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FAMILY LIFE: I bake, therefore I am…gaining weight

September 30, 2011

Since becoming a Mummy for the first time last November, a number of things have changed in my life. And I’m not merely talking about the sleepless nights, dirty nappies and a house full of colourful, noisy and well-chewed toys.

Everybody knows that with a new baby comes responsibility, unconditional love, stress, irresistible chuckles and gurgles, anxiety and the joy of watching the developmental stages arrive. But often overlooked – or in my case, ignored – is the issue of weight gain (my husband’s as well as mine, how does that work?!). I would like purely to blame my recent ‘blossoming’ on having carried my darling daughter for nine months and the ensuing hectic lifestyle that comes with this gorgeous little bundle of joy. But if I’m being honest (and I might as well be) I can’t lay the blame solely at that one door. In truth, I’ll probably be using the ‘I’ve had a baby’ excuse for my Rubenesque stature until Holly’s 30th birthday but I need look no further than a long-forgotten hobby for the cause of my ever-expanding waistline and constantly shrinking wardrobe.

You see, since Holly’s arrival, I’ve rediscovered the joys of home baking. I used to bake. I always enjoyed it.

Now? It’s become somewhat of an obsession. I. Just. Can’t. Stop. Baking…

And when one bakes, one must inevitably eat what one has produced, leading to the onset of what I like to call a good old-fashioned healthy roundness and glow. Yeah right. Who am I kidding? This is pure, out and out weight gain, and whichever way I look at it, my clothes are getting tighter by the day! My bathroom scales aren’t too impressed either.

You see I blame breastfeeding. While I was feeding Holly myself I was able to, within reason, eat just about anything I wanted. Being a total lover of food this was a wonderful, exhilarating and liberating time for me. I’ve always battled with my weight like so many others, but while I was breastfeeding I couldn’t fail to lose my baby weight without even trying – perfect.

But then I stopped breastfeeding. Perhaps the mistake I made was not stopping eating like I was still breastfeeding? Could have been. And so, my celebrated weight loss during that time of scrumptious excess was slowly but absolutely cancelled out.

But how does one resist the lure of chocolate cupcakes? Coffee-fly cakes? Triple chocolate brownies? It’s definitely impossible. Especially for me as I have absolutely no willpower at all when it comes to baked goodies. I am the slave of a yummy treat. There, I’ve said it.

And so it has come to pass. For the sake of my daughter, my health, my weight and all inanimate objects that must bear that said weight, I’ve had to stop baking. It’s been an effort but I’ve managed to put my obsession to one side, for now, and head off the inevitable weight gain that has become a part of my life.

Perhaps now would be a good time to brush the gathering dust off my trainers and unearth that long forgotten sports gear to head out in search of some of that stuff they call exercise. So here starts my quest to become a ‘yummy mummy’ rather than a Mummy that says ‘Yummy’… a lot!

Maybe I’ve just time for a quick cuppa, chocolate biscuit (bought of course, I no longer create my own) and a cuddle from my little angel… after all, she isn’t going to be a baby for long!

by Helen Bowman © 2011

Helen Bowman is a freelance writer, editor and proof reader who lives in Whitley Bay and works with small companies, individuals and groups to write, edit and proof read articles, press releases, website copy and all forms of the written word.

Contact her on 07725 196929 or at helen@in-the-detail.co.uk for more information.

 

Filed Under: Family Life, Features, Helen Bowman

FAMILY LIFE: After all, what’s in a name?

August 2, 2011

Hello! Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Holly’s Mummy.

There was a time when I had a name all of my very own. Now, let me think, what was that name again? Ah that’s right, Helen. My name is Helen, how do you do?

Since becoming a Mummy for the first time in November 2010 I’m finding that life has changed beyond all recognition. No longer can I move around the house independently without a care or worry. I now have to carry a gorgeous tiny person from room to room and find a vast array of squeaking, rattling and fluffy objects to keep her amused as I go about my daily chores.

Popping is a thing of the past in my house. I used to enjoy popping. I’d ‘pop’ to the shops for some milk, ‘pop’ to the post box to post a letter or ‘pop’ out for lunch with my friends. Now don’t get me wrong, I still do all those things. I just do all of those things at less of a ‘pop’ and at more of dull thud. Simply leaving the house has become something of a military exercise involving enough resources and equipment to sink a battle ship and, more often than not, too much under-breath cursing and muttering from yours truly.

Once I am out with all the clutter and bumph that generally accompanies a small child, I love to walk with Holly in her pushchair and I’m a very proud Mummy when total strangers and friends of the family alike stop me to coo and gurgle at her and tell me how gorgeous she is. I know this. I am her (admittedly slightly biased) Mummy after all! However, when I reach my destination (as I generally do, although it has been known not to happen) I meet with a phenomenon, new to me, that I jokingly call ‘Invisible Mum Syndrome’. Other new and experienced Mums will know precisely what I mean. I now enter a room and everyone (yes, even my own dear Daddy) makes a very severe and direct beeline for my darling daughter and forgets (in the majority of cases) to even acknowledge my existence! Harrumph! Ah, the cost of having such an adorable daughter…

Having said all that, I wouldn’t change a single thing about my life as a Mummy. For every con there are one hundred pros and I am one happy lady. For every sleepless night there are countless moments in which her smile brightens my day and for every dirty nappy there are the heart-melting giggles, shouts and babbles that make me laugh out loud.

I’m proud to introduce myself as Holly’s Mummy. It’s nice to meet you.

by Helen Bowman © 2011

Helen Bowman is a freelance writer, editor and proof reader who lives in Whitley Bay and works with small companies, individuals and groups to write, edit and proof read articles, press releases, website copy and all forms of the written word.

Contact her on 07725 196929 or at helen@in-the-detail.co.uk for more information.

 

Filed Under: Family Life, Features, Helen Bowman

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The deadlines for the 2020 issues are:

MonthDeadlineDistribution Dates
January 20205th December (2019)27th, 30th, 31st December (2019)
February 20209th January29th - 31st January
March 20206th February26th - 28th February
April 20205th March27th, 30th, 31st March
May 20209th April28th - 30th April
June 20207th May27th - 29th May
July 202011th June26th, 29th, 30th June
August 20209th July29th - 31st July
September 20206th August26th - 28th August
October 202010th September28th - 30th September
November 20208th October28th - 30th October
December 20205th November26th, 27th, 30th November
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