Big congratulations to Matt and Emma Willis on the arrival of their bouncing baby boy!  On Friday 25th November the couple shared the happy news on Twitter, admitting that they are “stoked” about the new addition to their family.  Already proud parents, the couple’s newborn ‘Ace Billy’ will join his two year old big sister, Isabella.

However, the Willis’ were not the only celebrities to welcome a new edition on this day!  Singer Lily Allen and her husband Sam Cooper also celebrated as Lily gave birth to a beautiful baby girl.  This comes just a year after Lily tragically lost her baby boy six months into her first pregnancy.

We wish both couples well and look forward to hearing more news about each new arrival!

Congratulations to Chris Evans and beautiful wife Natasha who are expecting another child! The couple have revealed that their second baby was concieved after IVF treatment.

Chris confessed: ‘My wife and I couldn’t be more thrilled . . . Like a lot of couples, becoming pregnant this time was not easy… Tash’s first pregnancy was practically textbook, so naively we thought a follow-up kid would be a cinch. Not so, however.’

The couple already have a son, 2 year old Noah, whilst Chris is also father to 25 year old Jade from a previous marriage.

We would like to wish the couple well and good luck with baby number two!

I’ve been trying to be very low key and calm for the past few weeks.  Four weeks ago today, I reached the seven month marker.  The next day I went up to London for a hair do, bit of a shop and general time out from the builders from hell.  All was going well until I’d ignored my tummy ache for slightly too long and thought I’d better pop into A&E just to be on the safe side.  Four hours later, it’s 2am, and I’m strapped to every possible monitor in the Maternity Ward… it turns out it wasn’t something I ate for lunch, I was having full on, regular contractions.  Not ideal at only 28 weeks.  So for the past month I’ve been making a real effort to rest as much as possible.  

We’ve made the decision to have the baby in the John Radcliffe in Oxford, rather than come back to the Chelsea Westminster.  I’ve also been told that it’s going to be much safer for both the bub and I to have a planned Cesarean.  I was desperate to have this one naturally but would obviously rather be safer than sorry.  I’m just hoping that this time as its planned it’ll a bit less traumatic.  I’m trying to think of the positives though and yesterday even bought my first pack of new born nappies…

I’ve been thinking about what to pack in my hospital bag and have been trying to remember what I did and didn’t use and want last time.  There are so many lists on pregnancy websites that offer advice about what to pack but for me there were some things that I would have been lost without and thought I would share them with you.  

7 pairs of big black cotton knickers.  Mothercare maternity ones were my best. I bought two sizes too big and they were perfect.  Don’t get anything swanky as you’ll probably never want to see them again and throw them in the bin afterwards.

A front opening nightie.  If you’re going to be in for a while take at least three if you can.  Zara home have some beautiful Liberty Lawn ones.

An Evian water spray. For cooling as much as drinking.

Snacks.  Lots of them and preferably chocolaty based.  

Phone charger.

Your own pillow and duvet.  

Dry shampoo.

The strongest Arnica you can find.  If you can, start taking this at least a month before your due date.

A laptop with some pre-loaded very easy  to watch films on.

Cameras and chargers

At least 4 baby outfits.  Socks, a hat, warm blankets.  When the Cub was born, we hadn’t given this enough thought and only bought one very summery outfit with us, much to the amusement of the Midwives.

A baby car seat.  They won’t let you home without one.

Very loose fitting clothes for you when you leave hospital.  Sorry be the bearer of bad news but you’re not going to be fitting into your old jeans quite yet.

Kamillosan Chamomile ointment.  Miracle two in one nipple cream that works just as well on nappy rash too.

New born nappies.  Pampers get my vote.

Cashmere socks.

Muslin squares.  I had boring white ones first time round, this time I’m desperate for a pretty Aden & Anais one covered in stars. 

Lip balm and moisturiser.  My skin was drier than the dessert for some reason.

 This week is my last working one before I’m putting myself on Maternity leave.  We are shooting the last part of my book and as much as I love it, I will be so relieved to have it all over and done with without the baby having made an early appearance.  First stop on my maternity leave is to check myself into the Haybarn at Daylesford for some much, much needed R and R.  I then feel I’ll be ready to start thinking about Christmas.  And build the new baby’s cot….

I wasn’t sure if I was going to get the chance to post again between last week and today but my due date, which was Sunday, has now come and gone so here I still am.

 
It’s a strange limbo-like place to be, waiting for your baby to make an appearance. Her room is ready, hospital bags are packed, cupboards and fridge are stocked with soups, pastas and other things I trust Nico to be able to rustle up for me during my 10 day to 2 week ‘babymoon’ when I’m under strict instructions to stay cosied up in bed with the new arrival. Guess we’ll see how I do with that.

 
I think I timed finishing any proper work just about right, even though I only gave myself two weeks before my due date. I’m not generally the sort of person who enjoys lying on the sofa watching daytime TV so it took me a while to wind down but I also made sure I had a last hurrah in the form of a baby shower and early birthday tea (as, one way or another, I will be otherwise occupied on the day) at Blakes, my favourite hotel in London. It was a great way to see about fifteen of my closest girlfriends all at once, the staff looked after us all brilliantly and I honestly don’t think I’ve ever had more delicious scones and other home baked goodies in such decadent but convivial surroundings.

 
I also managed to squeeze in a lovely Aromatherapy Associates Nurturing Rose Cocoon treatment at the Dorchester Spa last week which it was so worth the trip into town for. The spa, which was only revamped  a couple of years ago, is pristine and gorgeously glam with lovely deco touches – especially in the Relaxation Room – and Jessica, my French therapist knew just when to chat about my imminent arrival (while she gently scrubbed my skin with body polish) and when not to (while she slathered me in a combination of creams and oils and gave me a soothing face and head massage).

 
So, now I’m baby-showered and buffed for the big day, I should probably sign off until after the little bundle arrives. It’s been fun keeping a pre-baby diary – I just hope it’s as much fun, and a welcome return to my keyboard, writing an account of her first few weeks.

 
A big congrats to BBC newsreader, Kate Silverton who gave birth to a baby girl on Saturday 5th November. Kate’s first daughter, Clemency Florence Rose was a little late in her arrival and weighed 8lbs 9oz. Kate commented, “Clemency has big lips and big feet like her mummy”. Mother and baby are said to be doing very well. We wish Kate and her husband, Mike Heron all the best as they celebrate the arrival of their newborn.

I wasnt sure that it would ever get to the point where I would actually write a post from the new house in the country. But here I am, sitting in the gorgeous new kitchen tapping away. It’s been a pretty full on few weeks. I’m still negotiating my way round the last fifty boxes that are dotted around hallways, hiding in corners. As well as the boxes, we have builders. I wanted to finish decorating before Christmas and Leaf’s arrival in January so thought we should just get on with it.

 
I’m sure normally, without these pregnancy hormones flying around, I’d be quite happy and able to cope with it all. However, thanks to a nice mix of daily fighting with BT; not being able to get to the fridge through all the plastic sheeting; slipping on dust sheets every five minutes and having the Cub perma glued to my side; there have been some pretty sensational melt downs. I seem to remember the same thing happening last time around this stage.

Five months is definitely the low point my pregnancies. A lot of tears, tantrums and irrational thinking. I would like to be hiding under a nice rock somewhere for the next few weeks and wait until the six month milestone arrives. On a positive note, my scan last week was fab. We made ourselves look away when given the option of finding out if it’s a girl or boy. I quite wanted the sonographer to write it down on a piece of paper in case we changed our mind. But as Chaz pointed out, I wouldn’t have lasted longer than the walk to the car. So for now, while Im on a decorating mission, I’m still none the wiser whether to cover the little cherub’s walls in Barneby Gates’s pink or blue stars.

When Laszlo was about 8 weeks old I had some photos done – after seeing Georgie the Editor of Sheerluxe.com’s chic baby pics I had to follow suit. The wonderfully named and talented photographer Coral Garlick was booked in on a day when I had typically crammed in way too much. Still breastfeeding, I had already been to the office, had my first post- baby haircut, and was handing the little man over that afternoon to his grandparents for the first night so that DH & I could go to a best friends’ wedding. I was therefore pretty negative about my own performance as manic new mummy during our photography slot.

 
Coral was fantastic – so experienced is she at soothing whilst shooting mum and baby, and I am thrilled with the shots captured of him at such a teeny age. The most unique thing about Coral’s photography, (apart from the reassuring lack of cheesy baby photo style) is the delivery – we met again a few months later to go through the pictures, and she presented me with a totally unexpected tear jerking little slideshow of Laszlo she had created to music. You forget so quickly, & those little flashes of character developing in your fragile little newborn seem so long ago now that Laszlo is a laughing, smiling, standing little chap of 5 months old.

 
I cannot recommend Coral enough – with four of her own children she is a seasoned pro at working with small babies & families. We are signed up for another set at 12months, hopefully with the extremely camera shy DH who I have learnt can be persuaded to do almost anything by any photo of his little man.

Coral is offering mama-la-mode customers a single booking baby shoot with 2 free photos for £115 instead of £150. And a baby package of 3 shoots at newborn, 6 months, & 1 year for £200 instead of £250 (no free photos). Please quote MAMA-LA-MODE when booking.

Stay on trend this Autumn in J-Brand’s most flattering Super Soft Skinny Maternity Jeans. Made of smooth stretch denim for everyday comfort with elastic side panels for room to grow – available in indigo & black! SHOP J-BRAND!