Truth #1. You’ll start showing earlier

I announced my first pregnancy when I was 20 weeks. That’s how long it took for my belly to show. Or so I thought! In hindsight, I could’ve passed it off as a bloated tummy or a food baby! See evidence below.

This was my bump at 26 weeks… still barely a bump by comparison to this second pregnancy!

And here I was, in the third trimester…

And guess how many weeks pregnant I am in the shots below? 16, going onto 17 weeks!!! Definitely comparable to my third trimester bump in the first pregnancy!

My body definitely remembered how to be pregnant and it took next to no time for my bump to show this second time!

Truth #2. Each pregnancy will feel completely different, stop comparing them

There was a lot of joy during my first pregnancy; I remember lovingly rubbing Bio-Oil on my belly from the moment I found out that I was expecting. I’d walk past a mirror and admire my pregnant body. I loved the feeling of being pregnant. Having a growing baby inside of me felt like I had a secret language and connection that only my baby and I were privy to. My hair was glossy, my skin had that tell-tale pregnancy glow, and I just adored being pregnant.

While I suffered from morning sickness during the daytime in the first pregnancy, it disappeared by night and allowed me to feel human again on a daily basis. This time round, my nausea and first trimester fatigue was so much tougher on the body than the first pregnancy. Feeling queasy and so revolted by food all day and night made me tremendously miserable. The permanent metallic taste in my mouth turned me off even drinking water. My belly popped from week 5 and due to other digestive issues, I was bloated and uncomfortable all the time.

Placenta position can also play a huge part in how you experience the pregnancy. Most commonly, the placenta is located at the top of the uterus (fundus) which was the case for my first pregnancy. This time, I have an anterior (front wall) placenta so it hasn’t been possible to feel kicks or punches as strongly because the placenta acts as a cushion between the front of my stomach and the baby.

It is difficult to not compare pregnancies because they inadvertently set your expectations but Teddy Roosevelt’s famous assertion that “comparison is the thief of joy” is a great reminder here that comparing pregnancies will only leave you feeling deflated and inadequate.

Truth #3. If you ever feel guilty for taking a nap or resting, remind yourself that you’re creating a human

When you’re pregnant for the first time, you don’t have the responsibilities of taking care of any other humans, you get to leisurely nap at any time of day. You don’t have to abide by anybody else’s schedule but your own.

When you’re pregnant for the second time, there’s a never-ending list of things to do for the first child. They need love, support, and mostly, attention.

Combatting first trimester fatigue and nausea with a toddler definitely left me feeling so disheartened and even guilty that I needed to lie down. My inability to be completely present for my toddler weighed on me like a tonne of bricks. So it was helpful to remind myself that at any given moment, my body was in fact working miraculously hard. My body could have been making an eye ball, creating an arm, or a million other things, all from scratch. Give yourself the compassion and space to rest. You deserve it.

Truth #4. Self-care needs to be a priority that gets scheduled in

This leads me onto self-care. With the first pregnancy, I tried to do all the thing—juggle the intensity of running of a marketing agency and a food media & events company, whilst squeezing in all the usual demands and mental load of being a mindful boss, wife, friend, sister, auntie, daughter, and granddaughter, all while growing a child. Then there was the pressure I put on myself to exclusively breastfeed and freshly prepare organic food for baby-led weaning. Needless to say, even three years post-partum, I was left so run down and depleted.

This time round, my self-care was top of the list. I signed up to pre-natal yoga, which thanks to COVID, had to be online. I sought the support of a naturopath and a clinical psychologist to ensure my body and mind was prepared for the upcoming changes, and I’ve been treating myself to monthly pre-natal massages.

I’ve learnt that the hormone Relaxin starts to circulate throughout the blood stream just after ovulation, peaks after the first trimester and continues until 6 months after giving birth. Relaxin functions to relax and loosen joints and ligaments and the cervix to prepare for birth. As hips widen, the gluteus muscles are stretched and become weak and sore. Pelvic and lower back pain often also occurs as a result of increase in weight and stretching of ligaments. So when your muscles feel tight or sore, book yourself into a massage; even better yet, schedule it in as a monthly commitment and you’ll definitely be thanking your past-self!

Self-care is one of the easiest things to drop off the list when things get too busy so I’ve been scheduling all my self-care appointments into the calendar to ensure it happens.

Truth #5. You may not be on top of taking your supplements every single day

As someone who diligently takes all her supplements without fail every single day, the first trimester nausea really threw me off. I was somewhat caught off-guard but my naturopath reminded me that it was OK if I wasn’t on top of taking my supplements every single day.

The best strategy I have surrounding this mindset shift is to“never miss twice.” This is a concept I got from James Clear on building good habits.

I think the pressure we put on ourselves can steal a lot of the joy from pregnancy so this truth is a reminder to be kind to yourself.

Truth #6. You won’t have to buy much

With the first pregnancy, there was a sentimental novelty about getting to buy everything for the first time—the first size 00000 onesie, the first pair of shoes, the first high chair, the first car seat… I often sought the best of the best, which actually worked out quite well as it means now, four years later, most things are still in a great condition to be passed down!

Tip: We accidentally discovered that a four year age gap is actually very ideal because the firstborn will have transitioned from the baby car seat to a booster seat, and they’ll have moved on from using things like the high chair and pram!

I’ve also embraced pay-it-forward groups on Facebook, having gifted appliances, pre-loved toys and clothes that we don’t need, and on the flip side, received some gorgeous pre-loved clothes. Owning pre-loved clothing helps the environment and ultimately, reduce the amount of fashion/toys waste that goes to landfill! My sister and I have also been swapping kids clothes which means we’ll have a complete wardrobe ready for the baby, without needing to buy anything—her three-year old son’s boy clothes are being saved for our baby boy, and Clara’s girly clothes are being passed down to her two-year old daughter! (For the first two years of Clara’s life, I only bought her gender-neutral clothing but since becoming a toddler, she’s decided that she loves pink, tutus and all the girly things so I’m glad it’s all going to a good home!)

Truth #7. You’ll embrace maternity wear as early as you need

This is somewhat related to the first truth about showing earlier. As a result, I invested in my first two pairs of maternity tights when I was only 4 weeks pregnant. By week 5, I knew I’d made the right decision as it was pure comfort.

Tip: Check out the Active Truth maternity tights with pockets. Having pockets make all the difference!

In the first pregnancy, I was too self-conscious about how pregnant or not pregnant I looked, but during the second pregnancy, I’ve learned to silence out the world. You really don’t care as much, and it’s great!

Truth #8. Trust that the firstborn will be more resilient and adaptable than we give them credit for

It’s natural to be worried about the upcoming changes and how that will affect your firstborn, your one-and-only. I’m particularly sensitive to this as it triggers my inner-child and fears of emotional abandonment and rejection. It’s something I’ve been working through with my psychologist.

It’s been a great relief, just how much my almost four-year old understands. When I was experiencing the first trimester nausea and fatigue, she knew to give me space and would turn to Daddy to play. She quickly adapted to seeing me hover over the toilet and would gently rub my back while asking if I was feeling OK. Whenever she saw me laying down in defeat, she’d fetch me a glass of coconut water or my Kindle. Often, I’d wake up from a nap with a small bouquet of wild flowers she’d hand-picked during an outing to the park with Daddy, or a new artwork piece she’d created for me with Daddy’s help. My favourite part has been hearing her loudly and proudly declare: “I’m going to be a big sister!” while she lovingly puts aside a collection of hand-me-down baby toys and clothes that she’s outgrown, for her baby brother.

We had to stop showering together when I was around 20 weeks pregnant because it became too difficult to constantly bend over. I dreaded the day I’d have to tell her I couldn’t do it anymore, so I persisted just a few weeks more until my back couldn’t take it anymore. Then I explained the situation to her, emphasising just how much I love her, and that we could resume showering together once her baby brother was born. And that was that. There was no tantrum, no outburst, no whinging; never once has she asked to join me again. I was surprised by the uneventfulness, but mostly, it was a reminder of just how resilient and adaptable toddlers/pre-schoolers can be.

Truth #9. You won’t keep track of the pregnancy week-by-week and that’s OK… Sometimes you’ll even forget that you’re pregnant!

I was able to track my first pregnancy by the day and at any given point, I could’ve even told you what fruit the baby was the size of. But this time round, the days have blurred into weeks, and the only time I check the pregnancy apps is when my firstborn asks how big the baby is!

You wouldn’t have thought it possible but many times, I’ve even been surprised to see my protruding belly in the bathroom! So yes, it is possible that sometimes, you’ll forget that you’re pregnant because your sole attention, is probably on your firstborn!

Furthermore, if you took daily photos of your pregnant belly during the first pregnancy, don’t be alarmed if you only manage to take weekly photos during the second pregnancy. In fact, I started my daily photos from around week 4 during the first pregnancy to create this time-lapse video in the CineMama app:

And I didn’t even start taking a weekly photo until week 15 this time, because most mornings, my only goal is to get my pre-schooler to daycare before morning tea is served!

Truth #10. There’s only so much you can do to prepare the firstborn for a sibling; accept that the rest is out of your control

So here are some things we’ve done with our firstborn to prepare for the arrival of a second baby:

Hint to the firstborn that they might have a baby sister/brother one day and sift through old baby clothes together
While we didn’t reveal that we were expecting a second child to Clara until I was past the first trimester, what we did do, was hint that one day, she’ll become a big sister. We did this at every opportunity whenever it seemed appropriate. If she was changing and I noticed that a piece of clothing was too small for her (it’s a struggle keeping up with all her recent growth spurts!), I’d say, “This looks too small/short/tight on you now, you must be growing bigger and bigger! If you have a baby brother or a baby sister one day, they can wear it!”. It’s even worked well when discussing the purpose of the redundant baby gate we still have up in the kitchen. For some time now, Clara has been able to manoeuvre the baby gate lock and lets herself in and out of the kitchen freely. But now, she knows to repeat back to me that “we need the baby gate here for when baby brother is born; he might touch sharp things”.

And while we’re on the topic of baby announcements, below is a moment I’ll cherish forever!

Shop for a gift for the baby together and get a big sibling gift
Gift-giving and receiving is always fun for kids and choosing a gift for the baby together is no different! This is a great way to engage the older sibling in their newfound role. We ended up choosing Noah the dog, as a gift from Clara to the baby. Noah will be brother to Clara’s much loved Mia!

Having a big sibling gift from the baby is equally, if not more important as the joy of a new toy can help to soothe the firstborn’s mood and unease about the baby. It’s also extra special for the firstborn because nobody else will be getting a gift from the baby! The baby will be gifting Claire the ‘big sister’ koala and Quinn the ‘little brother’ koala!

These gorgeous ethically produced hand-knit dolls are from Cuddle+Kind, a social enterprise that helps feed children. For every doll sold, they give 10 meals to children in need. If you’re a first-time customer, you can get 20% off Cuddle+Kind dolls.

Read to the firstborn about becoming a big sister or brother
There are so many books about siblings and welcoming a new baby. My biggest tip here is to make sure you find an age-appropriate one. After trawling through what feels like hundreds of book, the one we’ve settled on reading every night is: What’s In There? All About Before You Were Born. I love how inclusive this book is (it covers caesarean birth, multiple births, adoption, etc) and gives basic explanation of human anatomy. It’s been a great conversation starter for Clara (aged 3 years and 8 months). Tap the ‘Books’ section on my Instagram Stories Highlights for a preview!

A growing family can be an overwhelming time for not only the firstborn, but also for yourself. As cliché as it is, I like to remind myself that the days are long but the years are short. I hope we can all look back at this period and think, we got through it with unconditional love and patience; we always tried our best to know what’s on their minds and in their hearts; we were always there to comfort, encourage, and love, and we raised them well.

And this concludes my pearls of wisdom from the half-way point of my second pregnancy. Can you relate to any of the above, or how has your second pregnancy been different? If you’re a parent to more than one, what truths have you learned?

Photography by LoveSariena

Disclosure: I occasionally use affiliate links to monetise my content. I may receive a commission on products or services that you purchase through clicking on links within this page. This doesn’t affect your price in any way, but helps me with the cost of maintaining my website so that I may continue to share resources to help you embrace play-based learning and mindful parenting.

The post 10 Truths I’ve Learned In My Second Pregnancy appeared first on Mama's Got This.

Like many parents, I have a Peppa Pig obsessed toddler. We don’t even own a TV but that hasn’t stopped the invasion of Peppa Pig toys in our home. On the bright side, I’m astonished at all the hilarious phrases she has picked up and some of the episodes have certainly set the foundation for some quirky dramatic play scenes! (My favourite at the moment is when we re-enact The Secret Club episode and make up funny secret words)

We’ve seen so many re-runs of each episode that I’m pretty sure Clara and I can repeat the script word for word!

The beauty of re-watching an episode over and over again, is that repetition promotes curiosity. One of Clara’s favourite questions to ask a barrage of whys. A toddler’s curiosity is such an amazing and wonderful thing and I love how hungry she is for more information. Sometimes we’ll pause an episode for a giggle or so I can provide some commentary. More often that not, this blossoms into a whole delightful conversation!

Although we usually don’t make screen time as part of our day, Peppa Pig has become so ingrained into our lives that we’ve even begun turning it into sensory play activities!

What is sensory play?

Sensory play includes any activity that stimulates your young child’s senses: touch, smell, taste, movement, balance, sight and hearing. Sensory activities and sensory tables facilitate exploration and naturally encourage children to use scientific processes while they play, create, investigate and explore. Spending time stimulating their senses helps children develop cognitively, linguistically, socially and emotionally, physically and creatively.

Why is sensory play important?

Research shows that sensory play builds nerve connections in the brain’s pathways, which lead to the child’s ability to complete more complex learning tasks. Sensory play supports language development, cognitive growth, fine and gross motor skills, problem solving skills, and social interaction.

Sensory play is always a hit at our house! The best part is that it’s a fun way to engage in meaningful and independent play! So here are three sensory play activities that enhance Peppa Pig stories!

Inspired by Season 3 Episode 30: Sun, Sea and Snow

Mummy Pig and Madame Gazelle go for a swim in the icy sea! Watch this episode here:

I brought this to life with sea theme props, ice cubes and blue food colouring.

Playing with ice opens the opportunity to discuss temperatures and textures — how the ice feels freezing cold on our hands, how it’s smooth and slippery, and what happens when it melts and disappears. We also joked about how it would feel if we bathed in the icy water with Madame Gazelle and Mummy Pig!

You can also offer different empty containers for scooping, catching and filling. The wonderful thing about open-ended play is that it’s child-led play and they can take the activity to any direction they feel like.

Inspired by Season 1 Episode 1: Muddy Puddles

You don’t have to wait for a rainy day to jump in muddy puddles!

Ooblek is basically cornflour (or cornstarch depending on where you are in the world) mixed with water! To make brown ooblek mud, simply add cocoa powder and adjust to the right gloopy consistency and colour.

The measurements are approximately:
1 cup cornflour
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
½ cup water

If it’s too runny, add more cornflour, and if it’s too thick, add a few more drops of water.

Watch the episode of Muddy Puddles here:

Clara cracks up when Daddy Pig says “it’s only mud!” and then wipes Peppa and George clean.

To set-up this scene, you’ll need two tubs. One for the ooblek mud, and another filled with soapy water (simply add a few drops of dishwashing detergent to water). I also offer some cleaning brushes, sponges and a tea towel.

This activity can get messy so it’s best to set this up outside where kids can get wet and wild!

A bonus with ooblek mud is that it washes off with water and it doesn’t stain clothes!

Inspired by Season 2 Episode 15: Sports Day

Kids love digging their hands into cool feeling textures like kinetic sand! I love kinetic sand because it’s moldable and squishable but sticks to itself so it’s really easy to clean up!

In the ‘Sports Day’ episode, George and Richard Rabbit compete in the long jump competition.

Watch the Sports Day episode here:

Set-up the long jump scene by pouring a layer of kinetic sand in a tray. Clara likes to arrange the grown-ups around the tray to watch the children. This is a great opportunity to practice counting and grouping similar objects together (grown-ups vs children).

You can also use different objects to build molds or for digging and jumping into. The possibilities are endless!

The post 3 Screen-Free Sensory Activities for Peppa Pig Obsessed Toddlers appeared first on Mama's Got This.

It’s worth noting that although commercial playdough is non-toxic, it often still contains a cocktail of harsh chemicals and synthetic ingredients or fragrances. According to Wiki, “Play-Doh’s current manufacturer, Hasbro, reveals the compound is primarily a mixture of water, salt, and flour, while its 2004 United States patent indicates it is composed of water, a starch-based binder, a retrogradation inhibitor, salt, lubricant, surfactant, preservative, hardener, humectant, fragrance, and color.”

No-Cook Nautral Coconut-Scented Playdough

Print

Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.7/5

( 3 voted )

Ingredients

• 2 cups plain flour
• 4 tbs cream of tartar
• ½ cup salt
• 1½ cups boiling water
• 2 tbs coconut oil
• natural food colouring

Instructions

Combine all the wet ingredients in a large bowl, then add all the dry ingredients.

Mix until well combined then allow to cool slightly. Knead for a few minutes, adding a touch more flour if it is too sticky. 

Store the playdough in an airtight container or zip-lock bag at room temperature, out of direct sunlight. 

Notes

You can add fresh herbs, flowers, fruits, seeds and spices for a gorgeous array of scents and textures

Here are also some brilliant playdough tools I’ve found:

Disclosure: I occasionally use affiliate links to monetise my content. I may receive a commission on products or services that you purchase through clicking on links within this page. This doesn’t affect your price in any way, but helps me with the cost of maintaining my website so that I may continue to share resources to help you embrace play-based learning and mindful parenting.

The post Easy homemade no-cook playdough appeared first on Mama's Got This.

The idea of hitting the open road with my little family and a house in tow, was equally as exciting as it was overwhelming. I lusted over the freedom to go wherever we wanted, whenever we wanted, but I was also concerned about the confined space. We’ve gone on many short road trips but we’ve always timed the long drives with Clara’s napping schedule and now that she was down to just one nap per day, I wasn’t sure how she’d cope. This could have become the greatest family travel adventure, or the biggest disaster. So rather than blindly jump into the RV life to travel across Australia, this week-long trip was the ultimate test. Are toddlers compatible with the RV life? Well, here’s what I learned.

Keep the itinerary loose

The goal of our first RV trip was to go stargazing at Coonabarabran, the astronomy capital of Australia. Located approximately six hours drive from Sydney, we had planned to drive no more than several hours each day to keep the trip relatively relaxed. We knew life with a toddler was unpredictable so we didn’t make any campsite bookings but we’d done enough planning to roughly know the overnight locations. We decided on Lithgow, Orange or Mudgee, Dubbo and of course Coonabarabran.

However, just an hour into the trip and we were already thanking our lucky stars. Clara was having a meltdown and our plan to keep the itinerary loose paid off. Rather than drive to Lithgow (2 hours from Sydney) or even Orange (3.5 hours from Sydney), we diverted to Blackheath (1.5 hours from Sydney). I suspect a developmental leap of some sort because the separation anxiety was an all-time high—Clara cried hysterically unless she was seated ON me. We tried to reset with a coffee break at Blaxland where Clara happily devoured her free babyccino (Thanks MJays Cafe!) but it didn’t help once we were back on the road.

Size matters when you have a toddler

Despite their size, children occupy a considerable amount of space. I know this for a fact because we lived in a tiny one bedroom inner-city apartment until Clara was nine-months old. Even at crawling age, the apartment felt crowded. Now at two-years old, she’s climbing, running and jumping—we needed space for that in the RV.

I’d like to think that pre-baby, Zen and I could have roamed this great country in a lovingly restored VW campervan—compact and versatile, and so-Instaworthy — but who am I kidding, we saved every cent for airfare and to stay at luxury villas.

So how do you choose an RV? Well, because we drive a small hatchback, a towable caravan/trailer/camper was out of the picture. As a first-timer, we opted to rent a motorhome from a reputable company (research highlighted that some companies were notorious with delaying bond refunds so check their reviews and choose wisely).

We ended up going with the Jayco 6 Berth Conquest with Let’s Go Motorhomes. Key features included:

Even though it was just the three of us, we opted for the 6 berth RV due to the permanent double beds; it was one less hassle to deal with every night! Rough costs for hiring a relatively new RV starts from $150+/night. We paid $176/night for ours during the off-peak travel season. We also had to hire a child seat ($40) because the anchor point was different to ours.

When you travel with a toddler, you can never over-pack, but considering how full our little hatchback was when we departed from home to pick-up the RV, I had serious reservations about what we had intended to bring with us. It was such a relief to have empty storage shelves after we had unpacked! The under-bed storage held bulky items such as our large suitcase and our BabyZen Yoyo+ pram and with under-seat storage chests in addition to cabinets and shelves that literally fill every nook and cranny, I was really impressed with the volume of space.

Tip: Look at the floor plan to check if a portacot can fit! We have the Phil&Teds Traveller which fit snugly near the dinette. (If you don’t own a portacot, you can hire one)

Get your groceries delivered

RVing doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice healthy eating for convenience. I knew it was going to be particularly hard to eat healthy on our family’s vegan and pescetarian diet so we took advantage of the free delivery service at Coles and got our groceries delivered straight to the RV the day before pick-up! The staff at Let’s Go Motorhomes ensured the power was connected so the fridge was operational, and even unpacked the groceries into the fridge and freezer.

The idea was to pre-buy some essentials for at least four dinners and every breakfast, and then to top-up on groceries at farmers’ markets or rustic food stores along the way. It took a little thought and effort to meal-plan ahead of the trip but it definitely helped reduce stress and improve the efficiency of our mealtimes.

Tip: Bring basic ingredients and equipment from home. A few things we brought:

• Olive oil
• Tea (I believe there’s a tea for every occasion so we had green tea with jasmine & pear, rooibos, english breakfast, earl grey, rosehip tea with lemongrass & ginger)
• Spice blends
• Snack boxes for the little ones
• Kids dining set (plate, bowl, cutlery, cup)
• A nice non-stick pan with lid (we didn’t end up using this because the one provided was sufficient)
• Salt
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Soy sauce
• Sesame oil
• Almond butter
• Vegan honey

Set-up your home away from home

Of course, the greatest appeal of an RV trip is the freedom and flexibility whilst being able to enjoy the comforts of a home. Little things like an aromatherapy diffuser (our Aroma Snooze includes a soothing built-in white noise) can instantly evoke a sense of calm and familiarity, providing a level of comfort and security for children, especially if they’re used to having one at home.

We also made sure to bring activities for a rainy day and quiet play time—homemade playdough, flash cards, crayons, and an assortment of books and toys.

I’m not sure if this is a given, but don’t forget their favourite blanket either!

A few other key items I highlighted on my packing list included:

Toiletries

• Bath stickers
• Kids shower gel & shampoo
• Toothpaste – kids & adult
• Hand sanitiser

First aid kit

• Thermometer
• Kids Panadol
• Nose Frida

Montessorify the space

We provided Clara with her own low drawer so she could easily access her books, toys, snacks and shoes, and it made all the difference!

By empowering her independence, I felt that she took to the RV experience more easily as we tried to replicate the set-up from home.

All the drawers and cabinets have a push-button lock mechanic so it’s naturally baby-proofed. Every time we were stationary, I simply left her drawer unlocked so it was accessible.

Research your campgrounds

Depending on where you travel, some campgrounds have year-round visitors so you may need to book ahead of time. We were advised that pre-booking a campsite is particularly crucial if travelling to or around Byron Bay but it’s otherwise fine to book just a day ahead or even to rock up on the day.

We paid between $30 – $43 per night for each powered campsite and the quality of the facilities varied pretty significantly.

The best value we experienced was at Discovery Parks – Dubbo which was $33/night. Clara’s highlight would have been the water playground and the jumping pillow, and for me, it was so refreshing to have access to a modern gas kitchen and we loved dining in the beautiful open air on the wicker dining sets. It was a bonus that the caravan park was nestled minutes away from Dubbo Zoo!

We’d also 100% return to Lake Lyell which was the cheapest at $30/night. It didn’t have a fresh water hose connection but it wasn’t a deal breaker.

Be prepared to co-sleep

Clara has always loved sleeping in the portacot when we travelled every other time but we had to co-sleep on this trip. My instinct tells me that it wasn’t the environment of the RV that caused her to not want to sleep by herself, but the separation anxiety from the suspected developmental leap.

The timing of a trip, any trip, is a biggie if you’re in the process of weaning off breastfeeding.

We co-slept between the age of 9 months to 15 months so we’re no strangers to co-sleeping. There’s nothing sweeter than seeing how happy she is when she wakes up beside me. However, I was a little disheartened when Clara needed to breastfeed to sleep, and also nurse throughout the night. At 24 months old, prior to the trip, she was beginning to drop her morning feeds and we were down to just one breastfeeding session before she went to bed. Since returning from the trip, Clara has gone back to sleeping through the night in her own room but in terms of weaning, it feels like we’re back to where we were months ago. So my takeaway from this, is to hold off on travelling if you’re in the process of weaning, if you don’t want to disrupt the process.

Take main roads

We played it safe when it came to driving the RV due to its size and the fact that we were travelling in unfamiliar territory. We always tried to avoid small streets and were cautious of big hills and high winds.

We had a scare at Milroy Observatory due to the steep climb on a cliff side turn, but aside from that, we found it easier to generally park a little further away.

Tip: Phone reception may be unreliable in some regional towns so take screenshots of directions to campgrounds!

Disclosure: I occasionally use affiliate links to monetise my content. I may receive a commission on products or services that you purchase through clicking on links within this page. This doesn’t affect your price in any way, but helps me with the cost of maintaining my website so that I may continue to share resources to help you embrace play-based learning and mindful parenting.

The post What I Learned From Our First RV Trip With A Toddler appeared first on Mama's Got This.

Bombah Point Eco Cottages is just a three hour drive from Sydney and it ticks all the boxes:

• Family-friendly in that it’s not an adult-only retreat (to think we used to search for the opposite )
• Accommodates 5 – 7 people per cottage easily
• Access to a gorgeous organic garden for fresh herbs, fruits and veggies plus fresh eggs from chooks every morning!
• Fully equipped kitchen so you don’t need to leave the retreat at all if you didn’t want to
• Complete privacy as each cottage is well distanced so any nighttime crying won’t disturb any neighbouring rooms

Complimentary chocolate brownies to go with your coffee (there’s an espresso machine in the common area)

Local produce available for sale

Herbs, fruits and veggies fresh from the garden

Chooks are fed food scraps and supply a bounty of fresh eggs

The veggie garden

Collecting eggs for brekky

Harvesting some fresh silverbeet and spinach for brekky

Our private oasis

The loft upstairs has two single beds and a sofabed

Logs for the fireplace

Enormous wrap-around balcony and BBQ

Fully equipped gourmet kitchen

Bedroom daybed

The eco lodges are self-sustainable with these solar panels

The property glows at sunset

The fruit orchard

Me picking fresh pink grapefruit

The veggie garden haul – parsley, lemongrass, peppers, lemon, pink grapefruit, rosemary, kaffir lime leaves, kumquats

A real fireplace!

The freshest orange & fennel salad (all made with produce from the on-site organic garden) plus we BBQ’ed a few things we picked up at the local seafood co-op at Forster

Cheers

The resident turkey

Not sure it’ll ever be this quiet and peaceful again once the little one arrives! Enjoying the hammock life while we can!

The spa

Exploring one of the many National Park site tracks

I’m not sure how baby-proof the cottage is given there’s a real fireplace which Zen had the challenge of getting started every morning, but I can definitely see myself swinging on the hammock with a baby on my lap, enjoying the fresh forest breeze… I can visualise the joy a toddler would have from getting their hands dirty harvesting their own spinach or collecting their own hens eggs. It’ll be real sensory play.

Depending on the time of year, wildlife such as dolphins and whales migrating are also just an hour’s drive away near Bennett’s Beach, Jimmy’s Beach, Port Stephens or Forster. But you needn’t to go far as on-site there are some great bush walks, a games room with books, mags, puzzles, toys and DVDs, swimming pool and even kayaking.

Little touches such as an honesty system for a well-stocked pantry and freezer, and the constant supply of complimentary moreish chocolate brownies in the kitchen to go with a proper coffee is what sets this eco-luxury retreat a mark above the rest. That’s not to even mention the stunning National Park landscape – views of kangaroos and wallabies grazing on the property at sunset – and an appreciation of the eco-initiatives. I love that the property is self-sufficient with its solar panels, its use of both rainwater and bore water and their strong emphasis on recycling with food waste being fed to chickens in exchange for eggs.

We’ll definitely be back, either as a family getaway with the extended family or just with the three of us.

WHERE

Bombah Point Eco Cottages
949 Bombah Point Road, Bombah Point, NSW, Australia
Phone: +61 (2) 4997 4401
Website: bombah.com.au

COST

Mid-week (Monday – Thursday) $275 per night for 1 -2 guests

Weekends (Friday – Sunday) $325 per night for 1 -2 guests

$50 extra per additional adult

$35 extra per additional child

Hampers are also available. 

GETTING THERE

Bombah Point Eco Cottages is located in the Myall Lakes National Park between the towns of Seal Rocks, Hawks Best and Buladelah. Take the Buladelah exit from the National Highway. Note: The drive will include a mix of dirt and sealed roads. 

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