Storm Courtney

The First Six Weeks

September 27, 2017September 27, 2017by stormyb84Leave a Comment

Six weeks has passed already! It’s amazing how quick the time goes! I wanted to share some of my learnings so far.

Postpartum healing

The first 2 weeks for me were the most difficult with healing. I was very impatient with pain and I had a natural delivery that also involved an episiotomy. What helped me was the perineum spray and padsticles that I made myself. I also used ice and painkillers that were safe while breastfeeding. I had a donut to sit on to help with pressure and I used the perineum spray after going to the toilet. By day 15 the pain was 90% better and by 3 weeks I would say I had no pain.

Support

I have my mother in law staying with us to help me and I cannot stress enough how much she has helped me. It’s imperative to have a support network for those first few weeks especially! You are healing, you will be sore, bruised, emotional and may be in pain. Then you have a new little human you are trying to look after. You are also trying to figure out feeding, sleep deprivation and adapting to your new life! If you can and if it’s an option, organize as much help as you can for as long as you can. Washing, chores, eating, showering and looking after yourself becomes a little bit of a luxury. You are able to do all these things if you have help.

Breastfeeding

I chose to breastfeed and thankfully my baby and I were able to make it work well for us. Although the first few days resulted in really sore nipples, blisters and I was in pain. I asked for a shield to help me initially and you do have access to a women’s physio that can give you laser therapy on your nipples! It doesn’t hurt and I got 3 sessions at the hospital – a few days later I had no pain and my nipples were healed! I thoroughly enjoy breastfeeding now. You can seek any women’s health physio for this service. I also use the shield every now and then when my baby cluster feeds.

Sleep Deprivation

You will be okay and you will sleep again. You still get to sleep it just may be broken up. Your body helps you by producing hormones to assist your ability to adapt. Some nights baby will sleep more and others less. It will pass and you will feel rested again.

The app “The Winder Weeks” is amazing. It’s great to know when your baby is experiencing developmental leaps and what to expect and what you can do to help your baby.

Postpartum Body

Your body will look different, you will still have a belly after birthing your bub but it will shrink slowly. I chose to use a belly support from Mamaway Your boobs will become bigger once your milk comes in ( usually takes 3-5 days) and you can feel hot and engorged. It may also feel like your getting the flu. When you breastfeed you may feel tummy pain! This is your uterus shrinking back into place. It will pass. Going to the toilet is not as scary as you may think. Just be patient and take your time. A cooling perineum spray or spritz bath will be soothing afterwards.

Baby Clothes

I used lots of zippy wonder suits those first few weeks! Buy ones with built in mittens and socks – even easier! I also loved separate tops and bottoms for sleep time. That way if baby needs a diaper charge during the night you don’t have to fully undress them. I also loved the Love to Dream sleep suits for sleep time and I used the Cocoonababy to help baby sleep and it’s easily portable to move around!

Let me know in comments if you wanted me to cover any other topics!

Stretch Marks

September 22, 2017September 22, 2017by stormyb84Leave a Comment

If you have been following me for a while, you will know I tend to be very organized and plan well ahead!

Preventing stretch marks was definitely on my list of things to try and avoid. My mum had stretch marks and many forums will tell you it is probably hereditary! I disagree.

Now, I already had stretch marks on my hips from when I was a teenager and I had gone through a growth spurt. They are white now and barely visible. So I was thinking there would be a good chance of me getting them during my pregnancy!

So here’s what I did!

I used Dove Triple Moisturizing Body Wash every shower
Applied Mio Tummy Rub Butter and Oil morning and night from end of trimester one
Applied The Stretch Serum in the last 8 weeks of trimester three
Drank 2.5lt of water daily during my pregnancy
Exercised

The result was I had no stretch marks at all during my pregnancy! However after bub was born I noticed I had four small marks on my belly ( hardly noticeable) which I’m okay with!

I had no stretch marks on my boobs until after my milk came in! They have come up around my nipples and underneath but I have heard from a lot of woman, they tend to go away after breastfeeding. However if not, I’m fine with that too.

I’m continuing with my creams now on my tummy and boobs and will for the next 4 months or so.

If I’m concerned about stretch marks at a later date I will get them lasered. Until then a spray tan covers them!

So all in all, even though I was very proactive with prevention and I’m happy with the outcome, I still have some stretch marks.

However, every woman and every body is different. Some women get them and some don’t, but there are lots of things you can do to prevent them or minimize them.

I look at my body and my marks now and I embrace them because I was able to create, nourish and bring a little human into the world and when you see their little faces, nothing else matters.

Much love xx

Nursery Drawer Organisation

Featuredby stormyb84Leave a Comment

There is so many ways you can organise drawers! For me personally I spent quite a bit of time deliberating the best way to do so. If you know me by now, you would know I do go through quite a process before I execute!

This was no different. I planned out what was going where and how the flow looked and felt to me and if it was going to bring ease into my life ( which is the most important factor).

My way may no suit everyone but I hope it gives you some inspiration or ideas if you don’t know where to start!

I decided to purchase my drawers separately, for a few reasons. First being they will be stored in my walk in robe and not on display in the nursery. Second the drawers that matched my cot and change table were nearly 10 times the price! So I went with IKEA and put them together myself ( If you managed to watch my insta story at the time it was a frustrating but empowering exercise).

What I used:

x 2 MALM Chest of Drawers IKEA

x 6 SKUBB Drawer Dividers IKEA

x 1 Pack Clear Mailing Labels ( If you want to label your drawers and/or Dividers ) Officeworks

x 4 Large Storage Baskets ( Use to store Nappies/Large size clothing/Bits and Pieces) Kmart

Chest of Drawers No.1 :

Sleep/Dream Suits and bibs
Socks, mittens and hats
Newborn
Wonder suits/All in ones
Tops/Sets/Shoes
Pants/Shorts

The first set of drawers are all clothing items. I decided to do a Newborn drawer to help make the first month easier – so I literally only use one drawer. Inside I have used the dividers to seperate by type of clothing. Singlets/basics/wonder-suits/sets.

With the other drawers I have gone by type of clothing, then into size and used the drawer dividers to label them for ease.

The dividers are great and you can change out the sizes easily and the labels are easily pulled off and transferred.

When little boo is out of his newborn clothes I will use that drawer for Sets ( for example) and go by size, like I have for the other drawers. Of course the clothing selection will get bigger so eventually it may be one drawer per type and you can opt out of using the dividers. They easily unzip and lay flat when not in use.

Chest of Drawers No.2 :

Towels
Face washers/ Burp cloths
Blankets
Linen ( For Cot/ Bassinet and Change table)
Baby Carriers
Storage

These ones are pretty self explanatory. I used the drawer dividers for the linen drawer so I can easily identify the differences. The last 2 drawers I have used for things like instructions/warranties/gifts that can’t be used as yet etc..

Hope this helps you! All in all think about how it works to make it easy for you and have FUN!

Hospital Bag Essentials

Featuredby stormyb84Leave a Comment

After adding and subtracting things for weeks I have finally packed my hospital bag!

To be honest Im taking a suitcase…..let me explain. I literally can’t sleep anywhere without my pillow! So that takes up one side already! I was always travelling for work and even if it was 2-3 nights stopover I would take my suitcase.

So its coming with me to the hospital! Now I tend to be a tad over organised and there may be some things that I may not use, however I am a believer in better to have and not use it, than to miss it.

The other thing to take in account is, Im not sure what path my birth may take, so I have enough to last me for 5 nights ( just in case).

That being said, if you want to go light – there will always be friends and family that can bring you things to the hospital.

I’ll link below some of the chosen items that I bought, that I will also be using postpartum.

I will also be taking in a small bag for the birthing suite, this is made up of some of the below, but mainly a change of clothes ( For after birth and shower), oils and flameless candle for birthing, snacks, laptop for hypnosis tracks, phone and charger ( will be on flight mode).

For Me:

x 10 Underwear Kmart

x 3 Maternity Bras B Free Australia

x 2 Sleep Bras

x 2 Wooly socks

x 3 Tights/comfy pants

x 1 Breast-feeding singlet Kmart

x 2 Comfy tops

x 2 Robe/Wraps from Bras and Things and Francis and Henry

x 1 Support Belly Band Mamaway

x 1 Button down sleep shirt Peter Alexander

x 1 PJ set Peter Alexander

For Baby:

x 4 Zippy Rompers Best and Less and Bonds

x 1 Swaddle Up Love to Dream

x 5 Singlets

x 1 Beanie and mittens

x 2 Socks

x 1 Muslin Wrap Aden and Anais

x 1 Blanket Anarkid

Other:

Pillow

Towel

Extra soft toilet paper and wet wipes

Travel Hair Dryer

Toiletries

x 2 Packs Maternity Pads

x 10 Breast Pads

Homemade Perineum spray and Essential Oil sprays for Labor

Laptop and changer

Snacks and Aquamamma

DIY Perineum Healing Spray and Padsicles

July 29, 2017July 29, 2017by stormyb84Leave a Comment

Being 38 weeks pregnant, my “nesting” and organization phase is well and truly underway!

So I also decided to make my own Perineum healing spray to help my postpartum.

The best thing about this spray is apart from being homemade, all natural and made with pure essential oils you can also use this to make “padsicles” which I will also post below.

This spray is designed to help with swelling, pain, toning and healing.

What you will need:

Glass Spray Bottle 100ml – I used Oils of Australia

Witch Hazel – I bought mine from Coles ( Acts as a toner and can be used on swollen body parts)

1 tbsp Aloe vera – I bought mine from Coles ( Used to cool/heal inflamed skin and relives swelling)

5-10 drops Lavender Essential Oil ( Aids in healing, relives inflammation and is antibacterial)

5-10 drops Frankincense Essential Oil ( Heals broken skin, irritation and tears)

5-10 drops Clary Sage Essential Oil ( Relieves pain, cramping and re-tone area)

What to do:

Fill up your bottle half way with Witch Hazel
Add in your Essential Oils
Add in Aloe Vera ( Optional – but this is great for an added cooling effect)
Shake
Top up with Witch Hazel
Keep in the fridge for added cooling effect

You can use this spray anytime to aid in discomfort and especially after going to the toilet. You can even spray on your sanitary pads when changing for an added cooling/healing effect.

How to Make Padsicles:

So now we have made the perineum cooling spray we can also use the same mixture to make padsicles, with a slight variation.

What you will need:

Perineum healing spray mixture ( as above)

Maternity Pads

1-2 tbsp Aloe Vera ( Per Pad)

Large plastic sandwich bags ( For freezer storage)

What to do:

Open up maternity pads and apply the Aloe Vera
Spray the pad with 12-15 sprays of the healing mixture
Fold the pad back up with the wings in last
Put the pad back into the original wrapper
Place in plastic bag
Place bag in freezer

Now you have some cooling, healing padsicles to use postpartum!

Change Table Organisation

July 26, 2017by stormyb84Leave a Comment

Finally I have set up all the bits and pieces I need for my change table! For those people that know me well, I tend to be highly organised, often times over the top.

So when it came to setting up my little boo’s room although I was excited, I know how I am – its a process! There is first a vision, followed by the pre planning, the draft plan, the approved plan, the execution and then the review! I am happy to say though Im pretty much finished!

I thought I would share the table setup for anyone else that needs inspiration!

I chose a white Boori change table to match my white/grey/natural themed nursery.

I also opted to buy a nappy caddy, I loved the idea of this due to the fact you can pick it up and take it to any room in the house to change your bub. I chose the ubbiworld white and grey nappy caddy that comes with a drawer and change mat.

The bubsfirst change mat was also an amazing find! I loved this for a few reasons! Its designed by mums and its unique to any other change mat cover. It was created to save time and hassle of nappy changes because it has a wipeable bottom half and a soft mink top half! It also comes in a range of colours to match any nursery.

I also opted for a mobile to be hung above the change table to help aid in distraction/stimulation for bub when its change time.

Baskets are available in all shapes and sizes, feature a handle on each side and are from my favorite place Kmart

Shelf 1:

My nappy caddy featuring, nappies, wipes, cotton buds, eco nappy balm, eco baby moisturiser, hand sanitiser and burp cloth ( especially for little boys – you can use the cloth when your mid change to avoid any accidents!)

Basket 1: Nappies

Basket 2: Burp cloths

Basket 3: Extra balm, moisturiser, cotton buds, massage oil, comb/brush, nail clippers

Shelf 2:

Basket 1: Swaddles and extra burp cloths

Basket 2: Thermometer, nasal aspirator, extra baby products

Basket 3: Wipes, nappy bags, disposable change mats

Maternity Shoot

July 21, 2017July 29, 2017by stormyb84Leave a Comment

I really wanted to share some thoughts around maternity shoots.

Being a first time mumma-to-be and embracing pregnancy as much as I could, I loved the idea of documenting my transition into motherhood!

It can be a bit uncomfortable watching your body change and grow and knowing that for the most part you don’t have any control! And even though it is a magical experience being able to grow a little human, a changing body, having extra weight, lumps and bumps can be disheartening at times.

So I decided early on I would do the best I could with exercise and nourishing my body and I started to put love into my body and embrace all the good and bad that came with it.

So loving the extra cellulite, the extra weight, the new love handles, the stretchy skin, the extra boobs ( winning) and the extra veins! Just to mention a few.

But as your bump grows, by the time I reached the 2nd and 3rd trimester I can honestly say I loved being pregnant! I felt strong, feminine, beautiful, bold and powerful. I think all pregnant women are so beautiful ( even if you don’t feel it yourself – you are) and I urge you to look at yourself and your growing body with love and fondness, its only such a short time in the scheme of things that were are growing our little humans and then they will be here!

I really loved doing my photo shoot and I felt so comfortable and confident in my own skin. However, a spray tan ( double coat) and getting my hair and makeup done definitely helps! Also choosing the right photographer to bring your vision to light is very important. You will have these photos forever!

So I empower you to document your own journey and get yourself some nice photos done. You don’t even have to share them with anyone, they could just be for you.

Photographer Blownout Imaging

Make up Artist Ashlieghs Artisty

Hair Stylist Meraki for Hair

Lingerie Honey Birdette and Gooseberry Intimates

White t-shirt and Black long open skirt Steph Audino

Nude Cover up Want my Look

Lots of love xx