Self-esteem

Low Self-Esteem

Low self-esteem is the set of negative beliefs you have and low confidence within yourself. Low self-esteem involves the yearning of being approved by people other than yourself.

Causes of Low Self-Esteem

Causes of low self esteem can vary from person to person. Having researched many journals on self esteem, it is said it could have stemmed from child hood events and life experiences. It could be the outcome of broken down relationships and being abused.

As for fellow mummy bloggers, physical and lifestyle changes can impact the way you feel and think about yourself. A lack of motivation can be felt when seeing the physical changes in your body. Many women feel it from pregnancy as control of your own body is limited, stretch marks may form and the state of the body after giving birth may be unexpected.

Your pre-pregnancy clothes may still not be able to fit you and your maternity wear may be too lose as a cause of not having your bump anymore. This will soon pass! By the first six weeks had passed I had lost a lot of belly fat. By three months it was back to my normal size. Exercise was needed from here. Staying at home and having lack of sleep can affect your motivation and drive as you are completely thrown into the deep end of it! As months pass, it will be easier. Others suggest to attend playgroups to meet other mothers who may feel isolated. Or talk to someone close around you, letting things off your chest may be enough to make you feel better!

Low self esteem is not classed as a mental health issue but can be a factor impacting the state you are in. It can impact the relationships you have with close people around you as trust issues and negativity can cloud your daily thoughts as an outcome of low self esteem. As a cause of this, you could also develop depression.

Activities to gain back Self-Esteem

Activities to gain back self esteem include putting your drive and motivation back in gear.

Noting down what may make you feel down and how you can resolve this is a good way of getting into the nitty gritty of why you may have low self esteem. Writing it down can make it clearer for you as well.

Writing down a list of things you like about yourself could boost your esteem and realise you like more things about yourself than you think. This list doesn't have to just include your physical features but could include your talents as well.

Talking and writing down your thoughts.

Exercise, diet and sleeping well can also help.

Remember...

Self-esteem is down to you and your thoughts. Remember that selfesteem can only be found within yourself. Therefore, do not seek approval or happiness from others as you must find your drive and motivation to love yourself again. It will happen, but it will take time, and in your time is the best time :)

 

Written by Chic Toddlers. Posted with Blogsy.

Zara BabyGirl Leggings for SALE!

Zara BabyGirl Leggings perfect for the spring/summer season.

Used, excellent condition.

Size: 9-12 months

For more products and great bargains visit our eBay page ChicToddlers.

"Buy Now" button has been removed as item is
SOLD OUT!

Written by Chic Toddlers. Posted with Blogsy.

Introduction to Fitness and Self-Esteem Season

To all my fellow bloggers and followers,

Over the next few weeks I will be posting information and advice mainly on post partum fitness and general self esteem issues.

I will be starting with SELF ESTEEM! -targetted for all females, making pointers of course, for mummies and mummies to be. I will be targeting the issues and reasons which may cause low self esteem, how we can over come this and information on how the media and society, as well as our intimate contacts can have a massive impact on this!

FITNESS will focus on areas including diet, exercise and motivation. I will be giving advice based on my personal experience in post partum fitness.

Join us this season and let's all get fit and motivated. We're doing this for US!

Chic Toddlers x

 

Written by Chic Toddlers. Posted with Blogsy.

Coming Soon...

 

Fitness and Self-Esteem Season

 

Written by Chic Toddlers. Posted with Blogsy.

Review: Lansinoh Lanolin Nipple Cream

This is review will be the first of this blog. It's been a while since I have written one so here it goes...

Whilst breastfeeding, it is common to experience the pain of having cracked nipples. My case was not as bad as those that I've heard develop into mastitis but they did hurt at times. After having done research for the most natural nipple creams, Lansinoh Lanolin Nipple Cream was the one I kept stumbling upon so took to myself to purchase the product and try it out for myself. They say they make the most natural cream and it is safe for both mama and baby's skin. It is so natural that it does not need to be removed before baby feeds.

I instantly noticed the packaging; from they colours and material, I thought they were very appealing to the eye. The lilac making it very feminine and the shiney box giving the impression it would be of good quality. I liked the material the tube was made in as it seemed solid.

Before applying the cream I always washed/wiped, cleaned and dried the nipple area. When first supplying the cream I was surprised to notice that it was a thick gel/petroleum jelly like texture. It is also clear. In needed to massage the tube a little before being able to get some out. I realised I often applied a bit too much at times when I squeezing out the cream. Try about a pea sized amount first then apply more there after.

Instantly I noticed it was very soothing and worked much faster than I had thought. The only pain I would experience was when baby would first latch on. This was due to the nipple still healing from being cracked. After the first few feeds the baby would take after latching on, the pain was gone. I would wipe the area clean after and also baby's mouth before reapplying the nipple cream. It did not affect baby at all after feeding with the cream on.

I only went through about I think two of these tubes of cream, with not even finishing my last one. It worked as I said within days and thought it was so amazing. It definitely helped me and thought it was of such great quality. It is an amazing product and I would recommend this to anyone who has experienced cracked nipples. Stay strong and keep persevering! Remember it's all for our babies. The pain is only temporary and soothes after they start feeding. If you think your situation/pain and breasts are of a worse condition seek your doctor and ask them advice on products.

This was not a PR collaborated review. All opinions are honest and of my own.

Written by Chic Toddlers. Posted with Blogsy.

Breast feeding and the Oh So Dreaded Engorgement!

Breast feeding is not as easy as it looks! This is what I soon found out after giving birth...

Skin to skin contact with baby was encouraged as soon as she was born. If you do decide to breastfeed it is encouraged you do straight away as colostrum is produced. I didn't see much of it as it comes in small amounts. It is however one of the most important nutrients given to your newborn.

Milk does not for some mums come straight away. I had to wait a couple of days until it started to flow. Very little was produced during the first few days to where I had to give my baby some formula! I tried to express but still did not have enough, (no one told me it would at first be painful!) I was so worried that if I gave her formula she would not latch on to me anymore. However, she did and formula was used temporarily as a top up in the first few weeks.

Almost a week and a half later after giving birth, I experienced engorgement! Oh it was terrible for me. I was so frightened as I thought I was having a fit as a cause of my pre-eclampsia (as mentioned in my previous post). I was shaking uncontrollably and my body had a sudden rush of cold throughout. I felt too weak to move but when I managed to, I put extra layers on and my partner poured me a drink of cola as he quickly researched what could relieve it. It soothed me down and I soon stopped shaking. I felt like the sugar rush gave me energy to cope with the weak feeling that rushed all over me. I was exhausted so wrapped myself warm and all of a sudden sweated it out. Yes, my body felt like it was over heating but it felt so much better. The best relief after this was when I started breast feeding my baby. Every time my breasts engorged as painful and excruciating as it was, it was the only thing that could relieve the pain.

Some women may not be aware, as I was not at the time, that your breasts may engorge at seperate times. Do not fear, the other will engorge too! They will be the same size or similar to each other!! (Lol) some say when they experienced engorgement they developed a temperature too. I experienced engorgement several times and it often surprised me as I was breastfeeding regularly. Each time, I would go through the same symptoms and the only relief was when baby fed.

Now, when I was breastfeeding my breasts would refill after feeding baby. If I was not around and several hours passed, they would suddenly go very hard and I'd experience an aching feeling. I also had to wear breast pads as I sometimes leaked. It is a good tip to time and divide how much you feed the baby and each breast for them to stay level in amount and appearance. This goes per feed.

After talking to several mums who breastfeed, they expressed their distress of the appearance of their breasts after baby had fed. They would appear to sag but this is because they had been emptied as baby drank milk but would fill up again after a while as they conform to baby's needs and the amount they drink.

I researched many sites about the appearance of breasts after feeding baby and seeked advice from family. Many told me that they would go back to how they were. It was hard to believe at first! Online, they said that they may sag a little but not to the extreme as many women may imagine. This is because six months after breastfeeding they say breasts go back the same due to fat tissues building back up as they were. I must say before those six months were up they returned back to the shape they were before.

I encourage any mum to breastfeed. It may be hard in the beginning but once you get into the flow of things and see the results, it will all be worth it. It was the greatest feeling knowing that she was growing and striving so healthily because of me! It makes you appreciate how amazing the body can be.

If you are unhappy with how they look, chest exercises are a good way to naturally lift them. Many I found on YouTube, as I wanted to work on my body as a whole. Due to the amount they grow and shrink it is natural for them to be less perky but not saggy! Extreme sagginess is caused at times by damage in the tissue.

Remember there is no excuse for us! Aim high, aim for your body to be even better to what is was before giving birth. Giving birth is a wonderful thing. You have given life, you have brought life into the world. Giving birth makes your body so much more "womanly", so much more feminine.

Embrace it, work on it then show it off!

I will soon be blogging in April about Post-partum fitness and Self-esteem! So watch this space...

 

Written by Chic Toddlers. Posted with Blogsy.

Pre-Eclampsia

Pre-eclampsia affects both mum and baby. The cause for pre-eclampsia is currently unknown. When someone has the condition, the only cure for it is to deliver the baby. This is due to the fact that the placenta is not functioning as it should be; blood flow lessens between mum and baby. Therefore making it a risk for the baby and mother's health. Midwives told me that this was due to the fact that my baby was quite smaller.

Pre-eclampsia is hard to tell by symptoms. Physical symptoms include the swelling of hands, feet and face - oedema. I had noticed this in my pregnancy but was never diagnosed with pre-eclampsia. It was at one of my routine antenatal checks that they discovered that I had very high blood pressure and protein in my urine.

This led to me being immediately taken to the emergency maternity ward where they carried out more checks. They monitored the baby's heartbeat, my blood pressure, tests on my knees, took some bloods and checked my urine again. My legs were slightly raised to try and ease the swelling. I was seen by the doctor shortly after being referred to the HDU where he said pre-eclampsia gave me a high risk of having fits due to the high blood pressure and that they would be inducing me after monitoring my blood pressure and giving me medication to try and lessen and maintain it. They also took note of now much urine I passed and how much water was being consumed.

So please make sure you go to your antenatal checks!!!

After giving birth, baby and I were healthy. My blood pressure was monitored over night again where I was given medication to try and bring it down. When I was taken into the maternity ward my blood pressure was checked every couple of hours instead of being strapped to the monitor all day. I was given the same medication at this ward and was discharged by the doctor and prescribed the medication as soon as my bp was back to normal.

Luckily, with my experience baby and I were healthy and I did not experience any fits. The swelling had gone down incredibly shortly after giving birth. My legs were kept slightly raised and "special" knee high length socks were given to me to wear. (I can't for the sake of me remember what they were called lol). Before the swelling had gone down they got really worse...

Wise words of the doctor who had discharged me were: "Things will get worse before they get better"

She advised me that during my next pregnancy I would have to be monitored closely in case I get pre-eclampsia again and that my bp should be checked every now and again.

For further information, please visit the NHS website as I found this extremely useful on the facts about pre-eclampsia that explains it so much better medically!

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Pre-eclampsia/Pages/Introduction.aspx

Written by Chic Toddlers. Posted with Blogsy.