The first trimester and being an ambassador for Natural Birthing Company

With a new bundle on the way later this year, I am sharing my journey all over again on here and I am also really excited to be an ambassador for Natural Birthing Company. Even though I have been through pregnancy, birth and baby before, every time is different, there’s always something new out there to try or learn and I feel new to it all again somehow. 

I am all about being prepared, so working with this lovely brand is a great way for me to do things a bit differently.

Here's a quick preview of my first guest post for them...

My first baby

I was lucky when I was pregnant with Ethan; everything went to plan, pretty much, and I enjoyed every stage. I didn’t really have morning sickness and apart from my aversion to giving blood (I always have a funny turn when they do it!) it all went along well. My labour experience wasn’t as positive unfortunately; I was kept and monitored for high blood pressure for several hours as the contractions strengthened and in the end, needed an epidural which then led to the need for assistance so a quick episiotomy and forceps delivery brought Ethan safely into the world. 

What I wasn’t fully prepared for was how I felt afterwards. I was keen to get home and well enough to be discharged in the late afternoon, and stumbled into the blur of having a newborn – and stitches ‘down there’ to care for. In the first week, along with sleep deprivation, which later brought on hallucinations, I knew the discomfort I was feeling couldn’t be right and took myself back to the hospital to find that my wound had an infection. Antibiotics and three dips a day in a bath with tea tree oil drops in helped things to heal nicely after this point, but I won’t ever forget how I felt within myself during those early days.

Preparing for baby 2

Fast-forward to now, and I will be honest and say that I do have some anxiety about labour. I loved being pregnant before and I am really embracing it again – not least because we had a miscarriage this time last year, at 13.5 weeks, and because ever since Ethan found out he was going to be a big brother, his excitement, care and attention has been so wonderful to see. I want to do more this time around to prepare myself mentally, physically and emotionally for the journey ahead and for bringing this baby into the world.

I know that things will work out, but the more I read, try and prep for, the better I feel, and working with Natural Birthing Company will help me discover new ways of approaching this whole having a baby thing.

Read my full guest post for Natural Birthing Company, all about my first trimester, on their blog.