Day in the life of a working mum!

Being a mum is one of the best jobs I have ever done, hard work but very rewarding! With a part time job (30 hours), a business to run, a 10 month old boy and nearly 4 year old girl to look after and running a household there is very little time for anything else!  Luckily my other half helps out a lot with the house and children, don't know what I would do with out him.

A typical day for me goes something like this:

Approx 6.30am (sometimes earlier) - Woken up by a crying baby boy wanting milk. Wash and sterilise bottles if needed and make up milk feed. Wait for it to cool, I dread that bit, it takes so long when you have a hungry baby wanting it like a drug.

7.30am - Daughter wakes for breakfast. We go through all the options for what to have before she makes a decision. Haha

8am - Try to get ready for work, along with changing baby's nappy, cleaning high chair and trying to get daughter dressed for pre school.  This a such a task! I just get time to run a brush through my hair and put on a tiny bit of make up to make me look a little more human.

9am - Drop my daughter off at pre school which thankfully is just up the road. Pop back into the house gift my little boy and partner a kiss, grab my bags and jump in the car to work. This is where I take a deep breath and breathe, I can relax (if I'm on time) haha

9.30am - The start of my day in the office, I work for an accountants helping with all the administration. I work with a great team of ladies and the office is set in the countryside. What more
could I want. I love the work as it is so varied! I actually get to have some time to be me!

3.30pm - Travel home to the mad house! When I get in I'm jumped over by my daughter who tells me about her day. She missed me so much! My son has just had his afternoon milk feed and usually greats me with a smile or cry. Once I've settled in time for coffee and to check emails for www.mothersrus.com.

5.30pm - Start to think about dinner for the children and what I can rustle up for them! I try to get their dinner for 6pm. My 10 month old is still exploring foods so usually after dinner half of it it is up the walls, on the floor and smeared all over him and the high chair!

6.30pm  - Clean the walls, floor after kids dinner. Prepare milk feed for my little boy.

7pm- Get my little boy ready in his pyjamas and settled in his got, lights still on as I give him his milk feed now. He can now hold the bottle himself so I supervise in their bedroom and try to tidy up at the same time! Once milk feed has finished I usually sit him up for a bit and then kiss goodnight, he usually settles straight away.

7.30pm - Start to get my daughter ready for bed! This is a routine in itself, she is at that age where she does not want to go to bed so thinks of every little thing to stay up a little longer. We do her teeth, go to the toilet, glass of milk, story then I take her to bed. It's hard as they share the same room, so she has to be quiet. However quiet and a three year old do not mix very well. I then get the.....I need slipper socks.....I need my dressing gown....I need Lucy (soft toy)..... I need cherry bear (soft toy)... I need cherry bear two (another soft toy)....I need some more milk and so on.....eventually I get her settled and sneak out the room..

8pm - On a good night they will both sleep, on a bad night one will wake and wake the other then it's trying to settle them back down which is hard and tiring especially when it can go on until 10pm. About this time though I start to get my dinner ready unless my partner cooks it which he usually does so we can then sit down to eat which happens anytime from now or around 9.30pm depending on if the children are settled.

9pm - Once I have sorted the kitchen and dishes its time again to check the Mothers R Us social network accounts and emails, reply to customers and process orders. Then start work on photographing and listing more stock. At the moment I have lots of second hand baby and children's clothing. I love finding bargains for our customers.

11.30pm - Start to do the lunch boxes for the next day! Then get ready for my snugly bed which by now is much needed. I usually get to have a hot chocolate too to help me relax ready for an early start.

12 midnight - zzzzzzzzz

As you can see I don't get a lot of spare time, but I do love my life and my children. I will make time eventually to get in the gym and do all the other things I want to do but at the moment I just focus on my home, children and Mothers R Us. :)

If you have any tips for a busy mum then please share!

Thanks for reading...

Mothers R Us

List your baby related items for sale with us for FREE!

Evening all! We will be having a classified advert section on our website http://www.mothersrus.com from next week and to get things kick started we are offering FREE listings! Usually there would be a small listing fee but there will be no final value fees, our aim is to help families sell their unwanted stuff to others who want it. Adverts are for baby and children items apart from clothing, so if you have been meaning to sell that pushchair, cot, climbing frame etc then what are you waiting for! You have nothing to loose! You can also post a link to the item on your Facebook pages etc. all you need to do is message us or email us info@mothersrus.com your item description, photos, price and how the buyer can contact you (phone, email address, fb page link etc). No transactions go through our website it is all dealt with by you, it's basically the same as if you were adverting in a paper. Once your item has sold let us know and we will take it down or after 30days it will automatically expire anyway. The offer is open to everyone worldwide as we have lots of visitors all over the world, just state in your description where you are based. What are you waiting for take advantage of this FREE offer, lots of people visiting our website everyday looking for things...any queries then just message us.

We are here to help!

Mothers R Us

6 Things Not to Say to a Mom Who Has a C-Section

Just had to share this by Julie Ryan Evans

The other day I was sitting with two new friends, and the topic of our children's birth stories came up. They talked about their water breaking, natural births, and a host of things I never experienced since I had two c-sections.

It's been 4 1/2 years since my youngest daughter was born, and I was surprised how emotional I still became thinking of all I missed. I had no choice, as my son was delivered by emergency c-section at 27 weeks when I developed severe preeclampsia. Neither of us would probably be alive had I not had a c-section. When it came to my daughter, doctors didn't seem to think a VBAC was a viable option for me. So I know that I did what was necessary, but it doesn't mean it's not still a sensitive subject, especially with all the anti-Cesarean sentiment in this country. 

More from The Stir: 10 Things NOT to Say to a New Mom

I know there are reports about celebrities electing for c-sections because they're "too posh to push" and other unnecessary c-sections, but for the most part, I don't think any mom ever really wants a c-section. So when people say certain things to those of us that have them, it can hurt. Here are six things no one should say to a mom who had a c-section.

1. "You took the easy way out."

There's no easy way out when it comes to birth, and the recovery from a c-section can be brutal. Also, many of us had no choice and would have given anything to prevent a c-section if we could have.

2. "Are you sure you needed a c-section?"

While it's true there are too many unnecessary c-sections performed in this country, there's no use bringing it up after the fact. What's done is done, and while we may have regrets and remorse about what happened, bringing it up can be painful.

3. "Don't you regret not experiencing birth?"

First of all, we did experience birth, just in a different way. And yes, we probably do feel like we missed out on something, but you bringing it up doesn't help.

4. "I could never have a c-section, I believe in natural birth."

Many c-section moms also believe natural birth is best, but for whatever reason, we couldn't have one. No matter how solid one's birth plan, there are no guarantees.

5. "Maybe you wouldn't have needed one if you hadn't had an epidural/used a midwife/stood on your head, etc."

Some of us have regrets about decisions we made, but you bringing up woulda, shoulda, coulda does not help. And for many of us, nothing we did would have changed things.

6. "I'm sorry."

While we may feel sadness about the way our birth story played out, we need understanding, not condolences. Regardless of how our babies entered the world, they are here, and we love them just the same.

Did you have a c-section? What hurtful things have people said to you?

Traveling with your children on planes.

So I have recently been to Turkey with my children, my son is ten months and my daughter is nearly four years old. I googled 'travelling with children on a plane' to get some help and advice on the trip ahead. Turkey is approx a four hour flight but still long enough with two active kids. I came across the below top tips and thought I would share.

I took my daughters Leappad Explorer and bought her some headphones for it and some new games which kept her entertained. Plus colouring books and favourite magazines and even a film on the ipad. However to keep my ten month old entertained was not so easy, plus I think the flight hurt his ears especially on the way home. He was screaming most of the time, I tried him with a bottle but still no joy, I just had to hold him and try to comfort him. In the end he did fall asleep. I took chamomile drops for his milk also some lavender oil which I put on his blanket which I took on the plane along with his small pillow. Not sure if they helped but the lavender calmed me hahaha.

Anyway the tips below did help me prepare beforehand so enjoy and if you have any tips please do comment below.

Top Twelve Tips for Traveling with Kids on Planes

1. Set Your Intention. Don’t go into the whole thing planning on difficulties and misery. Write yourself an affirmation, such as “Our travels are always safe, restorative, and joyful.” Repeat it regularly as you prepare for your trip. If you keep a journal, write down your vision of a perfect family vacation. Visualize! 

2. Start Packing a Couple of Days in Advance. Spending the last eight hours before departure in a frenzy of packing, accompanied by a last minute dash through airport security is not a recipe for success. Get your suitcases out two or three days before your travel date. Make packing a meditation: As you pack each item, give thanks for the people who made your clothes, sandals and sunscreen. Where would you be without them? 

3. Pack a Carry-on Bag for Each Child. If your children are old enough, get them each a rolling duffle bag or back pack, to carry whatever will keep them occupied and entertained on-board.

4. Plan for On-board Snacks. What goes in those carry-on bags depends upon each child’s age and preferences. While you can’t bring a water bottle through Security, you can bring some yummy snacks, which will undoubtedly be healthier choices than anything you can purchase at the airport. 

5. Plan for On-board Entertainment. Portable electronic items seem to be the most popular choice for on-board entertainment. We currently travel with the I-Pod Touch and a portable DVDplayer; our first Nintendo DS systems got us to Ireland and back a couple years ago.   

Does providing my children with video games make me an unconscious parent? I don’t think so. I don’t believe electronics—or most other things in life—are inherently bad. We use them wisely, and in moderation. And almost always on long plane rides.  

Don’t forget some “old-fashioned” items, like coloring books, puzzle books, and/or just plainbooks. You will want something for when you aren’t allowed to use the electronics, anyway. A simple deck of UNO cards has been a standby for us since the boys were toddlers. 

6. Plan a Few Surprises. You might get a little extra mileage (just a little pun, intended), by wrapping up a small gift to open on-board. When the kids get fidgety, pull out a new DVD or video game, puzzle book or card game. I’ve been known to wrap up a pack of gum. Hey, whatever will make them smile? 

7. Prepare Your Children for the Process of Traveling. Tell them what will happen at the airport. Describe the security screening process, the boarding process and the need to obey on-board seatbelt instructions. Explain to them when they will be getting their next meal (always an important consideration with my sons, at least) and what snacks will be available in transit.  

8. Consider Seating Carefully. Put seat selection somewhere on your strategic plan. Will you be making a tight connection in Dallas? First, try not to. If unavoidable, get seats towards the front of the plane, so you can make a quick exit. Taking a six-hour non-stop to Los Angeles? Consider sitting towards the back, where you can make easy and frequent trips to the restrooms.   

9. Speaking of Potty Breaks … Pay close attention to the overhead seatbelt lights. You never know how long they will stay on. We’ve been on a couple bumpy flights where even the flight attendants were strapped down the entire way. I don’t mean to scare you here, but be smart: When that light goes off, get everyone out of their seats, take a leisurely stroll to the back of the plane and hit the restrooms.   

10. Make Friends with the Flight Attendants and Other Passengers. Start smiling at people as soon as you get on the plane. Get yourselves seated as efficiently as possible and help others where appropriate. You never know when you might really, really need the goodwill and/or assistance of those around you.   

11. Keep Your Children from Kicking or Pushing on the Seat in Front of Them. One of the easiest ways to make friends with the people sitting in front of you is to let them sit in peace. Teach your children about airplane etiquette. Practice at home, it you need to. 

12. Enjoy the Ride. Remember that your airplane ride is part of your vacation. Plan ahead, for the enjoyment of you and your children. And don’t forget your commitment to conscious parenting: Create your vision and keep those affirmations flowing. “Our travels are always safe, restorative, and joyful!” 

If you have kids, you are already an expert on family travel. Do you have some helpful travel tips to share? 

Write me a comment and spread the joy! 

Happy traveling!

By Meg Brown, Intent