Candyfloss & Dreams

Category: Lifestyle

lifestyle blog posts focusing on home, lifestyle, parenting, pregnancy, family life and home and style. Home decor and working at home, working at home as a self employed freelancer and blogger. Family lifestyle blog posts including family reviews, family products and saving money as a family. Being a more eco friendly family.

Why I Support #FeedWithConfidence

#FeedWithConfidence

My breastfeeding goal for Baby F is to Feed with Confidence. When I had my daughter I really wanted to breastfeed but being young, a bit naive, and maybe not understanding how my body works as well as the societal pressures and feeling of ‘taboo’ within feeding in public, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to. I think that fear of not being successful and being afraid to feed in public or outside the comfort of my own home really made it difficult and actually affected my ability to feed successfully for longer than ten weeks. This time around I am determined to breastfeed with the combination of one bottle of expressed breast milk. My goal is to feed Baby F myself 90% of the time and have a bit of supply of breast milk in the freezer too.

I want to breastfeed because it’s going to be really good for us to bond, it’s going to help with my weight loss, it’s got so many amazing health benefits for me and its on tap nutrition and food for Baby F too. Whilst I’m not against formula or those that bottle feed I really want to feed him myself and I’m going to be striving to push through feeding him until he doesn’t want to anymore. I would absolutely love to get passed a year of breastfeeding and using the occasional bottle of expressed milk however that does mean I need to get over one of my biggest fears and that is feeding outside the home. Because of this I want to share my journey and I fully support Lansinoh’s Feed with Confidence campaign of which my lovely blogger friend Ami from Through Ami’s Eyes is an ambassador for – I’m so excited for her. I’ve been watching, reading and listening to Ami talk about her experience for combination feeding and seeing her confidence with her ability to feed new baby Smidge is just so amazing. It really inspires me and actually has started making me think, well, maybe I could feed in public, maybe I could too feed with confidence.

There are lots of reasons why people might not have the confidence to feed in public. I’m a 42H cup due to my weight and it’s not exactly going to be a discreet journey. I want to get myself some good fitting nursing bras and tops that make feeding as easy as possible so that I can feel a little less exposed. I’m not opposed to using a cover or muslin but hopefully my ability and confidence will grow enough that I will have the confidence to feed without. Another tip someone had was using a scarf which, with Baby F being due in the Autumn is a pretty good idea. I think practising with different positions and using a sling is also going to help me feed with confidence too.

Breastfeeding is hard. I remember being in tears the first few weeks with sleep deprivation which is why Adam and I have decided to introduce the odd bottle of expressed milk to help each other out a little bit. However, I do hope that by the time we get to six weeks, we might not actually need the bottle of expressed milk and I’ll be used to the frequent feeding, a bit tougher and, well, hopefully having a stretch of at least three hours sleep during the night (total wishful thinking there!) I really want to establish a good supply by feeding on demand and of course this means I will need to feed wherever I am. I think it’s important to have the confidence to do this and by reading other women’s stories, advice and seeing it happen that confidence is already starting to grow in me. I’m not expecting it to be natural straight away and I’m grateful for a supportive partner and family that are all really encouraging when it comes to feeding. I really hope that by sharing my own photos, journey and experience I can feed with confidence and give other mums the confidence to do the same.

You can find out more about Lansinoh and the campaign to Feed with Confidence here:

In 2016, just under 750,000 babies were born in the UK with over 80% of mothers starting to breastfeed their babies. However, according to Public Health England latest statistics on breastfeeding prevalence at six to eight weeks after birth, the number of new mums breastfeeding at this time is 43.7%.[1] This number is low, especially when compared to countries like Norway, which achieves rates of 80% at 3 months.[2] Why does the UK have some of the lowest rates of breastfeeding in the world?

To understand this issue, Lansinoh carried out research amongst 1000 people, looking at perceptions of breastfeeding in public. The study found that people feel uncomfortable with women breastfeeding on public transport, people over 65 are more accepting of mums breastfeeding in public spaces, and people in Wales are more comfortable with breastfeeding compared to other regions in the UK. The Equality Act 2010 made it illegal to ask a woman to stop breastfeeding in public, so why is breastfeeding in public such a national taboo?

A government study found that although 72% of the British public outwardly support public breastfeeding, over half of breastfeeding mums take steps to cover up and 34% feel embarrassed and uncomfortable.3 Research carried out by Lansinoh found that 37% of men and 41% of women find women breastfeeding on a bus uncomfortable, whilst mums breastfeeding on the underground were frowned upon by 34% of men and 44% of women.4 Although a third of those surveyed admitted that they were not comfortable seeing a woman breastfeeding in front of another woman, the research also found that the longer the journey, the less people find an issue with a mother breastfeeding in a public space.

People can nominate a person or a place for the awards here: https://lansinoh.co.uk/feed-with-confidence/

July 19, 2018
30 Weeks Pregnant Update

I am 30 weeks pregnant! My second pregnancy is flying past and I can’t quite believe it’s now just under ten weeks until my due date. I have to admit I’ve actually quite enjoyed this pregnancy so far and I’m so grateful that it’s been quite gentle up until this point. I think that’s largely down to trying to stay as active as possible and all the wonderful emotional support I’ve had from my Doula, Midwife, Consultant and friends. This sort of feels like we’ve peaked the hill and we’re now starting to slowly walk down with it getting steeper and steeper as September draws on in.

Symptoms at 30 Weeks Pregnant

Since my 28 week update nothing has really come about thankfully although I’m starting to get more uncomfortable physically. I struggle getting dressed in the morning which must be quite a comical and glamourous view. My back hasn’t really suffered though, nothing seems to be swelling up and I haven’t seen any new stretch marks. Plenty of old ones, but nothing new!

Dealing with a Summer Cold

This has really got me down and has been so frustrating. I’ve had a bit of a cold and cough for a few weeks now that is fading very slowly. It’s just lingering on so I’m back to feeling quite congested and generally a bit rubbish. I’ve been having warm honey and lemon, paracetamol, cool showers and slathering my chest and feet in Vicks vapour rub. It’s been hard dealing with a cold and the heat as I just want to rest. I’ve been really quite lazy since we got back from holiday but now school for Evie is almost over I really need to get back on track! Hopefully by the time this is published my cough will have gone and I’ll be feeling much better and healthier.

30 Weeks Pregnant Bump: How Am I Looking?

I think my bump is becoming a bit more noticeable now although I still feel I have to make it known to other people that I’m pregnant because I just get so caught up with others thinking I’m just really fat. I don’t feel good about my appearance at all and I’m going to join Weight Watchers thanks to a free 12 week referral from my GP at my post natal check. I hope that weight watchers and breastfeeding as well as getting swimming again as soon as I can will all really help with weight loss.

Growth Scan at 30 Weeks Pregnant

I had the first of three growth scans on Monday. It was so nice to see Baby Boy again. I have another on 30th July and then again on 23rd August. This should give us a more accurate picture of his weight come the birth.

Upcoming Appointments

I seem to have appointments pretty much every week now with the Anaesthetist clinic, Growth Scans, Hypnobirthing, Confident Birthing antenatal class, Consultant appointment, routine midwife checks and another chat and planning session with my Doula and again with my consultant midwife. This is keeping me going until September so at least I’m keeping busy.

Any Concerns?

Not really. I do worry that because of my BMI my chance of a successful VBAC is really, really low but I would much rather try for a natural birth than not. I am just going to try and stay as active as I can and as things get closer look at ways to help my body spontaneously go into labour as well as accepting some cervical sweeps with the possibility of having waters broken artificially if they don’t go naturally. I also want to start paying more attention to my hypnobirthing book to relax, get some birth affirmations down and to find ways I can really help Oxytoxin do it’s magic come labour.

Home Birth/Hospital Bag

I am currently putting together a box for a planned home birth as well as preparing a bag for a possible hospital transfer or if things end up going to plan C a bag ready for a planned c-section. I’d love to know what you recommend packing?

For more pregnancy content please head to my hub post which contains links to all my relevant pregnancy based blog posts. My second High Bmi Pregnancy.

July 19, 2018
Travelling When Pregnant
Travelling when pregnant can be really quite tough. We have just come back from a lovely holiday to Landguard on the Isle of Wight which was a four night, five day break. I think too much longer without my home comforts would have been quite tough and I think holidays in the later stages of pregnancy wouldn’t have been enjoyed as much. We are non drivers and so doing a lot of walking when pregnant can be really tough. As well as relying on public transport and the no guarantee that you’ll get a seat on the train to your destination.

To get to our holiday park on the Isle of Wight we had two short walks to and from train stations, three train journeys and a ferry to catch. This in itself is a long process and can be really uncomfortable. I get hot really quickly too and find I need to dress in light, comfortable layers that can be removed easily. Wearing dolly shoes or flip flops help a lot to keep me cool as I don’t need to be wearing socks for this. I also opt for dresses and leggings which keep me relatively cool.

For the actual holiday I find having plenty of rest breaks and staying out of the sunshine helpful. I also think it’s important to stay active during pregnancy so have done a lot of walking and swimming during out holiday. Some places have gyms and exercise classes as well if that’s something you frequently attend during pregnancy. However, remember it’s also time to get away from the daily grind and recharge your batteries. This has been our last holiday as a family of three too so it was really important to me to just spend a bit of quality time together.

I also think picking a place of familiarity has been helpful as we’ve been to Landguard before. We knew how to get there, what to expect and how to get to local attractions. This made planning the holiday so much less stressful.

Top Tips for Travelling When Pregnant
1. Stay hydrated. Have a big bottle of water with you and sip throughout the journey to remain hydrated. This may mean extra stops to the loo but your body needs it.
2. Bring healthy snacks to munch on.
3. Pack layers of clothes, especially when having a UK holiday. You naturally run warmer when pregnant and you will want to be able to cool down.
4. Take your maternity notes. Just in case. In fact, you should probably just take these everywhere you go in the third trimester of pregnancy anyway.
5. Have plenty of rest breaks. If you need to sit and put your feet up for a few moments then do so. A family holiday won’t be any fun if you’re in pain and exhausted.
6. Have rest days in between active days. The journey itself can be uncomfortable and tiring so having a day of rest before getting out and about to explore is important.
7. Take a pregnancy pillow with you. I got a small portable one to make sleeping in a caravan a little easier.
8. Reserve seats on public transport whenever possible. If someone is in your seat, tell them to move. Don’t be afraid of confrontation, especially when you’ve booked for comfort.
9. Can you travel out of term time? We did because being pregnant with lots of crowds wouldn’t have made for a happy time for us.
July 12, 2018
Home Comforts with a Leesa Mattress

Leesa Mattress Review

Our new Leesa Mattress has been amazing over the last month where we’ve been testing it out, especially as the weather has been pretty hot to handle. With pregnancy comes so many discomforts and I knew I was going to have trouble sleeping and getting comfortable in the night so when I was offered a chance to review a Leesa Mattress I was so excited. Ordering the mattress was really simple and took a few minutes on the website. There was no charge for delivery either which was brilliant. We needed to order a king size Leesa Mattress for our bed and were told delivery usually took around seven days. I ordered late on the Monday evening and the mattress was with us on Thursday. When ordering mattresses before they have taken weeks to arrive so having this come to our door so quickly was just amazing. I was so excited to unbox, unroll and inflate, however, we waited until the Friday when Adam was home from work.

I will say that the Leesa mattress is heavy. I know that sounds a little strange but, well, mattresses aren’t light and Adam was quite surprised with how heavy it was getting it up the stairs and into our flat. I suppose, the size of the box didn’t really make you think of heavy because it comes so well rolled up. Once we had stripped off our bed and removed the old mattress we were ready to roll out. We did find getting it out the box a little bit challenging with not much room to move around but it didn’t take us long to get the mattress out of the box and onto our bed frame where, with the first unroll, you could see the mattress begin to inflate to it’s true size. There was a large amount of plastic wrap around the Leesa mattress too which needed to be removed. I would say position the mattress in the right place at the top of the bed and rolling it down to the bottom was the easiest way for us and made removing the plastic at the same time easier. Once unwrapped there was a bit of a musty smell that did take a bit of time to go so I would suggest leaving the mattress un covered to fully expand for the whole day if possible and then put the sheets back on at night. Leesa also have a sheet suitable for the mattress if you want the matching set.

All About Leesa Mattress

The Leesa Mattress is made here in the UK and is exclusive to being ordered online. Sizes start from a standard UK Single at £399 and go up to a UK Super King at £769. We went for the king size which is valued at £699 however, you can take advantage of a 100 night sleep trial and at any point during those first 100 nights you can have the mattress picked up and returned, for free, with a full refund. If possible Leesa will donate the mattress to a charity in your community or arrange collection with a recycling partner. You don’t have to roll it back up either. Leesa do recommend that you try the mattress for at least 30 days so that your body can adjust to the new mattress. I think providing extra time after this 30 days is really generous and the recycling scheme is fantastic. Leesa also recommend that the mattress is set up on a stable, rigid base. The Leesa mattress is made up of three different layers to provide ample comfort and support during the night and has a ten year warranty which is ideal for a decent mattress. The three layers are a dense core support of foam, a 5cm layer of memory foam and a 5cm Cooling Avena foam top layer to provide air flow and help keep you cooler during the night.

One thing I really love about the Leesa mattress is the social and community support. For every 10 mattresses sold in the UK one is donated to homeless shelters, refuges and crisis centres. As someone that once lived in a women’s refuge I can’t tell you how much this means to me and makes me really passionate about this company and wanting to share them with my readers. Any UK charity registered with the Charity Commission or OSCR can be considered for a donation. Every customer is also given a 100 night free trial and if at any time you decide the mattress isn’t for you, Leesa will arrange collecting the mattress and if it’s in a good, usable condition will donate it to a charity or refuge in the local area. If they can’t donate it they they will organise having it recycled. So far over 26,000+ mattresses have been donated.

What Do We Think?

I am so happy with our Leesa mattress and I have slept really well over the last month whilst we have been testing the mattress. I was starting to suffer on my hips during the night with my pregnancy but since swapping to our new mattress I have had virtually no discomfort when waking in the morning. The mattress is lovely and thick and quite high from the bed so getting out of bed as a pregnant lady is not particularly glamorous, however, waking up pain free and feeling well rested is amazing. I was a little concerned about the heat as so many people told me memory foam gets really hot however I haven’t experienced this at all and I think that’s down to the cooling layer as well as keeping our room as cool as we can. I really love the mattress and those first few nights sleep were absolute bliss for me. I am still waking up in the night but without cramp or pain which is just amazing. Getting a good night sleep in pregnancy can be really hard and our new Leesa mattress has made this really easy.

I am so impressed with the quality of the mattress, how comfortable it is and just so relieved that in this heat wave I have been sleeping so soundly. A decent mattress really does make a world of difference. Leesa have agreed to give my readers £100 off a Leesa Mattress using the code CANDYFLOSSDREAMS

Disclaimer: This post is in collaboration with Leesa Mattress, of which I received a mattress for the purpose of this feature, however, all opinions remain my own. You may find affiliate links in this post which means if you decide to click through and purchase a Leesa Mattress I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

July 11, 2018
My Second Trimester Is Over

The Second Trimester of my second pregnancy is done! The second trimester is usually around 13 to 28 weeks of pregnancy or, months four, five and six. I am now, almost, 29 weeks pregnant and that means we are welcoming or waddling into the third trimester after a relatively easy pregnancy so far. I’ve now had my first Doula antenatal appointment as well as met with my consultant and had my 28 week midwife check.

How Did I Find the Second Trimester?

The second trimester has been really pretty normal to be honest. We’ve had plenty of scans and did a little gender reveal after our anomoly scan at 20 weeks. All my tests have come back normal, my energy levels have been a bit up and down. I have talked about how I’ve had a bit of suffering with my mental health but having open conversations with loved ones really improved that for me and I was soon back on track. I’ve been sleeping relatively well too which is great. I haven’t felt much discomfort apart from a few bits of sciatica and a few kicks to the bladder from baby which has been so lovely. Mostly I feel pretty good and confident I am making the right choices when it comes to the birth. I’m actually pretty excited about the birth although I’m sure that will change in the next few weeks. We have decided not to book in with any Antenatal classes as I’m getting all the information I need from my Doula and have booked hypnobirthing classes in July and August instead. I’ve also read a lot of books and feel like I know so much more about what my body is capable of. I have a lot more faith in myself and my body this pregnancy.

How Am I Looking at the end of the Second Trimester?

How Am I Feeling at the end of the Second Trimester?

Our scan at 21 weeks showed we are having a baby boy and this did come with a bit of gender anxiety but actually I’m really excited to have a son and can’t wait to meet him.
I am, like most mothers would be, anxious about this last stage of pregnancy. Birth is getting closer and I am adamant to have as positive birth as I possibly can. I have already written up a birth plan with thanks to my Doula and I’ve talked it through with my midwife and consultant.
I am still a little anxious about adjusting to life as a family of four especially with Adam due to start University around our due date in the Autumn.

Weight Gain in Second Trimester?

Weight at start of the year: 120kg
Weight at Booking in: 120kg
Weight at 25 Weeks: 123kg
Weight at 28 Weeks: 125.5kg

Total Weight gain so far: 5.5kg – apparently for someone of my BMI I should try and keep my weight gain under 11kg and as I’ve got to the third trimester with pretty minimal weight gain, I’m really happy with this. I’m confident any extra weight will mostly be baby, uterus and water weight.

Any Concerns?

Not really. I am pretty confident I am going to get the positive VBAC birth I want and I feel really prepared. I have thought about all the other options and what having a c-section would mean, obviously I do not want to have that type of surgery again but in an emergency situation I know what to expect and how I can help myself.

Any Symptoms?

Not really. I still have some nasal congestion but I’m no longer continuously gagging. I don’t feel any sickness. I’m still sleeping okay which is absolutely amazing. I’m actually finding I’ve been able to stay awake in the evenings until about 11pm and getting up around 6am. Most of the times it’s all the way through too which is very nice. I’m trying to keep up with drinking plenty of water and eating as well as I can but there are times I am finding myself so hungry. I also find I fill up quite quickly and I suppose that is where baby is pushing against everything now. I’m not really in any pain or have many aches and the sciatica hasn’t really returned. Some positions I’m finding uncomfortable when sitting and my centre of gravity has absolutely changed. The second trimester has been pretty okay though for me and I hope that continues for as long as possible.

What’s Next?

I have two 90 minute hypnobirthing sessions booked in for July and August and I’m going to be continuing with reading Mindful Hypnobirthing and using the recommended relaxation tracks. I am hoping to continue Aquafit for as long as possible. There is more midwife appointments to come and I want to get my hospital bag packed and ready. We want to get the Chicco Next 2 Me Crib and Pram purchased in August too so that’s high on our list of priorities. I’m looking forward to my next antenatal with my Doula where we are going to go a bit more in depth with birth affirmations and how I visualise my birth space to make sure oxytocin is flowing through labour. I have a growth scan coming up too which will be a nice chance to see baby again although I have to admit I don’t really care too much about his predicted weight. It wasn’t very accurate when I had Evie.

What Has Helped This Pregnancy

Here are a few products that I’ve loved using this pregnancy and might help you too.

Pregnancy Pillow

Affiliate Link: https://amzn.to/2LJyGCy

Mindful Hypnobirthing Book

Affiliate Link: https://amzn.to/2Misy5b

Lavender Essential oil

Affiliate Link: https://amzn.to/2yd1PUT

For more pregnancy content please head to my hub post which contains links to all my relevant pregnancy based blog posts. My second High Bmi Pregnancy.

July 5, 2018