Win a Secret Saviours Bump Kit

I am growing my third baby and you can tell.  With clothes it looks neat, but remove the layers and my tummy is covered in marks that tell a story of two little boys, who were not all that little.  The marks faded after a few months and rather than an angry red they are mostly silvery and not all that obvious, but always present.

With this baby, I have done something a little different.  Whilst adding in a few more isn't really the worst thing in the world (although I am not sure where there is space), I wanted to look after my growing bump as I know my body and skin are feeling the pressure of a third baby in as many years.  I took part in a trial with Secret Saviours to test their bump band and creams and I have made it to 36 weeks without adding to my stretch marks.  The band is unique in that it has pads on the inside that are proven to restrict the growth of stretch marks, and even more than that, I have found it helps me feel supported and stops that familiar back ache creeping in as my tummy gets bigger.

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Maternity Skincare

Without a doubt, our bodies change shape during pregnancy, some earlier than others, some in more places than others, but as our skin stretches and our tummies grow, it is important to look after ourselves on the inside and out.

I have been testing a variety of maternity skincare products over the last few weeks, and wanted to put it all together in an easy post, so if you are looking for a little treat for your growing bump then look no further.

Love Boo

I was sent a lovely Marvellous Mummy Kit from Love Boo which has perfectly sized miniatures for travel.  I took this away for our week in Rome and it was great to fit in the suitcase.  The body wash smells sweet and the body smoother is a very thick cream that dries in surprisingly fast.  With shea butter the smell is not overpowering but still soft and feminine.  The miracle oil takes much longer to dry as is common with oils but is a lovely bedtime treat and left my skin feeling lovely and soft.

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Mama Mio Skincare

I hate to say it, but my body is just not the same as it was pre-baby.  There are lumps and bumps in places that were once smooth and my tummy has a silver map of something resembling the london underground etched into it thanks to stretch marks.  As much as I tried to look after my body during pregnancy and afterwards, motherhood has taken it's toll.

I was invited along to learn about Mama Mio's pregnancy skincare range and their new 'Fit Skin Test' and I was interested to see whether their products could make any difference at all to me. 

The fit skin test is

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Liforma Bump Band Review

I thought I had tried every trick in the book to try and prevent the dreaded stretch marks so when I heard about Liforma I was curious.  Liforma is not just a cream, it is a bump band, innovatively made with raised spots on the inside that are designed to stop stretchmarks in their tracks.  

The pack comes with a day gel, which you put on and allow it to dry for a few seconds, before pulling on the bump band.  The band comes in several sizes so you can pick the right one for your shape and stage of pregnancy, and are much like the bump bands I have to hide my tummy when my tops are too short or jeans don't do up.  The idea is that you wear the bump band under your clothes all day and then apply the seperate moisturising night cream before going to bed and taking the band off.

One of the first things I noticed was that the band was nice and snug, even in a large and I felt like my back was getting some protection.  I work as a waitress which can put stress on my body during pregnancy, and I have found that wearing the band gives me less back pain at the end of the day.  I found that the day gel needed to be reapplied midway through the day as if your skin dries it can become itchy, but reapplying once was enough to keep my bump feeling moisturised and soft and only took a few seconds.  The night cream is lovely and rich and the same texture as many other pregnancy body lotions.

I did find that occasionally the band did get uncomfortable, and the lower elastic band could become too tight, even though I was wearing a size large and am only a size 8 pre-pregnancy.  I also found that wearing thinner tops meant you could see the spots on  the bump through it.  As this pregnancy is mostly through winter, this isn't an issue as I am usually quite covered up however should it be a summer pregnancy it would be difficult to wear the band under a white vest or T-shirt without it being quite noticeable.

I can't say for sure how effective the band is, as I have numerous stretch marks from my first pregnancy and have not worn it every day so far but reading the science behind it has reassured me that Liforma may really be onto something.  I think that worn properly this would be quite an effective treatment and worn occasionally I find it helps support my back and keep my bump moisturised and looked after.  It is not the cheapest method but it is your body and you only get one so I don't think there is a price you can put on having a scar free tummy should it be one of your priorities.  I would love to hear some testimonies from people that wore this religiously throughout pregnancy so should you have the Liforma kit, please let me know!

You can purchase this Liforma pack through an approved stockist for £84.99

Disclaimer:  I was sent a day gel, night cream and bump band for the purpose of this review but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

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28 Weeks Pregnant

I am now well and truly in the final trimester but it still feels like I have ages before baby Squish makes an appearance.  I am desperately hoping that time starts slowing down as I am not ready for two physically or mentally yet! I am thinking that once Christmas is out the way I will start getting ready for the little man so he is under strict orders to stay put until at least the first of February!

Here is my 28 week bump:

On the Outside

I am getting lots of comments about my round bump, and just like in my first pregnancy, it looks like someone has stuck a football up my top.  I think it looks quite low but it is definitely very round now.  I weighed myself for the first time since 12 weeks and I have

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