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Sunday 29 April 2018

Health | Why I Chose The Coil

Contraception after giving birth is so important but you know sex is the last thing on your mind. The midwives mention it, the health visitors quiz you on it. I think we can all safely say after pushing out what feels like a football out of our fannies, we're swearing by abstinence for the rest of our lives! In reality though, we all have needs so eventually we're gonna jump back on that horse and ride! With my mum being a midwife she offered some advice and after some deliberation, here's why I chose the coil.

When I got my first real boyfriend at 17 I decided to have the contraceptive injection, I knew I didn't want to go on the pill because I'm proper scatty and would forget to take it. At first it was great, I just used to go to the doctors every three months for a needle in my bum and Bob's your uncle. A few months down the line and I was suffering from chronic abdo pain, it felt like I was being stabbed and I would literally be doubled over with pain. I went to the doctors, I had scans, internal examinations and blood tests but to no avail. I was undiagnosed. Nobody knew what was wrong with me. Eventually the lovely doctor I'd been under recommended coming off the injection which I was quite reluctant about because I liked not having to be responsible. I enquired about the implant but she advised against that as well, something about it working the same way as the injection or something. I can't remember, it was 11 years ago! I told her my concerns about going on the pill and she said to me "stick a reminder on your phone" so that's what I did and it was great, I took it regularly every day and my pains disappeared. I don't know why I ever shrugged it off, I guess I just thought it was an inconvenience. 

I did start taking the pill again after George was born but then I got (stupidly) lazy with it (enter Henry). Not so much lazy but I hated taking tablets you see. I never used to have that problem, it actually started when I was pregnant with George, my antenatal vitamins turned my stomach, it was like swallowing a horse pill and on top of morning sickness. Not good. To this day I still struggle taking painkillers, I know it's all in my head but I can't help it okay? Anyway, after an unplanned pregnancy I knew my method of birth control needed to change. That's when my mum recommended the coil which I was 100% against at first. Is is just me that associated the coil with older women? Although at 28, I'm no spring chicken but I just think of my mum having it so it was a mumsy thing to me, again which is stupid because I am a mum at the end of the day.I ended up spending a lot of time thinking about it and doing my own research when I decided on the Mirena coil. I knew I didn't want the copper coil because the idea of metal irritating my body to stop me becoming pregnant just didn't appeal to me at all. So I just went for it and you know what? I haven't looked back. 

I'd booked my smear (seriously, I had my first at 28 so don't delay it for as long as I did - check your bits ladies) and had my coil fitted at the same time. Two birds, one stone. The insertion was slightly uncomfortable but nothing compared to child birth! At first I bled quite heavily for about 6 weeks and I thought to myself "what the fuck have I done?" but eventually the bleeding settled down and it has been a dream ever since. 

Having PCOS I used to really suffer with heavy, painful periods, I mean they were awful. I would be bent over in pain, unable to walk and having to change my clothes more than once a day. Since I've had the coil fitted I no longer get a monthly but in the beginning my periods were regular, light and virtually pain free. It's an actual life saver! 


Rachael xo

Monday 23 April 2018

Family | Henry Hates Sleep


Henry hates sleep. Or me. Or both. Funny thing is during his first few days on earth he was an excellent sleeper, in fact he was that good of a sleeper I had to set an alarm on my phone to make sure he fed every three hours because he just would not wake for it. Fast forward a few weeks when we established feeding shit hit the fan. He just wouldn't sleep of a night, he hated being put in his cot (which come to think of it is fair enough really) but I tried white noise apps, rocking him, lying next to him and nothing would work. I was shattered and that's why Pete started sleeping downstairs with him because I'm a horrible bitch when I'm tired. 

Don't get me wrong there are nights when he does sleep all the way through (I think, there must be) but there are many a night (usually when Pete is away) that he's awake all hours. The other night he woke up at 1am and didn't go back to sleep until 4.30am and this has happened on more than one occasion. It kills me because that's me awake then for the rest of the night, I'm normally disturbed by Pete coming home from work not long after Henry has gone back to sleep, the cats jumping about and then its 7am and both boys are awake again. 

George was an excellent sleeper. God he was such an easy baby. I remember clearly the first time he slept through the night, he was eight weeks and I woke up at 2am shouting "shit the baby hasn't had a bottle!" making Pete get out of bed and we stupidly woke him to feed him. You panic with your first don't you? Thank god I'm over all that now! Anyway, from then we never woke him for a bottle after that night and I felt like a new woman getting chunks of sleep. We did co-sleep with him for months but he would sleep through the night and the progression to the cot wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. He would go to bed at 7pm and wake at 7am. 

I was one of those parents that everyone hated. The one who was made to feel guilty that my child slept through the night. The one who didn't feel like they were allowed to mention that they had a good sleeper without being accused of being smug. The one who was old they were "lucky" despite establishing a routine. 

Now I'm the parent jealous of the good sleepers. I am very lucky that Pete does do bed time and he does sleep downstairs with the kids for the time being so unless he's working it doesn't fall on me but on those nights that it does, I struggle massively. No amount of coffee can save me. I end up being ready for bed around tea time because I just don't cope with no sleep. 

My goal for this week is to start decorating the bedrooms now they are 90% clear and as soon as that is done we can start sleep training again. I just can't wait to normalise our bed time routine and then hopefully Henry will start sleeping properly. 


Wish us luck!

Rachael xo

Sunday 22 April 2018

Family | Double The Tantrums



I thought as your kids got older the tantrums got better? I thought wrong, they just seem to get bigger. George is three and a half and although the tantrums are less frequent they just seem to be absolutely mega as of late. To make matters worse, we've got double the tantrums now Henry has started to assert himself! Send. Help!

George has started this god damn awful cry when he's having a paddy. I wish you could hear it - no actually, scrap that, I wouldn't wish that on anybody. You'll have to imagine it, it goes a bit like this "waaaahhhh!" Imagine a pterodactyl on steroids because that is the only way I can possibly describe it. He's unrecognisable when he does it. You know as a parent you can recognise your own child crying? I couldn't tell you it was him if I heard him. In fact, we were walking back to the caravan last week, Pete and Henry were inside and Pete didn't know it was him even though he'd heard him. I want to rip my own ears off whenever he does it. 

As if that wasn't bad enough, Henry (15 months) has started the tantrums already. Of course he's at the age now where he wants to do things for himself, especially things his big brother does but naturally he still needs that extra bit of help. God forbid you help him or stop him doing something. We get smacked, kicked and he just throws himself about. Honestly it's like he's possessed. His body contorts into positions I never knew possible. Regan MacNeil eat your heart out!

It's just so easy to forget how early the tantrums can start, you hear about the terrible twos all the time but nobody mentions that it starts nine months before their second birthday. Nobody tells you how difficult it is to calm down a tantrum of a one year old who can't really understand a word you're saying. I can't ever remember George starting the tantrums this early but I guess my memory is pretty shit because he must have done. Both my boys are very strong willed and they definitely get that from me. When I had a second child I knew it would be challenging juggling both kids but it never even dawned on me that there would be double tantrums. You're probably reading this thinking "you silly cow " but it isn't something that ever crossed my mind. You worry about splitting yourself in two and getting out the house on time. 

If you follow me on Facebook, you'll see I uploaded a video of George's strop and loads of other people said they were in the same boat and said it doesn't stop. Even when they're five. Least I'll get many years out of my blog name ay? 

Send wine!

Rachael xo

Thursday 19 April 2018

Family | Hello, I'm Called George


My three year old is the most sociable person I know, he says hello to almost everyone he sees, and he'll strike up a conversation with anyone who'll listen. He certainly doesn't get this from me, I hate making small talk and kids just seem to invite that don't they? Henry on the other hand is definitely mine and hates talking to other people as well. George could actually talk the hind leg off a donkey given the opportunity, he's happy, confident, outgoing and friendly. While all of these are great traits to have, it worries me.

It worries me because he will talk to ANYONE, and I mean anyone. Man with dog, he'll say hello. Woman with baby, he'll say hello. Look at him, he'll say hello. He's even started walking up to people and saying "hello, I'm called George!" Earlier this week we were at a park, it was quiet, it was early and we had the place to ourselves for a while so we were in our element. At most there were about three families there, including us, throughout the whole time we were there. We met one of these families whilst they were in the maze, Henry and I were sat on a bench stuffing our faces and George told the family "I can hear my baby brother Henry!" As they all came out of the maze, George walked off with them asking "are you looking after me?" George really took a shine to their six year old son so we did end up having a little chat with the parents for a bit while the kids played which was nice despite my earlier claims of hating people.

While I'm glad he feels confident to talk to people and has excellent social skills, I'm worried he'll befriend the wrong person. It only takes a couple of seconds and he could be gone in a blink. He only has to approach the wrong person and that could be it. I know this seems irrational, but I watched a social experiment where a man showed parents how easy it was for him to coax their children to go off with them. George probably wouldn't even need coaxing. And it's scary. 

I'm not a helicopter parent and I never have been, I like giving the boys some independence, I like encouraging them to explore and I believe it has definitely helped them to develop physically as they're both excellent climbers and will happily tackle a climbing frame, but these days I am scared to take my eye off George even for a second.

He's never been a shy child even as a baby but all of a sudden his confidence has rocketed and he has become so much more independent. Just recently in the ice cream shop he asked the woman who was scooping his ice cream if he could have the marshmallows from the top, and happily paid for a toy in a shop which is fantastic. I am proud of what an amazing little character he's growing into and it it's my job to guide him. I won't teach him not to speak to strangers because he has witnessed me say "good morning" to people when we've been out and I enjoy seeing him talking to others. He can bring a smile to anyone's face and I love that about him. 

I just wish I could fit him with a tracking device! 

Rachael xo

Wednesday 18 April 2018

Days Out | The Ice Cream Farm



The sun has finally made an appearance in the UK and I am quite excited which is so unlike me but here we have it, I'm a changed woman, what can I say? I had some holidays to take in work so managed to squeeze them in this week before I lost them and I think I picked the right week for it. With the sun shining today we picked George up from school and headed to the Ice Cream Farm. It's pretty much our (and a hundred others) go to day out when the weather takes a turn for the better. 

Situated just outside Chester the Ice Cream farm is off the beaten track but definitely worth the long, windy journey. They advertise as being perfect for both toddlers and older children and I couldn't agree more, there's so much to do even for Henry! As soon as you enter, you're hit with Daisy's Garden, the cutest outdoor play area which closely resembles something straight out of the Teletubbies, with hills and tunnels covered in astro turf for the kids to climb and crawl through. In the centre there is a massive ice cream tree which blasts out snow every 30 minutes, cute right? It gets pretty busy though so keep your eyes peeled for your little one running through the snow with what feels like a million other kids. 

Speaking of your little one running off you can get a wristband from reception to write your name and number on just in case your unpredictable toddler decides he no longer wants to play in the tunnels and disappears to a roundabout without your knowledge causing unbeknown panic to set in for his parents who then split up and run round looking for him... Thanks George! 


As well as Daisy's Garden there's the Strawberry Field's (forever) mini golf which George begged me to go in to today despite me protesting that he would get really bored really quickly, but to my surprise he lasted a bit longer than I expected. Albeit, he did have a massive tantrum because he told me he needed the toilet then refused to go because he did not want to leave the golf course. We did only have one tantrum though so I consider that to be a successful day out. 


There's also the Fun Factory soft play and Honeycomb Canyon for when the heat gets too much. George and Henry both spent more time in the soft play today than anywhere else today which is typical when the weather is cracking the pavements but it kept them entertained for a good hour or so and it was quiet in there which was nice because it meant Pete and I could relax a bit. We didn't go in Honeycomb Canyon this time round but we have been in the past, it's water and sand play so if you do fancy it, I'd suggest taking a spare set of clothes and a towel for your little one. It is free to get into the Ice Cream Farm but there is a small charge for the additional activities. If you've had enough of the hustle and bustle of the play area and soft play, you can go for a walk through Fudge Farm where you'll see some cute little animals because of course no farm is complete without animals. Pete took Henry here today while George and I played mini golf so we missed out. 


No trip to the Ice Cream Farm would be complete without an ice cream! There are over 50 flavours of ice creams and sorbets which have won some awards apparently. It's pretty good ice cream to be fair. I try to get something new each time we visit but I normally end up queuing on my own while Pete looks after the boys outside and I get really overwhelmed (lol). I think my favourite has to be the white chocolate, raspberry and Oreo though but the Ferrero is pretty good too. 

The Ice Cream Farm is definitely one of our favourite places to visit, I think we have been three times this year already, but George loves it there and we get to indulge in ice cream so it's a win win.

What's your favourite ice cream?

Rachael xo