The Low-Down on Birth Choices

So as I'm now in the third and final trimester of my pregnancy, naturally I am beginning to think about the big event.....LABOUR! Eeeeeeeek!

Alarmingly in a recent Which? survey 34% of mothers said they knew nothing or not much about their choices on where to give birth and this is something that absolutely has to change.

I think it is so so important for expectant mothers, whether having your first or fifth child, to be provided with the knowledge to make a personal decision on where they would like to have their baby. Of course every pregnancy and mother-to-be is different and while a traditional birth in the labour ward of a hospital may be perfect for one woman it may be the absolute last thing another lady would want so to feel like you have no or little choice in the matter must be awful.

To be honest although I am quite aware that other birthing options are out there, until this week I hadn't really given much thought to any option other than having Squishy in a hospital setting.

The lovely people over at Which? very kindly sent me three birthing boxes* in the post last week each designed to help me with my decision on where I would like to give birth. The boxes I received were: Hospital Birth, Birth Centre Birth and Home Birth, each one full of various products that may be useful in each setting.

The first box I opened was the Hospital Birth box which contained the following:

- iTunes gift card

With Squishy being our first baby it's possible that labour could go on for a long long time and be slow to start so it's definitely a great idea to load the iPad up with films & music to keep us entertained during that inevitable waiting period.

- Eye mask & ear plug set

Again this may be useful if I am in labour for a long time and need to try & get some rest. Particularly in the muddle of the day or on a busy labour ward.

- Charging cables

Inevitably we will be sure to take cameras, phones and iPads galore to the hospital to capture Squishy's first moments and let everybody know once she has arrived so a multi-charger device like this will come in super handy.
- Lip balm
I've heard that using the gas & air during labour dries out your lips like crazy so this is something I actually meant to pick up for my hospital bag anyway.

- Battery operated fan

I'm so so happy to have received a battery operated fan. I was looking out for a small handheld one to pop in my bag but this one has so much more power to it. I've heard lots of stories from friends where the hospital has been "unable to find" a fan when they really really would have appreciated one during labour so this will definitely been coming along with us.

- Healthy snacks & beverages

- Water bottle

Again if I'm in for a long labour healthy snacks and plenty of water will hopefully keep me going. Nevermind keep G occupied as well. I'm actually really looking forward to stocking up on one of my favourite drinks Pink Lemonade Lucazade for labour because I'm trying to be good and have avoided it during my pregnancy as it has a lot of caffeine.
- Flipflops

Something I'm sure a lot of people forget to pack in their hospital bags. These Haviana flipflops will be ideal for showering after I've had the baby. Or just as something easy to slip on and have a wander round the hospital to get things moving along - as Squishy is due in August I am expecting hot weather and swollen feet so these may be the only things that feet on my feet by then!

Next up was the Birth Centre Birth box which contained the following:

- Hair ties

Very practical, essential in labour when you have as much hair as I do and something every girl needs more of right?

- Thermal spring water spray

I have heard amazing things about this La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water Spray so cannot wait to try this out when I need cooling down.

- Hot water bottle

I use a hot water bottle a lot for my gallstone pains at the moment so I'm hoping it will help me in early labour while I'm still at home.

- Dressing gown

- Slippers

Both essential in my opinion for a bit of comfort & dignity after the event. This dressing gown is also lovely & light so won't take up too much space in my bag like my big fluffy ones at home.

And last but certainly not least the Home Birth box which contained:

- Plastic sheeting

This is an item I hadn't really given much thought to until a friend recently mentioned them. Should I chose a home birth I would honestly imagine keeping things clean and tidy is the last thing on your mind but if I don't then a waterproof sheet would certainly be useful to protect our mattress from any waters breaking anyway.

- Aromotherapy room spray

- Receiving blanket

This blanket is gorgeous and so so soft. Perfect for Squishy's first cuddles.

- Birthing ball

All of my friends highly recommend birthing balls during the later stage of pregnancy and labour so I am definitely keen to give this a try.

 

If you are still feeling like you don't know much about your birth choices and options I can highly recommend the Which? Birth Choice website. They have gathered so much information into one space I really have learned a lot even in just a short amout of browsing time.

The website has a handy birth choice tool which asks you a few questions about your expectations and hopes for your labour and then recommends the best place for you to give birth based on your answers.

For me personally the birth choice tool recommended a labour ward or a birth centre alongside which hasn't surprised me. A birth centre birth definitely does appeal to me and I like the idea of the whole labour being more relaxed and calming than perhaps a hospital environment would be but the 

hypochondriac can't help but want the medical side of things in place should I need it. I think if I have a positive experience with labour this time round I would certainly be more open to a birth centre birth if we decide to have any more children after Squishy.

Once the birth choice tool has given you your results it also lists the details and addresses of your local birth options based on your post code which is so so helpful. It details the distance of the birthing centre or hospital from your house, the size of the unit, how many times it has been closed in the last year, who can give birth there, how you will be looked after there and lots more great information.

There are also other parts of the website where you can get expert advice, a frequently asked questions areas and much further detail on all aspects of labour whether that be pain relief options, more about the birthing pool or the pros and cons of each birth choice.

After weighing up the pros and cons of each type of birth choice I still think we will be going with a Hospital Birth. Im not keen on the idea of being transferred to a hospital during labour, should should need arise, and for me & G it's important to know we are in the best place and in the safest hands should something medically go wrong. Before falling pregnant with me my mum had a stillborn baby full term so subconsciously this is something that is at the back of my mind and along with my gallstone problems we definitely feel a hospital is the best place for me to give birth.

The hospital birth box seemed to contain lots of practical items to be used both during and after labour which I like. There are also plenty of items that seem geared towards a long labour which, as I mentioned, as a first time mum is something I am conscious may be quite likely. For that reason I actually think all of these items will be assisting me during labour at some point. Both the birth centre box and the home birth box also contained items that I think we will still use in a hospital environment but they definitely lean more towards providing comfort rather than practicality.

So it seems like all is left for us to do now is get packing mine & Squishy's hospital bags!

Eeeeeeek!

Where will you be giving birth to your little ones? I'd love to hear about your choice and the reason behind it?

If you're enjoying our pregnancy updates I'd love you to follow our story either here or on Bloglovin'

Are you around the 29 week mark? I'd love to hear from fellow August mummy-to-be's

XOXO

Juice to U 3-day detox - Review

Keeping fit and healthy while staying in shape is definitely something that is important to me. The thought of my figure changing forever really does terrify me whilst being pregnant and I'll definitely be making a conscious effort to lose my baby weight as soon as is healthy for me and baby.
The Juice to U detox was something I thoroughly enjoyed doing and will definitely be reaching out for once Squishy has been born so I thought I'd post my original review up again for any other mummys or mummy-to-be's who might be interested.

For a while now I have been looking into Juice to U's 3-day detox*

They are a company that I have found through twitter and have been super impressed with all the rave reviews and testimonials they are getting from both regular people and celebrities. They offer a range of plans but the basic detox only lasts 3 days and they send all the juices to you already made up!! What's not to love right?

Last week I saw they were looking for bloggers to review their product, very quickly responded to show my interest and was thrilled when they picked me to do a review.

 

So a little bit about the product: Juice to U is a totally natural and fantastic pre-prepared juice detox service using fresh local produce delivered to your door. The detox consists of 4 juices to drink throughout the day with a 3 hour period between each juice. No other food is allowed, 2 litres of water is recommended and only fruit tea can be consumed (no green tea!). All juices are gluten, wheat and nut free and also suitable for vegetarians.

 

Juice to U claim that each detox will "leave you feeling fully revitalised, refreshed, rejuvenated and invigorated with smoother skin and your mind clear. Not forgetting the weight loss!"

Feelings of tiredness, nausea and headaches are to be expected when following a detox. This is due to your body getting rid of all the toxins that are in your system.

 

The lovely people at Juice 2 U made sure my juices were delivered on Tuesday morning as promised (all juices arrive on either Tues or Weds and you begin your detox the next day - very important as everything is fresh and would need to be frozen if you wanted to wait any longer to start). My juices were packed very securely in a cardboard box, complete with ice packs and fresh lemons to be used in hot water to speed up metabolism. The little juices are so so cute, all in their own little individual bottles with ingredients and time that they need to be drunk written on the side of the bottle so the plan really is dummy-proof. Straight away I put them in the fridge excited to start the next day.

 

 

Each day on the detox is made up of the same 4 juices:

9am: Clean Green (Spinach, Celery, Cucumber, Apple & Lime) - contains more nutrients than most people get in a week

To be honest even though I was excited to get started I was definitely dreading Clean Green and assuming would be my least favourite as I have a very sweet tooth. I was right...it is my least favourite but it really isn't awful. Not as bad as I was expecting anyway. You really can taste all 5 ingredients in the juice, which sounds like a bizarre claim but it's true! I would say the cucumber and celery come through strongly but there is definitely a refreshing after taste of lime which is really quite pleasant. The juice isn't blended entirely so there are very very small pieces of fruit and veg to swallow so i can understand that the texture might be off putting for some people but this wasn't an issue for me at all. I like chunky smoothies and soups so the texture of all the juices was similar to this.

 

Midday: Let's Glow (Orange, Apple, Kiwi, Grapes & Strawberries) - to cleanse the digestive system and radiate your skin

Let's Glow is definitely my favourite out of the three different juices. To me this just tastes like watered down strawberries and you can clearly taste the grapes as well. Really lush, refreshing, sweet fruity and goes down super easy, whereas Clean Green is taking me a bit longer to finish.

 

3pm: Clean Green (same ingredients as above)

 

6pm: Berry Good (Pineapple, Blueberries, Strawberries, Apples & Raspberries) - contains anti-oxidants to keep your cardiovascular system in tip top shape

I was definitely expecting this juice to be my favourite, I usually love all things berry and eat all these fruits like they're going out of fashion but surprisingly it wasn't. Don't get me wrong, it is really nice tasting, enjoyable to drink and I did really like it - much more than Clean Green! - but for some reason i just prefer the taste flavour of Let's Glow. Berry Good tastes like ever every so slightly over ripe Raspberries, you know when they don't taste at their absolute peak and sweet but they haven't gone off yet, that in between period? Well they taste like that. Pretty scrummy any how. Berry Good does definitely seem to be the gas-iest juice and I was upset to see that my Day 3 juice had exploded slightly.....see below for more details on that

 

Day 1

 

Thoughts: Excited to get started, anxious about what to expect and what the juices will taste like.

 

Side effects: Mild headache just before 3pm but this quickly went away after my 3pm juice. I also felt groggy and had a headache for a little while later in the evening. Nothing huge that really bothered me and an early night sorted it out.

 

Feeling hungry: Surprisingly not at all, i thought i would be missing food more than this.

 

Enjoying juices: Not mad on Clean Green but it is definitely okay, love Let's Glow and definitely like Berry Good but i was expecting it to be my favourite and it's not.

 

Noticing changes: I feel more energetic and definitely less bloated. My mind seemed clearer this evening and I was definitely aware of a situation where i may usually have picked a fight with my boyfriend but had the control not to.

 

Overnight Weight loss: I know you shouldn't weigh yourself everyday bla bla bla...but i'm afraid i can't resist! I weigh in while i'm getting ready for work each morning at around 7:30am......Weight loss from Tuesday 10th September 7:30am to Wednesday 11th September 7:30am is.......-2.4lbs. I'm thrilled that i can be losing weight already!!

 

Day 2

 

Thoughts: Thinking about food but i think that's to be expected on any detox. No food at all is hard!!

 

Side effects: Nothing noticeable today, just tummy grumbles.

 

Feeling hungry: Yes today was much more difficult than yesterday. Come mid afternoon/early evening i am definitely hungry and watching my boyfriend eat dinner is painful. haha

 

Enjoying juices: Yes i really am. Clean Green is much more bearable, even slightly more enjoyable than yesterday and i like the taste of all three juices now.

 

Noticing changes: I still feel full of energy and am noticing my skin is full of life. Normally i would have some dry patches on my cheeks and a slightly oily t-zone but this all seems to have evened out and my skin feels plump and fresh. My concentration has also been much better at work today.

Overnight Weight loss: -3.1lbs

 

Total Weight loss so far: -5.5lbs

 

Day 3

 

Thoughts: I have throughly enjoyed taking part in the detox but am excited to eat a proper meal again tomorrow.

 

Side effects: Constantly needing to wee but i think that's a given considering all the liquid i am consuming! (should have included this in Days 1 & 2 also!)

 

Feeling hungry: This morning i woke up hungry but the pangs definitely died down 2 juices into the day. It comes and goes and i find myself hungry just before a juice is due and once i have finished it my belly seems satisfied for a few hours more. It seems 3 hours between juices is the perfect amount

 

Enjoying juices: Again all juices have been enjoyable today, Clean Green still the least and Let's Glow still my favourite. Stupidly i left my Berry Good juice underneath my desk at work last night, so 6pm came and i had to drink my day 3 juice on day 2 (if that makes sense) but all the Berry Good juices are exactly the same so i was hoping it wouldnt matter too much. However i got to work this morning and day 2's Berry Good had exploded all over its cool bag and ice packs and i've probably lost a third of the juice. Obviously this may all be to do with me leaving it unrefridgerated all night but this does seem to be a common problem with the Berry Good juices, but it didn't happen the first 2 days.

 

Noticing changes: My clothes are feeling looser today, i still feel less bloated, my skin is clear and glowing, my hair seems shinier and all in all i feel great in myself. Full of beans and energetic....and this is coming from somebody who is notoriously a sleeper and take forever to wake up everyday. These last three days it certainly seems easier.

 

Overnight Weight loss: -3.2lbs

 

Total Weight loss: -8.7lbs

 

My opinion of the Juice 2 U 3-day detox plan really couldn't be any higher. Yes it is difficult to not eat for any significant period of time but your body adapts really quickly and soon realises it is still getting all the goodness and nutrients that it needs through the juices. I did find myself missing food but that is definitely just out of habit as the hunger went away as soon as i got my juice fix.

I feel happier, healthier, have more energy, more confidence and fresh (if that makes sense!). This detox would be perfect repeated a few times a year to rejuvenate and refresh the body.

The weight loss is really an added bonus so again this would be perfect for quickly dropping a few pounds before a holiday and ensuring you would feel great before you went.

 

So does the 3-day detox do what it claims?

 

Lose weight? YES

 

Improve energy levels & feel less slugish? YES

 

Gain greater vitality, mental clarity & concentration? YES

 

Improve complexion? YES

 

Healthy hair & nails? YES

 

Stronger immune system? Not noticeably but that's not to say it hasn't improved. I wouldn't be getting sick so this is a hard one to measure

 

Boost your metabolism? Again hard to measure in the long term but i would assume my metabolism has increased from the weight loss

 

Change of mentality towards nutrition? My feelings haven't changed hugely. I'm pretty clued up on what is good for me and what isn't i'm just very bad at practising what i preach! *easier said than done eh girls?* The detox has opened my eyes to the qualities that certain combinations of fruit and veg have and the particular area of the body that they are working on which is useful.

 

Will i be recommending the detox and using Juice 2 U's services again? ABSOLUTELY!

 

You can find out more about Juice to U on their website here

Currently a 3-day, 5-day and Yummy Mummy detox are available.

 

Get juicing dolls!!

 

XOXO

 

** This post first appeared on my original blog Sparkle Bug which you can read here **