The Third Trimester - Weeks 28-40 - Part 2

Weeks 28 -33 were pretty much unremarkable and similar to the latter stages of the first half of the Third Trimester.

My iron levels were found to be low after the 28 week blood test and I was taking Floradix but I found it was making me feel ill rather than energising me. I have since switched to taking SpaTone and what a difference it has made to how I feel and boosting my energy levels. I highly recommend it.

The baby bump is bigger and far more noticeable and so it should be as I am almost there!

I am trying to keep active by walking as much as I can but since week 33 the SPD pain has ramped up a bit and baby is still loving sitting/pushing against my bladder..

Since 35 weeks I have been experiencing really heavy legs without any swelling (I keep checking!). This has made walking quite an effort as it feels like I am dragging lead weights around. The baby is also very active but does like to wedge itself into painful positions, nothing really new there!

36 weeks - all the above still applies... My lovely school mum friends surprised me with cake and gifts - isn't the cake above just the cutest?! It tasted incredibly good too.

37 weeks - So baby is now deemed to be term and no longer premature, baby can come any day now!!

I have been measured for nursing bras, both baby and my hospital bags are ready - we just need to build the crib and we are ready for baby's arrival :)

38 weeks - Bump seems huge now! I really feel quite heavy.

I have also acquired puffy feet (oh the glamour!) Weighted legs are still a feature and walking any distance is incredibly uncomfortable.

There isn't much room in there now and the baby's movements are even stronger if that is even possible... I feel it stretching from my ribs right down to my bladder area. I have even had the baby push out something that feels quite bony out of my rib area, to the family's amusement.

At times it lays in a position that sends shooting pains down my legs and this can last for a good 15 minutes where I think that my hips are going to disengage from my legs, scary I can tell you.

The baby's room is painted, the drawers are in place and the crib is built... we are almost there!!

39 weeks - I am not going to lie, this week has been a struggle - the pressure building down below is quite something. The nightly toilet breaks are getting to be harder too, getting out of bed comfortably and walking is so painful. The pain sometimes just to turn over in bed has me biting my pillow, and this pain can go on for up to half an hour until baby decides to move...

A few days ago I felt regular pains and pressure and we all got excited to think it could be contractions but alas it wasn't labour - this has happened a fair few times now but it goes away after about an hour. It can happen a few times a day.

Bump seems lower now too, are things imminent?

Emotions - I have had a few crying spells, full on sobbing fests. Apparently this is completely normal as your hormones prepare for labour and is caused by a drop in progesterone.

40 weeks - Today is my due date with no sign of baby making an appearance... I guess I will be having an April baby afterall!!

Bettina x

Easter With Hotel Chocolat - Caramel Chocolate Scrambled Easter Egg

Think gorgeous and tasty Easter Eggs and Easter chocolate treats and I automatically head to Hotel Chocolat. In the past I have enjoyed Hotel Chocolat's deluxe egg Rocky Road To Caramel and my young son has had the Egg on Toast amongst others...

This year Hotel Chocolat invited me to choose an egg to review and as I have a real love of caramel tasting chocolate I chose the delightfully sounding Caramel Chocolate Scrambled Easter Egg 

It features one generously sized caramel chocolate Easter Egg and a packet of 6 bite size scrambled pralines - smooth praline encased in deliciously sweet caramel chocolate.

Unfortunately for me I made the mistake of showing my seven year old the Easter Egg and he asked (very nicely!) if we could have an early Easter...  Who am I to deny my little boy ... well it turns out he adores caramel chocolate and he pretty much devoured the Easter Egg, Hotel Chocolat you have a real fan of yours right here, he LOVED it! Declaring it yummy indeed. As it was a good size egg and fairly rich we did manage to eek the egg out over 3 days which I reckon is great value. I did manage to have a sneaky piece or too - oh by the way I must mention that allow the egg is hollow it is fairly strong, it took a fair few attempts to crack it!!

I ensured the pralines were safely ensconced in my possession so that I could enjoy them in peace with a cup of tea for elevenses once he was safely deposited in school. These taste every bit as good as they look. Crispy sweet caramel chocolate on the outside with a deliciously smooth praline inside, these are sophisticated and grown up, oh how I enjoyed my tea break :)

Well we were both completely sold on the Caramel Chocolate Scrambled Easter Egg and I think it is fabulous value and worth every penny at just £15. 

However, I recommend that you should definitely make a visit to a Hotel Chocolat near you or visit their website as there is a huge selection of Easter Eggs & Kiddie treats, something for every budget and taste.

Happy Easter!

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My Favourite Beauty Products Of 2015

For my favourite beauty/makeup products of 2015 I went for the products I reached out for the most in my makeup bag...and unsurprisingly the products took in my eyes, cheeks and lips!

You would have had to have lived under a shell not to notice the trend for contouring (made really famous by Kim Kardashian) and not being blessed with lovely cheekbones this has been one trend that I have been embracing in a small way.

I love to accentuate/fake my cheekbones with the extremely affordable SEVENTEEN Define & Conquer Contour Kit which costs just £5.99 from Boots. It is a really simple way of defining and illuminating the face contours and comes with a handy instruction sheet to help you.

I simply adore a good nude lippie, lord knows I have plenty in varying shades but as you can see by how much the one above has been used,  this is my favourite everyday shade and formula - Max Factor Colour Elixir in shade Simply Nude and coming in at £7.99 is the perfect price for everyday use. My lips but better.

Finally, readers of BeautySwot will know that I don't use fake lashes or inserts so I am always on the look out for mascaras and products that enhance my natural lashes... Estee Lauder's Little Black Primer was an absolute essential last year with its multi uses. Promising to tint, amplify and set it does it all. Use alone for pretty and natural lashes, use as a primer under your mascara to give the 'wow factor' to your mascara. It thickens lashes, lifts and lengthens. My favourite use is to set the mascara you are wearing with a final coat of the LBP. It makes the mascara waterproof which is absolutely essential for me in the Summer as I suffer from Hay Fever. I also used it at my sister's wedding and there were many tears of joy but my mascara stayed firmly in place. A brilliant, brilliant product. It costs £20 but is worth every penny.

So there you have it, my favourite products of 2015. What were yours?

Dermalogica Hydrablur Primer Review

The newest Dermalogica Primer (Hydrablur) I have been testing had a hard act to follow as the previous one I have tried I described as the Rolls Royce of Primers - Skinperfect Primer SPF30 so how could this latest one possibly compare?

Dermalogica say 

Hydrating, smoothing primer

Lightweight, non-greasy primer minimizes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, mattifies against oily shine and imparts a silky, luminous finish to skin.

My thoughts 

Well Hydrablur doesn't disappoint. It has a lovely lightweight texture that leaves skin feeling soft and silky, blurring everything in its wake. Skin looks younger and smoother instantly which is great for this thirty eight year old, pores are blurred and skin basically looks and feels great. It provides a fantastic canvas for foundation as it literally glides on after this primer application. I found it locked my makeup into place and kept it there all day, with no tell tale shine on the nose after a few hours.

A fabulous primer and one that I reach for every day. It may be fairly pricey but based on the previous primer I used it really lasts a long time so in my mind is well worth it.

Ooh yes I forget to mention... there is a handy little tool that comes with it to squeeze out every last bit of your product from the tube. Handy.

Dermalogica Hydrablur Primer costs £38 

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The Third Trimester - Weeks 28-40 - Part 1

Weeks 28-40 - The Third Trimester

Weeks 28- 32 

I am now feeling strong baby movements that are at times really quite painful! My first child was a booter and kicker, this baby seems to be doing acrobatics and rolling around in my tummy and pushing itself into my ribs and hips! However it is fun to watch the baby moving around and my stomach changing shape as it does so :)

Pretty sure I am also getting Braxton Hicks (didn't get these in the first pregnancy, or if I did I have them I didn't notice)

What are Braxton Hicks? 

When you have a contraction, your womb (uterus) tightens and then relaxes, like a stronger version of period pains. You may have had contractions throughout your pregnancy, particularly towards the end. During pregnancy, these painless tightenings are called Braxton Hicks contractions.

How Braxton Hicks contractions differ from labour...

1. Are infrequent, and usually happen no more than once or twice an hour, a few times a day.
2. Often stop if you change activity. So walk about if you've been sitting, and sit down if you've been on your feet for a while.
3. Are usually irregular, or if they are regular, only stay that way for a short spell.
4. Don't last long, usually less than a minute.
5. Continue to be unpredictable and non-rhythmic.
6. Don't increase in intensity.

.. I am still getting odd days of SPD where walking is painful and also baby is definitely kicking my bladder at intervals which is weird and uncomfortable and what feels like it is pushing against my bladder particularly if I stand up.

I still feel like gagging when brushing and flossing my teeth so I have to do all I can to avoid actually being sick (at times it has been close!)

Heartburn is ever present particularly at night.

Toilet visits are far more frequent now too - both day and night.

My sleep is quite often disturbed either from waking up needing the toilet or just being too uncomfortable to sleep and so I have taken to using Vichy Idealia Skin Sleep to help moisturise my face and to fake a good night's sleep, it give me a cheats glow in the morning! It smells so nice and does the job so I am happy!

Iron levels are low so I am taking Floradix as a supplement.

My baby bump is visible and my clothes are feeling tighter (I have just gone up a dress size) but I am still getting comments like I don't seem very big for how far gone in pregnancy I am... This can be quite hurtful to be honest.

Part two to follow....

Bettina x

The Langham Wedgewood Afternoon Tea - Review

Exactly five years ago my mum, sister and myself headed off to The Langham London for afternoon tea. We had a great time, the Palm Court where afternoon tea is served, although large was cosy and the service was friendly. The pianist even came around and asked us if we had any requests. All in all it was a fabulous experience and if you want to read more you can read the original review here .

Five years later I was invited back to The Langham to try their Wedgewood Afternoon Tea. Well what can I say, from the minute you step out of your car, taxi or just walk up to the hotel you are greeted with the warmest of welcomes. The Doorman was ultra friendly with a huge smile and it was no easy feat him being stood outside for so long, we visited on the coldest day of the year!

We were at the last sitting of the day 5.30pm and there was still a buzz in the air.

The Palm Court has been updated and refreshed but not too different from what it was before. Funnily enough we were shown to our seats which happened to be the very same corner that we had occupied the last time we visited.

To start we were treated to a Lemon Posset for the Amuse Bouche. The lemon posset was smooth, silky and creamy with a light tartness that was just the perfect way to start the afternoon tea.

We chose our teas, I went for the Wedgewood Original, however be prepared there is a wonderfully wide selection to choose from and the tea sommelier is happy to advise.  

Next we were brought our sandwiches - I loved that there was a mix of traditional sandwiches and delicate rolls to devour... and tasty they were.

The menu -

Smoked salmon, avocado and wasabi eclair
Peppered beef pastrami, red leicester coleslaw
Cucumber, cream cheese and chives
Marinated artichokes, Burford brown egg
Lightly curried prawn, tomato and watercress

We were offered seconds on the sandwiches but we declined knowing just how much more food was to follow!

The traditional scone course followed and we were not disappointed. They were warm, light and fluffy and just the right size to enjoy. Some of the nicest scones we have ever had and these were served with Devonshire clotted cream and Strawberry preserve.

Mmm, mmm.

And then the moment we had really been waiting for....

The sweet selection inspired by the Wedgewood Collection 

Wedgewood Tea Cup, white chocolate mousse, tropical jelly and dark chocolate sable
White Cameo on blue, strawberry and white balsamic Victoria sponge
Daisy Teapot, cinnamon shortbread cookie 
Hathaway Rose Motif, English rose and lychee log (my fave!)
Kouglof, 64% chocolate, raspberry and lightly roasted pistachio financier 

These delicate and pretty pastries were absolutely delicious, light and dare I say it moreish...even though I struggled to finish them. They looked exquisite much to our delight and were small and intricate (everything I love about the perfect afternoon tea) Just look at the detail that has gone into their creation... works of art!

We couldn't fault our afternoon tea in anyway, It was delicious with the right mix of flavours, tastes and texture. Service was impeccable and with a smile. We never once had to lift a finger, the staff were attentive and ensured that our teacups were always filled.

Live music was provided by a pianist which I adore and never stopped the entire time we were seated. In fact after a while he was joined by another instrumentalist which just added to the already fantastic atmosphere. A round of applause rang around the room after one particular piece. I *may* have started this!

We had a fabulous and stylish afternoon and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Five years later The Langham is still one of my all time favourite hotels (a visit to their bar The Artesian is also not to be missed) and the Palm Court serves up one of the best afternoon teas in London.

For more details and to book visit the website - Palm Court

*We were guests of the Palm Court
*Menu subject to change 

GlossyBox Beauty Soulmates February Edition - What's Inside Mine

February's Edition of Glossybox is billed as the Beauty Soulmates edition - pairing you with beauty essentials and perfect product matches ... I have to say they have done a great job on my box!

The limited edition box design is super cute and apt for Valentine's Day/February also known as the month of love...

What's inside ?

Nicka K 24H Waterproof Eyeliner - £3.99 

I absolutely love a decent rich brown eyeliner and this one doesn't disappoint. A flattering brown shade, once set it really doesn't budge. A nice precise tip,  a blender at the other end and a built in sharpener.

MUA Power Pout Glaze Low Voltage Gloss - £3.50 

My shade is HUSH which is a gorgeous sheer peachy nude which is just the kind of shade I adore. It smells lovely with a hint of vanilla. I will definitely be wearing this once the wind dies down!

NAOBAY Protective Hair Mask Volume Conditioner - £10.64 

I do like a good hair mask and I was particularly impressed with the Maria Nila Luminous Hair Masque that appeared in a previous Glossybox so I am looking forward to trying this one. It has a nice fresh citrus scent.

Wilkinson Sword Intuition Razor - £6.99

This box was sent at the perfect time, I was just about to pop out to buy some blades for my preferred razor but I am willing to give this a go. It has built in soap to help the razor glide against your skin.

Browtician Love Skull Tweezers Ltd Edit - £7.99 

I must admit I am a Tweezerman girl through and through and have been for many years... how is this going to compare!

Final thoughts 

February's Glossybox features 5 full size products which for just £10 + p&p makes it outstanding value. 

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