Re:You

30/05/2025

15 months feeding this babe 🥹🤍

It’s been an emotional few weeks knowing this journey was coming to an end but we’re here and hopefully it will get easier for both of us.

We’ve made it through tongue tie battles, mastitis, teething and feeding aversion. I’d like to say I’m ‘proud’, but that word doesn’t really feel right to me. And I don’t feel like ‘I’ve done well to get this far’. This was just the way I chose to feed him and I’m grateful I was able to.

Hopefully it’s not too long until I can enjoy our sleepy snuggles again 🥰🤍

18/10/2024

First public appearance since starting maternity leave 😂 Looking forward to getting back to it tonight 🥰🩷 Alsager Civic

♀️🚺TONIGHT - 6PM to 9PM - FREE ENTRY & BAR IS OPEN ♀️🚺

We are so excited for our very first Menopause Mixer, featuring hilarious comedian Zeph- who brings attention to this normal stage of life, making it humorous and educational through her stand-up comedy, songs, and demonstrations.

We'll also have lots of invaluable information and signposting from...

💕Aura - Shine your brightest
👩‍⚕️Cedars Medical Centre
🎶Beverly Raftery
💇‍♀️MeganVictoria
🍎🥦Re:You
👩‍👧Motherwell Community - where Women and Girls Matter
Holly Blue Hypnotherapy
☀️Sunshine crystals store

See you there!

18/07/2024

Today, a lady told us that it was beautiful watching me feed Lockie in public, and that more people should feel comfortable breastfeeding in public because it’s a natural thing to do and nothing to be ashamed of.

And I agree.

So here’s some pictures of us having lunch on the go in the hope it gives someone else the confidence to do so too. 💙

18/06/2024

Today I learnt something new and it just makes so much sense…

You might have heard that nursing your baby to sleep is ‘a bad habit’ that needs to be sorted ASAP (FYI- I do not think this at all).

But did you know that breastmilk, in the evening and through the night, contains hormones that help your baby to sleep? Which could mean longer stretches of sleep. Can I get an AMEN?! 🙏🏼

BUT! Did you know that those same hormones are also released in your body too?! Meaning that you also feel sleepy after nursing your baby to sleep and during those night feeds. It’s what helps put you to sleep and get you back to sleep at 2am.

I always have every intention of working out once Loch’s gone to bed but always feel so exhausted!

And now I know why! Back to the drawing board to find a different time of day to squish in some exercise. 🏃🏽‍♀️ 🏋🏼‍♀️

15/06/2024

Our first 2 weeks of feeding went so well…

Apart from Lockie falling asleep a lot when feeding, everything else was dreamy. He fed every 2-3 hours, was sleeping long stretches at night and gained weight quickly! A textbook baby.

However, after this point things started to go a little funky. The best way to describe it is that it was as though I was waterboarding him with every feed😫😔 Though he was consistently gaining weight, he was getting more uncomfortable with each feed, as was I! He would cough and splutter all the way through, milk was dribbled all over the place and feeding whilst on the go just felt an impossible task. He was making a clicking noise, taking in a lot of air, was very gassy and had blisters all over his lips.

It took me 3 weeks of being in increasing amounts of pain and dreading each feed to go to the feeding support group they have here in Cheshire. They instantly suspected a tongue tie. They did an NHS referral there and then but my anxious mind couldn’t cope with not knowing how long it would be to have an appointment. Thankfully we were able to go private and had an appointment a few days later.

Turns out Loch’s TT was on the worse side of things. He had extremely limited movement and has led to his palate being extremely high. The consultants were surprised we’d managed to get to 5 weeks exclusively breastfeeding (they said he was biting instead of sucking 😫)

Many people see instant results after a TT division… It took 4 weeks for me to see a difference in his feeding. But eventually the blisters lessened, the pain subsided, and he was a more content little baby.

I’ve always been so set on breastfeeding, which led me to ignore all of the signs something was not right. It’s amazing how much my mindset and pain threshold allowed me to put up with things. And I have been more anxious with every little thing since 😂

I’m so grateful for the network I’ve found near home, the breastfeeding team and Dr/nurse friends that helped me during those 7 weeks 🩵

03/01/2024

✨ REFLECTIONS ✨

2023 was a BIG year of change.

For me, my main goal of the year was to start a family. The journey was more challenging than expected, combined with losing my job and main income at the start of the year, mentally took its toll on me. Re:You had to take a back seat whilst I prioritised slowing down and looking after my mental health.

So what were the positives?:
✨I started my own group menopause sessions and started working with local services to improve Nutrition knowledge and build my network
✨I managed to land a role contracting in School Food Nutrition
✨I went back to full-time employed work as a Health and Wellbeing Coach, leading a team to deliver Diabetes Prevention Programmes.
✨I had an AMAZING family ski/spa holiday to Austria and Mallorca
✨I turned 30
✨I did a triathlon, coming 5th overall in my age category (must get better at cycling)
✨Saw Coldplay, Mcfly and 3 musicals at the theatre
✨Fell pregnant
✨Celebrated love at 7 weddings
✨Supported individuals with menopause, sporting goals, energy and IBS challenges through 1-2-1 sessions

Looking back over 2023, I feel like I spent most of it being sick, hating my body and being so out of control of it, and struggling to come to terms with something i’d wanted for a while (I still do). But I realise that this is exactly where I need and want to be. That my 2023 goals of being more patient, more accepting and starting a family have actually all been achieved, they were just more challenging than I anticipated. And looking at the list above, despite all of its challenges, there have been some great memories made.

2024 will be a very different one for me, with my goals being family oriented and figuring out what values are really important for my family. Only a few more weeks of work left before I finish! And after the Christmas break… I am MORE than ready.

2024 will be a special one. 👶🏼🫶🏼

24/04/2023

Wilmslow Sprint Tri

400m swim | 24km bike | 6.4km run

The aim was to stay relaxed and just finish in an ok time as the bike and run were longer than a normal sprint distance tri, so hard to compare times.

🏊🏼‍♀️: Managed a casual 2nd place finish, no leaky goggles, no achey shoulders and no getting stuck behind anyone. 🥳

🚴🏼‍♀️: A nice scenic country route up to Manchester airport and back on my grandads steel bike. Kept it nice and steady. Aim was to not fall off. The gears did not work so there were a few questionable hills that did nearly write me off, but ‘every bike has its quirks’.

🏃🏽‍♀️: = baby 🦒 legs. Actually considered stopping at the start, spent the whole run trying not to throw up, but kept my usual steady pace and had a blister free run!

Overall 5th place finish 🤩

Lessons for next time:
➡️ Fuel better the day before and on the day (rookie error)
➡️ Get more bike miles in… Definitely an easy 10 mins to take off somewhere in the tank!
➡️ Don’t use a bike with non functioning gears 😂

20/03/2023

‘There’s someone just sat in the ice bath’ 🙋🏽‍♀️🧊

A good sauna and ice bath combo to recover, energise and refocus the mind 💆🏻‍♀️

15/03/2023

This last month has been really tough! Full of high’s and extreme lows, many of which have been out of my control.

Losing my job, deciding whether to pursue my own business full time, or find a new job, turning 30, a getaway to the lakes, celebrating with family and friends.

It’s all been very overwhelming.

But things are finally starting to feel a bit more organised and in control.

Allowing myself space to feel upset, sad, angry. But then taking action to change. I’ve said no to commitments I can no longer give my full energy to, and made decisions on things I’ve been putting off for a while. And although those decisions were hard to make, I’ve just had to think selfishly and do what I know is right for me.

No matter how hard your decisions might seem, I can guarantee it’s even harder to not make them and spend all your energy thinking about them.

🌈

20/02/2023

About last week.

1. Valentines meal 💗
2. Sunset after a long walk
3. Wednesday.
4. Coffee date with 🐩
5. Sticky orange chicken
6. Rugby life 🏉

Approaching this week with a positive and proactive mindset. But knowing that it’s ok to cry if I want to.

Life isn’t about . Life is gonna throw us crappy situations. It’s about learning to accept them for what they are and finding out a way around them.

You’ve got this 💪🏼

15/02/2023

I think I might move to the mountains 🏔️

An amazing week.

Feeling very grateful to have spent a week in the sun, snow and spa with my family.

Spending whole days outside makes me feel good. ⛷️🌞

Hope you’ve all had a great few weeks 🤗

03/02/2023

WOW! 4 years ago today since I was on and the red sofa talking all things swimming! 🏊🏼‍♀️

This is up there as one of my proudest achievements 🥰

“Do something you’re passionate about, and you’ll never work a day in your life.”

Not a quote I fully stand by, because there are always going to be tough days and you’ll never find a job you’re 100% happy about 100% of the time.

But IF you can do something you’re passionate about, there are far more days that you do enjoy over the days you don’t.

And the days that you don’t enjoy will be that little bit easier to handle.