The 52 Week Project: I heart my {nude} body

It's a leap of faith for me today. 

I'm linking up for I Heart My Body 2011 with We Heart Life.

I snuck outside in my bra and knickers this morning and snapped some photos in the morning glow as the sun popped up behind my clothesline. The light is always gorgeous at this time of day.

I'm baring all (as much as I'm comfortable to) and sharing what I love about my body. Now that's easier said than done, isn't it?

Looking at my body I immediately see it's flaws and how much it's changed.

I've blogged a lot already about my feelings towards my post-baby body, but today I'm focusing on the positive.

So here goes. Here's what I love my body for.

Dear Body, 

I love that you have helped me live 26 and a half years of life.

You breathe in and out for me every day, every night, without thanks.

You make my heart beat for me, without fault.

You let me walk and move and play and jump, without me giving it so much as a second thought.

I'm able-bodied and I take it for granted. You're a beautiful, whole and fully-functional body.

You quickly and easily allowed me to conceive two children.

You allowed me to effortlessly and healthily carry these babies past full-term of pregnancy.

You helped me birth these babies and fully recovered after two traumatic deliveries.

You sustained me and my babies through 28 months of collective breastfeeding, on minimum sleep.

You let me sustain you on chocololate, fatty cheese, caffeine and wine - supplemented by large helpings of home-cooked foods.

You power on, despite not being given hours of rest. There's no time for relaxation in a hot bath, or being able to recline with my feet up. You live off 6 hours of interrupted sleep.

You continue to fire on all cylinders most days, despite carrying more fat cells than is ideal and not being exercised as much as we'd like.

I love you even though your shape and texture has changed and my insides pop out through my belly button.

Thank you body. I know you are beautiful. And I'm sorry for taking you for granted. You do an amazing job.

With love and respect, Fiona x 

This is my 52 Week Project self-portrait challenge.

Here's last week's gorgeous self-portraits...

To see this week's inspiring submissions from other Mummies in the 52 Week Project just scroll down and follow the links uploaded over the next week.

If you'd like to give it a go too please feel free to link-up below, or you can add your selfies to Facebook or upload them on Twitter. We'd love you to join in the selfie fun! You can find out more info here if you're interested.

How to Linkup

1. Follow My Mummy Daze (who doesn't like some blog-lovin'?!)
2. Grab The 52 Week Project button and post it in your sidebar or in your own 52 Week Project post
3. Add the link to your 52 Week Project post (or add your Flickr URL) in the Link-up below
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I grieve for the births I never had

Image source

Generally speaking, I have unresolved birthing issues.

You might have noticed that I haven't blogged about my birth stories.

It's on my to-do list.

It's also in the too-hard-basket.

In a nutshell, my births didn't go as planned and I've never really recovered from it. Strangely, I actually grieve for the births I didn't have, and most likely never will have. We're not planning on having anymore children so I won't be able to have another crack at it.

It's something I cry about. Often. It's that raw.

I see movie sequences or TV shows with birth scenes and I have to turn them off.

Recently we couldn't find the remote when the ad came on for 'One Born Every Minute'. Where as some women might have become excited, joyous or intrigued, I became mute, then tearful, then inconsolable as I frantically searched for the remote to change the channel.

I'm so disappointed with the way my births transpired that for a time I actually considered being a surrogate mother, just to be able to have another chance at birthing the way I know my body was designed.

Part of my grief is because I feel like my body let me down. This is not helped by the fact that J-Man's birth was medically described as 'failure to dialate'.

How could I 'fail' at childbirth? 

But failure is what I feel.

There's not many more basic human functions than child birth. That's what we're designed for. At a fundamental level, we eat, fight, flight, and procreate to keep our species alive. Reproduction is what it's all about.

I read lots and lots during my pregnancies. Where as I thought I'd fear the impeding due date (and the hours/days of labour) I embraced it and excitedly awaited the day that I could finally meet my babies.

I was empowered by what I read and learned through pre-natal yoga classes. I was planning an active labour with minimal interventions. From what I'd read the best labours with the optimal outcomes for mother and baby proceeded without medical interventions.

I did NOT want an epidural. I had complete faith in myself, my husband and my body to make it through labour and birth without this.

I feared an episiotomy (and still do) and knew that having an epidural would lead to a greater chance of needing an episiotomy due to having a greater chance of needing a forceps or ventouse delivery.

I feared vaginal tearing too. So purchased an Epi-No (see here) and for months I practiced stretching and pushing and panting.

I had done all the homework and was more than prepared. I was an A+ pregnancy student.

We had a wonderful rapport and trusting relationship with our midwife. We were a great team the whole way through my pregnancies and both births.

During my first pregnancy as my due date loomed I felt in complete control of my birth and had even suggested that if my first birth went as planned I would definitely be having a home birth for subsequent deliveries.

But what I failed to do in preparing myself for my labours (particularly the first), was that I didn't read about all the ways births could go wrong. 

I had learned about 'posterior' deliveries but mostly just reassured myself that that wouldn't happen to me. I did all the yoga positions to avoid this type of birth presentation and I did some preventative activities too. 

I walked on the beach and ambled awkwardly along the road - part on the curb and part in the gutter. I even slept in particular ways to avoid having my baby in a posterior presentation. I'd watch TV on my all fours, tipping my uterus forward, as advised by my yoga instructor.

I was empowered and had lots of tools under my belt. I read three great books (amongst others) that took away any fear of birth, and informed me about every stage of labour. The philosophies behind these books all barracked for the active births I wanted. I felt was so ready for child birth. 

'Birth Right', by Susan Ross, 'Birth Skills', by Juju Sundin and Sarah Murdoch, and 'Active Birth' by Janet Balaskas were all fantastic books but still a little lacking. I found them all very positive and empowering, but lacking in terms of their discussions surrounding the common ways childbirths can go wrong. There was no emphasis on how the best of birth plans can turn on their head, resulting in the aid of medical interventions.

Mr D and I talk about my birth 'issues' often. Only yesterday he politely suggested it's probably time I 'get over it'. I propositioned that perhaps I never will. We've agreed that I need to get this grief out of myself so I can move on. 

It's not like I lost a child. Rationally, I know that my births could have gone a lot worse, but I need to get the sense of loss out of my system.

So I've set myself the goal to write a blog post about my births. This will be a cathartic, regurgitation to force myself to deal with these emotions of 'failing' to birth the way I felt I should have. It's something that I need to do for me. This is my goal for November.

In the meantime, I've come up with some advice that I wish I could have given myself whilst pregnant for the first time. 

Instead I'll politely offer this advice for any other women who would like an active, intervention-free birth:

• Read lots. Read as much as you can. Information makes you powerful and keeps you in control.
• Don't hold your expectations too high. Have goals, but know that unplanned variables can't be controlled.
• You can't control your body's physiological reaction to birth, and you can't predict how it will transpire based on your mother's experience either.
• You won't know how your body copes with labour until you're in the midst of it.
• Be kind to yourself. Above all, remember to breathe.
• The best birth outcome is a healthy mother and a healthy baby.
• You can never 'fail' at childbirth. Things can divert from the plan, but this doesn't not make you a failure

* Edit: Sadly, I've still been unable to write about my birth stories. However, I'm hoping I find the courage to do this sooner rather than later. It's still an uncomfortable topic for me and I want to free myself from my sense of guilt and failure.

A girls-only weekend: sunscreen, cocktails & over-sharing

I've been getting a good share of 'me time' lately.

I'm trying not to feel guilty about it, because I know having time out from family life leaves me refreshed and able to be a calmer and happier mother and wife.

I'm fortunate that I've got a supportive family system around me to enable me to sneak in these windows of me-time.

It also helps that the kids have reached an age where they can spend independent time away from me. It makes having time for 'me' a whole lot less stressful.

They say it takes a village to raise a child. I can see that it certainly takes a village to help share the load and prevent stressed and over-loaded mothers from going stir-crazy.

Our girl-time away was bliss.

We were blessed with perfect Sydney, Spring-time weather and we took full advantage of the sun and the Bondi scene.

Having the chance to sun-bake on the sand and perve on the pecs watch the world go by was heaven. I hadn't felt so completely relaxed in a long time.

The girls and I chatted and joked, shared dreams and reminisced. It was long overdue but so worth the wait.

Life - babies, marriage, work, travel and mortgages - have a tendency to keep us from getting together as much as we like, but I love that when we do hang out, it's as though no time has passed. We take up where we left off.

As the afternoon wore on and we'd taken our first dip in the surf for the season, and reapplied our umpteenth layer of sunscreen, we decided it was really probably wine o'clock. So we strolled back to the apartment ready for happy hour.

A wheel of Camembert, two Copperpots of pesto and two (or was it three?) bottles of wine later, and the sex talk over-sharing was well under way. It was also time to peel ourselves off the lounge, smear some lip gloss on, joosh our hair and wander back into Bondi for some dinner.

But by the time we'd organised ourselves and made it out the door dinnertime had well passed, so we settled for some drinks at Ravesi's instead. 

We each had fruity, delicious "Bondi Bliss" cocktails (with double shots of V, which got me tweet-happy and spamming Sonia from Life, Love & Hiccups with sloppy twitter chat). 

As we sipped our sweet treats, we perved on the passing parade, which was more like a fashion catwalk and a 'Who can wear the highest hells?' contest. Before long at all we were feeling more than merry. Happy 'hour' had been extended long enough, so we grabbed some chippies and ate them on the beach.

It turns out that star-gazing on the sand doesn't work so well in the city, with so much light pollution, but we put in a good effort.

There were lots of other gorgeous, fun details from our girlie Bondi weekend, but I won't droll-on with the details. I'll reserve them for me to savour the next time I'm stuck in a tedious mummy moment.

What I will push upon you is the need to prioritise yourself.

Mothers are so used to coming last out of a long list of people's needs and chores that have to be taken care of. But it's OK to put yourself first for a change.

Better yet, you need to round up your girls and make that girlie night or weekend happen. It doesn't have to cost the world or be anything over-the-top. You'll feel like a refreshed and happy woman having chatted, debriefed and laughed with good friends. You'll be ready to face your busy life again, but will be recharged. You'll have an extra zest for your Mummy life and a kick in your step as you immerse yourself back in your mummy daze days.

How *not* to labour and birth

I was at our friendly mother's group this morning.

Whilst our little ones were throwing plastic balls at each other's heads, we were chatting away pretending not to notice their less desirable play.

No one was crying, and there was lots of giggling, so intervention was futile, and apathy reigned supreme. J-Man was not tightly gripping my pony tail for a change, and Miss E didn't need chaperoning to the toilet for a wee, so I enjoyed the brief moment to chat about all things "mummy".

As is usual in this kind of circumstance, the topics discussed revolved around marriage (i.e. sex), the demands of motherhood (i.e. our children) and eventually childbirth (i.e. traumatic vaginal tearing & c-sections).

Reminiscing about our childbirths today got me thinking about how childbirth is presented in Hollywood.

I'm fairly sure I was not yet menstruating when I'd already figured out (thanks to my TV and movie exposure) that childbirth was going to equal massive amounts of pain. I'd seen the birth scenes and accepted what it was going to look like. 

I would be reclining in a hospital bed and wearing a pink hospital gown. I would pant and breathe crazily and demonstrate some desperate eyeball movements. Almost as soon as I'd been settled in my reclined position (with legs spread might I add) it would be time to 'push'. This would be quickly followed by me grabbing my husband by the scruff of his neck and screaming expletives at him. Then in the blink of an eye I'd be holding my newborn that would look remarkably like a 2-month-old baby.

I'm not sure if I'm an anomaly (I highly doubt it) but my births looked nothing like this Hollywood scene I'd imagined.

So just in case you haven't given birth yet and you're using Hollywood as a guide for what to expect, here's a quick list of how not to go through childbirth.

1. You won't need a full face of make-up. Maybe in the early stages of labour it will enter your head, but by the time you get to hospital the last thing on your mind will be how well your foundation is blended, and whether your lip gloss clashes with your bronzer. Worry more about whether the anesthetist is still going to be at the hospital by the time you get there!

 

2. Clothes are over-rated. You may need to wear something to get to hospital (it seems to be socially acceptable to wear clothes in public) but once you're in the throws of established labour you couldn't care less whether you're wearing a stylish maxi, your husband's underpants or inside-out yoga pants. Chances are you'll feel irritated by the mere feeling of clothing on your body and will be baring your ballooned body and engorged lady bits to all who dares to enter your birthing suite.

3. A bed is for sleeping in. In the throws of active, established labour the most uncomfortable position I can imagine is being flat your back. You're more likely to find 'comfort' (if you can call it that) on your all-fours, leaning forward into your husbands arms or lap, or with your face on the floor and your bum in the air. Think fit balls and yoga positions - gravity is your friend!

4. Labour equals hard work. The quickest way to slow down your labour is to go to hospital. Unfortunately, all the adrenaline required to get you out of the house, into the car, through the red lights and into the birthing unit is more likely to slow down your labour than speed things up. The average length of established labour (the painful, full-on part) is 13 hours. Therefore the chances of being able to 'push' so soon into the movie/TV scene is highly unlikely.

5. Childbirth doesn't end when the baby is born. Once you've finally delivered your precious bundle of joy it's not all smiles and roses. Hold you visitors back for a while yet! The placenta still needs to be delivered and there's a whole sweaty, bloody mess of woman and genitals to be cleaned and stitched up. Of course, admittedly you will probably be so relieved and ecstatic to have your baby on the outside and not the inside to even notice (thank goodness).

If you're after a useful and accurate read on how to expect your labour to pan out I'd recommended New Active Birth by Rachel Balaskas and Birth Skills by Juju Sundin and Sarah Murdoch.


What have I missed? What gets you screaming at the screen when you see Hollywood and Silver Screen renditions of childbirth?

Do we need the Food Police?

I wouldn't call myself a fussy mum. I do have some set ways and ideals about how I like to parent, but generally speaking I'm pretty laid back.

It takes a lot to get me fired up about something (like hearing people make rash judgements about a mother reversing over her child - but that's a whole other story).

So when I heard from a website called The Parents' Jury who, "collectively advocate for improved food and physical activity environments for children" I was pretty skeptical about heading over to check out what they were about. Something about Wowsers, the Food Police and a Nanny State came to mind.

I frankly just don't worry enough about these things to warrant a huge concern. My kids eat a balanced diet that I moderate. It's all pretty simple. They get the odd treat and some processed foods, and I don't stress too much about it.

But I headed over to their page none-the-less. Soon enough, I found myself rolling my eyes and sighing something to the effect of, "Oh, come on!" when I read that this site nominates companies in name and shame awards for the way food is presented in their marketing campaigns. 

I tend to think that regardless of an advertising or marketing campaign of a product, I'm the one that holds the gold. I make the final decisions about what goes into my trolley and into my kids tummies. It's my responsibility to moderate what we buy. I'm not going to hold a fast food company or food manufacturer accountable for what my family consumes. 

That's my role. 

I know how to put my foot down and control what my kids consume - I don't care how big the tantrum is. I've also got my head screwed on, and can see through any potentially deceptive campaigns. Like when I saw advertised that Nutella on toast is a healthy breakfast so long as my kids eat a piece of fruit with it and drink a glass of milk - I didn't come down in the last shower.

But I did feel somewhat jilted by The Parents' Jury after reading through some of their nominations.

It's no secret that I have a good relationship with Kellogg's. And I felt pretty defensive on their behalf when I saw that they had received two nominations.

Along with some other mummy bloggers I had a very honest, round-table discussion with them back in August about all things breakfast.

I met some key executives from the Kellogg's team. They are not the unethical business types that The Parents' Jury might make out. In fact they are far from it. This team of friendly people genuinely valued the concerns of parents, and wanted to meet the needs of families across Australia. Of course they have a business to run, but they are far from the greedy, fat cats that Kellogg's can be painted as.  

Kellogg's received this somewhat ambiguous Pester Power Shame Award nomination for Coco Pops. "Tag lines may change across the globe, but Kellogg’s use of expensive animation has long been a trait of Coco Pops advertisements. This year, it has been no different."   

Kellogg's also received a nomination in the same category for their marketing of LCM Bars. "Using a teenage boy floating in a river of chocolate, Kellogg’s tell us these bars ‘Combine chocolatey rice bubbles with chewy choc, drizzled all over with melted choc...’ As one member commented “This advertisement is out of control!” 

I spoke to Gareth Lucy, The Kellogg's Corporate Communications & PR Manager for his comment on these nominations. This was what he had to say -

It's a little frustrating that they (The Parents' Jury) claim that their issue is with targeted advertising when we haven't run an advert in children's programming for over five years. We haven't used Coco the Monkey in our advertising since 2005 and one of the products they've nominated is LCMs 4D Choc which is a teen product and is specifically targeted not for kids. It really just raises the question further for me as to why they have continued to nominate Kellogg's.

Do you think a company like Kellogg's is always going to carry a bad reputation and be targeted by parents groups, regardless of their campaigns and healthy products, much like McDonalds? I can't help but wonder what's wrong with some fun, child-centered advertising, or processed foods being advertised at all. Isn't it up to parents to guide our children in their food choices, not the manufacturer?

Or am I living with my head in a cloud here?

There has to be some kind of balance between businesses like Kellogg's selling their products and parents retaining their own discretion and responsibility when it comes to food choices. 

What are your thoughts on child-centred marketing campaigns. Finding out about The Parents' Jury has raised a lot of questions for me, but mostly I feel like I'm missing the big deal.

• Do you think children are being taken advantage of by food manufacturers and fast food companies or do think that's being extreme?
• Do you agree that as parents we have the ability to make up our own mind when it comes to food purchases?
• Do you think The Parents' Jury are a necessary watch dog to hold companies accountable for the influence they have over your children? Does this sound a bit like a Nanny State to you - or is that just me?

Would you want your face on a Kellogg's cereal box?

 

The 52 Week Project: morning sunshine

I'm trying to be more organised lately.

I always feel calmer, ordered and generally in a better head space when my little world is tidy and free of obstacles like a floor-drobe of unfolded washing, or a kitchen bench covered in dirty dishes. 

I've set the simple goal for myself to not attempt any other tasks until the basic household chores are completed.

This includes making the beds, clearing the kitchen benches, unpacking the dishwasher (and re-stacking it), putting on a load of washing and hanging it out, and clearing the floor of any wayward toys.

This all sounds so logical and sensible now, while I type this out, but when you're faced with the bland monotony of these unstimulating duties, it's very easy to be distracted by  -

a. chocolate,

b. facebook,

c. twitter,

d. my blog reader, or

e. anything else more engaging than the humanless interaction provided by housekeeping.

But, my focus and will-power does pay off when I'm rewarded with the satisfaction of being able to enjoy an ordered, clutter-free household. This has a flow-on effect. The more ordered and tidy my house is, the better I feel, and the more motivated I am to clean and order my house.

So, being organised and on top of the housework this week I actually found myself hanging out the washing on the same morning that I washed the load (I know, shock horror). 

When I was about to start pegging the clothes onto my old-faithful rotary line I felt the warm Spring sun on my chest* and decided to let the washing sit in the basket a little longer and bask in the morning glory. Begrudgingly, I eventually returned to my washing line and continued the thankless task. It felt more meditative than monotonous after taking the time to breathe in the morning glory.

I love this time of year. I love feeling so happy. I wish I could live in a permanent Springtime.

*note: No, I'm not topless, just wearing a strapless top. But topless clothes washing does sound intriguing.

* * *

Like this self-portrait challenge?

Here's last week's gorgeous self-portraits...

To see this week's inspiring and relate-able submissions in the 52 Week Project just scroll down and follow the links uploaded over the next week.

If you'd like to give it a go too please feel free to link-up below, or you can add your selfies to Facebook or upload them on Twitter. We'd love you to join in the selfie fun! You can find out more info here if you're interested.

How to Linkup

1. Follow My Mummy Daze (who doesn't like some blog-lovin'?!)
2. Grab The 52 Week Project button and post it in your sidebar or in your own 52 Week Project post
3. Add the link to your 52 Week Project post (or add your Flickr URL) in the Link-up below
4. Remember to share the comment-love and support the other project members! 

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Mummy-Daddy time!

One of the best parts of watching your children grow older, is that you get to relish in the increased independence it gives you. Paradoxically, this can be also quite upsetting as your precious little people learn to need you less and less, but for the most part I try not to think about the sad part, and I concentrate on the positive.

Having had my children quite young (for this day and age) I feel like I didn't get a lot of 'me time' before I sacrificed my life for the needs of my beautiful babes. So now that they're getting older, I really appreciate the time that I can grab back for myself.

Miss E loves sleepovers at her grandparents' houses and happily spends the day with her dad (although sometimes this requires bribery with a bike ride to Cold Rock) and for the most part, J-Man is happy to spend time away from me too.

Since J-Man stopped breast-feeding in February I feel like I've been able to slowly reclaim my sense of self and enjoy days out with friends, and the occasional weekend away too. As much as I love my darling children, these times away from them allows me to really breathe. The sense of freedom and independence these occasions give me is addictive. I feel light, bouncy and able to focus in a way that I can't when I have my Mummy shoes on.

Back in April Mr D and I were able to sneak away for a loved-up Babymoon. We realise now just how important this 'Mummy-Daddy' time is. Having young children with their routines and constant demands mean that there's not a lot of alone time. Not a lot of time to really connect and to enjoy each other's company. It's unbelievable easy to simply cohabitate with your husband without much in the way of effort or romance.

Often I find myself 'missing' my husband, even though he's been living in the same house as me. He works long hours for our business and when we are home together we're busy getting the kids through the bedtime rush hour or are zoning out in front of the TV or computer to recover from our busy days. Conversation becomes just another chore at times. And so the disconect begins. It slowly unplugs us from each other. We now view Romance and Date Night as highly valuable aspects of our marriage that need to be prioritised. Those little (and big) efforts go a long way.

During the first year of J-Man's life in particular we got the real sense of how quickly things could fall apart without making these small efforts. We fully appreciate now the need to keep ourselves on the agenda and as a high priority.

So when the opportunity arose, I jumped at the chance to spend a weekend alone with my darling husband at the start of October. I couldn't wait to enjoy uninterupted conversations with him. My mum happily had the kids for the night, which gave us two whole days together. I romanticised about the idea of being confined to a car with my hubby, chatting and re-connecting.

It took a little while to relax and unwind from the stress and fast pace of our regular life, but it wasn't long before we were chatting like the dreamy, carefree kids we used to be. We were really talking. Like about stuff other than what to have for dinner, who's turn it is to duck out to buy more milk, or how many poos J-Man had done in one day.

It was fun. It was romantic.

Strangely, I was reminded how much I loved this funny, intelligent guy. He's actually quite an enjoyable person to spend time with once the stressors of work, kids and the family budget are off the agenda!

We could joke. We could dream. We conjured up imaginary scenarios. We shared our feelings. We monologued about topical issues and solved the world problems. But mostly, we generally relished in being able to drive 500 kilometres stopping only when we wanted to, without listening to Peter Coombe or Thomas the Tank Engine, and definitely without gritted teeth. It was a tantrum-free trip!

While I shook off the weight of motherhood from my shoulders and breathed in the fresh, clean air of independence, I photographed what our Sunday morning looked like...

What do you do in your relationship to keep connected? Do you get the chance to sneak in a little weekend getaway every so often?

Heavenly Chocolate Cupacakes: Nutella with Fererro Rochers!

I stumbled across this picture on Pinterest yesterday and it instantly had me craving chocolate.

I decided that I needed to break my baking drought by making these choc-alicious treats.

I'm a huge Fererro Rocher fan from way back and the thought of combining a cupcake with such a heavenly treat had my mouth watering all afternoon.

We wandered off to Coles and we bought our first ever jar of Nutella (plus a few other supplies). After a few tablespoons teaspoons to taste-test the chocolate spread, I quickly decided that I should never, ever buy such chocolatey goodness again. Not if I ever want to improve my Mummy Tummy, anyway!

If you'd like to try these scrumptious delights, here's the recipe I used...

Fererro Rocher & Nutella Cupcakes

Makes 12

 

Ingredients

60g dark chocolate buds

2/3 cup water

90g softened butter

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2/3 cup SRF

2 tablespoons cocoa

1/3 cup hazelnut meal

12 Fererro Rochers

220g Nutella (or more if you are generous with your helpings)

1. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius and line a 12-hole muffin pan with paper cases.
2. Combine the chocolate and water in a small saucepan and stir over low heat until smooth. Set aside to cool.
3. Beat together the butter, sugar and eggs in a medium bowl until light and fluffy.
4. Stir in the sifted dry ingredients. Add the chocolate mixture and mix well. 
5. Divide the mixture evenly among the 12 paper cases, ensuring the surface is smooth.
6. Bake for 25 minutes then allow to cool on a wire rack.
7. Using a small teaspoon remove a small hole from the centre of each cupcakes. Add a dollop of Nutella to each hole, being as generous as you like. Position on top of the Nutella one Fererro Rocher (without the foil) for each cupcake.

Ask Doctor Bubbles: Can we really have Miranda's body?

After two great discussions regarding a woman's post-baby body shape (Part 1 and Part 2), I had one more question for Doctor Bubbles. 

There's been quite an ongoing discussion in the media and in the bloggersphere regarding the remarkable post-baby body of supermodel Miranda Kerr.

7 months after the birth of her son

To look at her body now, months on from giving birth to her first child, you could not guess that she has had a child. 'Perfection' and 'flawless' are both words that come to mind.

It's easy to see pictures of Miranda's post-baby body and feel a little more insecure about myself, especially given that my body has taken a long time to bounce back, particularly after the Caesaran birth of my second child, J-Man.

But as much as I hear my internal dialogue comparing my (completely different) frame to that of Miranda, I'm still reflective and astute enough to pose the question to myself, 'Hang on, is this really reasonable?'


I put this question to Doctor Bubbles, and this was her wise, and reassuring response.


QUESTION:  


Is it reasonable for a woman to expect abs like Miranda months or years after a baby?

It is multifactorial. You need to ask yourself these questions before you judge weather attaining a body like Miranda's is reasonable.

a.       Did your abs look like Miranda Kerr’s pre-baby? If the answer is no then the possibility of looking like that after a small person has taken up residence inside there is minimal.

b.       Is it your job to look like that? As a catwalk model Miranda's body is her best asset. Miranda had strong motivation and assistance to help her get her form back. Do you have a host of staff (personal trainer, nutritionist, chef, nanny etc) at your disposal to help you achieve that body? 

c.       Are you genetically blessed with super-stretchy, non-stretch-mark-prone skin? Even if you succeed in getting your stomach muscles to contract back to your pre-baby shape, it is possible that your skin won’t be able to. Skin, unlike muscle cannot be trained to contract. 

d.      Are you prepared to exercise regularly and eat well with a strict diet? You can be sure Miranda puts in some solid effort to look that way! They may look amazing, but there's no Tim Tams or hot chippies whenever you crave them for supermodels!

What you have to remember is that the reason your body doesn't look the same anymore is because you have participated in the miracle of giving life to your beautiful child. You may not look like a supermodel, or a 16 year old for that matter, but look what your body achieved!

Cert. IV Fitness, BSc (Exercise), MB BS

If you have your own health question, or have a topic suggestion for Doctor Bubbles to write a post on, please click here to complete the anonymous questionnaire. 

The winner of the Kitchenware Direct giveaway...

I'm so excited to announce the winner of this giveaway!

I loved putting this prize pack together, and would like to extend a huge thanks to Brad at Kitchenware Direct, for yet again being so generous, professional and easy to work with.

I'd highly recommend working with this business or buying their huge range of kitchen products.

Customer relations and public relations is one of their many strong points.

I'd also like to thank the many participants who joined in this giveaway. But unfortunately there is only one winner.

That very lucky winner is going to be able to juice until their heart's content with this juicer and enjoy some snazzy, chip-proof JAB products.

I'm tickled pink that this lucky person's number has finally come up, because they have loyally and determinedly been joining in the giveaways on My Mummy Daze for as long as I've been offering freebies!

So, as not to keep you in suspense any longer, the lucky (and deserving) winner of this awaesome prize is...

You know it's you...

Silvana Gutierrez
  
Congratulations! I'm so thrilled that you've finally won!

 

The 52 Week Project: endorphin high

This is what an endorphin high looks like - for me anyway.

Just looking at this photo makes me want to jump for joy and run a marathon - or maybe just a quarter marathon!

As part of my endeavour to put more 'me' back in my life I've joined an Oz-Tag team with a girlfriend. The last time I played was in Year Ten. I loved it then and I'm loving it now.

I had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome as a child and as such never experienced the fun and camaraderie of team sport because I was always too ill to play. So Oz-Tag was my first experience at playing a sport like this and I thrived on it. But life got in the way of continuing it.

I stopped playing once I was in senior school because my studies were first priority (yes I was a dedicated nerd - but the study paid off). Then uni rolled around and so did boyfriends, work and babies, and year after year I couldn't commit to a team. In more recent years I desperately wanted the physical and social outlet, but pregnancy or breastfeeding held me back. But finally I'm back and able to grant myself 40 minutes to play one game each Thursday night.

Exercise is an amazing thing. The endorphin ride feels amazing and I can see why people find it addictive. I love that I can get a workout from playing this game without even noticing.

Our comp has been running for two weeks and I'm slowly getting a handle of the rules. I was stoked to win the first two tries last week. It was such a buzz!

I can't wait to run around on the oval again this Thursday. Those 40 minutes make me feel carefree and like the Fiona I want to be.

* * *

Like this self-portrait challenge?

Here's last week's self-portraits...

To see this week's mama-licious submissions in the 52 Week Project fun just scroll down and follow the links uploaded over the next week.

If you'd like to give it a go too please feel free to link-up below, or you can add your selfies to Facebook or upload them on Twitter. We'd love you to join in the selfie fun! You can find out more info here if you're interested.

How to Linkup

1. Follow My Mummy Daze (who doesn't like some blog-lovin'?!)
2. Grab The 52 Week Project button and post it in your sidebar or in your own 52 Week Project post
3. Add the link to your 52 Week Project post (or add your Flickr URL) in the Link-up below
4. Remember to share the comment-love and support the other project members!

<center><a href="http://mymummydaze.blogspot.com/p/52-week-project.html" target="_blank"><img alt="The 52 Week Project" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6065/6118661451_e179080166_t.jpg" border="0"/></a></center>

get the InLinkz code

Want to WIN a juicer and more?

I shared last week some of Miss E's top 10 favourite things.

Hovering at #5 on the list was making juice with her brothers and I. 

Like her parents, Miss E is a little sugar addict, and fruit juice is one of her great loves. I had to stop buying juice in the groceries because she just couldn't help but drink it all the time. It was causing lots of tantrums and effecting her other behvaiours from such a high sugar intake. 

So I had to wean her off her juice habit.

Now she gets her delicious juice fix once a week as a popper treat at Nan and Pa's house, or when we do some fruit juicing when there's fruit that's been left in the fruit bowl a little too long.

Like I mentioned, juicing fruit is one of her favourite things. She gets excited at being involved in the kitchen, and loves the noisy process. Tasting the juicey concoctions at the end is the best part of course. She inevitably ends up with an orange mustache on her lip - too cute.

I use one of these efficient Breville Juicer Fountains. My dad bought it for me for Christmas more than 10 years ago and it's still going strong. It pulps the fruit for you so you're left with smooth, pip-free juice of any fruit that you like. You need to cut away the skins off thick-skinned fruits like oranges and melons, but everything else you can pretty much just throw in to be juiced.

This activity always makes me feel like a healthy mum by encouraging the kids to be active in the kitchen, and by rewarding them with lovely, fresh fruit juice too.

Today we juiced the leftover oranges and kiwis that nobody wanted to eat. It was delicious!

WIN ~ WIN ~ WIN 

Kitchenware Direct are generously giving away another fantastic prize pack to one lucky reader. It's perfect timing for Springtime!

You can WIN a Cuisinart Citrus Juicer, along with a funky red JAB platter, 4x matching red JAB tumblers and 4x matching red JAB plates.

This bright and sturdy range of melamine products are chip-resistant and dishwasher safe. They're ideal for throwing into your picnic set for family adventures or for outdoor entertaining. And now you can add a flask of freshly-squeezed orange juice with your new Cuisinart Citrus Juicer too!

Entries close Sunday 16th, October at 6pm midnight ADST. You may only enter once. The winner will be drawn using Random.org and announced on Monday 15th, October. If the prize is not claimed within 7 days there will be a re-draw. Only Australian residents may enter.


To enter simply follow the steps below -

1. Head to the Kitchenware Direct website to see the Cuisinart Citrus Juicer.
2. In the comment section below, name one of the features of the juicer that make it a gold-medal pro.
3. For additional entries you can share this page on Facebook or Twitter. Remember to include the page URL and tag @mymummydaze in your status/tweet. Then comment again below that you've shared on Facebook/Twitter.
   

Good luck and share the love!

The 52 Week Project: a little bit of me.

Part of what I love about this project is it's emphasis on 'me'.

Something I've struggled with from time-to-time since starting a family is the loss of my own identity. My sense of self has become blurred within motherhood and the priorities of family life. It's hard to know who I am when I spend so much time thinking and caring for everyone else. I don't want motherhood to define me, despite it being one of my great joys.

I am more than a mother.

I am more than a wife.

I am still 'me'. There is still a singular Fiona within.

Sometimes I forget that there ever was a person that could independently live life and be carefree without the responsibilities of having dependent children and making compromises as part of a committed relationship.

I've been doing the 'grown-up' thing for so long that it's hard to grasp who I was and reconnect with that pre-family person.

I don't know what to call that person, but she has hopes, dreams, motivations and aspirations that run completely seperate to Fiona-the-mother and Fiona-the-wife. She enjoys socialising, loves exercise and has a sense of adventure. She'd also like a career and would love to travel.

In this photo I see a glimpse of the old Fiona. When Mr D and I were able to sneak away on the weekend without the kids I was able to get a sense of that Fiona. It felt good to wear her shoes for a while.

As much as I love my children and live and breathe for them, I am looking forward to finding out more about my inner-self as my children grow and become less dependent on me.

There's a whole lot of life that the singular me wants to live and explore and learn about.

The possibilities are endless.

* * *

Like my self-portrait challenge?

Here's last week's self-portraits...

To see this week's mama-licious submissions in the 52 Week Project fun just scroll down and follow the links uploaded over the next week.

If you'd like to give it a go too please feel free to link-up below, or you can add your selfies to Facebook or upload them on Twitter. We'd love you to join in the selfie fun! You can find out more info here if you're interested.

How to Linkup

1. Follow My Mummy Daze (who doesn't like some blog-lovin'?!)
2. Grab The 52 Week Project button and post it in your sidebar or in your own 52 Week Project post
3. Add the link to your 52 Week Project post (or add your Flickr URL) in the Link-up below
4. Remember to share the comment-love and support the other project members! 

<center><a href="http://mymummydaze.blogspot.com/p/52-week-project.html" target="_blank"><img alt="The 52 Week Project" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6065/6118661451_e179080166_t.jpg" border="0"/></a></center>

get the InLinkz code