Whats in my hospital bag

Hi lovelies,

So I spent countless hours watching youtube videos on what to pack in my hospital bag while I was pregnant, and made several lists, and packed and re-packed my bag countless times!

The truth is, that youre never going to know exactly what to bring on your first baby. None the less, I took some photos to write a blog post of whats in my bag, and now that I have the experience, Im going to share with you what I did or did not need. Hopefully it'll help some of you with your own hospital bags.

I brought 2 bags with me for my hospital stay. One for during labour, and another for the hospital stay post-labour.

I'll start with the bag for labour.

Firstly, I brought fluffy socks, slippers, a dressing gown and 2 nightdresses. I brought one for labour (navy) and another for just after labour so id feel a bit clean. Your feet can get a bit cold during labour so I'd recommend the fluffy socks!

Next I brought a cellular blacket for wrapping baby in, babys first outfit packed in a sandwich bag to make it easier for the other half to find :) And also a cardigan, but I didnt end up using the cardigan as its plenty warm in the maternity ward for baby. Babys first outfit consisted of a vest, babygrow, hat, and nappy. But since we did skin to skin, all we needed was the hat and nappy, but the vest and babygrow came in useful once we got back to the maternity ward.

Snacks are always important! Labour can be a long process, especially when youre induced, like i was. Lucky Indie was born less than 20 hours after I arrived to the hospital, for some people it can be a full 2 days or so! So I brought some chocolate(of course), rice cakes, sucky sweets, breakfast bars and mixed nuts. And not to be too TMI, but the nuts did come in handy for keeping the post-labour bowel moving.

Lastly, I packed a toiletry bag with a few essentials. Underwear, a facecloth and the elastics for my belly-trace (I only have these because I had been in the hospital the week previous being checked out and they gave me these to bring along with me for next time). I really recommend bringing a facecloth with you, it is what came in most useful during labour. It is so damn warm in the maternity ward, and they really crank up the heat right before you begin pushing. It was great for keeping damp to cool me down, and mopping up sweat. Nice!

In the toiletry bag: Tissues, lens solution, deodorant, mouthwash, toothpaste and brush, lady wipes, water spray, vaseline and hair bobbins and clips. The mouthwash was useful as your mouth can get so dry and when your huffing and blowing, its nice to know youre not knocking people out with your stinky breath. The water spray was also brilliant- I got mine in Dealz- because of the heat, it was really good for cooling me down.. and my hubby too. Also, the vaseline was handy due to dry lips from using the gas and air.

Also not pictured here are maternity pads.. needed for obvious reasons

Next onto the hospital stay bag:

2 dark coloured towels for post-labour showering, I got these ones in Penneys. Moses basket sheets for the cot during the hospital stay, theyre cosier than the pillow cases used to cover the matress in the hospital. And a hooded bath towel for baby- this one is from the Baby Elegance package I posted about earlier.>

Clothes/ outfits for the baby. I didnt even use the outfits, except for her going home outfit.. You change nappies, vests and babygrows so regularly that its best to just pack them all seperately instead of in 'outfit form'. My hubby ended up bringing in a bunch of separates for during the stay and i didnt use these packs at all.

Jammies for me during my stay. I picked up these all in Penneys. I got the button down kind thinking they'd be handy for breastfeeding, and were nice and light, but i never wore them. It was way too hot to wear long sleeves. The best thing I found to wear was jogger style bottoms and a string top or vest. String tops were handy to just pull down to feed without having to completely strip off.

I also brought some extra toiletries for my stay. In this toiletry bag i brought:

A shower puff, Arnica tablets, Hand sanitiser, tissues, face wipes, feminine soap free wash, moisturiser, lanolin nipple balm, shampoo and conditioner, hairbrush and a razor.

I didnt use the arnica tablets, while they were recommended in several blogs and youtube videos I just never thought of them, once baby arrives, you have more on your mind. I also didnt use the shampoo and conditioner, as my hair was quite dry during my pregnancy i could go a few days without washing it.

The lanolin nipple balm is from Boots brand, but i didnt like it. Its really too thick and baby didnt like the taste of it. I had a lot of nipple problems beginning to breastfeed, I can see how people give it up so soon. Luckily I had great midwives who gave me the multi-mam compresses and nipple balm, which were my saviour.. and funny enough, baby actually liked the taste of the balm. I think the boots one was just too thick and greasy. So if youre thinking of breastfeeding, I recommend getting the multi-mam products; they can be more expensive, but they are so worth it. I dont think I would still be breastfeeding almost 4 weeks later if it wasnt for them (and nipple shields, but ill talk about these again)

I also brought a small stand up mirror, and basic makeup products. I got a tester of bb cream from my local pharmacy and it worked fine for the few days when i was having visitors and wanted to feel a bit more like 'me'.

Lastly, I brought water wipes, breast pads, and maternity pads (boots brand).

Unfortunately, I ended up getting an infection around my stitches following the labour and I really think it had a lot to do with the maternity pads I was using. The Boots brand have plastic sticky backs on them, like most pads, to stick onto your underwear.. and this stops your down-there from getting some air, especially when you spend a lot of your time sitting and lying in bed in the days following labour. So I really recommend getting the ones which have no sticky back on them. The hospital gave me a packet of them to use for the remainder of my stay and after just one day, my infection had cleared up almost completley. They look like this:

Sexy right? But trust me, these will feel amazing when youre so swollen down there.

So thats really it for my hospital bags, please feel free to comment or mail me on facebook if you have any questions at all.

From me and Indie, chilling on the couch having cuddles while writing this; Chat soon xoxo

Dont forget to follow me on Instagram HERE and of course Facebook HERE. You can also follow me on Snapchat at 'Connikav', if I get enough followers on snapchat, I'll begin to post more on there.

€999 Baby Package

Baby equipment can be so expensive, and having my first baby, I really wanted to buy new pieces as opposed to getting hand-me-downs, as hopefully we will be lucky enough to have more children in the future. So I really wanted to have my own products!

I came accross this package by chance when i first became pregnant, and headed into Baby Elegance in Blanchardstown to have my first look around as a mum-to-be. There were no other products I looked at after seeing this deal, as it is such good value and the buggy travel system looked great.

Now that I have bought it, and using it these past 3 weeks I cannot reccommend it enough. The travel system really is fantastic, and the buggy opens and folds easily with one hand, plus it comes in lots of colours. I went for the light grey colour, its fab! The moses basket is sturdy but easily transportable. And the high chair folds down to be really compact.

One of the best points about this package is that you place a deposit and can pay it off gradually.

Check out www.BabyElegance.ie

Promise to write up a "what to pack in your hospital bag" soon. Chat soon, Conni xoxo

She has arrived

Hello lovelies,

So my last blog post was the day i went to be induced, and despite the last week of being pregnant feeling like i was going to be pregnant forever, baby Indie Anne Murray was born on the 19th August at 2.39pm weighing 7lbs 7oz and measuring 50.5cm long, after a labour of 12 hours.

I will do a post on being induced and my labour another day, as i have had a few mails from pregnant princesses asking for information on my experience, so ill be sure to share soon.

So, here is my baby girl:

Don't those lips just break your heart? I know i am biased, but I think shes the most gorgeous baby that ever was created :) That second photo was about 1.5 hours after Indie was born, and I just love it <3

Indie is 3 weeks old today, and I cant imagine my life without her now. It has been a really emotional time, but the happiest and most wonderful of my whole life. I never knew I could love something or someone as much as I love her. And how much more I love my husband seeing how he is with her too! I love our family, its my favourite!

I will write a post on what i packed in my hospital bags next, and what i actually needed and didnt need so keep your eyes out.

As always, dont forget to check out my facebook page HERE and Instagram HERE for more updates and baby overloads :)

Chat soon, Conni xoxo

Induction Day

Hello lovelies,

So today is my induction date. A date I hoped I'd never have to keep! My due date was August 9th, and hoped baby would be here by August 12th when I had my next hospital appointment. But here we are 9 days late, and heading for an induction this evening.

I've been feeling mixed emotions about it. While the older generation think its great that we mums now know everything thats happening at each stage in pregnancy and labour, sometimes its not the best... As there are a million horror stories for each good story.

Being induced was the LAST thing i wanted to happen, as I know several people who had horrible induced births. Also, any information given by the hospital or healthcare advisors include 'what can go wrong' with being induced. Its easy to focus on that part! Of course, there are lots of people who also say that they had a quick and easy induced birth.

The hardest thing about having a date and time for induction is waiting for it! This week has felt like the longest of my life, waiting for each day to go by and getting excited at each and every twinge or movement thinking I was going into labour myself. It has been exhausting! I have been counting down the hours, feeling like i have so much to do, but not wanting to do anything at the same time.

I know that each labour is different and all I can do is wait and see how mine goes. If anyone is interested in hearing my labour and delivery story, please do let me know in the comments below/ facebook or instagram.

PLease send me your prayers and good luck <3 Stay tuned to my Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat for more frequent updates.

Faceboook HERE Instagram HERE and Snapchat username at 'Connikav'

Last night cuddling this little one from the inside in our own bed. Will spend tonight in the hospital beginning my induction and will hopefully have my baby girl in my arms tomorrow. Feeling nervous, anxious, excited and overwhelmed all at once! Having a date and time to count down to makes things harder, each hour feels like a lifetime, and each hour can be filled with overthinking and worrying about each little detail of what might come. The scariest part is the unknown! Having wonderful family and friends around make it easier, keeping me and my mind busy. I'm looking forward to this entire new part of my life and new little addition to my family ❤

Leg Swelling

Hello lovelies,

Hope all you pregnant princesses are keeping well.

This is a quick post with a few tips I have picked up on how to deal with the leg swelling which is all too common in pregnancy, especially the third trimester. As you know, if you read my blog, I got sunburned on my legs last month and due to that I got quite swollen and painful legs, ended up in the hospital and sent on my way with a few tips to help ease it. Whoops!

Who knew that your skin becomes crazy sensitive when pregnant?

Anyway, first things first; its super important when pregnant to remember to rest and put your legs UP! Up high! Ideally your legs should be above heart level and supported the length of the leg- by that, I mean to not have your ankles resting on a table and nothing under the rest of your legs- this gives a 'bowed' effect to the back of your knees and leads to other issues. Personally, I found that lying down with my legs up on the wall worked best as they are extremly elevated, supported, and it doesnt take too long for this to reduce swelling. I also like to lay in bed with pillows under my legs, not all night, but for the hour im on my phone before going to sleep (we all do it) is the perfect amount of time.

Ideally, try to avoid crossing your legs/ ankles as Im doing here, tut tut!

Secondly, a big one; Drinking water! I know we're all tired of hearing this one, but theres a good reason for it. Our bodies are made up 50-65% water, which is HUGE! We need to keep these water supplies replenished or we'll get dehydrated and start holding onto water which means bloating and swelling. Drinking enough can help to alleviate swelling overnight by hydrating muscles and flushing body waste.

Water also helps to regulate body temperature, which came in handy for me when I got sunburned and my body temperature was all over the place

And finally, Keep moving! Its so important to keep yourself moving during pregnancy, as I talked about in previous posts the hormone relaxin is at work causing our body functions to slow down by 30%, which includes waste removal from the body. Lucky us, huh? If youre unable to get out for a walk or are working in a sedentary job, simple stretches and movements can be just as helpful. So when youre sitting at your desk, or in front of the telly, you can still help prevent and reduce swelling by bending and stretching your feet 30 times, and opening and closing your fists 30 times. You can also circle and rotate your ankles and wrists 10 times each direction. This just helps to get the blood pumping and keeps the joints mobile.

Even after a few hours of standing, your legs can swell. You can easily tell you're swollen if you've been wearing socks. Just fab!

I hope this will help some of you who are suffering with swollen legs and hands. Anyone out-swelled their wedding bands yet? Im still wearing mine thankfully, but they do get a bit stuck at night time.

If there are any topics or posts you'd like to see me write about, please leave a comment below, or on my Facebook pageHERE.

Dont forget to follow me on Instagram too for more regular up to date posts HERE

Chat to you soon, Conni xoxo

Massage during Pregnancy

Hay lovelies,

Hope youre all keeping well, and you mamas-to-be are minding those beautiful bumps.

Im now 33 weeks pregnant and I certainly feel every bit of it, some days more than others. Picking things up off the floor has proven to be a challenge, and socks? Forget about them haha!

A couple of weeks ago I got badly sunburned on my legs and they swelled up pretty badly. It was very painful and uncomfortable, but a trip to the maternity department proved that it was nothing to worry about and just a result of the sun, thankfully! It was great to go straight to the maternity department, and not have to waste several hours in A&E, and the midwives were very friendly and helpful. I was recommended to keep my legs raised, and apply buttermilk to the area... Im not entirely sure why buttermilk, but it worked a treat. My poor legs are still peeling from the experience, but the swelling has gone down and I only have the usual evening-time swollen pregnant legs.

So to help the swelling and pain, I decided to treat myself to a full body massage.

I headed to Kayleigh, from That Skinny Girl, at The River Spa in the Knightsbrook Hotel in Trim. After a swim, I went for my massage, followed by a nice snooze (or snore..) in the relaxation room. It was heavenly! Just what I needed. So, as a massage therapist myself, who is trained in pregnancy massage, here are 10 benefits of massage during pregnancy:

1. Better Sleep/// Its no secret, that massage helps us to relax and sleep better. Win-win!

2. Reduced back and joint pain/// With the ever growing pressure of baby on our back and joints, massage is a great way to relieve, or at least reduce this

3. Improved circulation///

4. Reduced oedema/// A main reason for me wanting to get a massage; with improved circulation comes reduced oedema. Manual lymph drainage helps the body to eliminate excess fluid and swelling in the body. This was a big factor in reducing my swollen legs after the sunburn.

5. Reduced headaches/// Massage helps to recuce muscle tension. Headaches can be common during pregnancy, and tense muscles are a major cause of headaches. By stretching and massaging shoulder and neck muscles, the muscle tension is reduced= less headaches

6. Reduced stress and anxiety/// Taking time out for ourselves to relax and unwind is great for the head

7. Moisturising/// Skin can change during pregnancy, and as it is stretching its really important to keep it nourished. I love to keep the oils on my skin after a massage as long as possible for maximum absorbtion and lubrication.

8. Increased oxygen in the blood/// Good for mum and baby.

9. Aids digestion/// Due to increased blood circulation and elimination of toxins from the body, the effectiveness of the digestive system is also increased. And since pregnancy can cause constipation, massage is helpful.

10. Bonding/// Taking time out for you and you baby helps you to bond. We often become too busy with our daily lives to take an hour out of our day to think of the beautiful life growing inside, but a massage is the perfect opportunity for this.

Why not treat yourself to a massage before baby arrives?

Dont forget to follow me on facebook HERE and on Instagram HERE

Until next time, Conni xoxo

Iron and pregnancy

Hello lovelies,

I mentioned in my last post that I had been experiencing tiredness again since entering the 3rd trimester, thinking it was totally normal and i just had to deal with it.

But, at a hospital check up it was discovered that I'm actually anaemic! This means that im low in iron. Low iron levels during pregnancy can lead to several problems including pre-term delivery and low birth weight. Not everyone gets symptoms but luckily I did and have been able to correct it.

I began by feeling extremely tired, all the time. Even after a nights sleep, Id wake up feeling like it was past my bedtime! I also had dizzy spells and shortness of breath, teamed with really fast and hard heart beats (heart palpitations, or tachycardia I discovered this is called). My gorgeously long and strong nails, only since pregnancy, also became weak and began breaking. It was only once I mentioned that i had felt dizzy that my iron levels were re-checked and they were low!

As I hadnt been taking a prenatal vitamin, as those things give awful constipation (sorry for the TMI) this meant I was not getting enough iron in my diet to produce enough red blood cells... which means less oxygen being carried around my body. This explained the heart palpitations, shortness of breath and dizzy spells.

I was started on a new iron supplement called Ferrograd C, which personally has been working a treat. Its an iron supplement that also contains vitamin c to help the absorbtion of iron, and it also helps with maintaining regular bowels, thank goodness. No more iron-induced constipation! I was also reccomended to drink fresh orange juice with my meals, as the vitamin c in the juice would help with the absorbtion of iron in the meal. How clever?!

I also had low blood pressure due to the anaemia, so in order to keep this regulated, I must drink lots of water each day too. Its not advised to eat large meals, as there is a blood surge to the stomach to aid digestion after eating, causing the pressure to drop elsewhere in the body... Not that I can eat big meals anymore with my ever-growing uterus pressing on my tummy, so I prefer to have smaller more regular meals now anyway.

All this has really helped even out my iron levels, of course along with changing my diet to include more red meat and green leafies :)

Have any of you suffered with anaemia during pregnancy, and how did you deal with it?

Dont forget you can keep up to date with lifes goings-on and more pregnancy related stuff on my facebook page HERE and on Instagram HERE

Until next time, Conni x