Summer Lovin?

Yesterday was the hottest day in England for around Nine Years and I seriously think every pregnant woman in the country should get a medal!

I know lots of us are suffering in the current heat so here’s my top five tips for staying cool...

1. Raid your holiday clothes.

If, like me, you keep your holiday clothes bundled away in a suitcase somewhere, it’s time to break them out. Obviously the majority won’t fit (goodbye denim hot-pants!) but you might find one or two items incredibly useful. Up to now I’d been living in black leggings but they are simply too hot to consider! In my holiday selection I found a long maxi skirt with a stretchy waistband, a couple of dresses with a bit of give and a lovely top that, although once floaty, was now just managing to accommodate my bump!

I’ve always resented spending money on maternity clothes because they don’t last very long, so the concept of now buying summer maternity clothes just didn’t sit well with me! But my holiday collection really has saved the day, in fact I’ve recently been told I’ve been dressing myself better since pregnant so it may be worth you giving it a go!

Seen here in Mexico - this dress can nicely accommodate my bump!

2. Shower whenever you bloody feel like it!

I’m averaging around three showers a day at the moment, but I really couldn’t care less!

On a morning after a sticky night’s sleep, of course I want to shower and when I get home it’s the first thing on my mind! (Even before what to eat for tea, which is a first!) But for me, the most important shower of the day is the one I’m taking right before bed. It’s so hot during the night If I don’t try and cool down beforehand I know I’ve got no chance! What I’ve started to do is wash my hair before bed and sleep with it wet (no mam, It won’t give me a cold!) which is keeping my head cool at least! (You could always plait it for the wavy look if your hair is longer)

3. Ditch the duvet.

Now of course I don’t NEED a duvet in these temperatures, but I LIKE to have it in case monsters eat my feet during the night! (Can you believe I’m going to be a mother?) So I’ve chucked the duvet off and replaced it with a flat sheet which is strangely cooling – there’s a reason they have them on the beds abroad you know!

4. Invest in a paddling pool.

Now if you’re brave you can full on sit in this in the garden but I’ve taken to dipping my feet in for a few hours after work (works wonders if you’ve got cankles!) It cost £2.99 from ASDA, combine it with a 30p ice pop and it’s happy days all round!

My Summer Office Essentials!

5. Let your employer know you’re uncomfortable.

For those of you in employment, this is probably the place where you suffer the most. Whilst there is no legal temperature that the office must be, your employer does have a duty to minimise any risk to your pregnancy, and this includes overheating. See how they can help, a fan by your desk, more regular breaks. My company even bought me an ice lolly yesterday but whatever you do, don’t suffer in silence!

5 maternity essentials you really can't do without!

Ever heard anybody tell you having a baby is expensive? They weren't kidding! And here's the funny bit - it all starts waaaay before the baby even makes an appearance!

There's so much information on the internet about what you need for hospital and baby's arrival but here's my guide for the top 5 must-haves during pregnancy.

1. A Maternity Bra

I was a DD before I even got pregnant and the very first thing to balloon were my melons; I'd gone from honeydew to watermelon in the space of weeks. After looking around at some very (pricey) bras I found a lovely two-pack at M&S for £30. At 7 months gone, I'm still wearing them and they really make me wonder why I've worn underwired bras for so long!! Super comfy and my boobs weren't down to my knees.

2. Skincare

The dreaded prancne. (Pregnancy Acne) Ladies I don't have the best skin in the world and lord knows I am prone to a breakout or two but nothing would prepare me for the breakouts pregnancy caused. Everyone is different so it's all about the products that work for you but make sure you stock up on something good. I swear by nip + fab face wash and use Clearasil to directly treat break outs on a night time. Investing in a glamglow face mask will also be worth its weight in gold. But please remember it is temporary, I got unnecessarily upset by my complexion, and later on in your pregnancy you will realise it was a silly thing to worry about.

3. Haircut

I don't think I was alone in feeling hideous when I first got pregnant, I was putting on weight without having an obvious bump, my skin was hideous and I just didn't feel my best. Not only will a new do perk you up massively (try and go somewhere that massages your scalp) but seriously consider a low maintenance do. My hair, now neatly bobbed, takes half the time to dry and during my first trimester I would rather have shaved my head than straightened it so it is well worth considering something easier if you have long straight hair.

4. Hand Cream

It's quite commonly known that pregnancy makes you pee. So telling you to stock up on the Andrex is a bit obvious but what do you do after the toilet? Wash your hands of course! My hands are now getting washed up to 20 (yes 20!!) times a day and as a result are as dry and sand, invest in a good hand cream and keep it in your bag or desk at work, you will thank me for it later!

5. A pillow. 

Getting comfortable in bed can be difficult as early as the first trimester. Especially if you used to sleep on your stomach like me. Placing a normal pillow under your bump will work for starters but it is worth investing in a proper pillow otherwise your poor fella has nowhere to sleep at night. I found the dreamgeni worked best for me, it has support at the front and back so you can turn over easily if needed and you can pop it between your legs too. They're around £50 in John Lewis. It mine was a tenner off eBay! If you've read my blog at all you know I don't like to pay full price for anything!