, sensitive teeth the list goes on.

I felt like my body had been taken over by an alien and when the baby moved, eeek, I have to admit it took some getting used to. For the first 6 months I didn't even feel pregnant, I just felt ill.

I think it's fair to say that I really didn't enjoy being pregnant, I really wish I did and I feel envious of those women who sail through pregnancy, glowing and blooming until the very end. Sadly it wasn't like that for me and I think a lot of women feel the same.  As a women, nurturing and growing a baby inside us is what our bodies are made for, what nature intended.  So when it doesn't come naturally it can come as a bit of a shock.

I wanted to write this blog post for ladies who are pregnant for the first time and are struggling with how they are feeling.  I want to reassure you that it's OK to feel what your feeling.  Your body is going through so much, your body is changing and it will feel strange and different.

I was worried that being a Mum wasn't going to come naturally to me. If I didn't like being pregnant maybe my motherly instincts wouldn't kick in as well.  How can I possibly be a good Mum if I dislike being pregnant so much? As usual I was worrying for nothing, as soon as my daughter was born I knew exactly what to do and how to care for her. 

When I was pregnant I didn't feel that I was able to talk about how hard I was finding it.  I certainly would never have admitted it to another pregnant lady. Thinking that I was somewhat abnormal for disliking it so much. But I really wished I had.  Since having my beautiful baby I have met some lovely ladies at Mum and baby groups.  We talk about all sorts, including how tough pregnancy is and how for some women it really isn't an enjoyable experience. 

Looking back now I wish I had joined an NCT group or gone along to some informal antenatal groups, I think meeting other friendly pregnant women would have put my mind at ease.

I go to a lovely Mum and Baby group organised by the Birth and Baby Network.  They also offer antenatal workshops and drop in sessions for pregnant women.  If you live in the North East I would highly recommend it.


Much love,
Pippa

Mummy and Baby OOTD

We had a trip out to the Metro Centre today and then went to visit friends. I wore my new skinny jeans and jumper from Dorothy Perkins, my new boots from Simply Be with a white vest top from H and M underneath.

I really like the pearl detail on this jumper, it makes it a little bit more dressy. 

Izzy wore a pink and white floral sleepsuit from Next and a hand knitted cardigan,

Mummy Outfit of the Day #1

Today my little family took a trip into Newcastle to meet a friend for lunch and do a bit of shopping.  I wanted to wear something comfortable but I also wanted a change from the leggings and jumpers I've been living in recently. Now I'm no longer pregnant and the size of a house it's lovely to have a choice of what to wear.

Make-up

Bobbi Brown SPF 15 Oil Free Tinted Moisturiser in alabaster

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Even Finish Compact Foundation (used as a concealer under my eyes)

Clarins Be Long mascara

Urban Decay Eyeliner

Nars Orgasm blusher

MAC Hue lipstick

Dress - Dorothy Perkins - I bought it a few years ago, it's quite flattering and doesn't draw too much attention to my post pregnancy belly.

Tights - Primark

Vest top - Primark, I do love a bit of Primarni!!

Boots - Simply Be, these boots have been a life saver, my feet have grown two sizes since I've been pregnant and none of my shoes fit!!!

Necklace - Swarovski

Coat - North Face, this is the warmest coat I have ever owned.  It was a bit pricey but it's worth every penny.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend.

Much love,

Pip x

Tresemme Renewal Hair and Scalp Collection

The lovely people over at Buzz Agent recently sent me the new Tresemme Renewal Hair and Scalp collection to try.

What is says on the packaging

Helps to nourish the scalp and renew your hair leaving it beautiful from start to finish.  With tea tree extract and sun flower seed oil the salon quality formula helps nourish the scalp at the surface cellular level.

I was sent the shampoo and conditioner, deep conditioning masque, scalp tonic and 60 second scalp intense treatment.

I was expecting the products to smell like tea tree oil but they just smell like all other Tresemme products.

The shampoo lathers really well and you only need a small amount.  I have a chin length bob and only needed to use a twenty pence sized amount.  The shampoo didn't leave my hair feeling squeaky clean which was disappointing.  I used the conditioner on the ends of my hair and it felt lovely and soft when I was rinsing it out.

Normally when I use a new shampoo and conditioner for the first time my hair feels smooth and soft, but this wasn't the case with this product and at first I was quite disappointed. 

I used the Deep Conditioning Masque and 60 Second Scalp Treatment on separate days over a 10 day period. Although I didn't see an instant result or change in the look or texture of my hair I felt like I was having a mini pampering session :)

I used the Scalp Tonic on a number of occasions, the tonic felt cold when I applied it but there definitely wasn't the tingling sensation that I was expecting. Again I didn't see or feel any instant results with the tonic.

Overall Conclusion
After using the collection for the past 10 days I have noticed that my hair does feel and look healthier.  I was also expecting to see a build up of product that normally occurs after using the same shampoo and conditioner for over a week but this didn't happen.  I normally have 3 - 4 different shampoo and conditioners on the go and rotate them on a daily basis to avoid product build up.  But so far so good with the Tresemme Renewal Hair and Scalp

If your wanting instant results then his isn't the collection for you, but used over a period of time you will see some pleasing results.

I don't have scalp problems but if I did would I choose this product?  Probably not, I would go for a medicated shampoo like T-Gel or Vosene.

I think this is a good everyday shampoo and conditioner, and using the products collectively has left my hair looking shiny and healthy.

The price is good too and Boots often have a 3 for 2 offer on Tresemme products.
Overall rating 7/10

Have you tried this range? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below.






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Hyperemesis Gravidarum - My Story

Hello Ladies

I've not written a blog post in quite a while but I thought that some of you may find my latest post useful.

I found out I was pregnant on 15th February this year, my husband and I were both over the moon. It's no secret that we have been trying for about 18 months and were starting to loose hope. So when the two little lines appeared on the pregnancy test stick we couldn't believe it!! In fact, we went out to Tesco straight away to buy 3 more tests - just to make sure the result was positive.

Fast forward to week 6, I started to be sick in the mornings, which was fine, morning sickness is all part of being pregnant and I was willing to embrace it all. Except it got worse.

From week 7 onwards I was struggling to keep anything down. The usual remedies such as ginger, peppermint tea and travel sickness bands did absolutely nothing. I went to the doctors and was prescribed Cyclazine tablets. The only problem was I couldn't keep them down long enough for them to work. A few days later I could barely get out of bed due to dehydration. My husband took me to the doctors and I was taken to hospital that night. My keytone levels were 1.9, they have to be at least 2 before they will agree to a intravenous drip to aid rehydration. They did however give me an injection of Cyclazine and after a few hours I was able to have a drink and something to eat and it stayed down!! It didn't last long though and I was back to being sick after every time I ate or drank anything.

Another trip to the hospital was needed, I could hardly walk I was so dehydrated!! This time they gave me the intravenous drip, a Cyclazine injection and I was admitted for the night. I started to feel much better after the first hour of being on a drip and was able to have something to eat.

This cycle of dehydration, Cyclazine injections/tablets and trips to the hospital continued until week 19 of my pregnancy. For most of this time I was stuck in bed, alone, with a bucket, trying to think positive. But it was hard. I felt as if I was ill not pregnant and I couldn't even bring myself to read the baby book I had bought months previously when we were trying to conceive. Getting through each day at a time was the only way I coped.

I have never felt so ill in my life, it's like having never ending food poisoning, I ached all over from retching so much, my stomach was constantly sore, I had horrendous constipation, my teeth hurt and I was getting nose bleeds. I was in bed for weeks and only left the house to visit the doctors or the hospital.  Even after I had stopped being sick I still found it hard to walk any long distances and climbing the stairs was a struggle, after spending so long in bed my muscles had reduced to nothing and I felt exhausted all the time.

When I had the strength I was desperately searching the HG forums trying to find out when it would end. Week 12 passed and I felt no better, then week 16 came and went with no sign of the sickness improving.  I kept thinking tomorrow I will feel better, tomorrow I will not be sick and one day, eventually, tomorrow came.

Around week 18 I started to notice a decrease in the number of times I was being sick a day, I was managing to keep some food down and I had stopped loosing weight. I then had a couple of sick free days until eventually I had gone a whole two weeks without being sick!! Finally it was over.

I'm still sick on the odd occasion now and I think this will probably continue throughout my pregnancy. But you know what? Being sick once every couple of weeks is a doddle compared to what it has been like.

I don't think anyone can really understand how horribly debilitating HG is without having gone through it themselves. Most people think it's just bad morning sickness and you should pull yourself together, if only it were that easy.

I couldn't have got through it without the support from my husband. He had to do everything, cook, clean, empty my sick bucket and even put me in the bath and wash and dry my hair. I know it was hard for him too and I can't thank him enough for supporting me.

For those of you who are suffering with HG now, I feel for you, it's absolutely awful.  There are a few things that helped me during those horrible dark weeks.

Medication
If you are prescribed anti sickness tablets make sure you take them at the same time everyday. If I was an hour late taking a tablet I would start to be sick straight away. I set my alarm for 4am each morning, took a tablet and then went back to sleep. When I woke up properly I had the medication in my system, this helped to reduce the need to be sick as soon I sat up in bed every morning.

Lucazade Sport with electrolytes
I literally lived of Lucazade, it's the only drink that I could sip and it would stay down. The electrolytes also help to keep me hydrated.  I think I would of had a lot more trips to the  hospital if I didn't have Lucazade.

Chew your food
When you can face eating a little something make sure you choose either really soft food or chew it really well. Chocking on your own vomit is no fun and it really hurts your throat.

Anti-acids 
Stock up on plenty on anti-acids. I really suffered with the amount of acid that came up when I was being sick. It felt like my throat was on fire. The only thing that would ease it a little was Gaviscone and Rennie anti-acids. 

Dental Hygiene 
I found it really hard to put anything in my mouth after I had been sick, let alone a tooth brush and as a result I have severely sensitive teeth. Try if you can to swill your mouth out with water. A mouthwash specially formulated for sensitive teeth would be better but if you can't manage that water will do. Stock up on toothpaste for sensitive teeth. My teeth were so painful that at one point I couldn't sleep with my mouth open.

What to eat?
When you can face a little something try high calorie foods such as milkshake, ice cream and cake.  I also used to have a little bit of banana. Jaffa cakes were good to eat too as they didn't taste too bad on the way back up!!

I hope that by sharing my story it has helped you feel a little bit more positive. I was very lucky that my HG ended when it did and I know from reading other blogs that my HG was not nearly as bad as what some women go through.

But remember you're not alone, there are thousands of women feeling exactly the same as you are right now.

There are some really good Facebook support groups that you could join.

Hyperemesis Survivor
HER Foundation
Pregnancy Sickness Support
Hyperemesis Gravidarum Sufferers and Survivors - this is a closed group so I couldn't find the link but just search for it once you're logged into Facebook

There is also the Pregnancy Sickness Support Group website that is full of useful information and has a helpline you can call. Mumsnet also have lots of good forums on HG.

Please feel free to ask me any questions in the comments section.

Take care,
Pippa

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Paler Than Pale

Follow my blog with Bloglovin I have always struggled to find foundations that are light enough for my skin tone. MAC's NC/NW 15 is way too dark. Anything that Boots or Superdrug sell doesn't come close. I also have the added problem of oily/acne prone skin. Therefore I need a liquid foundation that is oil free has good coverage and  is long lasting.

I am currently trying out 3 new foundations.

Bobbi Brown Natural Finish Long Lasting Foundation SPF 15 in Alabaster

This foundation is a good colour match for me however it only gives a light to medium coverage. It's oil free which is great but it feels more like a tinted moisturiser than a foundation.

Illamasqua RF 115 For very light skin with neutral undertones

I visited the Illamasqua counter to ask advice on which foundation to get and came away with this. I told her I had oily and acne prone skin and required a foundation that gave a good coverage and lasted all day. I must say that the colour match isn't bad, it could even be a tad too light. However, this is one seriously heavy foundation. I'm used to wearing a full coverage foundation but this is something else. I really don't think it's designed for oily skin. It just goes to show, MUA's will not necessarily give you the best advice. I'm determined not to waste this foundation so have been using it as a concealer.

Nars Sheer Matte Foundation in Siberia

I ordered this form the Nars website with high hopes. I have previously tried the Nars Sheer Glow in Mont Blanc which was too dark and only lasted a few hours. I was talked into buying this at Space NK, even though I told her I had oily skin.

Siberia has a slightly more yellow tome than the Bobbi Brown Alabaster, but I can still make it work. It's also oil free which is great for me.

Mixing
I'm a big fan of mixing foundations to get the right shade and consistency. I have a draw full of foundations that I have bought and then realised they are way too dark. I will be definitely be mixing the Illamasqua 115 to lighten other foundations.

I would love to hear about any other light foundations you have tried.

Much love

Pip xx

Blog Sale Time

Hi Ladies



I've have some unloved items looking for a new home. Most items have been tested only or used a few times.



Rules
1) If you would like an item, post a comment along with your Paypal email address. I will then send you an invoice.



2) It is first come first served, if you have left a comment with you email address you can assume the item is your.



3) Paypal is the only method of payment accepted.



4) Please ensure you pay for the item immediately upon receiving the invoice - or at least some time within the next 24 hours; otherwise the item will be reposted and will not be reserved for you.



5) Prices are in pounds £.


6) I will ship to Europe. Shipping is £2.50 for one item: for each additional add 50p. If you live outside of Europe and would like to buy something please contact me for postage costs.



6) No returns;



P.S Sorry for the blurry photos!



Happy shopping!!

Nars Sheer Glow in Mont Blanc £19.00. I have used this twice but it's just too dark for me. SOLD

Mac Coygirl (sheer tone) Depotted, will come as seen £5.50 used once

Mac Lipstick Myth (satin) £5.00 used once PENDING

Mac Lipstick Pretty Please (lustre) £5.00 used a handful of times SOLD

OPI My Private Jet £4.50 used once SOLD

OPI Louvre Me Not £4.50 used once

Benefit Posie Tint £10.00 used once

GOSH Eyeshadow Quad 001 Smokey Eyes £4.50 swatched only

TIGI Bed Head Ego Boost Split End Mender Leane-in Conditioner £2.50 about 50% left SOLD

Kerastase Nutritive Nutri-Sculpt Hair Wax £5.00 used once

Barry M Lipgloss Bubblegum Glitter £1.50 used once

Revlon Colourstay Eyeshadow Quad Sunrise, Sunset £3.00 swatched only

Ted Baker Eyeshadow Trio £2.50 swatched only

Bumble and Bumble Tonic Lotion 2FL OZ £2.50 I have used this twice, the bottle is 80% full SOLD

No. 7 Lipstick Moisture Drench 60 Chic £2.50 swatched only

Collection 2000 Ultrashine Lipsdtick Naked 01 £1.00 Swatched only

L'oreal Lipstick Invisble Kiss Proof 502 £2.50 used once

Revlon Color Stay Lipcolor 004 Nude £2.50 used once

GOSH Glossy Top Coat £2.00 used once