Category: Health & Beauty

Natural ways to induce labour – Our favourite old wive’s tales

Your hospital bag has been packed and ready to go for weeks, you’ve read all the books, been to all the checkups, bought all the baby paraphernalia and decorated the baby’s room. After nine months of frantic preparations you finally feel ready, and cannot wait to hold your new baby in your arms. There’s just one problem: your due date has come and gone and there is no sign of baby.

According to the latest research, this is absolutely nothing to worry about, as the length of your pregnancy can vary naturally from woman to woman by as much as 5 weeks! Of course we always knew that a due date was only as good as a best guess, but we think it’s fascinating to know that we can all vary so much.

This having been said, new research is all well and good, but it won’t stop you feeling frustrated, uncomfortable and emotional when all you want is to meet your new baby, but the little one just won’t budge. At this stage, when you are more than a week overdue, you will start to hear all sorts of odd recommendations from the unlikeliest of places of ways to induce labour naturally. Now we are not saying that any of these methods necessarily work, but here are some of our favourite old wives tales…

 

1) Spicy food

Most people will have heard of this classic suggestion before, supposedly a spicy curry will stimulate your digestive system which in turn could stimulate your uterus into action. We can tell you now, there is absolutely no evidence that this works, but hey, who needs an excuse for a nice hot curry?

 

2) Pineapple

This is a bit of a strange one. Apparently fresh pineapples contain an enzyme called bromelain which is thought to soften your cervix and help to bring on labour. However, each pineapple only contains a small amount of this labour inducing enzyme, so you would have to eat as many as 7 whole pineapples for it to have any affect. We definitely do not recommend that you eat 7 pineapples, but if you fancied it we’re sure it couldn’t hurt to nibble on some nice fresh pineapple as a healthy snack and if it happens to kick start your labour then that’s a bonus!

 

3) Raspberry leaf tea

Many women swear by raspberry leaf tea, however experts agree that if taken regularly from 32 weeks onward (and not before) it may help to ease your labour once it is in full swing, but unfortunately it will not induce labour, which is a shame as it sounds delicious.

 

4) Shut the bedroom door

Of course we’ve all heard that having sex can induce labour, and surprisingly this one isn’t just a story invented by men looking for a good time. It works in several different ways, and is safe for the baby as long as your waters haven’t broken yet.

 

5) Dancing

This one is our favourite. Supposedly the movement of your hips can help the baby to descend and get into the right position ready for labour. And even if it doesn’t motivate baby into action, a good boogie is guaranteed to cheer you up and make you feel more positive about the whole situation.

 

Find out our favourite apps to take you through pregnancy – and beyond

We barely go anywhere without a smartphone in tow these days, which is why an encyclopaedic library of apps is now available for us to download and interact with both at home and on the move. You no doubt already have lots of favourites, from news providers and shops to GPS locators. However, did you know that you can get scores of apps that have been designed specifically with pregnancy in mind? The reason we ask is because we’ve seen lots of them cropping up on our phones and tablets lately, so we thought you may be interested in a round-up of some of the best.

 

Some are just for fun, while others could prove really useful, so we’ll break them down into categories below.

 

Pregnancy advice and information

As soon as you find out you’re pregnant, you’ll no doubt have 1,001 questions to ask. While some of these can be fielded by friends and health visitors, it’s handy to be able to look up snippets of information too. This is where advisory apps really come into their own. They can cover everything from calculating due dates to how big your baby is week by week, meaning you’ll have the equivalent of several books in your pocket to check up on at any given time.

 

Try:

  • What to Expect – from the people behind the bestselling book What to Expect When You’re Expecting (Free)
  • BabyCentre My Pregnancy (free)

 

The name game

Coming up with lists of baby names is a fun way to pass the time on a train journey, but you might want to check the meaning of some, or have some random ones suggested for you. Enter the apps – they’re just like the books you can get, but much more portable and interactive.

 

Try:

  • Baby Name Generator
  • Baby Names
  • 50,000 Names (all free)

 

Keeping you occupied

You’ll probably find you do a lot of waiting around for appointments when you’re pregnant and it’s annoying if you’ve got nothing to do. Why not keep a couple of games on your phone or tablet to distract you and keep you occupied? They’re not just for kids and they might help prevent the dreaded baby brain if you choose puzzles.

 

Try:

Where’s My Water? (69p)

Words with Friends (free)

What’s the Phrase? (free)

 

Scoring style points

If you shop with Seraphine, we know you’ve already got great maternity style. However, it’s fun to keep on top of the trends by checking out what bloggers, fashion experts and other people are wearing too. Lots of apps provide daily updates on what to wear for certain events, which colours are in vogue and much more, so keep a few handy and you’ll never commit a faux pas again.

 

Try:

  • Guardian
  • Daily Mail (You Inspire)
  • Style Star Fashion Advice (all free)

 

During labour

Keep your smartphone handy when you go into labour, as you may find it’s really useful for things like timing contractions if you want to be sure how frequent and long-lasting they are.

 

Try:

  • Contraction Timer Lite (free)

When you’re breastfeeding

Once the baby arrives, you won’t have as much free time for playing games and looking up articles. However, that doesn’t mean apps can’t still be useful. Check out some of the great breastfeeding ones, which allow you to record how many feeds you’ve completed, alert you to when the next one is due and can even produce graphs to tell you if you’re on track with your feeding goals.

 

Try:

  • iBaby Feed (free)
  • The Breast Start App (free)

We’d love to know what you think – have you used these apps? Or do you know any others that could be useful for expectant mums? Do drop us a line in the comments section below!

 

We are dotty about polka dots

Here at Seraphine we are completely dotty about polka dots! We’ve been seeing spots everywhere we go this season – they really are the ultimate fashion trend with so many styling options. They can be subtle or bold, colourful or monochrome. They can be elegant and sophisticated , or you could create a dramatic look by pairing them with contrasting patterns! They are a fantastic trend that comes back time and again, so your polka dot pieces never date!

We have found plenty of dotty inspiration from style.com’s polka dot mood board  and we love all of the different styles, sizes and colour combinations!

Get the look with Seraphine: Try this gorgeous polka dot wrap dress worn and loved by the Duchess of Cambridge!

However you style your polka dots, you are sure to make an impact in one of this season’s hottest dottiest trends.

Make your pregnancy nails the perfect fashion accessory this summer

If you’re a regular reader of these pages, we know you’ll have an arsenal of maternity style tips by now, from how to rock a maxi dress to which footwear will take you comfortably through to the third trimester. However, we also aim to offer you maternity beauty tips too, as we like to share the knowledge we pick up through our own experiences and those of our customers.

 

Today, we’re going to fill you in on some of the hottest nail trends for summer, as your nails can be a fantastic accessory that will cheer you up all day if you keep them looking fresh with the latest techniques. Let’s start with the basic ones and move on to the more adventurous as we go along.

 

  • Oval nails

Pregnancy beauty is all about convenience, as you don’t want anything too high-maintenance when you’re already coping with lots of changes in your routine. That’s why we were thrilled to hear that this season is all about oval nails. Scary-looking pointy talons a la Rihanna have been put on the backburner, so there’s no longer any need to worry about putting your eye out when you scratch your face. Oval nails are also less breakable and they give the illusion of being longer than they really are.

 

  • Nouveau nude

Nude nails are the trend that keeps on giving, as they show no signs of going out of style yet. They’re ideal for work or formal occasions and there are so many shades that you’re guaranteed to find at least one to suit your skin tone – try anything from cream and taupe to greige for an instantly elegant feel.

 

  • Neon

Think nude is too boring? You’ll be wanting one of summer’s neons then. No bright is too bright where this season’s concerned, so feel free to give day-glo green or orange a go. It’s a great way of livening up dark-coloured clothing and will instantly make you feel summery, no matter what the weather is doing.

 

  • Nail art

If you like to spend time on your nails then nail art is perfect, as you can customise it to suit your own style. It’s also bang on-trend, having been seen on the fingertips of Blake Lively, Sienna Miller and, of course, Katy Perry recently. Try a summer-themed pattern, stick-on crystals, a modern French or even ready-done transfers – anything goes for 2013.

 

  • Texture

This is an evolution of nail art and is really in vogue right now. We’ve seen everything from leather-effect polishes to feathers and big glitter flakes adhered to fingertips, so don’t feel as though you have to go for a flat matte with your pregnancy nails.

 

  • Don’t forget your toes with a classic pedicure

We’d definitely recommend pampering yourself with a pedicure during pregnancy, whether you do it yourself or head to a salon – all the massaging can help to boost circulation and rubbing cream in will really help if your feet are sore and swollen.

 

You may find you need professional assistance by the third trimester though, as seeing your toes can become a bit of a challenge! Why not take some time to yourself and give something off our round-up a try this summer?

 

Heels – How high is too high when you’re pregnant?

There are certain discussions about pregnancy fashion that seem to crop up time and again. One is whether it’s acceptable to carry on wearing figure-hugging dresses once your bump begins to show (of course it is) – and the other relates to heel height. Every time a pregnant celebrity is spotted wearing shoes of any kind, debate erupts over their suitability. If they’re stilettos the commentary is usually especially fierce, but flip-flops and even boots can result in newspapers dedicating column inches to analysing their pros and cons.

 

So, how high is too high when it comes to pregnant women and heels? Should we go straight to flats, or is it acceptable to put on heels sometimes? The answer seems to be that while the odd pair of heels may be acceptable for a special occasion, you shouldn’t be teetering around in them for the whole nine months. This is despite the fact that you probably saw Rachel Zoe, Kim Kardashian and Victoria Beckham wearing stilettos even into the late stages of their respective pregnancies. However, Posh may actually have acted as a good advert for stepping away from the Manolos – as she suffered with a slipped disc after sticking to her designer heels even when she had a really big bump.

 

Why can heels be dangerous when you’re pregnant? The main thing to consider with heels is that they throw your centre of gravity off-kilter even when you’re not expecting, so this effect is underlined when you’ve got extra weight in your tummy to contend with. You might feel more wobbly and unable to keep your balance – and the last thing you want to do with a baby on board is fall over.

 

High shoes can also cause you real pain in your back and joints. The hormone relaxin is produced during pregnancy in order to loosen the joints in preparation for labour, but it also has an effect on the legs as it passes through them. If you wear precarious shoes while your ankles are weaker than usual, you can increase your risk of a sprain and even do permanent damage to the ligaments, not to mention causing your spine even more stress by contorting it into unnatural positions.

 

Expert organisations such as The Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists recommend switching to supportive footwear as soon as you can after your bump begins to show, as it’s best for your body and for the safety of the baby. If you think flats can’t be stylish and supportive, then check out our ShoeTherapy range and prepare to be proven wrong!

 

Founded by Cecile, the revolutionary shoe brand ShoeTherapy is a line of stylish shoes that are medically proven to alleviate back ache, and is the first patented shoe that’s recommended during pregnancy. In the shape of cute ballerinas and our new fashionable loafer styles, the footwear collection is the perfect match to our stylish maternity wear. Loved by Cathy Butterworth, Fashion & Booking Editor at Elle Magazine and Brigid Moss, Health Editor at Red Magazine, these pumps are a must have for your maternity wardrobe. You’ll love them so much you’ll be wearing them long after your pregnancy too.

 

If you can’t go without your heels for long, try to keep them only for special occasions. Don’t forget that even celebrities won’t be wearing their Louboutins all the time – you only see them when they’re really dressed up and they probably put their trainers on as soon as they get out of paparazzi range!

 

Wedges can be a happy medium as they’re easier to walk in … but why not follow the good example of Kristin Cavallari and others and go for pumps instead? Even dedicated heel-wearer Jessica Simpson eventually changed her mind and opted for less vertiginous footwear before she gave birth, so you can too and still look great.

 

Post Pregnancy Pressures, Like We Needed Any More! – By Honest Mum

Floating near the top of the ‘Things to make mums feel bad’ file, slightly behind the ‘How you gave birth to your baby (sunroof C section or standard delivery?)’ and ‘Did you breastfeed or not? comes the ever popular, highly discriminating category: Baby Weight. Yes, in addition to the pressures of how much weight you’ve put on during pregnancy (not referring to health pressures, but cosmetic): ‘big everywhere/ just a bump/ too pregnant/ not up the duff looking enough’, comes all the ‘well meaning’ concern of how soon or will you ever (SHOCK HORROR) lose the baby weight you’ve put on, creating life. Sad but true. Dolly Parton got it right when she sang, “Sometimes it’s hard to be a woman” and to think, she wasn’t even referring to her womb.

I get it, we’re ‘totes’, to (waters) breaking point, saturated with images of skinny, mostly supermodel mums leaving the hospital or ‘post hiding after birth period’, cradling newborns in their size 6 J Brand jeans and 4 inch Louboutins. Brilliant. Have you ever stood next to a supermodel or any model for that matter? I’ve directed fashion films and let me tell you, these women are otherworldly with their never ending limbs and naturally lithe bodies. Cotton wool eating aside (really)-it’s the way they were made. They’re not your average woman, and that’s why we’re not all models (worth noting this small detail next time you flick through Vogue and wonder why you’re struggling for a mirror image) yet we’re expected to compare ourselves, pregnant or not, with these super, hyper-beautiful human beings. Girlfriend, please. Yes, I have mates who are naturally slim and their baby weight (with not everyone gaining a lot in the first place) literally disappeared the moment their babies appeared, like some kind of weight loss Faustian pact and that’s fantastic-I’m not envious at all *cough, but every woman is different and according to a family friend and Consultant Nutritionist, if you had to work hard to stay slim before your baby, you’ll most definitely need to afterwards. That I can vouch for personally…

My first pregnancy was tough, I had constant vomiting until 7 months and later the pregnancy liver condition obstetric cholestasis which led to an induction and crash c section. Not the unicorns and rainbows start to motherhood I’d hoped for, then. I put on what is regarded as a healthy 2 and a half stone during pregnancy, but gained another from immobility post surgery and in my struggle to simply survive the sleepless nights, colic and becoming a mother with little help, as we were far from family. Second time round, now close to my folks and sans sickness and OC, along with a tranquil elective, I found I started to lose weight from the start. I felt happy and strong from the get go and perhaps this made some difference. Let me stress though, weight loss wasn’t my priority and in my case, post section, I was left with an expansive, empty stomach, (as often is the case with standard vaginal births), but propped up by a discreet line of stitches which take time to heal. You cannot exercise until the Dr approves at your 6 week check and this often means gentle exercise to begin with. I was only allowed to run after 3 months. It took me 14 months after the birth of my first son to lose my weight (I even lost more, making it to an athletic, curvy UK size 10) and second time, it doesn’t appear to be taking as long as I’ve felt well and able to exercise and diet from 3 months. I do want to lose the weight and resume my normal figure but the healthy way. I love that saying, ‘nine months on, nine months off’ and have attached a poster stating it, to my treadmill. There will always be pressure from the media and our peers but often the worst comes from ourselves. Well this time, I’ve vowed to not be too tough on myself. We can’t stop supermodels from bouncing back into shape to make us feel better but we can be kinder to ourselves. We can realise weight loss (if we want to lose it in the first place) takes time and energy- two highly elusive things when children arrive. It’s OK. Luckily, we don’t have the Paps waiting in bushes outside our homes desperate to take an unflattering picture of us or a Victoria’s Secret catwalk show to model in a month after our babies arrive (most probably-no not you Heidi if you’re reading this) so let’s just take a moment to appreciate what our bodies have done. Our cervix did good. Now go give it a high five and show it some respect. Who wants to look like Miranda Kerr anyway! Erm, not I!

Vicki is a former Magazine Editor and award winning screenwriter and director.  You can read more of her musings on motherhood at her popular blog: www.honestmum.com

You can follow her on Twitter @Honestmummy

A Make-up Artist’s Pregnancy Beauty Advice

We were sneaky on our latest photoshoot and managed to pull aside our talented make-up artist, who kindly shared her top 3 pregnancy beauty tips! So here’s a little treat for you today:

1)     Sunscreen – high factor (50) is essential as pregnancy causes pigmentation on the face which is much more likely to fade afterwards if a high factor is used.

2)     Kiehl’s Centella Recovery Skin Salve – great for sensitive or irritated skin as a daily treatment or a heavy layer once a week.

3)     Try using multiuse products to prepare for time saving make-up application! Bobby Brown pot rouge lips and cheeks – a dab on the apples of the cheeks blended with the fingers and a dab on the lips will bring life to the face and a healthy flush

ULTIMATE BEAUTY SECRET

*BUDGET*

Shu Vemura Eyelash Curlers – A few seconds on each eye and the eyes are immediately opened and flattered

*SPLURGE*

Sisley radiant immediate lift – Use this and say goodbye to tired eyes

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