Monthly Archives: August 2013

Aug 28 2013

Full Maternity and Postpartum Support Solutions From 3M Nexcare (20% Off Discount Code)

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Okay - so I have another little person inside me… maybe 2 or 3 little people considering the awful symptoms I’m experiencing (more on this coming up in a separate post). Although I’m beyond excited, this being my second pregnancy, I’m all too aware of what is to come.

When pregnant with Dexie I suffered from SPD and was in considerable pain around the 30-week mark. This is caused by pressure exerted by a burgeoning bump over the pubic bone. For me, this pain moved across my back throughout the day and led to problems sitting & sleeping comfortably. I’m anticipating this pregnancy will be no different.

This time around however, I have a secret weapon: The 3M Nexcare Maternity Support For Pregnancy. Yep, not just limited to post-it notes and scotch tape, 3M also have a range of fabulous maternity products. Although, I’m not ’round’ enough to give this bad boy a thorough road test yet - it certainly looks more substantial that the terrible support band I wore last time (The Bando from Mothercare).

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Perfect for bumps from around 20 weeks, the belt comes in sizes small to large meaning it’s a viable solution for ladies with pre-pregnancy dress sizes of 8 to 28 (well done 3M Nexcare). Although it’s unlikely to excite your other half, it does promise to offer a whole host of benefits:

  • Helps to reduce pressure on your lower back and tummy
  • Lifts the abdomen to achieve relief from sagging weight and leg pain
  • Latex free, whisper-soft elastic provides gentle, yet firm support
  • It has concealed velcro hooks to prevent the rough stuff coming into contact with your skin
  • Expands to accommodate your baby’s growth

The band comes in two sections. First up you receive an ASP (Abdominal Support Pad) which is incredibly soft to touch. This support pad will sit under your bump in a lifting position. It’s fastened by looping an elasticated strap around your body then attaching it at the front using velcro to the outer lining of the ASP. This means no irritating velcro will come into contact with your skin and it’s very easy to fit when you’re stiff at the later stages of pregnancy.

You will then take the belt band and place the ribbed section around your spine. Bringing it forwards towards your bump, you then attach it using the velcro to the ASP. The generous ribbed section will alleviate pressure on your lower back and tummy, and help with your pregnancy posture to ensure the weight is spread evenly throughout your body. There is an optional tummy strap to go over your bump should you need the extra support.

Having cheekily tried it on for size, it’s very comfortable and feels nice and secure. My only slight concern is that I can imagine (with the additional weight I’ll be carrying when the small clump of cells I’m carrying turns into a fully fledged baby) that the bottom of the band could sit quite uncomfortably upon your hips. I should point out this is a common problem with all bump supports and certainly wouldn’t stop me wearing it. I would however recommend wearing it under your clothes, but over a maternity vest to mitigate against chaffing or rubbing.

This retails at £35.99 from the 3M website. This is slightly more expensive than other brands on the market but I can absolutely assure you that you get what you pay for when it comes to bump bands. If you really are experiencing pain or discomfort, it’s worth spending a few extra pennies to get some relief. Although I’m a huge eBay queen, I wouldn’t recommend buying these secondhand either. After a few months use, the band will mould to the shape of your bump - as every bump is different, it’s perhaps safer to buy as new.

Next up are two postpartum products.

The 3M Nexcare ColdHot Maternity Breastfeeding Compress Kit is really quite clever. In each kit you’ll get 2 gel pack compresses that you can pop in the fridge or gently warm in hot water to ease discomfort caused by engorgement, blocked ducts and inflammation. What sets the 3M Nexcare compresses apart from other brands, is that they are nice and big. As I have a GG cup size, these stand a better chance of soothing my entire breast. They also come with super soft pouches to prevent the plastic gel packs from coming into contact with your skin. At just £13.99, they are great value for money. Completely reusable they’ll offer month’s (if not years) of relief for tired and overworked boobs.

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I can’t wait to give these a proper go. With Dexter, I was only able to breastfeed for 6 weeks. He was hospitalised very early on with Strep B and I was unable to relax enough in the hospital to effectively express my milk. Because we only had a short time of breastfeeding, I didn’t experience painful and sore nipples. With this new baby however, I’m hoping to breastfeed for as long as possible. I suspect these compresses will therefore see a lot of action in a few months time!

Finally, I have been sent the Nexcare Postpartum Support Belt. This belt features the same gently stretchable ribbed fabric as the maternity support belt. Once again it is front fastening so very easy to get on and off after the trials of labour. The idea os to support the weakened abdominal muscles after giving birth. It’s also highly recommend after a c-section as it provides additional protection against rips, tears and infection. This is available for £24.99.

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As I’m likely to push for an elective c-section with this baby this belt will definitely come in handy. After my c-section with Dexter I discharged myself from hospital after just 12 hours - I have a fear of hospitals and just wanted to be at home with my baby. I wasn’t in any real discomfort as I have a very high pain threshold and was pumped full of adrenalin and excitement about being a first time mummy. At times though I was careless. I was up and down from the sofa tending to Dex like no one’s business and refused to put to my feet up. I was very lucky not to have sustained any problems with my wound - the stitches stayed put and I kept them really clean. The belt will be fabulous reminder that I need to take it easy and be a little more cautious this time around!

So there we go! Some great innovative maternity and postpartum support solutions from 3M Nexcare. I have to say I’m really impressed. To top it all off, the guys over at 3M Direct/Nexcare are offering you all 20% these products by using the below code on their 3M Direct website.

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Disclaimer: I was sent these products for the purposes of this review but all thoughts and opinion are my own.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aug 25 2013

Saved by Superman

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August bank holiday only means one thing in this house – Daddy goes to the Reading Festival and poor old mummy is left holding the baby. If I told you this was the least bitter I’ve been about the whole affair since my darling other half decided to buy the tickets two months ago, I think you get the general idea of just how massive this argument has been. I even dreamt about hiding the bloody things, and setting up a new eBay account to sell them – but I’m just not capable of such deceit. More’s the pity.

The situation has been made all the worse by the fact I’m pregnant, and therefore tired, suffering from overwhelming morning sickness and very emotional. Throw in the fact the whole family is barely over a bout of gastroenteritis and (hopefully) I’m beginning to claw back a modicum of sympathy from you all.

Okay, and here’s the worst bit… we (in all our infinite wisdom) decided that on Friday 23rd August, right before a bank holiday, to switch internet providers. This is despite knowing that these things so very rarely run smoothly. Given that I work from home, internet downtime is the most cruel gift from the techno gods.

Yep, the cute but very sweaty BT Openreach man discovered a line fault and delivered the news in epic speech filled with such technical jargon I was at a loss as to how I could complain even if I wanted to. So now dear reader I have been endured my 3rd consecutive day with no internet, no BBC iPlayer, or LOVEFiLM Instant. I’m bored, lonely and seething with jealousy that Craig is drinking beer in the sun.

Right this instant I am holed up in the most unattractive corner of a pub, sneakily abusing their WiFi (and electricity) to send this post live. My son, has been hastily interred at his nanny’s for “just 30 minutes” so I can do a cut-and-paste-from-MS-Word job that I barely have any confidence in given my complete lack of tech-savviness.

I know I shouldn’t complain. Dexter is a sweet, funny and charismatic baby, and I’m very proud to say I’m his mummy. However… spend three whole days alone with him, without a daddy on hand to do the dinner and bedtime routine, without the internet to keep me sane and provide those precious nuggets to keep the bank manager off my back, without the ability to drink my bodyweight in red wine to make myself feel better… and I’m practically dressing the sofa cushions in clothes and chatting to them like they are long lost friends. Simply put, I’m losing the plot.

Sensing a mummy-in-need, and the most catastrophic of meltdowns, thanks be to God that this little fella dropped by for a cuddle. I give you Superbaby.

 

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Okay, okay – so it is just Dexter dressed up. But you can’t deny he really looks the part. This ridiculously sweet little outfit is from Joker’s Masquerade.

In truth, this house has a bit of a Superman obsession. Dexter has had Superman PJ’s since he was 3 months old. Whenever he outgrows them, a new pair mysteriously arrives in the post (I suspect daddy has a hand in this). We also have a huge canvas of him in said PJ’s in our living room. The very same picture is also my Twitter avatar. This all, despite the fact I have never seen one Superman film, read one comic, nor would even know how to begin to describe Christopher Reeve to you.

Yep Superbaby is Dexter’s alter ego. He is the calmer, less whingey, less destructive version of my baby boy. Every time I slip on this outfit everything seems slightly more bearable – if only because Dex looks so impossibly cute he melts my heart and gets away with that little bit more than he usually does.

At £14.99 it is a very small price to pay for a little sanity. Dex is incredibly comfy in it. It’s made of felt which is soft against his skin and also warm and breathable for any potential Superbaby stunts. Thankfully, despite this being a toddler Superman suit, his feet are left well exposed to prevent him slipping over too. The little cape and pant-detail are adorable!

Slipping him into his outfit is as easy as Clark Kent’s legendary transformations. You slip in a nappy clad baby, do up at the back of his neck, then fix on the cape using the Velcro fastenings. My only slight gripe is that you have to take him back out of it to change his nappy and we have the same old struggles we usually have when he’s plain old Dexter. It’s also slightly too big - but that means we’ll get to appreciate it for that little bit longer (and that’s no bad thing).

We had loads of fun in it. Uncle Dan helped Dexter managed some flight-time, he went to park and got fussed over by some other mums and dads, Superbaby also helped mummy with some washing up!

So there you have it. This little suit has cheered up this otherwise depressed mummy. With a whole heap of other equally adorable children’s fancy dress on the website (plus tons of adult ones too – including some naughty ones and plus sized ones) there’s something for every occasion. In fact, had Craig known I had the offer of reviewing an outfit on there for myself (and not Dexter) I might have been able to tempt him into staying here with me instead!

To take a look for yourself, head on over to joke.co.uk or follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

DISCLAIMER: I was sent this cute little outfit for the purposes of this review - all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Aug 22 2013

Battling the Stretch Marks

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Years of yo-yo dieting, one glorious baby boy, and now a pregnancy that is threatening to make passing through a doorway an impossibility, has left my tummy and thighs covered in stretch marks. Although none of these are fresh and most have faded to a silvery colour, they still bother me. Gone are my hot pant wearing days and I doubt I’ll ever bare my tummy in a bikini again.

In truth, I’ve given up trying to be body beautiful. I’m (sometimes) fun to be around, am not unhappy when I apply my make-up in the morning, and (at 30) still occasionally get id’ed for alcohol. Personally, I think this is good going. As long as Craig still holds my hand in public, I don’t feel the need to turn any heads down the high street.

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I have much the same attitude towards cellulite. Had I the time, I would be body brushing for an hour every evening, slopping on the Bio-Oil and wrapping myself in Cling-flim. But I simply don’t. Having said that, given my worst affected areas resemble a map of all the highways in the US, I’m always happy to try new potions to minimise their appearence. Anything that takes less than five minutes, won’t leave me smelling like a funeral home, and has some encouraging stats on the bottle works for me.

So, when I was kindly sent a tube of Dr. Ceuticals Stretch Mark Solution to try, I wasn’t overly hopeful, but was happy to give it a bash. The box has a vaguely medicinal appearance and the solution itself has a reassuringly expensive price tag (£14.99) which appeals to me. I’ve used cheaper and more commercial products before and noticed precious little change - perhaps you get what you pay for and Dr. Ceuticals might fare better.

Here’s what they say…

Simple steps such as regular moisturisation are often recommended to aid in the prevention of stretch marks but a harder-hitting solution is needed to target existing marks that lie deep within the tissue of the skin. This cream boosted with high levels of Shea Butter and Cocoa Butter acts directly on the problem area to help reduce both the size and depth of colour of existing stretch marks. With continued use, the cream will also help to improve skin firmness and tone.

Sounds encouraging. And with claims that within 28 days of prolonged use it will decrease the surface area of stretch marks by 7%, and fades them by up to 32% - it sounds even better.

Well I’m now 14 days into the programme and can now report back as to its efficacy so far.

I’m actually fairly impressed. It smells inoffensive (think cucumber, orange and a hint of cocoa butter), leaves your skin feeling really soft and firm, and despite feeling quite greasy when you first rub it in, it dries to a matt finish within 30 seconds of applying. As far as convenience goes, it’s therefore scored highly with this busy mummy.

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As regards my stretch marks, it’s had mixed results. On the old scars on the top of my thighs - it’s made them smoother but there’s no visible difference. I’m not sure if this is because I carry lots of cellulite on my thighs and therefore the lotion has further to go to blast through to the scar tissue. On my tummy, where the skin is thinner, it’s actually had more success - the scars are significantly lighter and less noticeable.

I’m actually a tricky candidate to give a stretch mark lotion a good worming as I’m pregnant and my belly is growing. This means old scars are evening out where my skin is stretching to accommodate baby. It also means a few fresh ones are cropping up under my breasts. Keeping up with the changes, applying the cream, and giving an honest appraisal is therefore difficult.

As a post-baby solution, I think Dr Ceuticals could really work. Combine it with a light exercise programme and tons of water, and I can see it helping to firm your skin and taking the redness out of your battle scars. It certainly has its advantages over many of the other solutions I’ve tried in the past.

To find out more, and discover the rest of the range, head on over to the website. There are several products which aim to tone, firm and sculpt problem areas, and given that’s the one thing I can honestly say the Stretch Mark Solution has achieved, I’d recommend it for this alone. The entire range is available to buy from Boots.

DISCLAIMER: I was provided with a full size sample of Dr Ceuticals for the purposes of this review. All views and opinions are my own.

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