Happy Sunday everyone, hope you’ve had a great week! As I mentioned on Thursday mine started off pretty shit, and to be honest it’s been a rough ride since we got home from hospital. Tube feeding Finley as well as breastfeeding him and then trying to express after as many feeds as possible to keep my supply up means that feeding takes twice as long, including during the night, so what little sleep I was getting has reduced even further. I also feel like I have no time to do anything during the day except when I have company, although I guess a lot of new mamas will feel that way too! Bless James has Finley asleep on his chest as I write this. It is hard and I have had my moments, but when I feel down I just look at my beautiful baby boy and it keeps me going. Sorry for starting on a negative, just keeping it real!
Now I’ve had my moan, I’m determined to pull myself together this weekend and get on top of how I feel. It’s October and beautiful autumn after all!
Eats
I decided to mix up some of my chai spice mix yesterday and make myself a lovely chai latte as pictured above. This was so good and just what the Doctor ordered! I’m going to experiment with making a naturally sweetened chai latte syrup too. I also made use of it in these chai spiced cake bars:
I made these based on my gingerbread recipe swapping the black treacle for maple syrup and the ginger for my chai spice mix. They taste amazing!
As much as we didn’t have a lot of notice going into hospital I managed to pull together some things for healthier eats:
I made some porridge in the microwave in the parents room with some oats I’d brought with me and topped them with a random avocado, some trail mix I made myself and some banana chips I’d also brought into the hospital with me. As far as the food available in the hospital goes I managed to find some not too horrendously unhealthy snacks:
I did indulge in a few cheese savoury sandwiches though, my not so guilty pleasure! Once we got home I tried to get back into my groove with smoothies and salads:
spinach, frozen cherries, cocoa powder, vanilla sun warrior, chia seeds and water
lentil, feta, pepper and walnut salad with balsamic vinegar
Move
6 minute mini morning workout via Fitwrr
Before we ended up in hospital I wasn’t doing too badly! I’d managed to fit in a couple of 10 minute mini workouts including one yoga and one core workout. Blimey my abs were killing after that! I definitely need to work on my plank time. As I was saying above I’m struggling to find time for things and often exercise is just too far down the list of priorities to get done, part of me just needs to accept that. Taking care of Finley, sleep and healthy eating trumps exercise every time and I know that in the future I’ll be able to get back to working out so I just need to relax about it for now.
Wear
This gorgeous skirt arrived yesterday from Oliver Bonas. It was in the sale and I love it! It’s really nice to buy a new piece of clothing that isn’t yoga pants or a breastfeeding top! As you can imagine I haven’t exactly dressed up much this week, you tend to stay in very comfy stretchy clothes while in hospital. Next week I’m planning on making more of an effort even for just days at home with Finley as it makes a big difference to how I feel.
Love
It might have been a crap week but theres always something to love. I managed to get Finley’s little ‘nook’ in the corner of the living room tidied up. He was so spoiled with lots of lovely presents I’ve had to sort out all his clothes and toys. I quite like how the IKEA unit works for storing and displaying some of his things. Also…
Cuban Fury – such a good fun movie! // registering for the Great North Run for CHUF // shopping for new clothes for Finley like this gorgeous fair isle onesie // autumn leaves // baby snuggles // fresh figs with coconut yoghurt // the recipe book I’m involved in going to print! // thinking about Christmas
Link
- Super Triple Green Smoothie recipe for Rebel Kitchen
- How to go green with your beauty products
- Being a mama: the second month and update on Finley’s heart
- Recipe for gluten free carrot cake from Honestly Healthy
- This fund raising video from CHUF with Ant and Dec
Here’s to a good week ahead for us all! Do you like chai flavours? Ground cloves is one of my favourite scents. What was the last item of clothing you bought?
You’re doing so well to keep eating healthily when you’re not getting as much sleep as you’d like! I hope you’ll have a better week this week and get a chance to wear that gorgeous skirt! Keep in mind that your health is as important as Finley’s, he needs you as healthy as possible to keep him as healthy as possible.
Thanks Sarah, you are so right about my health being important too, something I’m trying to remember!
Aw I’m so sorry to hear things haven’t been great this week – but I love how you keep your head up – and inspiration as ever! I really fancy a chai latte now – with some of that cake on the side ;) Hope next week is rosier for you x
Thanks Cat, sometimes you just need to get on with things no matter what!
I love that skirt from Oliver Bonas. So cute.
P.S. I love these posts. They’re great for a nosey parker like myself.
Thanks Elizabeth, I’m a noisy parker too ;-) I also love day in the life style posts for that same reason!
Congrats on registering for the great north run! You will have wings on your trainers are your running it for such a good cause! I admire your positivity in this tricky time, your little one is lucky to have such lovely parents :):)
Haha I hope I have those wings I think I’ll need them!
Mmm I love chai- that chai spice cake sounds wonderful.
Hopefully after the stresses of the last week you can relax a bit more this week (if possible with a little one- you know what I mean though).
Yep I know what you mean! Hasn’t been too bad so far, just wish the weather was a bit better so we could go out for a walk!
Keep up the steller work, mama(we’re very proud of ya;)!
Glad you got your priorities right, Laura. It’s early days in terms of a proper exercise schedule(you’ve just given birth to a beautiful babe:) and with the demands of nursing etc. and your good diet you have no need to fret . Like you said time for you and exercise will come soon enough:)
Thanks Karina :-) xxxx
Chai spice cake sounds delicious. Well done on signing up for the Great north run too. Hope things pick up for you guys!
Thanks Lauren xx
What a week! Sounds like you have a great balance going on though- plus Fin is so super cute with it without feeding tube :) xxx
He is isn’t he bless him :-)
Bless you Laura, I was thinking about you and little Finley after you posted on Instagram about the hospital visit, I hope you’re feeling alright. Despite not having a child myself, I can empathise with how heartbreaking and helpless you must be feeling with everything. I really keep my fingers crossed for you that everything works out ok.
And for the millionth time, he really is one of the most adorable little baby boys I’ve ever seen!
I adore the little corner he has, I really must get one of those IKEA storage spaces for myself too, such a lovely way of displaying everything.
Look after yourself Laura
xxx
She’s So Lucy
Thanks so much Lucy, it has been really hard, hopefully he’ll be in for his op again in the next few days and we’ll be on our way to getting our baby fixed!
you are doing so well! It took me at least 2 months to get any exercise going and even then it was just going for walks! being kind to yourself and nourishing yourself with good food is definitely what you need now :-) We are going into summer here so I am relishing being about to wear skirts and sandals! also very much looking forward our school holidays starting in Dec and getting time off to be with my little girl – we get till Feb off for our big school holiday break and I can’t wait!!
I’m glad you mentioned that! I think I thought that all these new mums were back at the gym after 6 weeks! I guess I just needed to remind myself :-) That sounds like an awesome time to have such a long break! What a great thing to look forward to!
Not moaning at all. It is real life and I applaud you for always keeping it real lovely. You are doing so bloody brilliantly. Balancing all of this must be really hard. At least those cheese sandwiches are a little bliss in it all ;). And more importantly you have a fabulous partner and beautiful baby to make the hard times worth it :)
That skirt is really pretty, keep Summer vibes alive as you go into Winter! Also, gingerbread cake is my favourite, adding in Chai spice – oh hello!
Thanks Lauren, glad you didn’t think it was moaning lol ;-)
That chai cake sounds so good I love the flavour of chai. Last piece I clothing was a cheap t shirt dress from H&M for my holiday last month I desperately need some warm clothes for the winter months!
Me too! I was trying to wait until I’d lost a bit of baby weight but life is too short. I think after Fin’s op I’ll be having a spending spree!
Ahh sounds a bit of a nightmare, but looks like you’re getting some great eats in regardless. Hope things quieten down a bit for you.
It really annoys me how unhealthy hospital shops are. I mean come on, how counter-intuitive is that!? I remember struggling to find fruit and anything that wasn’t processed within an inch of itself life! At least you have the kitchen you can prepare your own stuff I guess!
Oh never mind the hospital shops, the actual meals they served me in maternity were shocking! No way they could be hitting the 5 a day fruit and veg, just disgusting! The kitchen at the parents flats is even better than ours at home, at least when the time comes that’s a small positive to enjoy :-)
I think you are doing amazingly well. I would be stuffing pizza down my face I think, so managing to still keep yourself healthy is great!
I have been making lots of chai lattes at home too, I love them.
Thanks Dannii, although admittedly I did have a big pizza the night we got home from hospital! All about balance right ;-)
Sorry to hear you’ve been having a bit of a stressful time lately. I had my first autumn chai latte at the weekend and it was so good. Good to see that hospitals are finally offering decent healthy snacks, the last time I visited someone in hospital all the food on offer was so unhealthy! x