Monday, June 2, 2008 Charlotte is singing!

This month I have mostly been craving curries and hot spicy food. I thought that food cravings are supposed to occur when you are pregnant! When I was pregnant I went off anything spicy and have never liked really hot curries, but since I gave up breastfeeding I have been craving and enjoying hot and spicy curries and chillies - how bizarre!

Lexie is now 23 weeks old. During the last two weeks, I have been feeding her vegetable and fruit purees. She has enjoyed a variety of tastes, including sweet potato, butternut squash, carrot, apple, banana and pear. I have been trying her out with different foods every two days. For the last two days she has been trying pea, and it is the first one that she hasn’t appeared to enjoy. I think she is impatient too, because, although her milk does not seem to be satisfying her as it used to, she is far to used to receiving it at a fast rate. So trying to eat purees is much more like hard work and takes longer so she gets impatient!

When she reaches six months I will start her on the chopped fruit and vegetables as finger foods so hopefully by then she will be used to the tastes and textures of the fruit and vegetables and enjoy chewing on them. Her favourite so far is sweet potato and apple (not together of course!). It’s far more interesting for her and for me to be eating a variety of foods as I’m sure milk must get boring!




Hayden is doing well too. His speech is amazing and he picks up words he hears immediately. Recently he has been going around at his nursery saying ‘all right babes’ to the nursery assistants who all find it amusing! We have to be really careful what we say even more so now. As for the terrible twos, he is going through the tantrum phase. It kicks in mainly when he is tired, and during his tantrums he’ll lie on the floor crying and screaming for so long that I’m sure that he forgets what he is crying about! Alexa watches him with fascination, I’m sure she is storing up knowledge for the day that she can copy him. One way I can get him out of his tantrum is by singing nursery rhymes to him as it seems to calm him down. This has caused no end of amusement for Craig who has been known to turn up the radio when I sing in the car as he doesn’t appreciate my singing talents, but as I point out to him our children like my singing so it can’t be that bad!

Monday, April 21, 2008 Charlotte learns about life with two children!

Ok someone tell me; where has the time gone?!! I’ve just realised that I haven’t written a blog for nearly two months now, and it really only feels like a couple of weeks ago since my last one!

Alexa has changed so much in the last couple of months. She’s now four months old and is turning into a proper little lady as the days go by! She loves having conversations with me by cooing and gurgling and gets so excited when she sees her brother Hayden!



I’ve been gradually weaning her off feeding from me and onto formula bottles over the last four weeks, so she is now completely on bottles. I’ve been feeling sad, guilty and relieved that she is now on bottles. Part of me is glad to start getting my body back (but the downside is the diet starts now so no more chocolate!), but the other part of me misses the close contact. However, having a two year old cheeky monster running around whilst trying to feed Alexa has not been the easiest thing!!

What I have learnt having my second child (and that everyone has told me!) is that however much you try to do everything the same with your second child, it is impossible because you just don’t have the time to do it, so you have to make compromises. With Hayden I could take my time and give him 100% of my attention, whereas Alexa has to fit in with our routine. For example, I would have her latched on to me whilst walking (or rather running!) round the house trying to stop Hayden from getting up to mischief, which he would inevitably do to get my attention! So feeding time was not as relaxed as I would hope it to be and sometimes quite stressful for all of us!

But Alexa is thriving, with her chubby cheeks she is always smiling, she really lights up my day! Already her personality is coming out and she seems more chilled than Hayden. Also, she has set times of the day that she likes to sleep and is happy to go to sleep in her cot. With Hayden he would sleep at all times of the day and never in his cot, so because I know when Alexa likes to sleep it makes things a whole lot easier. Alexa sleeps through the night and often wakes up after Hayden in the morning, because he gets up, has some milk and then goes straight in to see his sister and wake her up! And Hayden is going through the terrible two’s stage at the moment…but that’s another story I’ll tell you about in another blog soon!!

Monday, February 18, 2008 Charlotte is now part of a family of four!

Hi mums and babies! Well the time is flying by so fast. Alexa is now nine and a half weeks old and last week Hayden celebrated his second birthday. Things have settled down at home and we are all enjoying being a family of four. Hayden loves having a little sister and frequently wants to kiss and cuddle her! Here is a picture of them together - I hope they will look after each other like this when they are older!



Alexa had her first jabs last week - one in each leg. She cried a little bit but was very good after that. She was weighed too, and at nine weeks old, she weighed 9lbs and 9.5ozs – all the nines, very consistent!! The most magical moment for me so far has been when Alexa was four and a half weeks old and first smiled at me. It was with half of her mouth and by the next day she had got the hang of smiling and was giving me full beams! Now I get lots of smiles and she coos at me regularly as she is trying to talk to me!

However, we have been suffering from the colicky cries early in the evening. Luckily we don’t have this every night, but at least three nights a week Alexa will start crying and she has this really loud, high-pitched, cross-sounding cry that means she does not want to be ignored, and I had better do something about whatever she is upset about! I’ve been using the traditional gripe water which is excellent stuff and calms her down! These outbursts seem to be getting fewer so I’m hoping that soon she will grow out of it. She has slept through the night a few times too since she was seven and a half weeks old and I know I am very lucky as she is still so young, but I’m hoping soon she will sleep through every night as we all benefit from more sleep!

I have started to go out with Alexa and Hayden together but I have not bought a double buggy yet in the hope that I can do without one (they are so expensive!). So far we have managed it without too many dramas. Last week, I took Hayden to Poole park with Alexa and he was very good and walked and played on the swings and slides. Also all the walking wore him out so he slept well afterwards – which meant a few minutes quiet time for me!

Today I have been painting Hayden’s new bedroom so that Alexa can have his old room. Alexa has been chilling out to classical music; it’s not my thing but she must like it as it sends her to sleep! Also just took delivery of some more fantastic organic cream for Hayden’s eczema. It’s called baby salve and is made by greenpeople.co.uk and it is made with all organic ingredients and no additives. After trying so many products on and off prescription this is the best and clears up his eczema. They also do bath products, nappy cream and baby moisturiser which are also excellent. If you are struggling with your little ones’ eczema, try their baby salve- it’s magic!

Monday, February 4, 2008 Charlotte has a baby girl!

Hi everyone, I know it has been while since my last blog, but I have sat down to try and write this blog a few times, but tiredness, feeding, nappies and all that comes with my gorgeous new baby have taken over!

It is now more than a month since my beautiful baby girl Alexa was born. She was born on 12 December weighing a healthy 7 lbs 6.5 ozs. I had her by caesarean as planned and all went fine with the birth. I remember lying there just before she was about to be born and hearing Cher’s ‘If I could turn back time’ playing on the radio and thought to myself; I hope this isn’t the song my baby will be born to! Well I don’t think it was, but when she came out I was so shocked, I had so convinced myself that I would be having another boy that it took all day for it to sink in!

Well apart from having panda eyes from a lack of sleep, a mountainous load of washing and all the lovely additions associated with a newborn, everything is going great! It’s lovely to have a little girl (even though I didn’t mind whether baby was a boy or girl) and we are managing to gradually get more sleep and a bit of a routine going.

Life with Alexa and Hayden is amazing but hectic beyond belief! If I thought I was busy with Hayden, having another baby to look after is even more of a challenge! Before I scare you off, let me explain! Having Alexa has been easier in some ways, as we knew what to expect, so the sleepless nights haven’t been such a shock, we have been able to get into a routine quicker and as we have already been through it all with Hayden it came as second nature. The hard work is trying to look after both children and manage a few minutes for ourselves and each other. Only tonight, Craig was cooking the tea and keeping an eye on Alexa, whilst I bathed Hayden and put him to bed. We finally managed to sit down for dinner at 8.45 pm both worn out!

I saw the midwife yesterday and Alexa has now regained all her birth weight which is great news. I am breastfeeding at the moment so I feel that establishing the breastfeeding has been worthwhile, even if it does mean sitting up for longer in the middle of the night to feed, and trying not to fall asleep myself! Alexa is more alert now than ever, and I think she loves her big brother. Hayden loves having a sister but is going through the difficult emotions of jealousy at the moment, so he can get demanding if one of us is holding Alexa. Over time I know it will sort itself out. For now, it feels lovely to have our family complete. Check out the picture below of my gorgeous baby girl!

Monday, January 28, 2008 Seven days left for Charlotte....

Well only one week to go until I go in for my caesarean and finally meet my baby!

The work has been manic on the house but we have managed to get the lounge back and so I have been cleaning like mad to have a room that we can all relax in. I think I must be nesting, as I found myself cleaning out some kitchen cupboards yesterday!!

I have been trying to spend as much time as possible with Hayden, I feel like I am missing him already even though I haven’t gone anywhere yet! Consequently he has been a very spoilt boy and having even more attention (if that’s possible!). I will have to stay in hospital for three nights so I will really miss him. However, it will also give me a chance to rest and get to know the new baby. Both sets of grandparents will be around to look after Hayden so I am sure he will be having lots of fun!

I went to hospital to meet with the anaesthetist and a midwife for my final check ups before having the baby. Strangely I am more nervous about having a caesarean this time than I was last time. It felt strange to be sat on a hospital bed knowing that in a few days time I would be going in to have the baby! The midwife was trying to listen to the baby’s heart beat and it had hiccups; it sounded like it was knocking on my tummy!

Well I think I will be having a boy, and Craig thinks I am having a girl so one of us is going to get a shock when the baby is born! The next time I write this blog I will have a bouncing new baby to tell you all about!

Wednesday, January 16, 2008 Chalotte packs her hospital bag...

This week I packed my hospital bag. I had forgotten how much I need to take for a newborn baby! There are so many nappies, and baby grows and all sorts to remember. The things I have packed for me look small in comparison! I’ve also packed some presents for the baby and for Hayden to give to each other in hospital. The baby has some cuddly toys and Hayden has some Bean Bag Pocoyo toys which he will absolutely love. So hopefully it will be nice for him when he comes into the hospital to meet his new brother or sister for the first time.

A friend recommended that when Hayden comes in to the hospital I should make sure I am not holding the baby so that I can give Hayden the attention and introduce him to the baby slowly. Naturally, I have been thinking about how I want to make sure that Hayden doesn’t feel left out as I won’t be able to pick him up after the caesarean. Craig and I think it’s really important to share looking after the baby and Hayden, so that it doesn’t result in me looking after the baby and Hayden always spending time with his dad.

I treated myself to a spa morning with my friend Lynsey this week. Lynsey is due to have her baby 5 days before me, so we thought we would treat ourselves to some relaxation before the babies arrive when we will have no time to get dressed! I had a massage and pedicure (after all I can’t get to my feet now, let alone see them!!). The funniest thing was that we confessed our choices of baby names and out of all the thousands of names we could have picked, we have both picked the same girls name!! The name is not an every day name either which makes it more spooky!

Only two weeks to go……!

The last day at work for Charlotte...

It was my last week at work this week. I made sure everything was up to date for Sarah - my colleague who is taking over my role. Everyone was very kind and gave me a lovely send off. When I left I felt strangely sad. I guess I am leaving my ‘adult‘ life and another new chapter is about to start with the new baby!

I saw my midwife too this week, at 36 weeks. All is well with the baby; he or she is head down in a perfect position for birth! I am still getting lots of strong movements too. They always come at the times when I am resting - particularly when I have just got into bed at night!

I am so big now that just walking up and down the stairs makes me out of breath. A walk around the supermarket pushing the trolley with Hayden sat in it wears me out too! Unfortunately I know I should be getting lots of rest, but Hayden always has other ideas and wants to be doing something! I have managed to distract him for some periods of time drawing and doing craft activities where we can sit down! The hardest thing too is the builders are still finishing the house, so there is lots of disruption and not much space for relaxing!

I’m getting impatient now for the birth to arrive as I am feeling so big but I keep having to remind myself that this is the last pregnancy I plan to have so I should make the most of it and cherish the experience as it won’t happen again! (Well I certainly won’t miss the swollen legs and ankles!).

Friday, January 4, 2008 Charlotte wakes up to the benefits of organic milk...

Zzzzzzzzzz... The baby has been waking me up twice in the night as it has now dropped and presses on my bladder! To add to that, Hayden has been getting up in the night due to teething, so I have been getting lots of broken sleep – it’s good training for the arrival of the new baby though! Putting him in the big bed was good preparation for when the baby arrives. When he has got up in the night, he has occasionally got himself back into bed. So I hope when the baby arrives I won’t be spending too much time putting him back to bed at night, otherwise there will be no time for me to sleep!

I have been thinking lately about the challenges I may face getting the new baby to breast feed, and hope that he or she may take to it more easily than Hayden did. Unfortunately caesarean born babies tend to be sleepier at birth so it is a challenge to wake them up and get them to feed! I breast fed Hayden for the first 16 weeks until he was not getting enough from me at each feed. This was so that I could protect him from getting very bad eczema or allergies as I suffer from eczema, asthma and allergies and my partner suffers from allergies too. This is why I really want to breast feed the new baby too.

Unfortunately Hayden started developing eczema at about 6 months (probably when the antibodies from my breast milk that gave him protection had worn off!). Thankfully it isn’t anywhere near as bad as my eczema was as a child. Since he was weaned, I try to give him a healthy diet, so he eats lots of fresh fruit and vegetables (some of which are organic) and organic meat, fish, milk, eggs and yoghurts.

So I was interested to read a recent study which found that children who ate organic dairy produce had a lower risk of eczema compared to children eating ‘conventionally’ farmed dairy. They think that the strong link between consuming organic milk and reduced eczema incidence may be because organic milk has a higher level of omega three fats compared to conventionally farmed milk. A second study also found that breastfeeding women eating organic meat and dairy foods had higher levels of essential fatty acids in their breast milk compared to women eating/drinking conventionally farmed produce.

This has made me think more about what I eat too. As a vegetarian I eat organic eggs and some organic fruit and vegetables, but the cheese and milk that I have is not organic. I have been taking an omega three supplement to boost my intake for the new baby’s benefit as much as my own, but I think I might start drinking organic milk and eating more organic dairy produce too. If I give these benefits to my son why not give them to me and my new baby too?!

Thursday, December 13, 2007 Chocolates for Charlotte!

I had my 34 week scan on Thursday and it was amazing. It was so nice to see my baby again. Craig and Hayden came with me and Hayden was very good and sat watching the screen, I’m not sure if he understood what he was looking it, but he seemed a bit confused when the midwife was putting the gel and scanner on my tummy! The baby is well and the size is fine for my dates. I saw it put its hand up to its mouth so maybe it will suck its thumb like Hayden does!

The hospital I go to will now tell you the sex of the baby so the midwife asked if I wanted to know. But we said no – we have waited this long and it’s nice to have the surprise and something to focus on when I’m having the baby!

My mum looked after Hayden on Sunday for most of the day. He had a great time, and I managed to put my feet up and rest, something I don’t get to do very often these days! She is also going to start picking Hayden up from nursery after work some days so he gets used to her collecting him. As I will be having a Caesarean, I won’t be able to drive or lift Hayden for 6 weeks. So when Craig goes back to work after his paternity leave, he can drop Hayden at nursery in the morning and my mum can pick Hayden up from nursery. Hayden is so well behaved with my mum, but within an hour of coming home he was being cheeky and naughty!

My bump is feeling really tight now and sometimes it gets itchy, it’s stretching to the max! I find myself waddling along with my big bump leading the way! I’m in flat shoes all the time now, and I’m so missing dressing up in heels and normal clothes!


I only have another two weeks left at work, and I am really looking forward to some time off before the baby comes. I am finding it quite uncomfortable sat at my desk, and so at lunchtime I have to rest on my side to relax. Although I am eating healthily, I am also eating so much chocolate. I remember how when I got to this stage of pregnancy with Hayden I ate lots of chocolate, and so it must be something to do with coming to the end of the pregnancy; I just can’t get enough of it!

Charlotte's brain is shrinking....

Well I have made some changes over the last week to make room for my growing bump! I have started to use a pillow in bed at night to rest my bump on. I keep finding that my legs get uncomfortable so I am forever tossing and turning. Plus I keep waking up in the night and then can’t get back to sleep as I am thinking about the baby coming and all the changes it will make, and how I will cope looking after the baby and Hayden – there’s so much to think about! Also I am doing things like the ironing sitting down! Sometimes, if I am stood up for too long I can feel really weak, so it’s a good excuse to sit down and get as much rest as possible.

I can feel the baby’s movements so much more definitely now, so when the baby does turn over or move or kick I can feel it all – I think it’s running out of room in there! Craig and I like to sit and watch my tummy as it changes shape and the baby kicks and moves about. Although I am feeling uncomfortable now, I know that I will really miss feeling my baby moving about once he or she is out in the real world! Of course having the baby to cuddle will be even nicer but it is nice to have a companion with me all the time! I’ve noticed the baby wakes up and moves about when I am sat reading and talking to Hayden so I think the baby is already recognising its brother’s voice!

I am trying to stay focussed but I seem to be doing a common pregnancy thing and start a sentence and then forget what I am saying; for example I will say to Craig "Can you put that ‘thing’ in the cupboard?" - and he will look at me like I’m mad and spend a few minutes making suggestions of what the ‘thing’ might be until I can finally get my words out and say what I mean!! I read an article in the paper last week written by a guy who talked about his pregnant wife going out for milk and coming back with some totally unrelated item (and forgetting the milk!). This is apparently because a woman’s brain shrinks in the later stages of pregnancy, which is why she will be so forgetful and say and do such crazy things – well thank goodness I’m not alone!!

Monday, November 26, 2007 Charlotte is picking out names...

This week I collected all the baby clothes out of the loft and washed them. I had forgotten how small new born babies are! It was so cute to see all the little babygrows and vests pegged out on the line! Luckily I have lots of white baby grows so I can use them for the new baby. When the baby arrives if it is a girl I have asked Craig to buy some pink ones as the baby won’t be wearing blue! I really don’t mind though if I have a boy or girl; as long as he/she is fit and healthy that’s all that matters.

A work colleague had a baby last week (congratulations Kylie!!) a beautiful baby girl called Aria who she brought in for us all to meet. She weighed 6 lbs 7 ozs and when I held her she was so light! I have been so used to picking up Hayden (who is nearly 21 months old) and carrying the weight of him that holding a newborn baby felt like holding air!! It made me feel really gooey and even more excited about meeting my new baby if that’s possible!

I have another scan next week when I am 34 weeks pregnant to check how things are, and then I will also see the consultant to discuss having another caesarean. I can’t wait to see my baby on the screen and hope that all will still be well. As I write this my baby is doing somersaults in my tummy. It has been particularly active today at work, more so than usual. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I went to a Stereophonics concert last night – so perhaps it got grooving and can’t stop!!

We have decided on a girl's name for the new baby but we are still stuck on a boy's name. There are so many nice names for girls, but boys names seem to be harder to choose. I keep looking out for names in the paper, magazines and on tv credits for some inspiration but so far we are still stuck for a final name.

Everyone at work keeps laughing at how big my bump has got, so below is a picture to show you how big I am now!! Only another seven weeks to go!

Thursday, November 15, 2007 Charlotte is preparing for a pre-Christmas birth....

Hi all, I’m feeling bigger than ever I and can’t stop eating chocolate – help! I am 31 weeks pregnant now so only 9 weeks to go – where has the time gone?!

It’s getting uncomfortable to sleep in bed and I can’t stay comfortable on the sofa for long, even at work sitting upright I can’t sit still for long. The baby is either pressing up against my ribs (painful!) or pressing down on my bladder, and if that’s not enough, it’s regularly partying in there and kicking and stretching on both sides of my tummy – no wonder I feel so exhausted!!

All this has made me think even more about preparing for the birth. I had to have a caesarean when Hayden was born so it is likely that I will have one when the new baby is born which means I will only have 8 weeks to go! (If you have a caesarean your baby is born at 39 weeks). Consequently I have been thinking about Christmas (I know it seems early!) but I am paranoid that the baby may come early and we will be without presents for baby and Hayden or a Christmas tree!

Hayden’s new bed arrived at the weekend and Craig spent a few hours putting it together ( it came as a flat pack from Next but it had excellent instructions so it wasn’t the usual nightmare – I thoroughly recommend Next for their excellent instructions!). Hayden absolutely loves it! We put a bed guard up at the side and so far he hasn’t fallen out. He gets up in the morning and pads over to his door and stands at the stair gate we have put there calling out for us! I wanted him to have time to get used to his bed now so that he doesn’t have too much change after the baby arrives.

Also we bought an excellent story book called ‘I’m a Big Brother’ by Joanna Cole from Amazon. It’s great as it introduces him to the baby and explains that he is the big brother and can look after and help with the baby, but also that even though there is a new baby in the house he is still special to mummy and daddy who love him very much (ahhh!). He loves the book and requests we read it to him every night before bed, so hopefully it will help him to understand when the baby arrives.

Friday, November 2, 2007 Charlotte and baby have a Roman holiday!

I had a great trip to Rome last week. I had managed to get a note from my doctor to say that I was fit to fly at 30 weeks pregnant (but it cost me £10 for him to write it!!). I was a bit nervous when I got on the plane, and I hoped that the baby would be okay. The flight was fine and we landed with no problems.

I had some free time to explore and so I did lots of walking on the day. Luckily my friend Vicki came on the trip and she is pregnant too so we took our time walking around! I also made sure that I took lots of sit down breaks and snack breaks and tried to drink lots of water as it was quite muggy there.

Charlotte and Vicki in Rome:


We stopped at a nice restaurant in Piazza Cavour for lunch; I had a lovely meal of pizza followed by Crème Caramel. My friends ate some freshly made Italian ice cream and it looked yummy, but I wasn’t sure if I could eat it, as you should avoid unpasteurised freshly made ice creams when pregnant, so I played it safe and didn’t have any. I miss the freedom of being able to eat what I want!

We visited lots of sites including the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain. Luckily Rome is quite flat so there weren’t many hills to climb! The traffic is manic there though, the cars just pull out everywhere and you have to be so quick crossing the road. At one point I saw an Italian lady cross the road with a buggy and stop about five different lanes of traffic all coming towards her – very scary!!

We were back at the airport for 6pm and boarding the flight by 7pm so the day went quickly. The security ladies at the airport noticed I was pregnant so they asked me to walk around the scanning machine rather than through it.

When I got home late that evening my feet felt funny, and I looked down to see that my feet and ankles had swollen up loads! I spent the next day at work with my feet up as they were still swollen!

My baby was quiet for a couple of days after the trip, I guess it could feel how tired I was, but he/she is now back to kicking and moving loads! I think I would advise any pregnant mum hoping to travel so late in pregnancy that you can do it, but beware that the next day the tiredness catches up with you!

Monday, October 22, 2007 Charlotte decides against a double buggy...

This week has been a quiet one.. Hayden and I came down with a cold on Wednesday and so we spent most of the week and the weekend sneezing and generally feeling under the weather. It’s quite tough being ill, 29 weeks pregnant and looking after a 20 month old, because I really wanted to rest or sleep but unfortunately Hayden wanted me to play or look after him so I didn’t get much time to rest! By the time the weekend came, Craig caught the cold too so we were all suffering!

We went for a lovely walk on the beach yesterday. Hayden wanted to walk rather than be pushed in the buggy and so he walked the whole way along the beach promenade and back! We are trying to encourage him to walk as much as possible as once baby number 2 arrives I won’t be able to carry him so much, and he is getting heavy now! The trouble is he wants to run off on his own accord, but thankfully my mum bought Hayden some reins which have come in really useful!

I have been trying to decide whether I will need to buy a two-seated buggy for when the baby arrives. My current buggy faces me which I like as I can talk to Hayden while we are walking around. However, there are only two rear-facing double buggies on the market, all costing about £300 - £400 each - so pricey! There are buggy boards which you can buy to attach to your buggy and the child stands on the board and holds onto the buggy as it is pushed along. However, I’m not sure if Hayden is old enough to do that (or if he would stay on it for long!). So I think I’m going to chance it without a double buggy and see how I go when the baby is born.

I am going on the day trip to Rome next week. I’m feeling a bit nervous about flying while pregnant and hoping I won’t get too tired, but hopefully lots of pasta and pizza will keep me going for the day!

Wednesday, October 10, 2007 Charlotte meets the hormone monster!

I saw my midwife again this week now that I’m 28 weeks pregnant and I have grown masses! My bump now measures 29 cms in comparison to 22 cms at 24 weeks pregnant! Everyone at work has been commenting on how much bigger my bump has grown – there’s no getting away from the fact that it’s starting to get in the way! Things such as putting my son to bed in his cot are getting more difficult as I have to bend over the cot and my bump is stopping me from doing that! My baby regularly lies across me so I often get punched and kicked on both sides of my tummy! I can even feel a foot or hand now and again which is really lovely.

I just spent a great weekend with my parents-in-law who live in the Midlands and came to stay with us. Hayden loved seeing his grandparents and had lots of fun playing games with them (he really missed them when they left and kept looking for them around the house!). It gave me a chance to relax a bit which was nice and to catch up on some things. They kindly helped us clear out our garage too as it will be knocked down in a couple of weeks to make way for a new extension, hopefully everything will be finished in the New Year in time for the baby to settle into his/her new room!

As I have so many things from my first pregnancy, I have been thinking more about preparing Hayden for the baby’s arrival. We are going to buy a bed for him soon and in the next couple of months will hopefully move him from his cot into the bed, so that when the baby is ready it can have the cot.

The hormone monster was back this week too. My last pregnancy went so smoothly I was totally chilled. This time the hormone monster creeps up on me now and again and I find myself getting teary at the stupidest things! I have to confess that I got a bit teary when I watched the X Factor on TV on Saturday night!!

Tuesday, October 2, 2007 A Cornish break for Charlotte

Hello, I have just come back from a lovely break in Cornwall. We had a great time. We stayed in a caravan right on the beautiful Hayle Beach. We took lots of trips out and enjoyed the scenery.

One place we went to was St Ives, it was lovely but it was so hilly – not good with one-and-a-half year old Hayden in a buggy and with me being 27 weeks pregnant! I really felt pregnant trying to walk up the hills; luckily they provide a shuttle bus which takes you from the centre back up the steep hills to the car park. A welcome break for my partner Craig and I - and lots of fun for Hayden who hadn’t been on a bus before!

Here's Hayden in Cornwall:





We ate out every day and I was impressed to find that the food choices for children were really good with lots of fresh vegetables, but as I’m a pregnant vegetarian it was a bit limited for me! It was quite a challenge to eat healthily and not have chips every day! By the end of the holiday I really noticed that my bump had grown (maybe it is has something to do with all the lovely Cornish pasties I ate?!).

I’m starting to find it difficult to sit or stay comfortable for long. I’m also feeling the baby kick and move about lots more. Craig and I sometimes watch my bump moving about as the baby kicks! I have tried to explain to Hayden that there is a baby in my tummy, but he just finds it funny to prod it!

I can’t believe there are only 13 weeks to go until baby number two arrives! I’ve been thinking lots about how things may change when we have two children, and hoping that I will still be able to give Hayden lots of attention. My friends tell me that the new baby slips into the routine you have with your first born. Hayden has always been a really good sleeper so I’m hoping baby number two will be the same!

Tuesday, September 25, 2007 Charlotte is concerned about additives...

Hello again,

Well following my blog last week I had good news from the airline; I can fly abroad for the day trip even though I will be 30 weeks pregnant! I just need to ensure that I have a letter from my doctor that has been written within 7 days of the flight to say that I can fly. I am so pleased I can go, but a little apprehensive as I have never flown whilst pregnant before! I did some research and all the information I read said that there is no risk to the baby, the pressure in the air will make it harder for the blood to circulate around my body, so it will mean that my body will need to work a lot harder to pump my blood, but this will not affect the baby. I will just need to ensure that I drink lots of water and keep my legs and body moving as there is a slightly higher risk of thrombosis too. I also need to ensure I take a copy of my pregnancy notes with me too just in case…!

So have you been reading and listening to the news about the research that has finally said what we all know; that food additives can cause hyperactivity and behaviour problems in children.


I do hope that the government will ban them soon as so many other countries have. It’s really got me thinking though, as I always ensure that I don’t give my son any foods with artificial additives. However, last Wednesday he was given a chocolate spread sandwich at nursery and when I collected him and brought him home he was really disagreeable and crying and nothing I did could console him. He wouldn’t take a bath either, and it was only when I got him into bed after five minutes of crying he settled.

This happened again this weekend on Saturday after we went to a children’s birthday party; there were lots of healthy snacks there but my son also had some cake, cocktail sausages and squash too. His reaction was the same when I took him home. Of course it may not have been anything to do with the food, and more to do with lots of stimulation but it does seem like a coincidence. Yesterday he was eating normally and had no problems.

Also I’ve put my name forward for an allergy study run by Poole Hospital to try to understand allergies and the development of allergies in children up to 18 months. It will study my new baby and the influence of milk/breast milk on my baby developing allergies. As I am highly allergic, I think this could be an important study and so I really want to help to understand if there are ways that allergies can be reduced (other than breastfeeding). I am waiting for some more information from Poole Hospital so I will let you know if I decide to do it when I get some more information.

Have a good week!

Wednesday, September 19, 2007 Charlotte's bump is getting bigger

Hi there.

Well it has been a week since my last blog already; during that time I have been really busy travelling with work and spending time with my son; making the most of the recent good weather and going for walks outdoors as much as possible. I find it improves my energy levels and makes me feel better.

I’m starting to notice how much my bump has grown! I seem to have problems with maternity clothes at the moment, because often they seem to be too big, but normal clothes are too small. At the supermarket today I had to contend with pushing my son in an unruly trolley whilst trying to ensure that my trousers didn’t fall down!

I have been experiencing some pains by my ribs, and I have read that this is because my ribs are moving to make way for the baby!! I have a really good book that helps to put my worries at ease and there are some good pregnancy websites that I have subscribed to which email me lots of information about my stage of pregnancy. I feel much happier when I know what is happening and why.

I saw my midwife last week and everything is well with my baby. I heard the baby’s heartbeat which was great. I am sure you have all heard the theory that says the speed of the heartbeat can indicate if it’s a boy or a girl, but my baby’s heartbeat is currently average so there were no clues either way!

I also spoke to the midwife about travelling while pregnant as I have the opportunity to go on a day trip aboard when I will be 30 weeks pregnant. My midwife advised me to check with the airline that I will still be able to fly with them, as some airlines don’t like to take pregnant women who are in their third trimester. I was surprised as I have read that airlines take pregnant women until 34 weeks. She said that it wouldn’t cause any harm to the baby, it’s just that some airlines are concerned that you may go into labour on the plane. I have to admit that I don’t know anyone who has flown in their third trimester apart from celebrities that I have read about! I really do hope I can go!

Wednesday, September 12, 2007 Charlotte is feeling the need for chocolate!

Hi, my name is Charlotte; I am 33 years old and work as HR Manager for Organix. I have a son who is 1 ½ years old and am 24 weeks pregnant with my second baby. I like to spend time with my son and partner and go for walks, swimming or to the park; anything that takes me outdoors! On my days off I meet up with other mums so my son gets to play with other children and I can have some adult conversation!

I am really excited about writing this blog and hope that you will find it interesting too.
Being pregnant for the second time, I have really noticed how tired am. During my first pregnancy I had lots of time to spend resting, this time when I’m not at work I am chasing around after my son! This can make getting enough rest and ensuring I eat a healthy diet more challenging.

When I’m busy, I try to snack on bananas and dried fruits. I have to admit that as I don’t like to drink alcohol during my pregnancy, I do crave and eat more chocolate! My other strange craving has been for fizzy water. I think this is because it helped to stop my morning sickness during my first trimester.

I’m more relaxed in this pregnancy than my last but i do find myself worrying about what I should or shouldn’t be eating. As a vegetarian, I love to eat cheese and eggs, so I crave the foods I can’t have like runny poached eggs and soft cheeses. I also avoid peanuts, as eating them during pregnancy may cause the baby to have allergies.

There is so much to think about being pregnant, and when putting the needs of the baby and my son first, it can be easy to forget to take time out for myself. My evenings are now precious time where I get to catch up with my partner and relax. It’s when I'm at my most relaxed I feel the baby move and really connect with him or her.

I have an appointment with my midwife this week when I will hear the baby’s heartbeat again, it is so exciting! I’ll update you on that in my blog next week.