SENSSE Silicone Facial Cleansing Brush and SENSSE Hot and Cool Toning Bar - review

I am a huge fan of natural skincare - but if I can use this alongside a bit of non-invasive, non-surgical technology then even better! I have posted previously about my experiences with non-surgical facelifts in salon, but I am always on the lookout for products which can be used at home as part of a regular skincare regime.
 

I was recently given the opportunity to try out the SENSSE™ Silicone Facial Cleansing Brush  and also the SENSSE™ Hot and Cool Toning Bar.

Coping with PGP, SPD and Pelvic pain in Pregnancy

PGP (Pelvic Girdle Pain), SPD (Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction)  and general pelvic pain during pregnancy is really common. As many as 1 in 5 women can be affected and it is often all thanks to a lovely little hormone called 'relaxin' produced during pregnancy which causes the ligaments in the pelvis to relax. 
 Pelvic Girdle Pain can be incredibly painful and may have a big impact on your every day life during your pregnancy - not just because of the pain, but also the difficulties it can cause in carrying out every day tasks such as walking, lifting, sleeping etc.
If like me, you suffered in your first pregnancy, the chances are it will start earlier and probably feel more severe with each subsequent pregnancy - sorry!

With Arthur, I really struggled during my third trimester and eventually had to stop driving. This time around, the symptoms started as early as 9 weeks pregnant - when I fell down the stairs as my legs just gave way from lack of support. Steadily, it has got worse and I now have a set of crutches to help me walk around - which doesn't happen very often because it is just too painful! PGP or SPD is not easy to deal with, but it can feel almost impossible when you also have a very lively 2 year old to care for!

I certainly haven't found a cure, but there are a few treatments and products available, many of which I couldn't do without, which do make this condition more manageable and a little easier to cope with...If you are suffering from PGP or SPD I hope you find this list useful, and perhaps get a little relief from your symptoms!

Testing for Group B strep in Pregnancy with Strepelle

It's July, which means not only is this Group B Strep awareness month, I am also over 35 weeks pregnant - the perfect time to test for GBS (Group B Streptococcus). Group B Strep is the most common cause of life-threatening infections in newborn babies, causing meningitis, sepsis and pneumonia. Most of these infections could be prevented, but the U.K. Is one of the only developed countries in the world which does not routinely test for Group B Strep and many pregnant women haven't even heard of it! Have you?

One in four women carry it and one baby a week dies of the infection. Being a carrier doesn't automatically mean that your baby will be poorly - however, there is a risk that GBS can pass to your baby during childbirth, which can create serious and life threatening complications. Knowing your level of risk means that you can be prescribed medication in time for labour in order to keep your baby safe.

When the birth of a new life means saying goodbye to another...

Back at the start of 2015, having waited 15 days past my due date for the moment to finally arrive, I gave birth to my first child - Arthur. It was a joyous and yet overwhelming experience, filled with awe and wonder and also many, many moments of 'new parent fear'. 

Family and friends came from far and wide to meet this lovely new little person, and watch carefully as we tried to put together some semblance of normal life amidst the sleep deprivation, constant feeding and numerous nappy changes. Feelings of happiness combined with anxiety became the new normal and we shuffled along between us in a state of shock and survival, until 2 weeks later when paternity leave was over and it was time for me to do this mother and baby thing alone.....I'll admit, I got as far as closing the front door behind him, my darling husband, before bursting into tears and sobbing my way back up the stairs, baby in arms, already counting down the minutes until he would be home from work.