Morning Sickness.....does it ever end?

Everyone told me morning sickness goes by twelve weeks; well at 17 weeks I’m still sick, morning, noon & night! I’ve tried everything from homeopathy, old wives tales, to sleeping with a biscuit tin by my bed! My midwife suggests that maybe I’m a little stressed (understatement of the year), and I should take things easy…

Last week we woke up to find our kitchen underwater and my cottage which already suffered from issues with damp is now up for a complete renovation! The only room in the house unaffected is the proposed nursery, great we can all live in there....So how do you cope with constant nausea, a houseful of builders and no water? The only available solution is to move in with my parents... I don’t wish to sound ungrateful, as they have been more than accommodating, but there are only so many little words of advice, force-feeding, and home remedies a pregnant girl can take!

In the midst of all this chaos my pursuit for alternative maternity options continues. Endless emails to independent midwives, consultant secretaries and various hospitals has resulted in me entertaining the idea of a homebirth, with as little fuss as possible, with a midwife whom I know and trust. (Assuming of course, I still have a house by then and it hasn’t been washed away!)
This concept raises more than a few eyebrows, evokes a cascade of horror stories and scares the living daylights out of my husband!
However I have finally found a consultant based in Harpenden to take on my ante-natal, and a midwife who hopefully can fit me in! It’s amazing how booked up everyone seems to get; I thought the waiting lists started when you were applying for schools not trying to give birth!


I had a facial a couple of weeks a go as my skin was so dehydrated from all the sickness, and I have to say I thoroughly recommend it. An hour to yourself with relaxing music and the healthy glow you are left with, made me feel sooooo much better. A dermatologist friend also advised against expensive beauty products as your skin will change all the time; exfoliate with porridge oats and use sudo-cream on spots or rashes! It really works.
I’m addicted to the Mamma Mio products though and swear by them if only for the feeling you get from their scent! I am also drinking peppermint tea which does help you feel better if only psychologically! Next week I’m giving reflexology a go so I’ll keep you posted.

If anyone has any advice on how to combat the sickness & nausea, I’ll try anything!

Merry Christmas, Becky x

Famous last words and a reality check....

OK so we’ll wait for the perfect time to start a family; when we are financially secure, have done all the things we want to do by ourselves, and when we have the time to dedicate our lives to parenthood and all that goes with it...........but of course it never happens that way!

So we find ourselves in an economic downturn, tackling major damp issues in what was meant to be an idillic 17th century cottage, both working insane hours, and expecting our first baby!

I went for my regular endometriosis check up with my trusted and long standing gynae, (who has previously advised we should start thinking about the whole concept of starting a family due to the fact it could take a while and may require assistance, even though we are both fairly young, and other than blocked tubes on my part), and he smiles pointing at something on the scan which I have to admit, I cannot even see; it’s a baby, or as he says, 'a sac'!

It’s our wedding anniversary and I am struck with this numb feeling, mixed with fear and excitement, then I smile. In many ways timing could not be more perfect. It’s not like the notion hadn’t been discussed - my period was late, but this is not unusual for me, and all the pregnancy tests that supposedly tell you 6 days before you are pregnant, had come back negative 3 weeks in, so we hadn’t really given it much more thought.

After the whole champagne popping, tears and shaking on both sides, we go back a week later for a scan. I can see a little pulsing dot which is our baby.

I seem to be spending most of my nights wide awake, so I try to pass the time by surfing the net and filling myself with fears ranging from the shallow 'I don’t want to be fat, what will I wear?' (hence mama-la-mode !), and the more serious 'how will I cope with juggling a business and a baby?'. Oh, and the worrying notion that my gynae announced at today’s scan, that I can only see him till 12 weeks, what then?

My local NHS hospital maternity services have a pretty bad reputation and I would prefer to have the continuity of care that I have had with my gynae, however, I am really struggling to find a private alternative outside of London. I keep seeing myself in labour, stuck in traffic on the A40! Scott has helpfully suggested that St John’s & Elizabeth's is a strong contender given its close proximity to his work. Great, so I can meet him there?!

I feel this journey is going to be a long one, and that’s before the baby even arrives!

Holly Willoughby wears m-l-m on X-factor

We were thrilled to dress the lovely pregnant Holly Willoughby in mama-la-mode for last weekends X- Factor. She was wearing our lovely Navy Champagne dress by Temperley, which we also have in black, and a sleeved metallic version.
Don't forget to watch the final this weekend, and check out what she's wearing on the Xtra factor !

Introducing Becky, our lovely blogger from Buckinghamshire

Hi my name is Becky; I stumbled accross mama-la-mode one very early morning, whilst trying to cope with the nausea and nerves of finding myself in the bubble that is described as pregnancy!

I got married to Scott four years a go at 22, and brought our beautiful, albeit very damp, 17th century cottage, in a small village in Buckinghamshire, two years later. We always talked about having a family in that far and distant place we call the future. Instead in 2006 we settled to extending our family, with the purchase of Mulberry, our much adored cocker spaniel and I guess, child substitute.

I run my own designer kidswear boutiques here in Buckinghamshire and Scott does the daily commute to London working in property development. Having completed my degree at London College of Fashion, I have a passion for London’s buildings, galleries and of course shops! Whilst preferring to live just outside the hustle and bustle and traffic! We love to socialise with friends, walk the dog, ski (obviously not just now!) and shop well at least I do!

So why write this blog? Well, having been told it may be tricky getting pregnant as I have endometriosis, we decided to give it a go, 1 month later we found ourselves pregnant! I found myself at a very different stage in my life to most of my closest friends and whilst they are dealing with the trials & tribulations of buying first flats, failed relationships endeavouring to find the one and climbing the career ladder, I’m kind of on my own. Whilst they are supportive and excited no-one can really relate to how I’m feeling, I don’t have the sounding board, the reassurance or even the camaraderie that you can get from other mums!

So as I go through my journey I hope that anyone reading this can relate to even a little bit of where I’m coming from, offer advice or even just laugh with me or at me, most importantly I look forward to hearing from you and sharing my story!

Love Becky x