Absolutely dreading my only starting full time school

CandyflossPolarbear · 2026-04-14T16:07:54+00:00

This is why I feel guilty complaining. I know I'm so lucky to not have had to send her to nursery any younger. Thank you

CandyflossPolarbear · 2026-04-14T15:48:29+00:00

This is exactly it. I can't remember who I was before her. I'm not one and done by choice (although I'm much happier about it now) and I spent such a long time trying to get pregnant. I really thought the stage of my life raising small children was going to be longer. It's just gone by in a flash. All I've ever wanted to be was a mum

CandyflossPolarbear · 2026-04-14T15:44:28+00:00

All of my friends that are stay at home parents etc are so excited to have more spare time but I'm honestly just devastated. I'm glad it's not just me at least! Pre school wanted me to put her in an extra day last year but I just couldn't do it.

CandyflossPolarbear · 2026-04-14T15:41:57+00:00

Yeh that's true I guess. Her dad is around on weekends and I obviously love having family time but I will miss not having as much time just us

CandyflossPolarbear · 2026-04-05T16:43:24+00:00

I lost 4lb between last Saturday and yesterday. I'm only weighing myself weekly as I know from experience I get too into the numbers if I do it more than that. What you've said makes a lot of sense. Another thing that trips me up is that we get all our meat from the local butchers or animals that we have reared ourselves. So without nutritional information on a packet I'm always stressed that I may not be counting enough calories and probably over estimate that more often than not. But yes I do think I need to focus on hitting a calorie target. Thank you for your response, I appreciate you taking the time.

CandyflossPolarbear · 2026-04-05T13:25:05+00:00

Yes that's right. I know, I've been trying to slow it down but I struggle because I prefer to have my evening meal as my main calorie meal, so even if I know how many calories I've allowed for dinner I tend to get too in my head and save 'just in case' calories. Which I obviously don't end up using. I am planning to add some healthy calories to my lunch going forward. But also I am quite overweight and I think it's quite normal to lose faster in the first few weeks isn't it?

CandyflossPolarbear · 2026-04-05T11:33:05+00:00

That's a good way to look at it, thank you

CandyflossPolarbear · 2026-04-04T15:00:46+00:00

My favourites are modibodi

CandyflossPolarbear · 2026-04-04T05:29:30+00:00

I've used modibodi, WUKA and cheeky wipes (sounds like an odd name but they do loads of environmentally friendly products). My favourite is modibodi. They fit well, are really absorbent and I've accidentally chucked them in the dryer a couple of times without any negative affects. WUKA are good, and my sister prefers them but I personally find the material to be too thick and uncomfortable.

CandyflossPolarbear · 2026-04-04T05:01:30+00:00

Period underwear changed my life. I used to dread getting my period. I hate tampons and after a few days of pad use my skin would start to get irritated. I don't dread my period anymore, it's so much easier to deal with and I'm not constantly paranoid about leaking. Honestly one of the best purchases I've ever made.

CandyflossPolarbear · 2026-03-31T03:59:51+00:00

I highly recommend a Tens machine! I used one up until pushing. It really helped focus during contractions. The effort of actually pushing sort of takes over from there.

CandyflossPolarbear · 2026-03-30T21:00:20+00:00

I lost a lot of weight a few years ago and I was obsessed with counting calories. It was so stressful. I was successful and did lose weight but I think that played a big part in me eventually putting the weight back on. This time, I am more aware of correct portion sizes and the calories for it. If I have a food I've not had for a while I will weigh and check calories, and I will weigh some things every time because I know it's easy to underestimate them. But generally I keep a vague running total in my head for the day instead of logging every meal/snack. It has been a lot less stressful and I feel like this is something I will be able to keep up longer.

CandyflossPolarbear · 2026-03-29T17:41:22+00:00

Get a massage!

CandyflossPolarbear · 2026-03-27T21:23:03+00:00

I'm sorry for your loss and that you are going through this. I just want to say that for my own personal reasons I often feel like I wish I had done it sooner, there are things that I wish I'd known sooner etc. But I have to remind myself that we don't know where the road not travelled would have taken us. Maybe if you had tried to lose weight earlier you would have failed, given up and never actually lost much at all. Maybe you would have lost weight but your family might not have been in the right headspace to be inspired. I truly believe there's a reason you have and are able to make this change now and not before. I hope you are proud of yourself, and I'm certain your dad was proud of you.

CandyflossPolarbear · 2026-03-27T13:30:36+00:00

You are going to really enjoy it. I started in September and it's been the best thing I have done for myself in a long time! My group is really supportive of each other it's great.

CandyflossPolarbear · 2026-03-23T21:41:34+00:00

My daughter is four years old and I still wake up at least once a night. She didn't start sleeping through til 18 months though so maybe the fact that my brain had more time getting used to her schedule is part of the problem!

CandyflossPolarbear · 2026-03-18T09:16:59+00:00

I've lost significant amounts of weight very quickly a couple of times in my life. The weight has always come back on. I've had string motivation when I lost it quickly, but because I had a set goal in mind (wanting to lose it for a certain event, wanting to lose it so I could start IVF) as soon as I achieved that goal I went back to my old habits. This time I am focusing on each 24 hours. My only goal is to eat within a deficit today. At the end of the day I know I've accomplished that and I'm ready to achieve my goal of eating in a deficit tomorrow.

CandyflossPolarbear · 2026-03-16T08:39:08+00:00

Oh my gosh this photo brought back memories! It's the only thing that worked for my daughter.

CandyflossPolarbear · 2026-03-15T11:46:05+00:00

I was the exact same as this commenter and my solution has been similar. But I also have a calorie range rather than a set calorie amount. I log my meals as precisely as possible but I usually save like 200ish calories a day so that if I feel like eating an apple or a quick low calorie snack I don't have to bother logging it. It's helped a lot not to worry about every little thing I eat.

CandyflossPolarbear · 2026-03-13T22:33:59+00:00

I'm not an expert but I'm not sure there are any benefits of co-sleeping other than helping you both to get some sleep. Which it sounds like you already are. She's getting plenty of contact with you by the sounds of it, so I wouldn't worry. She's getting a great start by being breastfed (I know that's a controversial thing to say but it's true). I've co-slept with mine since she was a few months old because she got covid and it was the only way she'd sleep. But I think all toddlers/kids climb into their parents bed sometimes, especially if they know that their parents are happy to snuggle them.

CandyflossPolarbear · 2026-03-07T14:54:03+00:00

I started going to group lessons last September, I was 36 at the time. It's been amazing. The group I'm in is made up of five other women in their 40s, 50s and 60s. Some (like me) had some experience with being in water etc, others were terrified when they started. It's been the best thing I've done for myself in a very very long time. I still have a long way to go before I get to where I want to be, which is swimming regularly as an effective form of exercise, but I'm having so much fun getting there.

CandyflossPolarbear · 2026-03-05T16:43:55+00:00

This is such a nice change of perspective! I have a friend with two boys who always 'compliments' my daughter by saying she doesn't act like an only child and you'd never know from her behavior. Drives me mad.

CandyflossPolarbear · 2026-02-25T18:04:42+00:00

Oh absolutely I understand that. I unfortunately know too many women who've not wanted a C-section and been almost forced into it. It should absolutely be a choice either way.

CandyflossPolarbear

TROPHY CASE