Parenthood

Daddy Cool

We’re just over two weeks into the blur of adapting to life as a family of four. As I’ve had my hands a little tied, this week’s blog comes courtesy of the (ever patient) husband, who shares his thoughts from a man’s perspective on the birth, fatherhood and ever increasing responsibility…

The last two weeks have been….interesting. The two weeks before the birth of my new son Henry were spent on my own in Dubai, working and enjoying the visit of one of my best friends. It also gave me time to reflect and somewhat prepare for the weeks to come, when my family would swell from my wonderful wife and nearly 3 year old daughter to welcome a fourth member – who we had left as a surprise until the big day!!

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By on July 3, 2015
Parenthood, Yoga

The tale of Henry Roy

“Haven’t you had that baby yet?” said the well-meaning lady at the gym, where I’d just been for a swim two days past my due date. “We didn’t think we’d see you back in here!” Little did I know that the early hours of the next morning would mark the start of our son’s intense journey into this world – arriving on the 17th June after 8 hours of labour.

That day I was feeling the need to be extra active and even slotted in an online yoga practice and a “prepare for birth” meditation that evening. In the video the man guided me to visualise when I would like my labour to begin – for some reason I thought 4.30am would be a good starting time, giving me a chance to at least clock up a few hours in bed first before having the stretch of the day ahead. I pictured the husband and I calmly driving over the hills to the hospital as the sun was rising – calm, idyllic, in control.

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By on June 22, 2015
Parenthood

Dear Mummy

(A letter from baby no. 2 about what we could do differently this time around)

First up, I must say, I’m really looking forward to meeting you. You seem like a pretty cool Mummy and I think you’re doing a fab job, even if you don’t think so yourself most of the time. I want to tell you not to worry about my arrival – it really doesn’t matter how I get into this world. I see how you still sometimes feel a little tearful about the birth of my big sister Molly. I know it wasn’t easy on your body or your mind, but all that doesn’t matter now – Molly doesn’t seem fazed at all – in fact she seems pretty cool too.

I know that you’ll be really tired in the weeks to come and I want you not to be so hard on yourself this time. I don’t mind if we cry a bit together, get things off our chest. I don’t want you to bottle things in at all like you sometimes did when Molly was little. Ask for help when you need it. Hand me over to Daddy. Tell Granny to give you a break. I’ll give you a shout when I need you again as I know it’s not easy caring for a tiny one like me, so don’t take it all on yourself.

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By on June 11, 2015
Parenthood

The Labour Party

“Think of the gypsies who just head out and drop theirs in the field,” says my mum cheerfully, in an attempt to reassure me following a bout of pre-labour jitters. “Or your nana. After all, she had seven boys and me, and remember – I was a 12 pounder.” Hmmm, I wonder what poor Nana, bless her soul, would have to say about all that now?

The day that I am posting this also turns out to be the magical day that my big sister gives birth to her second baby – a little boy, my nephew! Our due dates have only been 8 days apart, and she has ended up going two days over hers. From the information I’ve gained so far, her labour was only 3 hours this time around. The happy news is all a little surreal, with the knowledge that I might not be too far behind her!

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By on June 8, 2015
Parenthood

D Day

“It’s time for your check up,” says Molly brandishing her Doc Mc Stuffin doctor’s kit. “Yes Mummy. It’s a crocodile,” she concludes as she listens intently, waving her ‘stetta-scoop’ over my basketball belly. “Now. We make it POP out. Here’s your medicine,” she says gleefully, shoving the sparkly pink dispenser in my mouth.

Ah, if only it were that easy! With less than two weeks to go until my so called D Day (14th June), the reality that what goes in must come out is dawning big time. Maybe this one will just pop out. Maybe the bean will be a little smaller than the 10 pound 8 ouncer Molly was. Maybe my labour will be half what it was. Maybe my body will bounce back a little more easily.

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By on June 2, 2015
Parenthood

Guilty Feeling

“Are you not cross now Mummy?” says Molly looking up at me with big eyes. “No, I’m not cross anymore,” I sigh after a particularly tiresome tantrum over the right to devour three more fairy cakes before eating lunch. “Ok. Good Mummy. Now…we eat more cake,” she says triumphantly, with a grin that has the power to dissolve any annoyance.

It’s just one of the examples of the recent battles lost or won that I look back on now and realise was not quite the molehill to mountain scenario my frayed nerves told me it was at the time. Tears have been cried over the last week and I’ll admit quite a few of them have been mine! My temper has been a little shorter – most likely due to the soaring hormones of my 37-week pregnancy and the fact that the urge to waddle to the bathroom is waking me up five times a night.

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By on May 27, 2015
Parenthood

Creature of Habit

“You only want to join for a month?” says the young girl behind the Virgin gym counter, warily eyeing up my rapidly approaching 36 week sized bump. “Yes, just to keep up my swimming,” I tell her.  “I think a month is all I’ll be able to squeeze in.” Membership formalities aside and I’m dropping my ball like self gingerly into the pool, while the 20 something lifeguard looks as though he’s weighing up whether he’d actually know what to do in the event of an emergency.

Yes, I’m back home in Northern for the birth of bean number 2, and swimming is my attempt at holding on to some semblance of my normal routine. A chance to keep my sanity when my mind tries to continuously remind me: “Routine? You’ve got to be joking! Be prepared for all that to go completely t*ts up in a few weeks!”

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By on May 18, 2015
Parenthood

Mama to be salute

Just before I jetted off to Ireland to prepare for the arrival of baby no. 2, I filmed this pre-natal variation of a sun salutation with my bump of 34.5 weeks. I love the simple flow of this – it’s a practice you can even do on its own and will only take a few minutes out of your day.

A few rounds can really help to get the blood flowing and ease pregnancy aches and pains, such as tightness in your hips, lower back, chest and shoulders. It also does wonders to settle the crazy, monkey mind that can often be relentless during pregnancy!

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By on May 11, 2015