After my breastfeeding journey with Autumn came to an end, I was devastated. I had been so determined, but her being seriously ill had had a serious impact on my mental health. The right thing to do to was to give up so I could take the medication I needed and get better. Breastfeeding this time round was going a lot better, until I began to realise there was a problem. At 8 weeks old, Reuben was diagnosed with a posterior tongue tie which was affecting our breastfeeding.
baby
The surprise of health anxiety with my 2nd born
Trigger Warning: Anxiety¦ If you’ve been with me from the start of my blog and parenting journey, you’ll remember the trauma we went through at the beginning. Our 4 year old daughter had a huge ovarian cyst which sparked sepsis or a similar response. We ended up with her in PICU in St. George’s Hospital, London, where she required open surgery at only 5 weeks old. I was also severely anaemic after losing too much blood at birth and the combination of these had a big impact on my mental health. So much so, that it was years until I felt able to have another child. However, it has still continued to effect me in ways that have surprised me with my newborn son.
Pregnancy in a pandemic
Trigger Warning: Miscarriage
My 7 week old son was conceived in early April last year, only a week or two into the first UK lockdown. It was still the very early days of the pandemic. I did have my concerns about having a baby due to what was happening with coronavirus. However, after a couple of months of lockdown things seemed to be much improved in Wuhan, so I assumed that by the time I gave birth things would be a lot better. I was so wrong! Pregnancy is tough at any time, but even more so during a pandemic, as I found out.
The first 5 things I want to do post-pandemic
I can’t believe it’s nearly March again. To think that this time last year we had no idea of what was about to unfold. Time has passed very strangely since then. Sometimes it seems like we’ll never get to the end of the pandemic. However, this too shall pass. It’s important to try to keep positive, even though it gets harder and harder the longer this goes on! Here are some things I’m really looking forward to doing when it does eventually come to an end.
14 Ways for new parents to celebrate Valentine’s Day
When you have a new baby, it’s very difficult to get time to yourself as a couple. Of course, quality time together is important for the health of your relationship. Therefore it’s important to try and find a little time here and there. It’s easy to get caught up in just doing what needs to be done each day and lose the romance. That’s why this Valentine’s Day, I’m determined to celebrate somehow, even though I have a newborn and a 4 year old. If you’re in a similar boat, here are some ideas!