baby life: pre-baby vs post-baby Bank Holiday weekend

Bank Holidays are a little lot different since becoming parents. Where we would previously have taken advantage of the extra day or two off work and gone away, spent an extra day/night out, safe in the knowledge of an extra lie in, we now have no security of a lie in and so the long weekend looked rather different. This post by Hurrah for Gin sums it up, I think...

Pre-baby boy Bank Holiday weekend, I would have woken up late on Friday morning. I would have languished in bed with my iPad - perusing social media. The hubby and I might have gone for a long leisurely brunch.

Post-baby boy Bank Holiday weekend, we were woken at 6.30 to the sound of baby babble. The baby boy is a chatterbox! Followed by a breastfeed and then on with the day. Which included sitting in the car with my iPhone - perusing social media. While the baby boy slept. Followed by a walk and a quick coffee and cake before the baby boy got too restless. 

Pre-baby boy Bank Holiday weekend, might have involved a boozy lunch, followed by an afternoon in a beer garden, or a walk with the hubby and a stop at a pub on the way home.

Post-baby boy Bank Holiday weekend, and we celebrate getting through the day and bedtime with a G&T at home. Just the one. To be honest, I'm more likely to have another on a "school night" as a day in the office is less hard work these days!

Pre-baby boy Bank Holiday weekend, we I would have enjoyed another lie in on Saturday morning. I'll be honest, the hubby isn't the best at lying in but he is good at bringing coffee and breakfast in bed! We might then have taken a day trip to explore a nearby town and have lunch out.

Post-baby boy Bank Holiday weekend, wasn't too different! We didn't enjoy a lie in but I did have coffee brought to me in bed while giving the baby boy a breastfeed. We then took a walk in the park and spotted steam trains! Followed by lunch out.

Some things don't change... Dessert of dreams...!!

The baby boy had lots of fun playing on the vintage tractor at the lunch venue.

Pre-baby boy Bank Holiday weekend, even getting dressed looked a lot different! I'd have been donning my glad rags in anticipation of catching up with my girlfriends over cocktails, or date night with the hubby. Maybe a jumpsuit with a pair of heels and statement earrings (oh how I dream of a big pair of statement earrings these days but I dare not wear them as the baby boy wants to grab everything!).

Post-baby boy Bank Holiday weekend, my attire is a little more practical - think wipe clean coated jeans (genius for mummies!!), a pair of trainers for running around after babies and the obligatory mummy-uniform striped top.

Pre-baby boy Bank Holiday weekend, Easter Sunday would have been spent eating my body weight in chocolate eggs and then snoozing it off in the afternoon, followed by a trip to the pub or out for dinner.

Post-baby boy Bank Holiday weekend, Easter Sunday was spent eating a lot of chocolate (maybe not quite as much as previously) and then getting the baby boy to snooze in the afternoon, followed by some playtime and then dinner for the baby boy before bed. Then the hubby and I snoozed on the sofa before an early night!

Pre- or post-baby boy Bank Holiday weekend, the Monday night blues are still very real! We had such a lovely weekend with our little Easter bunny and makes going back to work so much harder. But it's only four days until the weekend again!

*Disclaimer: This post is an entry in a competition for the Next Blogger Network.

style: #NextBonfireNight outfit

I love bonfire night - the cold that necessitates getting wrapped up, the warming bonfire, the sparklers, the fireworks and, most of all, a good excuse for everyone to be together, outside. I have wonderful memories of bonfire night celebrations in the village where I grew up. The evening would start with a lantern procession through the village with the Guy Falkes - all the way to the farm where there was a huge bonfire ready to be lit once the Guy was put on it. Then there'd be hot dogs and hot chocolate while we waited for the fireworks display.

Now that I have my own so, I'm looking forward to creating family traditions of our own that he will remember and cherish when he's grown up. He might be a bit too little yet to enjoy bonfire night and the fireworks this year so I think we'll be watching them from our window.

But if I was heading out on Saturday night, Next certainly has everything you need for bonfire night for all the family. Here's what I'd be wearing...

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Berry red is always a colour I love at this time of year - it reminds me of the turning leaves and the promise of Christmas. This loose fit jumper in berry is a stylish option for bonfire night - over the obligatory black skinny jeans. I love this cashmere cover-up as a very chic alternative to a winter coat. Then, just add a wooly bobble hat and cashmere gloves and you're all ready to watch the fireworks.

style: third trimester style

We're now just over three quarters of the way there! (Yesterday was 31 weeks.)

These photos were taken during week 30. My bump is feeling humongous! A feeling that has been confirmed at my antenatal appointment this morning. Apparently I am measuring quite a bit big and so may have to go for a growth scan. It sometimes seems to feel like each appointment brings up something else I hadn't thought of but I'm keeping an open mind as everything else has been unfounded. I'm really keen to give birth at our local midwife-led unit which is in our town (5 minutes from home!) but with each issue I keep being told, it might be that I have to go to the consultant led unit at the hospital a bit further away.

I am wearing: my new Dorothy Perkins maternity blouse (only £10 in the sale right now!), Next faux leather leggings and Clarks ankle boots.

During my second trimester I certainly preferred maternity trousers with an over the bump band but as my bump gets bigger and bigger I'm finding them more restrictive. These leggings from Next are under the bump and much more comfortable now.

I am wearing: Marks & Spencer breton tee, Next leggings and Clarks ankle boots.

style: never enough stripes

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a woman can never have enough stripes in her wardrobe."

Or so it would seem, if you take a peak inside my wardrobe! For me, they work in any and every situation. I can never have enough of them. Even my husband has started to comment now. My latest addition is this maternity dress from Next. Now that I have a proper bump I am embracing more bodycon styles and showing off my growing baby! This dress is really flattering as it seems to skim any lumps and bumps, other than the obvious one! The length is just right for the summer when I can wear it with bare legs and sandals. It will also see me beyond pregnancy as it has a layered top part to allow for nursing.

To be honest, I did buy this for later in my pregnancy but I'm getting so fed up with wearing the same things that I decided to bust it out. Obviously the lack of sleeves isn't ideal as it's still pretty chilly, even with the sun shining. So I decided to layer up, adding a cardigan...

And also adding a spring scarf....

I am wearing: Next maternity dress, Primark cardigan and H&M scarf (a few seasons ago).

style: re-working your non-maternity wardrobe

Pregnancy can be an expensive time with all of the things you need to buy in readiness for your soon-to-arrive baby, as well as the maternity clothes. So I've been finding myself re-working non-materity pieces in an effort to create new outfits without spending too many pennies.

First up is a workwear look I wore this week to the office:

The top is maternity but the pencil skirt is a stretchy jersey number from my pre-pregnancy days - I just pulled it up halfway over my bump. It was actually really comfortable and a really easy way to re-work my wardrobe with my new shape!

I am wearing: Marks & Spencer maternity/nursery t-shirt, H&M jersey tube skirt and Topshop pumps.

The next look was over the bank holiday weekend - when the sun made a very welcome, if a little brief, appearance. I spotted @amothersedit on Instagram wearing her denim jacket and immediately dived into my wardrobe to hunt out last year's summer jacket purchase!

I'm not huge on double denim but the jacket goes perfectly with my faux leather leggings which I'm still loving as an alternative to my jeans.

I am wearing: Mango denim jacket, Primark tee, Next faux leather leggings and Superga trainers.

style: Next maternity jeans

I bought my first piece of maternity clothing at 14 weeks. It felt like it was really early but my skinny jeans were feeling very skinny and as I was still suffering from nausea, I wanted something that felt more comfortable around my middle. So my first maternity purchase was a pair of jeans and they were a revelation. A friend of mine who was nearing the end of her pregnancy at the time said she’d gone out at 14 weeks and bought new jeans, a size up from usual, only to then have to buy maternity jeans a few weeks later. I figured I may as well save my pennies and just take the plunge!

I've tried two different brands so far: H&M and Next.

The Next jeans (that I'm wearing in these photos) are more of a geniune denim which makes them a little less stretchy but the big bonus of the Next jeans is that they come in different leg lengths! For a short girl, different leg lengths is a must! I usually have to do a DIY turn up job on my jeans! The Next jeans also have a button on the lower waistband - in addition to the over the bump band.

Next (!!) up, I want to get a pair of their black leggings style jeans which I think will be a little more flexible.

I'm wearing: Next maternity jeans, Matalan maternity top (I love the scooped hem of this top - plus it was only £8!), Mango leather jacket (like cardigans, I'm making use of pre-maternity jackets and just not doing them up) and Superego trainers.

*Disclosure: I was sent the Next maternity jeans to try but all views are my own.

style: leather maternity leggings

I've always loved the leather legging look but never found the right pair. Maybe I need to look at real leather but, for me, they always seem so expensive! Then I got pregnant and found the perfect faux pair! These were totally a spur of the moment "add to basket" that I didn't give much thought to. I was ordering some maternity swimming costumes to try from the Next clearance when I spotted these leggings and figured I had nothing to loose. All of my other maternity trousers/leggings have been over the bump style so, again, I was unsure about these.

But the minute I tried them on, I knew they were for keeps! They have just the right amount of elastic in to hug my legs but also mean that they are easy to put on. The under the bump band also works fine - although I'll reserve judgement to see if they last for the latter stages of pregnancy.

Plus, Next do different leg lengths for their maternity wear, which for a shortly like me is a godsend! We don't all grow taller just because we're getting wider!!

If you're looking to splurge, these Dover Maternity Leather Leggings by Isabella Oliver are just the ticket.

If you're on a budget, these Next maternity coated leggings are just £12!

I'm loving my faux leather leggings by Next - they are so easy to style. I'll be dressing them up for the evening with a lace top for evening and a pair of embellished flats (or heels if you fancy). For day, I'll be teaming the leggings with an oversized shirt and crisp white trainers:

Images via Pinterest here and here