Double Assets

I was driving along today and I got that feeling, all you breast feeding mothers will be familiar with, when you feel that tingle as your milk comes in, and I smiled with amazement at just how incredible the human body is.

I loved breast-feeding Bianca, but when I got pregnant with Sienna the very thought of it grossed me out and I feared that I would continue to feel like this after birth. But in my third trimester I started to look forward to it and by the time Sienna was born me and breast-feeding were best buddies again.

Having a super food that is designed especially for my baby, at the right temp all the time and on hand whereever and whenever is fantastic. I also look forward to the weight loss benefits that I hope will kick in around three months!

So yay for boobies I say.

Sienna's Birth Story

For all who are interested I thought it would be easier to post the details of Sienna's Birth on my blog site.

Well I cant believe she came early I had assumed she would be late like her sister. The biggest lesson I learnt from Sienna's labour is that subsequent births are a walk in the park compared to your first!! My midwife told me that but I didn't dare believe her.

At midday last Friday while chewing on a Big Mac at Tahunanui Playground, I commented to Chris that I was having some 'funny pains', just Braxton Hicks was my first thought. Chris was due to leave for a weekend hunting trip at 1pm and as we waited for him to be picked up I had a worrying suspicion there was something going on, but being in denial I told him not to worry. At about 2pm I started to time these 'funny feelings' and found that they were quite regular.

It was at 5pm that I dared to think it may be something more than pains and my friend Jen came around, She knew straight away I was in labour but I continued to think it may be nothing. Jen was fantastic, in fact she should rent herself out as a labour support guru. She rubbed my back through my contractions and encouraged me to try different positions that really worked. By 7pm I was needing to concentrate and breathe through the pains and by 8pm when we called the midwife I was beginning to get vocal.

So Jen bustled me in the car and we headed for the hospital. Contractions were 2-3 mins apart and painful enough to be mooing like a cow and clutching Jen in a iron like grip.

Sienna was born at 9.03 pm. Just 40 mins after arriving at the hospital, sucking gas like there was no tomorrow, with 4 pushes she was out. It was no walk in the park, don't get me wrong, but it was very empowering and a healing experience after having such a hard birth with Bianca.

Chris arrived back from Greymouth an hour after Sienna was born and my other support friend Kim arrived just moments after Sienna arrived and was there to hold my hand through a tough period where the placenta got stuck.

It was an amazing experience and I am thoroughly enjoying being mum to a newborn again. I will write soon on how the first week has been.

Thankyou for all the well wishes.

The Mad Dash

Today I am hobbling around like an old woman, manically wiping out pushchairs and unpacking nappies. I told myself I wouldn't go over the top and for the most part everything I am doing is necessary, but I am starting to walk a fine line.

The hospital bag is starting to come together and Bianca has had a practice night at Nan and Grandads which went well.

The one thing I have done this time around which I am most pleased with is purchased some post pregnancy clothes in advance. I'm not talking evening frocks and jeans in size 8 here, but easy care lounge wear, comfortable jersey knits and casual wear, I found a lot of what I liked at Witchery and then purchased a few cheaper things from Dotti and Shanton.

After I had Bianca I was loathed to put on my maternity clothes but nothing else would fit. Trying to shop with her was a logistical nightmare, as the changing rooms dont cater for pushchairs. So this way I have some nice new clothes to put on and feel half decent.

The nappy bag dilema has been solved. After I splashed out on clothes I reconsidered how much I should spend and came across this bag on trade me , its the Oillily Brand which I love, not absolutely perfect but I got it for $50 and hopefully I will be happy with it when it gets here.

The Home Straight

I am into the home straight now with under 4 weeks to go. A friend made an interesting comment yesterday about the last month of pregnancy being 'labour month' and this is quite fitting with how I am feeling second time around.



I am having a lot of pelvic pains, shooting pains, braxton hicks and just a wide variety of physical feelings that make me feel like my body is a well oiled machine beginning its countdown to show day.



I still seem to be running off high energy stores almost manic behaviour that I am sure my husband finds irritating. We have a list on the fridge at the moment of 'things to do before baby arrives' I thrust it into Chris's hands the day he arrived back from sea, after 9 weeks of work. I have been meticulously crossing things off the moment they are done. Chris said the other day "The moment all those jobs are done, you are just going to find more that need doing". I replied "Of course I wont honey then it will be time to for us to relax", but already there have been a few that have snuck onto the bottom.



I have also found myself on the quest for the perfect nappy bag again! I did this with Bianca and ended up getting a Oi Oi Designer Bag off trade me, which was way too cumbersome and felt like we were going on a weekend away everytime I left the house. So I have sufficed the last year with a $30 rucksack from Glassons. The only downfall is that to find anything in it takes about 10 minutes. So....... the search begins. I found this one below on an American Site, it has all the bells and whistles but is very expensive. I seem to have this strange idea that if I have this super organised nappy bag, motherhood will be a breeze, demented I know.

Mothers Day

Well Mother's Day falls on my birthday this year, a good or bad thing I am not sure. I decided to buy myself a Mother's Day present early so as not to get it mixed up with my birthday purchase, can't be missing out on presents now can we!

I brought this set of candle holders from Living Light and an aromatherapy burner and oils.

I have really enjoyed having nice smells in the house especially at night. I thought I could have oils burning during my labour but with my face buried in the gas mask they will be of little use.

I also splashed out today and brought a tunic and tights from JK for myself. With six weeks to go, I am literally wearing the same pants everyday and starting to feel a little sick to death of them. I do have others and I put them on sometimes but within an hour I am back in my old faithfulls. I justified the purchase, remembering that I will probably be wearing them for at least two months after the birth as well. So nieve I was first time around I thought that my tummy would be flat by the next day. Well shock horror I was still looking five months pregnant for the first two weeks afterwards, that little bit of information my midwife obviously forgot to tell me!

This time I am aware of the tummy pouch and of the hair feeling like crap for a month or so, I dont feel that bothered by it because I know its just temporary, but there is nothing wrong with making sure I have all the lotions potions and tummy tucking knickers to help me through the trauma. It is also the perfect time to make such purchases, as if I get the raised eyebrow from Chris over the Visa bill I can just say I NEEDED them they were essentials and of course he wouldn't understand bacause he wasn't the one that was PREGNANT was he! that usually puts a stop to any further questions, there needs to be some perks to being an incubator for 9 months (10 months actually).

To Do Before Baby #2

Once upon a time there was a pregnant lady, she was running away from a fog monster, she knew once it touched her skin that she would fall into slumber for 100 years, so she ran and ran and for awhile she felt she was outrunning it! Horray for me she said but then it started to gain pace and she could feel its breath brushing at her heels......

Well thats where I'm up to at the moment except its not a monster you can see, its the exhausting tiredness that hits you near the end of your pregnancy. It happens right about when your body says 'this is ridiculous, I cant eat, stand up, tie my shoes, roll over in bed' so it starts to shut down. All the meanwhile I have a 19 month old who can think of nothing more enjoyable than tipping the rice bubble all over the floor. (She looked too cute to tell off)

So I am aware my energy wont last forever and as the six week to go mark approach I can feel smug towards all those people that tell me I am 'too organised' as thankfully I am able to write my 'to do list' without filling up a whole note-pad.

My To Do before Baby Number #2 List:


One. Move Bianca from her cot into her big girl bed and buy a bed rail to use at Nana's


Two. Set up the change table and install capsule in car


Three. Buy a bouncer; a 1-5 year Baby Book; buy a photo album for new baby and thank you cards in advance


Four. Enrol Bianca in play centre for two mornings each week


Five. Stock pile dry food essentials; cat food, washing powder, toilet paper, toothpaste and NAPPIES



Six. Make to freeze; sweet and savoury muffins, pumpkin soup and lasagne



Seven. Have Chris build the shelving in Bianca's big girl room


I do have mummy brain so if you see any stuff missing from this list that was especially helpful to do before your babies arrived, please let me know.

Hello possessed hyperactive person is that really you?

I am reaching week 33 of my second pregnancy and the meaning of nesting has been taken to a whole new level. I remember being somewhat like this with my first daughter Bianca, the memories not too faded as it was only 19 months ago she was born. But this time I seem to be slightly maniacal!

Yesterday I cleaned the car inside out, gardened for an hour, mopped and vacuumed for the third time this week. Feeling slightly worn out I lay down which resulted in a dizzy head and the vomiting began. I was shocked to have pushed myself to such levels.

The nervous energy isn't a bad thing, the days are going by quickly, I am obviously getting a lot of things done that have been in my 'to do' pile for a while, but at the same time my ability to wind down/relax once Bianca is in bed, is increasingly difficult. I'm up and down off the couch and feeling guilty at 8.30 at night for not being engrossed in some purposeful task.

So this blog is a therapy of sorts, hopefully it will distract me enough to stop with the squirel like behaviour, at least to give myself a break before life with two children becomes a reality.