NorthHantsMum Community

NHM readers suggested Birthday Card “hacks”

Posted by Louise NorthHantsMum on in Birthday Parties, NHM Readers, Organising 0 Comment

NHM readers suggested Birthday Card “hacks”

I’ve always been rubbish at remembering birthday cards, or rather, I buy the cards in advance but never quite get round to posting them in time.

I recently asked the Friends of  my “Louise nhm Smith” profile on Facebook for any good “hacks” for how to remember to send birthday cards. 

Thank you very much to everyone who responded and thank you very much to Yvette who put this post together! 

Please note, these are in no particular order!

1. Moonpig / Funky Pigeon (as recommended by Georgina, Melanie, Lisa, Cerys & Jason)

Moonpig: Personalised Cards – Greetings Cards – Cards Online

Personalised Cards| Make Photo Greetings Cards Online

The general consensus was that these websites are great as you can set up in advance what date you would like certain cards to be sent and also you can personalise your cards with your own photo’s / text.  The only downside is that it can be a bit on the expensive side, but prices do include postage and they sometimes have special offers on.  Alternatively, Cerys came up with a great idea of setting up reminders on the websites but buying the card elsewhere when the reminder email comes through!

2. Bunches (as recommended by Madeleine)

Bunches.co.uk

You can also set up reminders on this website (or other similar ones), just remember to put the exact dates in the notes.

3. Good old fashioned pen and paper (as recommended by Marie, Elaine, Sue, Heidi & Michelle)

3.1 Another great suggestion was to write every birthday on a calendar/diary at the beginning of the year and then at the beginning of every month, bulk buy all the cards you need for that month.  Or alternatively, put a reminder in your diary to buy the cards 2 weeks before and then another reminder a week before to actually post them.

3.2 A lovely alternative for keeping birthdays separate from everything else going in your diary is getting a box of cards and planner from Heidi Wadsworth at Phoenix cards.

http://www.phoenix-trading.co.uk/web/heidiwadsworth/

Just go through the planner each week, write them out and stick them in the post. The planner lasts and doesn’t need redoing each year.

4. Phone reminders (as recommended by Hayley)

Putting a reminder on her phone 2 days before to post the card has worked well for Hayley.

5. Facebook (as recommended by Jason)

6. Buy in bulk 

Peta says “I buy packs of ‘assorted’, but quality, birthday cards to suit all ages (or multiple packs to suit a range of ages) and store them in my writing desk with books of (12x) stamps (1st class, 2nd class, £1.28 for airmail). I still forget birthdays, but at least my ‘belated’ birthday wishes are not quite as belated these days…

I also buy postcard packs (e.g. from local artists when I don’t want/cannot afford to buy individual pieces or themed packs from places like TK Maxx or independent bookstores) and packs of blank greeting cards so that I have an abundance of supplies for last minute wishes ‘thank you’, ‘thinking of you’, ‘anniversary’, ‘happy house warming’.. (you get the picture).

Oh, and my ex-housemate always writes her month’s cheques & birthday cards in advance, noting the ‘send on’ date in pencil on the front of each sealed envelope. She would pick up relevant envelopes in the morning and post them on her way to work. Teachers. So organised…”

7. A final thought 

Lisa says “The sign of a true friend is one who still loves you even when you forget their birthday…maybe more than once ; )”

Don’t miss out on future posts like this – you can receive updates directly to your inbox by email by adding your email address to the box on the top right of this page and hitting subscribe. You can also follow NorthHantsMum onTwitter,Google+,Facebook Page, Facebook Profile, LinkedIn and Feedly. I hope to see you there! 

NorthHantsMum’s 5th Birthday is today!!!!!!!!

Posted by Louise NorthHantsMum on in Blogging, My Experience, NHM Readers, North Hampshire, NorthHantsMum, NorthHantsMum Community 1 Comment

Today is the fifth year anniversary of NHM. Yup, that’s right, I started NHM five years ago today. So I’m afraid you will need to allow me a post of reflection and self-indulgence (there’s a surprise! Lol) :-D.

Five years is a long time. Five years feels like a significant milestones. After five years I still haven’t gotten used to having an alter-ego! Lol.

A lot of time and passion has been poured into NHM in five years. A lot of love and tears also. NHM is so much more than a hobby for me now, it’s a part of me, a key part of my life. When I think back to the time in my life when I started NHM, when Miss NHM was three months old, it is literally a lifetime away. I am a different person to the one who started NHM. So are my husband and our daughter.

I cannot express to you how amazing my family are. Mr NHM has ALWAYS been hugely supportive of NHM and this has been incredibly important. Miss NHM is now five years old (obviously) and I still can’t believe it. She’s five years old ALREADY??!?!!! I love them both more than you can imagine.

Louise-65
Us

NHM has been SUCH a positive influence on my life. I’m a much better person because of it. I have met SO many wonderful Mum’s (and Dad’s!) through NHM. I am INCREDIBLY grateful for the many amazing friendships and opportunities NHM has created for myself and my family.

There has also been a lot of heartbreak and stress during these past five years, with NHM and also with everything that has happened in my life beyond NHM, but it’s been my “rock” for so long. Even when it feels like everything else is falling apart around me I know that I have this AMAZING network of parents supporting me, encouraging me and telling me to keep going. Having something bigger than myself, this network of people who rely on and support me, is pretty AWESOME!

They say we leave fingerprints on the lives we touch. I wonder how many lives I’ve touched with NHM in the past five years and how many more lives NHM will touch. It’s a pretty awesome thought! Having all this positive influence on so many people has got to be a good thing, right?

Thank you!

I would also like to say thank you to my amazing team of supporters who have helped to keep NHM going during the past five years.
  • Abi – for your passion and drive with all things technical and your faith in NHM. I literally couldn’t be where I am with NHM were it not for your belief in me. I’m going to miss your techie support TONNES.
  • Sophie for all of your marketing support and for designing the latest NHM logo.
  • All of the lovely NHM secret writers who step in at a moments notice to attend and write up events and who have taken the pressure off me on a number of occasions.
  • To the fabulous NHM Marketing team (Shona, Hayley, Gemma, Chloe and Yvette) who are made up of a key number of extremely talented ladies who are giving up their time so willingly to help others.
  • Everyone who has ever been involved in a NHM event. The meet up’s (should I start these again?) and the Expo’s. Between us we have raised over £2500 for charity, which is phenomenal! Especially, Lynne, Sophie and Lowri my willing volunteers who gave up their precious time to help out.
  • To all of the local Mum’s who run their own businesses and have supported and encouraged me with my networking endeavours.
  • Everyone who contributed to my “birthday blogging tree”. I love it!
  • Mr NHM for his constant love and support and for learning how to load the dishwasher PROPERLY in the past five years :-D.
  • Finally Miss NHM for being my daily inspiration. I love her more than anything, even NorthHantsMum :-D.
001
My “blogging tree” which is one of my most treasured possessions. Thank you so much to everyone who contributed.

What happens next?

I’d like to say I have big plans for what happens next on NHM but, truth be told, I have an awful lot going on in my life outside of NHM at the moment and I feel the need to focus on the basics. Time to focus on the bits I love, like the sharing of information and knowledge and supporting my fantastic readers (that’s YOU!). The big plans are going to have to wait for a bit longer.

I would also like to say that I’m going to celebrate tonight but life goes on and today I will be attending the funeral of a much loved man who was a significant figure in my life.  So today I’m going to think of how grateful and blessed I was to have known him and for him to have been in my life. Then on Friday I’m going to focus on how grateful and blessed I am to have NorthHantsMum and all of the friendships and opportunities it’s created for me in the past five years and celebrate with a cheeky glass of Prosecco.

Yay to “Proseco Friday’s” 😀

As always THANK YOU. Thank you for reading, for commenting, for your support, feedback and love during the past five years. I literally couldn’t do it without you.

Here’s to the next five years on NorthHantsMum! Cheers x

Don’t miss out on future posts like this – you can receive updates directly to your inbox by email by adding your email address to the box on the top right of this page and hitting subscribe. You can also follow NorthHantsMum onTwitter,Google+,Facebook Page, Facebook Profile, LinkedIn and Feedly. I hope to see you there! 

NHM Readers Experiences: Hypnobirthing in Basingstoke and North Hampshire

Posted by Louise NorthHantsMum on in Basingstoke, Classes, New Parents, Newborn, NHM Readers, North Hampshire, Pregnancy 0 Comment

I recently asked the Friends of  my “Louise nhm Smith” profile on Facebook if anyone had any experience of hypnobirthing, has anyone used it and if they have any feedback.

Thank you very much to everyone who responded and thank you to Shona for putting this together!

These were the responses I received.

NHM Readers Experiences of Hypnobirthing

Michelle said:

Yes for my second child and really recommend it. I was very sceptical before I knew about it, but after practicing it I would definitely recommend, had a much better labour than the first!   

Kirsty said:

I had for my first child. It made me feel confident and relaxed in a situation I had no control over and taught me to work with my body. It’s very powerful and a great tool during labour

Cerys said:

I haven’t used it but, as an antenatal teacher (and not a hypnobirthing practitioner so not trying to sell anything), I would highly recommend it.  

Lizzie said:

Yes for both my labours – wonderful experience. I managed a back to back birth centre water birth and a home water birth with no pain relief.  

Wendy said:

Yep I used hypnobirthing for my second birth and had a wonderful experience.  

Corissa said:

Yes – it’s wonderful. I’d highly recommend it. Using the techniques during labour made me feel calm, in control and able to ‘observe’ the contractions without tensing up or needing any pain relief. I have since used the techniques at the dentist to have fillings without anaesthetic.

Naomi said:

In a total different light. I had an emergency c section at 33 weeks due to pre eclampsia with my first. So went on to have a planned section at 38 weeks following lots of bp issues that never turned into pre e with number 2. It was a very worrying pregnancy but I was determined to have a better birth experience and not let anxiety spoil it for us. We attended hypnobirthing sessions at 26 weeks once we had come past the possibility of him being prem. And it was just so very helpful. I wished I had accessed more and accessed private, individual support really. But the techniques and information we gained from that one session was used lots by my husband and I in those difficult last couple of weeks. Even at difficult appointments and certainly in theatre. We had such a healing happy pleasant experience. And if I were to have another I would invest more into it as it’s amazing.

Beata said:

Used hypnobirthing for my first baby and it was a freebirth at home and I recommend it highly. The best thing I ever did for all of us. 

Flick said:

I used it for my second child and it was amazing!! I only needed 2 puffs on gas and air at the hospital and I dealt with most of the labour at home – I was only in hospital for 20 mins before my daughter was born. Having not used it the first time round and done so the second, I can see what a huge difference it makes!! I was a lot calmer because of it and baby number 2 is chilled out as well. She’s 6 months old now and I can look back on a happy birth experience this time.

Marie said:

I run pregnancy classes, and have had mixed feedback from women I teach who have tried Hypnobirthing. Some rave about it, others are like “that was a waste of money”… I really think it depends on the person and their ability to go into themselves. I never used it, but put my own methods into practice instead, which I found worked for me. 

Lottie said:

I haven’t done hypnobirthing but I cannot recommend the confident birthing workshop enough! It was brilliant for me and my husband and really helped in labour. It’s all about positivity, breathing and relaxation techniques.

Liane said:

Yes for my second and it was a much more empowering experience. Highly recommended it. 

Vikki said:

Wow! So much choice for women… Fab! I’d add ‘go for it’, I believe that the more tools you have in your tool kit, the more options you have in labour and as previously mentioned, these are techniques that last a lifetime. I certainly use my breathing techniques regularly.

Sarah said:

I did a class but ended up being induced and was extremely stressed so didn’t help. Ended in c section due to baby being distressed. But I’m sure it would’ve been amazing for a normal natural labour.

Stephanie said:

I had all 3 of my babies using Hypnobirthing. I didn’t attend any courses, just followed some CDs and materials I purchased on amazon. I am thankful to have given my babes such a gentle entry into the world and loved being about to walk around, shower within an hour of all 3 births. Even if the ultimate result is not hypnobirth, it’s a beautiful tool to help relax late in the pregnancy and prepare for future sleepless nights.

Victoria said:

Hypnobirthing was the most life changing experience. …can’t recommend enough.

Lisa said:

I used hypnotherapy for both my boys’ births. It was Natal Hypnotherapy rather than Hypnobirthing but it was fabulous. I’d highly recommended hypnotherapy!

IMG_0717

Don’t miss out on future posts like this – you can receive updates directly to your inbox by email by adding your email address to the box on the top right of this page and hitting subscribe. You can also follow NorthHantsMum onTwitter,Google+,Facebook Page, Facebook Profile, LinkedIn and Feedly. I hope to see you there! 

NHM Readers Favourite places to feed Ducks in Basingstoke and North Hampshire

Posted by Louise NorthHantsMum on in NHM Readers, North Hampshire, Outings, Walks 1 Comment

I recently asked the Friends of  my “Louise nhm Smith” profile on Facebook for their suggestions on where are the best places to feed ducks in Basingstoke and North Hampshire. 

Thank you very much to everyone who responded! and thank you to Gemma for putting this post together! 

Here is also a link to show you what food we should and shouldn’t feed the ducks, thank you Liane for the information: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/keeping-our-ducks-healthy/six-things-you-didnt-know-you-could-feed-ducks

008
Alresford Ducks!

NHM Readers Favourite places to feed ducks in Basingstoke and North Hampshire

Eastrop Park

Rachel said: Eastrop Park

Amy: There are ducks in Eastrop Park in town xx

Bartons Mill

Jade: Bartons Mill

Sherfield on Loddon

Saretta: Sherfield on Loddon has a lovely duck pond too 🙂

Abbie: There is a great duck pond in Sherfield-on-Loddon with loads of ducks and there is a nearby park, pub and cafe!

Basingstoke Canal

Karen: Basingstoke Canal near King John’s Castle in Odiham

Thatcham Discovery Centre

Kelly: Thatcham Discovery Centre

Amber:  Second the Thatcham Discovery Centre! Lovely walk around the lake and a good park too.

Jen: Definitely Thatcham. But get there first thing as we’ve been later in the day and the ducks weren’t hungry as so many people had fed them already!

Wendy: Thatcham sells you suitable food, tells you what the birds are called and has a brilliant playground too.

Fleet Pond

Kathryn: Fleet Pond

Winchester Silk Mill

Elaine: Whitchurch Silk Mill. We even sell duck and swan food to feed them properly!

The Vyne

Juanita: The Vyne 🙂

Dannii: The ducks are always hungry there too.

Winchester Leisure Centre

Donna:  I would also recommend Winchester Leisure Centre – we always pop down there for duck feeding and the park is perfect for toddlers.

Sherborne St John

Edie: There’s a lovely duck pond by the church in Sherborne St John with very tame (and fat!) ducks.

Ruza: Sherborne st john

Alresford

Fiona: The stream in Alresford is beautiful for a little walk and you have the High Street bakery for a treat and a large play park too.

Don’t miss out on future posts like this – you can receive updates directly to your inbox by email by adding your email address to the box on the top right of this page and hitting subscribe. You can also follow NorthHantsMum onTwitter,Google+,Facebook Page, Facebook Profile, LinkedIn and Feedly. I hope to see you there! 

NHM Readers Recommend: Local Places to donate Preloved Items

Posted by Louise NorthHantsMum on in Children, Clothes, Money, New Parents, NHM Readers, Shopping 0 Comment

I recently asked the Friends of  my “Louise nhm Smith” profile on Facebook if anyone could recommend the best places to take second hand items. (Thank you very much to everyone who responded!)

These were the responses I received. They are in no particular order. Thanks to Shona for putting this post together!

NHM Readers Recommend Local Places for Preloved Items

Spotlight Centre

Wendy said: Spotlight Centre. If you ask they can pass them onto those in need.  

Penny said: Spotlight have links with social services and can pass them on but please state that they are to be passed on.

Spotlight UK

Christ Church, Chineham

Vicki said: If you take them to Christ Church, Chineham we have contact that we can pass them on to one of which is a charity that helps trafficked individuals and has safe houses and refuges amongst its range of support.

Christ Church

Besom

Abigail said: Besom have taken loads of my baby clothes and baby items (and other stuff like kitchen goods and bed sheets etc) and they have gone to the women’s refuge. They come and collect and all the stuff goes to people in need rather than just charity and you even get a thank you letter in the post which was a surprise.

Besom

Basingstoke Voluntary Action

I have also suggested Basingstoke Voluntary action.

BVA

Is there anywhere else you would recommend?

Don’t miss out on future posts like this – you can receive updates directly to your inbox by email by adding your email address to the box on the top right of this page and hitting subscribe. You can also follow NorthHantsMum onTwitter,Google+,Facebook Page, Facebook Profile, LinkedIn and Feedly. I hope to see you there! 

NHM Readers Recommend: Child friendly coffee shops

Posted by Louise NorthHantsMum on in Cafe's, Children, NHM Readers 0 Comment

I recently asked the Friends of  my “Louise nhm Smith” profile on Facebook for recommendations for child friendly coffee shops in Basingstoke and the surrounding areas. (Thank you very much to everyone who responded!). 

Thank you very much also to Shona for putting this together! 😀

Please note, these are in no particular order!

NHM readers recommend child friendly coffee shops

1. The Tea Bar

Rachael recommended Tea Bar.

The Tea Bar

  1. Dome Cafe Project

Kath said: It’s a great venue that I often forget about

The Cafe Project

3. Little Roses – Tadley Garden Centre

Jo said: Little Roses, part of the garden centre on the way to Tadley, they have sofas and a kids corner with toys upstairs.

Melanie said: Little Roses is great.

Lisa also recommended Little Roses

Little Roses

  1. Wyevale – Reading Road

Madeline said: Wyevale Garden Centre on the way up to Reading has a toy box and a playhouse in the garden.

Wyevale

  1. More of the Good Stuff – Dummer

Kelly said: There is a lovely one in Dummer.

Fiona also recommended More of the Good Stuff.

More of the Good Stuff

  1. Redfields Garden Centre

Alison said: It has a cafe and children’s play area upstairs

Redfields Garden Centre

7. Wellington Farm Shop Cafe

Ruza said: Comes with outside space and activities. Inside big tables for spreading with toys.

Wellington Farm Shop Cafe

8. Jolly Olly’s – Oakley

Lisa recommends Jolly Olly’s.

Jolly Olly’s

9. St Gabriel’s – Popley

Rebecca said: There is a cafe with toys at St Gabriel’s in Popley on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings.

St Gabriel’s

10. Coffee & Co – Christ Church, Chineham

Madeleine said: On Mondays, 9.30-11.30. Toys, dressing up, play area, friendly staff and inexpensive cake!

Coffee & Co

11. NCT Coffee and Chat – Brookvale

Stephany said: Don’t forget NCT coffee and chat at Brookvale on Friday mornings.

NCT Coffee & Chat

Are there any other places that you would recommend that aren’t mentioned on this list?

Don’t miss out on future posts like this – you can receive updates directly to your inbox by email by adding your email address to the box on the top right of this page and hitting subscribe. You can also follow NorthHantsMum onTwitter,Google+,Facebook Page, Facebook Profile, LinkedIn and Feedly. I hope to see you there! 

NHM Readers Top Tips for Keeping Cool

Posted by Louise NorthHantsMum on in Mum "Top Tips", NHM Readers, Summer 0 Comment

YAY! It’s Half Term!!! Whoop Whoop!!

So, on the off chance the weather is lovely during half term I thought I’d post up the responses that I asked for last year on on my “Louise nhm Smith” profile on Facebook, for top tips for staying cool with little ones in the heat.

Thank you very much to everyone who responded and thank you to Shona for putting this together!

NHM Readers Top Tips for Keeping Cool

Louise said:

Gazebo, paddling pool and lots of water and ice pops!!!

Lisa said:

Be still like crocodiles as much as possible! LOTS of water. Keep all windows shut to keep coolness in. Run cold water over wrists for 1 minute to cool down. Hats and lots of shade when outside.

Lisa B said:

Hang around lolly freezers – make sure children take ages to choose

Hayley said:

Sun shade, lots of water and paddling pool.

What are your suggestions for keeping cool in the hot weather?

Don’t miss out on future posts like this – you can receive updates directly to your inbox by email by adding your email address to the box on the top right of this page and hitting subscribe. You can also follow NorthHantsMum onTwitter,Google+,Facebook Page, Facebook Profile, LinkedIn and Feedly. I hope to see you there! 

Review 2016: Studio 1314

Posted by Louise NorthHantsMum on in Family Photographers, Reviews, Special Offers for NHM Readers 0 Comment

Recently I saw some pictures that Jaz from Caterpillar Music had of her family that the team at Studio 1314 had taken. They were so gorgeous that it reminded me that I needed to get some more pictures of our family taken.

Lucy and Wayne run Studio 1314 and I met Lucy at one of my NHM Networking lunches. So when I mentioned to her that I’d like to get some pictures taken she very kindly suggested we do a Review for them.

I cannot praise Lucy enough. The whole experience was sooo lovely and relaxing and I am beyond delighted with the final pictures!!!

Lucy and Wayne are also very kindly offering a Special Offer just for NHM Readers, which is listed at the bottom of this post.

11

Pre Session briefing with Lucy

I had a twenty minute call with Lucy about a week before our shoot and she asked me some questions and told me what to expect. She advised us to bring lots of changes of outfits, especially for Miss NHM, and some items that reflect our personality (You can see one of the final pictures on the banner of “Louise nhm Smith” on Facebook).

6

Photo Shoot at Studio 1314

The Studio is based just past East Stratton which is about 15 minutes drive from Hatch Warren Sainsburys.

We followed the signs to East Stratton and the studio is on the other side of the village on the left hand side. If you follow the postcode it’s very easy to find.

The site of the studio is beautiful as you can see below:

studio (3)

studio (2)

I was really surprised at how big the studio is. It’s HUGE and that’s without even seeing the Viewing Room!

It’s a really big space with lots of seating and you can easily fit up to 15 people in the studio, so it’s a perfect place if you wanted to do a big family shoot.

studio (4)

When we arrived Lucy asked us to take our socks off, offered us drinks and then we got started. There was music playing in the background which gave the shoot a real party feel and Miss NHM kept wiggling to the music, on and off camera! lol.

I loved that we could spread out and not have to worry about having out outfits all over the place. We had about 15 different outfits with us!! Thankfully there is a private changing area if you need it.

Lucy was one of the most relaxed photographers that we have ever worked with. I don’t know if it’s because Miss NHM is older not but we barely had to get involved, apart from helping with outfits. I also don’t know if it helps that Lucy has a three year old daughter of her own, so she knows how to interact with children.

Miss NHM really enjoyed asking Lucy questions and following her directions and if you see some of the final pictures, you’d think that Miss NHM was a professional model!!! (not that I’m biased of course! lol).4

It was really nice that Lucy wasn’t constantly shouting Miss NHM’s name to get her attention, but was interacting with her and just going with the flow of whatever Miss NHM wanted to do.

It was a 90 minute shoot which really took the time pressure off. Lucy said that if it’s a newborn shoot they allow 2 hours!

1

We ended up with lots and lots of different pictures that all capture an element of Miss NHM’s personality in all her different outfits.

I even liked the ones that Lucy took of me and Mr NHM and I HATE having my picture taken! :-D.

10

Miss NHM normally gets fed up after 20 minutes of a photo shoot but we really enjoyed it. Even Mr NHM commented on the way home that he really enjoyed it, and I didn’t even prompt him! :-D.

Reviewing the pictures

A few weeks later (our fault cause we have such busy diaries!) we went back to see how the pictures came out.

We LOVED them!!!!9

They are absolutely BRILLIANT photos that were WAY better than I expected.

There is a separate viewing area which even had popcorn, biscuits, Mr Men tissues, colouring books and even a play area for the children to play with whilst we looked through the pictures!

5

There was a massive screen in the viewing room and we spent about an hour going through them whilst Miss NHM amused herself with the colouring, trying to snaffle all of the popcorn and playing in the play area. She really liked seeing pictures of herself too!

Lucy has a tablet that she uses instead of a mouse which helps her move the images  around directly on the screen and both Mr NHM and Miss NHM were really intrigued with this. It also made it really easy to decide which pictures we wanted printed.

Special Offer for NHM Readers

Lucy and Wayne are also very kindly offering a very special offer for NHM Readers. (Thank you very much!!!)

The first 5 people to contact the team at Studio 1314 and book before April 2016 will receive a  Free family photoshoot and 2 mounted 7×5 inch prints of their choice.

This would normally have a value of £150.

This offer is ONLY open to the first 5 people who book and ONLY available to NorthHantsMum Readers. Yay! 😀

Facilities on site

  • Tea and coffee facilities
  • Toilets in the studio
  • Changing room area with a baby changing stand (loved this!)
  • Plenty of free parking
  • Occasional Groupon Offers
  • Pets are very welcome for photo shoots too

3

Final Thoughts

We are absolutely delighted with the final pictures. I can’t stop raving about them!

Lucy and her husband Wayne have thought of everything! It definitely is the little details that count.

It was by far one of the most relaxing photo shoots we have ever had. It was a really lovely experience, a lovely studio and we were really impressed!

You can find out more about Studio 1314 at:

Website: www.studio1314.co.uk

Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/studio1314photography

Disclaimer: This post is a review of Studio1314. Our photography shoot was supplied free of charge for the purposes of the review. I was not expected to write a positive review and any opinions expressed are my own. 

NHM Writer: Thinking about what to pack in your Hospital Bag!

Posted by Louise NorthHantsMum on in Mums, New Parents, NHM: Readers Experiences, Pregnancy 0 Comment

Thank you very much to today’s NHM Writer who has requested to remain anonymous. Fab post!

Thinking about what to pack in your Hospital Bag!

As I write this I am 33 weeks pregnant with our second child and I am beginning to think about getting my hospital bag together!!

By the time my due date comes along it will have been 3.5 years since I gave birth to our first son so I have been doing some research to remind myself of the sort of things I need to pack.

My labour last time was pretty quick so once I was examined and admitted there was actually no time to go back to the car and collect my bag, luckily, we had our phones with us so we could take some photos as soon as our son was born. My plan this time is to take two bags with me; a smaller backpack with items for during my labour which I will take in first and another one with the rest of the items in to be brought in when needed.

Lots of lists are put together by shops and websites who perhaps have an interest in convincing you (and selling to you) all the items which are ‘absolutely essential’ for your hospital stay.

Obviously, nothing is absolutely essential, and my priorities may well vary from your own, but using my previous experience (and that of a few close friends), I’ve put together a list of items we considered essential along with a few ‘nice to haves’ and a couple of items that you definitely don’t need to take … believe us!!

For You

Maternity Notes
These need to be kept close at hand and taken into hospital / to the midwife with you whenever you go. As the weeks go on I will store the notes in my hospital bag, taking them out with me as required and then returning them when home. It would be also good to keep a copy of your Birth Plan (if you have one) with your notes at this point too.

Comfortable (old) clothes to labour in.
Don’t worry about finding the perfect nightie for labour. Last time I ended up giving birth in the vest top that I arrived in (as I said, it was relatively quick) and the first thing my son did was poo on me so it went straight in the bin. This time I will also be taking some comfy trousers … just in case my labour is a little longer!

Depending on how long you end up staying on the maternity ward you will also want some loose, comfortable clothes to wear in hospital once you’re out of your nightwear and also to travel home in.

Pants
You can buy disposable maternity briefs but I don’t really like them I will be taking a couple of my old pairs which I can throw away if necessary and then I’ll be treating myself to some new ones to replace them …. any excuse!!

It’s worth remembering, if you’ve had a vaginal birth you will most probably be sore and bruised (and possibly stitched) and if you had a c-section you’ll obviously have a very sore stomach and stiches – neither option would be fun with tight fitting or uncomfortable pants!!

Maternity Towels
While we’re on the subject (sort of) don’t forget maternity towels … without going into too much detail, these are an absolute essential!! If I remember right, I found Tescos, Morrisons, Boots and Mothercare to be best. Unfortunately the ones I got from Sainsburys gave me thrush (NOT what you need when you’ve just had a baby) – I think it was something to do with the top layer. You want a smooth ‘cotton feel’ layer … not plastic!! I’m planning to take a pack of 10 in with me.

One of the best pieces of advice I was given was not to use standard sanitary towels because the top layer (which works so well when you have your period) can rub and catch any stitches you may have – eeeeekkkkk!

Nightwear
In my case, I’ll be taking a pair of pjs with me. Nothing too fancy; I’m afraid I always go for comfort over cute. You might also want a dressing gown for wandering around the unit, the same goes for slippers … think I’ll be taking a hoodie and a pair of flip flops!

Nursing bra / Sleep bra
Being relatively ‘well provided for’ in this area sleep bras were pretty much indispensable for me but after giving birth I’m sure this is pretty much the case for everyone. Most suppliers suggest that it’s better to get fitted later on in your pregnancy and then again a couple of days after giving birth because your size will probably change considerably. It might also be worthwhile taking some breast pads and nipple cream in with you.

Food and Drink
As mentioned, my labour in hospital was pretty quick so really had no need for anything other than water. I took a couple of bottles in with me and a pack of straws. I also packed snacks for myself and my husband, I seem to remember including Natures Valley bars, Haribo and a pack of Digestive biscuits. Due to the timing of our labour and birth I missed breakfast and so these were gratefully consumed once our son had safely arrived.

This time I plan on taking the same and also my Britta Fill & Go bottle too.

Other items you might want to consider taking:
• Water spray, face wipes, lip balm & hairbands
• TENS machine if you have decided to use one
• Toiletries & hairbrush – I know many people don’t have the energy to bother showering but it was a massive must for me to feel a little more normal
• A Towel – the hospital ones are not the most luxurious so you might want to take your own (it’s been suggested to me it should be a dark colour)
• A Pillow – especially if you have a particular favourite you can’t sleep without
• Electricals – Camera & Mobile Phone, IPad / IPod (and chargers)
• A book or magazine
• Change for the Car Park
• Change of clothes for birth partner

For Your Baby

Nappies
As with the maternity towels I’m going to take a whole pack but if space is a little tight then take fewer but make sure you have left the rest somewhere obvious at home or in the car so they can be easily grabbed and brought in by a visitor if required.

Wipes
I think many maternity units still prefer you use cotton wool to clean baby with so I will probably take a small pack and I also plan to use Water Wipes. They’re not cheap so I’ll buy a couple of packs and then move on to my preferred brand.

Sleepsuits / Bodysuits / Vests
Twice as many as you think you’ll need. I once heard that trying to dress a teeny baby is like trying to fit an octopus into a sandwich bag so make your life easy and pick outfits that open up down both legs.

Hats
We didn’t worry too much with our August baby but this baby is due February / March so definitely a must.

Blanket
I’ll be packing a thin cotton blanket for in the hospital and also one which fits into the car seat and allows the straps through which ensures your baby is safe and snuggled up warm. The one we have is from a company called Morrck but I think you can now get them from various places.

Car Seat
They won’t let you drive home without one but don’t worry about bringing it into the hospital until you are ready to leave, it will just take up space.

What You REALLY Don’t Need
Hairdryer & Hair Straighteners
Whole Make Up Bag
5 Books
Mini bottle of champagne (yes, seriously)

A couple of links that might help …..

http://www.which.co.uk/birth-choice/articles/hospital-bag-checklist?gclid=Cj0KEQiA5dK0BRCr49qDzILe74UBEiQA_6gA-m_UT43NqdaX2_bBo8mDBCjmLTzcoF3k2r4f-1ViieoaArUM8P8HAQ

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/pack-your-bag-for-birth.aspx#close

http://www.babycentre.co.uk/what-to-pack-in-your-hospital-bag

Don’t miss out on future posts like this – you can receive updates directly to your inbox by email by adding your email address to the box on the top right of this page and hitting subscribe. You can also follow NorthHantsMum onTwitter,Google+,Facebook Page, Facebook Profile, LinkedIn and Feedly. I hope to see you there! 

My favourite search terms on NHM in 2015

Posted by Louise NorthHantsMum on in NorthHantsMum Community 0 Comment

Apologies for the random post on social media this afternoon. My hosting people have been messing everything up for the past three days and it’s been VERY frustrating. The post they published was one I originally posted over 3 years ago! “20 Places that will host a Children’s Birthday Party“.

Hopefully myself and Abi, my Webmaster, have shouted at them enough to get things sorted out! I am seriously unimpressed as Christmas was supposed to be a nice restful time for me and Abi. Hey ho! Fingers crossed everything is sorted now, so thank you for your patience.

My favourite search terms on NHM in 2015

Below are a list of my “favourite” search terms that people have used and stumbled into NHM.

  1. “laura lu busty”
  2. “basingstoke taste the top of town”
  3. “mark furmston face”
  4. “planetarium singles night”
  5. “milf micheldever hants”
  6. “kos kindness andover”
  7. “dogging pits” (See yesterday’s post for an explanation! :-D)

I think the less said about most of these above, the better 😀

Don’t miss out on future posts like this – you can receive updates directly to your inbox by email by adding your email address to the box on the top right of this page and hitting subscribe. You can also follow NorthHantsMum onTwitter,Google+,Facebook Page, Facebook Profile, LinkedIn and Feedly. I hope to see you there!