can I take baby food on a flight as hand luggage? and other questions when flying with a baby

Ahead of our first flight with our baby boy, I had so many questions and reservations. This was our first trip abroad since the baby boy arrived nearly 10 and a half months ago. I was so nervous about our trip, I had no idea how the baby boy would cope with the flight, how I would fit everything in the suitcase, would I forget something vitally important, would we be able to do the things we usually enjoyed?

We had a wonderful holiday and didn't feel like we had to give up doing all of the things we used to enjoy. If anything, we did more and actually relaxed a little more too - due to the baby boy's bedtime. However, I did start writing this in our Airbnb in Copenhagen but like most things these days, I never had a chance to finish it.

1. First things first, if you are taking baby food in your hand luggage make sure that you separate out any pouches/jars. You'll need those that are over 100g and those under 100g, grouped separately. You can still take bigger amounts but you'll save time if they're not in a bag with smaller jars/pouches. (Learn from my mistake!!) When I checked online, it said that I could take enough for the journey. I actually took three meals worth and got through fine but they were Aldi pouches so I wouldn't have been heartbroken if I'd had to leave one behind.
2. Ask airline staff for extras. Our flight out was an evening flight so I fed the baby boy on take-off and he snoozed and fed in my arms for the entire flight. It wasn't until the flight home that the staff offered me pillows and blankets. Lesson learned, next time I will ask for these straight away. Worst case scenario, they don't have them but if they do, bonus!
3. A baby carrier is a must. On our way out we were able to keep our buggy until the gate but even then, it was invaluable being able to put the baby into the carrier to get on the aeroplane. And on our return journey, we had to check in the buggy with our suitcases, making the carrier even more of an essential.
4. If your little one if old enough, bring snacks and toys and anything else you can think of to entertain them. I think a flight is the one time you need to throw caution to the wind and use whatever tactics possible to make it as stress free for everyone involved. A shout out to SAS airlines who we flew with - they provided a lovely little picture book and soft toy for the baby boy to play with (and take home after) - such a nice touch.
5. Finally, don't stress out if your little one does cry or get upset or doesn't sleep. Our plan on the way out was for the baby boy to feed as we took off, sleep for the flight and then transfer to his buggy and he'd sleep again on the journey to our apartment. In reality, he slept for about half an hour and was awake for the rest of the time! But it was fine. We went with it and tried not to sweat it too much!

Anyone else got any tips for flying with little ones? We're flying with our little boy later in the year and this time I don't think he'll be quite so immobile which I think might be a little more of a challenge - any tips for that gratefully received!!

what's in my changing bag?

Call me nosy but I've always loved a "what's in my bag" post - and now that I'm a mum, I enjoy the parent-friendly version, "what's in my changing bag". So I thought I would share the contents of my changing bag. I wasn't sure that I really wanted a traditional looking changing bag, so I'm currently using an H&M handbag I already had which had a waterproof lining. Later this week, I'll be posting some of the changing bags I've found that don't look like changing bags. For now, back to the contents of my bag:

• First up, nappies. Of course! I usually carry between three and six nappies - you never know! 
• Muslins are great for all manner of things - moping up, covering up, sun shade. I have at least two in my changing bag at any time - as well as a couple in every room of the house! The star muslin pictured is from Primark and the elephant one from Morrisons - I really like monochrome muslins.
• As I'm using a "normal" bag, I needed a change mat. I found this Munchkin nappy change kit in Aldi and it's great as it's got so a few pockets and a detachable change mat (see below for the contents).
• The Cath Kidston bag keeps some of the smaller bits I carry with me in one place - the contents are shown below.

• Baby wipes are essential for any parent. We're using these Water Wipes at the moment.
• I also carry nappy bags so that I can easily dispose of nappies. They also come in handy for soiled outfits!

• Inside me Cath Kidston bag, I carry sunscreen for both baby and me, a tinted lip balm (this is about as much make up as I manage to wear these days!), hand gel (in case there isn't anywhere to wash my hands after a change) and nail scissors.

• A spare outfit is essential - and used on a regular basis for us! The sunhat is left over from sunnier days this summer!
• I carry my purse - obviously!
• I also carry a notebook and pencil case so that when the baby boy and I are out during the day and stop for a coffee break, I can write some blog posts (or reminders!) to follow up later.

I've recently bought this carabiner clip from eBay to my pram - it's great for keeping things close at hand, like a bag, or an umbrella.

What do you carry in your changing bag? Anything I've missed?

#3things: helping me to fake the 8 hours sleep look

The baby is sleeping really well - for a four week old. But the breastfeeding means that I'm up two or three times a night - and have been for the past month. So right about now, I'm not looking too fresh come the morning. So I've found a few things that help to fake it - and I thought I'd share them.

1. Washing my hair (and even just showering) is proving difficult with a newborn who doesn't like to be left on his own for even a second while I jump in the shower! So I've been relying on dry shampoo A LOT. This Extreme Volume dry shampoo by CoLab (which comes from a collaboration with Ruth Crilly of A Model Recommends) is my newest find - it smells divine and helps to rejuvenate my hair - even after four days!
2. Mascara is a must for making me look awake in the mornings. An eyelash curler really helps too. Right now I'm loving this Limited Edition Bourjois Tropical Festival Volume Clubbing mascara (which is on offer right now) - it really helps to curl my lashes and makes my eyes look wide awake (or a little awake!).
3. Finally, this Rimmel London Sculpting Palette by Kate Moss is a new addition to my make up bag and I totally love it. I wanted to try it for a while and picked it up as a little treat earlier this week. I've not actually used it to contour yet (no time!) but I have been using the highlighter and blusher every day this week and both give me a lovely glow.

Any other tips for looking awake after a night of newborn feeds and nappy changes?

beauty: No7 lovely lips lip balm

As summer arrives (here's to hoping!), protecting your lips from the sun is as important as protecting the rest of your body. Unlike your skin, your lips contain almost no melanin so they really do need that extra care and attention to keep them healthy.

SPF lip care is essential and No7 is on hand with its newest lip product: the new Lovely Lips Lip Balm with SPF15 which will nourish and condition lips all day, as well as protecting them against harmful UV rays.

You can also wear it under one of the four new gorgeous shades of the No7 Lovely Lips Lip Balms. All of these moisturising balms are enriched with mineral oil, beeswax and vitamin E for extra condition and care.

The sheer, buildable colour helps you perfect that natural look - which is great, if, like me, you're not a huge fan of full-on lipstick. Using the SPF lip balm underneath the colour definitely tones down the shade.

I was kindly sent three of the new shades to try out:

I was really impressed with just how moisturising these balms are - I've thrown the SPF lip balm into my hospital bag for when our baby arrives! And I'll be using the coloured shades to add a pop of colour when I'm tired and pale after the baby arrives!

No7 Lovely Lips Lip Balms in Poppy Petal, Parisian Pink, Deep Raspberry and Coral Blossom and the No7 Lovely Lips Lip Balm SPF15 are available in Boots stores now for £9 - and remember, they're currently offering their £3 off No7 make-up vouchers, so you can get one for just £6 right now. Plus, it's buy one, get one free - so you can get the SPF balm and a colour for just over a tenner!

beauty: SEVENTEEN brow's that! brow kit

Eyebrows are big right now. That's both in size and popularity. I have had a few emails in my inbox recently about how eyebrow products are set to rival mascaras.

Last week, in my first ever make-up tutorial video, I showed how to use the No7 Beautiful Eyebrow Kit. Today, it's the turn of the SEVENTEEN Brow's that! Brow Kit. The SEVENTEEN version is less than half the price - and with the addition of the eyebrow pencil, it offers a bit more. My only preference from the No7 kit is that the powder comes in two shades and it has a double ended brush, as well as a mascara style wand to neaten brows. But for less than £6, the SEVENTEEN kit is ideal.

You'll see from my before photo that as a teenager, I got my hands on my mum's tweezers and totally wrecked my brows - they are nearly non-existent by the ends! They barely show up in photos and I'm always a bit embarrassed about that. But this kit makes them a lot stronger.

The kit comes with an instruction card - always useful, particularly if you're unsure.

1. Start with the brow pencil and using small strokes, fill in any gaps. You can also use the pencil to create the shape you want. I like to fill in my tadpoles so that the inner corner isn't so pronounced. 
2. Next, use the wax on your brush to set your lashes. I'll be honest, I have a brow brush (like this one by Real Techniques) that I used for the wax and to get my actual brow hairs in line.
3. Then use the brown powder to add a little more colour and definition. Finally, you can use the highlighter right under the brows.

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style: full term and maternity leave

On Monday I was officially full term - 37 weeks. Yesterday I started my maternity leave. I'm not going to lie, this heat is the worst when you're pregnant. My feet are like balloons - I don't have ankles anymore! Sleep - which is not easy during pregnancy anyway - it now completely elusive. So I am glad to have finished work and am able to nap during the day now. But apart from napping, what else am I meant to be doing while I'm on maternity leave and before the baby arrives? Everyone keeps telling me to enjoy this time. But apart from enjoying it - how should I go about doing that? Any suggestions welcomes!

This is dress is from New Look. I bought it for a wedding we went to a few weeks ago. I searched high and low for something to wear that I would feel comfortable in and that wouldn't cost the earth (you might remember this post?). I found a fair few that ticked the first box but were very pricey. This dress was really well priced and wasn't so dressy that I couldn't wear it again over the last remaining weeks of my pregnancy and really get my money's worth. Maxi dresses are all I'm living in right now.

top tips: 5 ways to stay cool in the summer when pregnant

Turns out that the summer heat and sunshine can be particularly challenging when you're pregnant. I thought I’d share some tips for staying cool.

Summer definitely arrived this weekend in the UK. What a difference a week makes. Ridiculous to think that I was in huge jumpers and sheepskin boots last weekend and this weekend we were firing up the BBQ!

I love the sunshine and the summer heat – the minute the sun is out I am out in the garden and refusing to leave. Being pregnant in the heat is a totally different matter though. Yesterday I managed a couple of hours outside, before heading in for an epic nap.

With seven weeks still to go, I thought I’d share my tips from the weekend for staying cool in the heat when pregnant:

1. Find shade or head indoors. A parasol will be your new best friend if you’re pregnant in the summer. Usually I’d happily lie out in the sun for hours but this weekend, I hid under the parasol while we ate lunch and then headed inside to try to keep cool.
2. Drink lots. I’ve been drinking loads of water already during my pregnancy but when it’s hot outside, it’s even more important to drink more.
3. Use sunscreen. I always use sunscreen anyway but when you’re pregnancy it’s even more important as your skin is much more sensitive.
4. Wear loose clothing. If you’re anything like me, you’ll find anything tight around your bump is so uncomfortable in the heat. I’d already bought myself a couple of maxi dresses and was so glad of these at the weekend.
5. Stick your feet in cold water. When I was outside for our BBQ at the weekend, I managed to stay a little longer with the help of a washing up bowl filled with cold water!

Anyone else got any tips for staying cool in the heat when you’re pregnant?

3 things: helping me look awake!

If you’re working through the pregnancy you’ll know that, particularly in those first few months, when you don’t want to tell anyone but when you’re likely feeling your most tired and possibly nauseous, getting to the office and looking reasonable is a big deal. Here are a few of things that got me through my first trimester – when I was feeling really poorly. And are still helping me to look awake now, nearly into my third trimester!

1. Under eye concealer. Sickness, headaches and exhaustion are some of the slightly less glamorous effects of early and later pregnancy. And with these come tell tale dark circles. Fake it, with an under eye concealer. I use No7’s Instant Radiance Under Eye Concealer – so easy to apply with a built in brush system and a part of the Match Made collection so it will be matched to your skin tone.
2. Fake a glow. Almost immediately that I found out I was pregnancy my skin got really really dry (see my post here). The fatigue also means that my face often looks a bit dull too. To combat this I’ve been faking a healthy looking glow with Dior Diorskin Nude Tan Bronzing Powder (this was a treat to myself before my honeymoon last summer!).
3. Go bold. It’s the oldest trick in the box – wearing a bright lipstick to take the attention away from the rest of your face. I love MAC’s orange-red Lady Danger for a real pop.

top tips: 5 products you need to style a fringe

A fringe is a great way to create a new look without loosing any length in your hair style. If you've taken the leap and had a fringe cut, you might suddenly be wondering how you style it and what you need to style it.  I blogged about my inspiration and ideas for a fringe at the weekend.

I realised that once the baby arrives I will have little no time to wash my hair, let alone style it. So I decided that three months out from the big due date, I would mix up hair style a bit and add a fringe. I've had a fringe before and know that they take a little extra attention so thought that while I was still able, I'd change it up.

There are a few tools and products that really help when it comes to a fringe:

1. Hair dryer. Even if, like me, you're unable to give yourself anything close to a professional blow dry, your fringe will be somewhere you can excel. I'm rubbish at blow drying my hair but I am ok at my fringe. I tend to clip the top layer of my fringe back and then blow dry the bottom layer first. Make sure to point the nozzle down the hair from the roots. Dry to one side and then to the other side, to ensure it moves freely.
2. Round brush. I swear by my large round brush to give my fringe a good amount of bounce. As I'm blow drying the fringe, I use this underneath the layers. I swear by my Denman Head Hugger brush for this - it also helps to blow dry the sides of my hair well too.
3. Straighteners. If I want my fringe to last all day, rain or shine, I run the straighteners over my fringe too. It helps to "finish" the look.
4. Dry shampoo. Your fringe sits right on your forehead, right where you'll likely have applied day cream, foundation and possibly even powder. You might also, like me, find yourself playing with your new fringe more than normal. All of this equates to a quickly greasy fringe. Yuck! Dry shampoo is a godsend. Keep a small can in your handbag for daytime touch ups, if necessary. I love Batiste dry shampoo for their really affordable collection and extensive fragrance range.
5. Grooming brush. Keep a grooming brush handy throughout the day to keep your fringe looking smooth and sleek. Also, you'll find your new fringe is a little susceptible to any gusts of wind. Denman grooming brushes are my favourite - they offer a really affordable collection. If you're after something more high end, you could try Mason Pearson who are famous for their grooming brushes.
6. Hair spray. Ok, so that makes six - I know! But if you find your fringe is splitting during the day, spritz a little hair spray over it and it should stay as you want it all day.

beauty: moisturise, moisturise, moisturise

My skin - up until about five and a half months ago - was always fairly "normal". Never too oily or too dry. I didn't often need to use a moisturiser - although I did at night. Ever since being pregnant, my skin has become soooo dry. On my face, on my legs, on my arms - everywhere. Nowhere has been safe from the dryness.

This, combined with the fear of stretch marks, has meant a whole overhaul of my skincare routine. No longer can I remove my make-up and maybe remember to put some moisturiser on my face before falling into bed, or get up in the morning, have a shower and get dressed. I've had to make time for a whole lot of moisturising.

Over on my style and beauty blog, I blogged about the Boots No7 Early Defence collection a while ago. This is still the best moisturiser I've tried yet. I particularly love the night cream but now, the day cream works well too. I can't skip day cream under my make-up anymore otherwise it cakes like never before.

For the rest of me, I'm currently loving the Norwegian Formula Visibly Renew Elasti-Boost Body Lotion. First of all, the pump action dispenser saves time and second, the formula is light and absorbs quickly - so important for getting dressed quickly in the morning.

I'm using this on my bump too in the mornings but for the evenings I've been slathering on Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Massage Lotion For Stretch Marks. Like the original Cocoa Butter, this lotion is thick and highly scented. It feels luxurious but is a bit much for all day - for me.

*Disclosure: I was sent the No7 Early Defence creams and Norwegian Formula lotion to try out. All views on these are my own - in fact, I have re-bought both since running out!

top tips: travelling when pregnant

Our recent trip to Rome last weekend was planned before I found out I was pregnant, so once it transpired that I would be about 5 months in, our plans had to change a little. Here are my top tips for travelling when pregnant:

1. Check with your airline on their policy for flying pregnant ladies. Most will be fine with you travelling until you’re beyond 30 weeks but many will want a letter from your midwife or a “Fit to Fly” form filled in. For me, Ryanair wanted one for those over 28 weeks.
2. Let your insurance company know. It may incur a charge but this is better than something happening and then finding out that you’re not covered.
3. If you’re travelling in Europe, make sure your EHIC card is in date and that you pack it!
4. When you’re on the plane, make sure to wear a pair of compression socks and get up and walk about as much as possible – at least once an hour. For a short haul trip in Europe, this could easily be covered with a trip to the loo at the beginning and nearer the end of your flight.
5. Pack your medical notes. Preferably in your hand luggage. Just in case.
6. Wear loose, comfortable clothing for travelling. And for the whole of your trip – you don’t want to feel constrained.
7. Make sure to pack sensible shoes for walking. This is particularly important if you’re off on a city break, as I was.
8. Pack a pillow. I have been exhausted nearly all of my pregnancy. So a 6am flight was pretty tiring. I took a pillow with me for the flight and managed to get an hours sleep in on the way. It was also nice to have a pillow I knew with me on the trip for bedtime too.
9. Pack snacks. I find that my energy levels dip quickly now that I’m pregnant so I need a lot of snacks. At the beginning I also needed regular snacks to quell any nausea.
10. Pack light. Believe me, you’ll be thankful when you don’t have to lug a heavy suitcase through the airport.