Review: Cussons Mum & Me Stretch Mark Cream

This is an exciting post (I hope!) for a couple of reasons one being that it's my first review!

A few months ago Cussons asked if anyone would like to try their Stretch Mark Cream, and sadly I was in need. Luckily for me I was picked and they kindly sent me some pots of their magic potion and a t-shirt which I'll get to later.

At the time I was more concerned  about trying to fade some 2 year old stretch marks which I got during my pregnancy with H but as luck would have it, not long after receiving my cream I got those two pink lines once again!! Yep baby number two is on its way and we couldn't be more thrilled! 

Back to the cream - the blurb on the packaging states that the cream contains Lupin Seed extract to boost Collagen while the Tamanu and Almond oils hydrate and maintain the skin's suppleness all things which sound good to me!

Last time I was pregnant I used a few different creams and oils but couldn't find one I liked, they were either too greasy, thin or the smell didn't agree with my morning sickness and alas around 30 weeks in I started getting a few tell tale pink marks. I didn't get too many stretch marks in the end, or so I like to tell myself, and they have faded to the point where I will wear a bikini (while abroad and unlikely to bump into anyone I know!) but being the only member of my family to get them I was still miffed!

This time round I am slapping on the Cussons Mum & Me Stretch Mark Cream religiously morning and night and I have been really impressed. It feels like a high end body cream and soaks in quickly leaving my tummy feeling really soft and pampered. It doesn't leave any marks on my clothes either, as the fetching pictures below show(!), which I found was a real drawback to others I used. 

Modelling my Cussons Mum & Me T-Shirt!

No marks on the t-shirt which I put on straight after applying the cream.

Gratuitous 15 week bump shot!

The smell is also amazing, it smells like a pamper product first and foremost as opposed to having a medicinal scent. I can smell the almond oil which I'm a huge fan of but it isn't too overpowering - you don't feel like a walking Bakewell tart!

I should say I am enjoying using the cream so much more second time round as it gives me a few moments in an otherwise hectic day to fully focus on my bump and pregnancy which I took for granted with my first and reviewing the cream has been a perfect reason to embrace it.

At this point I cannot fully tell how successfully the cream has worked apart from knowing my tummy is feeling softer than it has in a long time and my old stretch marks do seem to be less noticeable than before, however I will be doing follow up posts regarding this cream as my bump gets bigger!

One thing I have found is that the cream is a great after-shaving treat for my legs after I forgot my moisturiser on a night away!

Cussons did send me their Mum & Me Stretch Mark Cream to use but this review is solely my own opinion.

Top Tips for Breastfeeding

After the whole cash for breastfeeding news I thought I would give some - wait for it - advice based on my breastfeeding experience (gasp!) after all surely that's what women need - True, it won't buy you things but it might help you feed your baby and more importantly ENJOY feeding your baby.

Firstly get ready and prepare as much as you can. Read those handouts you get from the midwife, become familiar with the nose to nipple position and if there's one nearby, book yourself onto a breastfeeding class. Breastfeeding is natural so you may think it will come naturally, and for some it does, but others - like me - have to work at it. Research and preparation can only be useful!

Buy or hire a breast pump - manual, electric, double, single - there is one for you and even if you don't plan on pumping you never know when you might need it. After having H I pumped in the hospital and during the first week as we could get our positioning right and I just wanted to be certain he was getting something. Now I take it on nights away from H so I can empty by boobs and stay comfortable. I use the Medela electric pump and the Philips manual pump depending where I am. 

Vests are essential in my eyes if you want to feed discreetly as they allow you to get your boob out without showing your stomach which for me was important. Even 21 months down the line I still wear a vest under most outfits as I can lift up my top and pull the vest down so only minimal skin is exposed. I only use cheap camisole vests and never bought purpose made breastfeeding ones as I'm not convinced they are worth the money.

You need support from both your underwear and those around you! Underwear-wise I found Marks and Spencer's nursing bras were both good value and supportive, they also go up to the bigger sizes (34G in my case).
Finding and getting support from those around you is another matter. In those very stressful, tear filled early days I was lucky in having my sister to help me and check my positioning. If you don't have someone close by who can help you then I would recommend a breastfeeding group. Initially I went to one just because it followed a playgroup I attended but it was an excellent way to meet mums in the same position and ask more experienced mums any questions you may have.

Copious amounts of tea and cake are a must! Although, if like me you have to take iron tablets then tea is sadly a no-go an hour before or after taking them (or so I was advised). I must admit I did ignore this advice on a few occasions but that may be why I had to take iron tablets for nearly 6 months after having H. Cake however is everyone's friend. I used to time a slice of cake with a feed and just take the time to relax and rest. It might not be the sleep you're craving but it will help keep you sane.

To begin with you will probably find yourself watching your baby feed, altering position and stroking their tiny toes but at some point feeding times will require some entertainment to keep you occupied. A Kindle is a great buy because you can read it one handed, I've heard other people suggesting a subscription to Netflix as well so there's always something to watch whatever the time. 

A thick skin can come in handy when breastfeeding, especially if you opt for extended breastfeeding. Sadly breastfeeding isn't always seen as the norm so you may find yourself defending your choice. Don't take any comments to heart and trust your instincts. Also remember, the World Health Organisation, y'know the EXPERTS on health, recommend breastfeeding until your baby is at least 2 years old. This advised timescale is for women in the developed world and I've seen adverts from the U.S. and Australia which reflect this. Sadly I am yet to see this information distributed in the UK where the majority of literature states 6 months. (I may be wrong here so please tell me!)

So there you go, it might not buy you anything but hopefully it'll help make breastfeeding an enjoyable activity and not merely a money making opportunity!

Breastfeeding My Toddler

As its national breastfeeding week I thought I'd write an update on how H and I are getting on.

H is now 17 months and I'm still breastfeeding him. For the most part I love breastfeeding, I love the closeness and being able to comfort my son however there are times when it isn't all sweetness and light. H has taken to clambering over me, nursing for 15 seconds a side then switching and then switching again until finally settling down or hopping off. From what I've read this is "normal" but on a bad day it does make me lean towards weaning him.

H feeds first and last thing with another substantial feed either before his morning or afternoon nap and then a few sips throughout the day. He isn't brilliant at eating solids but in the past 2 weeks his drinking has increased ten fold. I know he'll get there with his eating, as with most things I'm just following his lead. He is also following the all important line in his red book so the HV is more than happy with him.

My feelings regarding weaning are ever changing and I've tried to read as much as I can to give myself a good idea of what's best for H and me. Ideally I would like him to self wean but at the same time I would prefer to have some idea of when that would be. For me I'm hoping for two years at the latest but I've read it can take months more than this, sometimes even years. I want to (mostly) enjoy breastfeeding and I worry after 2 years it will become more of a chore and an obstacle for future babies. Yes I know you can BF during pregnancy but is it for me?! 

I've chosen 2 years because (fingers crossed) all H's teeth will be through by then and when he's teething he feeds constantly. I love that I can feed H through teething and offer him comfort through nursing. It helps take a lot of the stress away from the situation.

I like the idea of gentle weaning and I'm thinking of implementing this at around 18 months which is when I want to stop night feeds. H still wakes up at least twice for a feed in the night and because we co-sleep the easiest thing is to feed him back to sleep.

The best thing about gentle weaning is that it takes H's emotional needs into account and minimises any distress. Guiding him to wean as opposed to forcing him. 

All this being said I am still very sure of my choice for extended breastfeeding - the massive amounts of benefits don't suddenly become void once a baby reaches 6 months and I think emotion-wise they actually increase. If H is overwhelmed in a situation he often has a quick 15 second feed and then he's off. I also don't worry about him depending on me, he's very sociable and I've read that extended breastfed babies (that's a mouthful!) are often more independent as they are more secure. 

As with all my BF posts this one is a bit of a jumble which nicely echoes my internal thoughts! Every decision I make I second guess and in the end I do just go with what makes H happiest (within reason). In an ideal world H will self wean in the next few months but we'll see and hopefully I'll be able to gradually wean him if not... I'll keep you posted!

Fasting Diet : Part 7

After the last disappointing weigh ins I have been much more focused this week, I stuck to my exercise goals and kept an eye on my calories on both fasting and normal days so I was quite excited (yeah I don't get out much) to see how I'd done.

Well it has definitely been worth it as I have lost 2 and a half pounds this week bringing my total to 17 and a quarter pounds!

This also means I've only got 4 pounds and three quarters to go to reach my next target.

I've not tweaked my fasting days yet as I haven't felt the need to but I am planning on going to the gym tomorrow (a fast day) so I might have to add a yoghurt just to make sure I can get some sleep. Also as I'm breastfeeding I need to make sure my supply doesn't decrease otherwise I will have a grumpy boy on my hands!

I must say I have really enjoyed the gym this week, a bit of time to myself just to clear my head has done wonders and although H has been clingy I think it's good for both of us to have a bit of time apart. I've mainly been working on the treadmill, interchanging fast walking and running, the bike, the cross trainer and a few minutes on the rowing machine - I'm trying to change the order I do things to stop it getting boring. 

My workouts tend to last an hour and I'm thinking of maybe going to Zumba this week rather than one of my gym sessions.

I am also on track with the crunch and squat challenges - I can definitely feel my stomach muscles when I'm doing my crunches and my legs shake after the squats so all in all I'm feeling like I'm getting a good bonus workout from them.

This week I'll be sticking to my exercise plan and see if I can replicate the weight loss - fingers crossed!

Fasting Diet : Part 6

I didn't get a chance to blog last week but it was a disappointing weigh in.

After a very boozy day and night on Saturday, topped off with all manner of deep fried beauties, I put on 2 pounds.

Although I was expecting it I was still pretty disappointed - breastfeeding has been my saving grace as I can't drink too much so days like this are thankfully few and far between.

This week I lost 1 pound and three quarters so I'm not quite back to where I was but I'm getting there.

The weight gain also gave me a real push to get a bit more serious about dieting and boost the exercise side, one thing I've been putting off but that (fingers crossed) will make a big difference.

I even took the big step, for me anyway, of joining the local gym. I have never been a massive fan of the gym but this way I also get 3 baby free hours a week and working out at home isn't the easiest with a dog and baby using me as a climbing frame while I struggle to do a push up!

So since Tuesday morning (weigh in day) I've stuck to my new exercise plan and although I feel tired and hungry, I'm determined to keep going.

A quick outline of my exercise plan is -

Gym three times a week for an hour

One 3 mile walk

Four 2 mile walks

30 day crunch and squat challenge (I'm starting these from the beginning).

This gives me an average of over an hour of exercise a day which I'm pleased with and praying I can stick with it.

I am planning to look at my fasting though, last night I couldn't sleep due to hunger pains so ended up eating a yoghurt at half 2 - suffice to say once I'd attacked the Munch Bunch pot I fell into a well deserved slumber! My workout this morning was also impeded because I was so hungry so the plan is to eat an extra 100 calories before bedtime on a fast day but only if I'm planning a workout the morning after - I'll see what this does to the weight loss and if needed tweak it again.

Fasting Diet - Part 5

So 5 posts in and I'm still on track with the fasting diet which is quite an achievement for me.

Last week I stayed the same which was a disappointment but this week the scales say that I've lost.... A pound!

That brings my total weight loss to 15 pounds.

The fast days this week have been harder than usual, Little H has a virus AND he's teething so there have been a few days where he's foregone food and just filled up on breastmilk. This in turn has bumped up my hunger but I've stuck to the 500 calories, even though I went to bed planning the next day's meals with military precision.

OH has also got serious about doing the 5:2 diet which makes it easier and we've been able to keep each other on track.

Exercise wise I'm still walking a lot and I'm now on day 17 of the squat challenge - it's getting much harder but I'm still managing to do them as well as the same number of bridges and twists and a move called good and plenty (not its actual name but I saw it on the goddess workout once and it works the abs!) you basically start with you bum and stomach pushed out then tilt your pelvis to contract them both and squeeze your abs.

I've been getting more comments this week as people are beginning to notice my weight loss - this is a good boost, especially if they come on a fast day! My clothes are also fitting much better and my belts are nearly all too big.

Here's hoping for another good week!

Fasting Diet - Part 4

Last week was not a good week diet-wise.

I ate like a horse and didn't do as much exercise as I wanted, partly due to the crap weather and partly due to being too busy (ok maybe too lazy...)

So what do the scales say... No change.

I'm happy not to have gained anything but I am disappointed in myself, I'm trying to use this as a push to get back on track and reach my next goal.

I've walked 9 miles so far this week* and I'm on day 9 of the squat challenge, alongside this I'm doing the same number of bridges and twists - I'm not too concerned about arm based exercises as carrying a 24 pound toddler seems to be doing the trick!

So here's hoping I can stay on track this week and report on some more lost pounds next week!

* I should say that my fasting weeks run from Tuesday to Monday.