Over One Year On

It’s been a while since I spoke about motherhood — nearly seven months, which is a little embarrassing. But, as all parents know, time flies by when you've had kids, ah screw that, time flies for everyone.

One thing I will say about my life flashing before my eyes there has been a direct correlation with my lack of motherhood blog posts, and going back to work - one day shy of full time. Finding the time to sit down and write, doesn't come as easy as it used to, but hopefully, I will get back my blogging hat on a little more.

In June, I stepped back into the office for a few more days a week, and suddenly my life became full. The weeks flew by. The months flashed before my eyes and my time with Albee became more precious than ever before.

Albee is now 14 months old, nearly 15 months. He is walking, he can communicate with me. His vocabulary blows my mind! I never knew a child of his age could communicate in the way he does. Our bond is deep; I feel a real connection with him; he’s like my little buddy.

Each stage he goes through is lovely, and as much as I miss the newborn cuddles, and his ability to fall asleep anywhere. My walking, talking, pasta gobbling toddler that loves to play peek-a-boo has made motherhood fun for me, in ways I never knew possible!

Already, I have digressed. This blog entry wasn’t meant to be about how awesome Albee is, although I could write pages and pages on this subject. What I wanted to talk about was how I have felt going back to work, after having Albee.

It’s is getting close to my year anniversary of going back to work as a mother. Starting with just one day a week at three months, which may seem a little soon to some, but when you’re self-employed and also love your job, you have to make it work.

I struggled. I missed Albee, but I was also thrilled to be back at work. I loved being involved in decision making, planning collaborations, and writing about surfing again.

There were moments after having Albee that I felt like I’d lost my identity. My body had changed. My hormones were all over the place, and I questioned who I was and wanted to be.

Going back to work helped me reconnect with who I was before, and I feel fortunate to be able to say that. Not everyone gets that chance or loves their job. That one day at work a week helped me find me again. It also made me more present as a parent.

Then at ten months on, I was back in the office three days a week, with one day or working from home. Now, this was a lot harder because we had to decide to find childcare for Albee.

Our childcare is fantastic, but I still cried the first day I left him and had to go to work. I know I am not the only mother that goes through this, but it doesn’t make it any easier.

Albee is thriving in childcare, and our time together is filled with adventure, playtime and visiting family. I am excited for our days off together like I used to feel about weekends.

As much as it may sound like I have been smashing the work mum balance, it’s not without that horrible plague that I call “Mum Guilt!” I hate it. I have had no "mum guilt" from anyone in my life; the only person that makes me feel guilty is myself. Who knows why I do, because it’s flipping stupid. All I am trying to do is provide for my child.

It’s because of this terrible feeling that I wanted to write this blog post. Being a mother is hard enough, especially when you through trying to maintain a career into the mix. Whether you’re a stay at home, mum, working mum, juggling the two mum. Whoever you are and whatever you’re doing don’t be hard on yourself. You are doing your best and whatever you feel is right for your child. There is no right or wrong way to do this; we are all just winging it.

No one prepares us for the changes that we are set to face. Changes to our bodies, emotions, careers, relationships with our partners it's such a hard transition to go through. So, remember, never judge a mother by her perfectly styled hair and super on-trend outfit, because she is going through nearly all if not all the same emotional marathon that you're on.

Bringing up children is hard, it’s life-changing and a lot to deal with, so go easy on yourself. Take it all in your stride and trust in yourself; you are smashing it!

Only Hearts Azura Bay

Back when the sun was warm on my skin, my tan was a little darker, my hair laced with saltwater and the days felt endless. So, with summer feeling like a distant memory, I thought I'd share images from another one of collaboration with ethical lingerie and women's loungewear store Azura Bay and photographer Lizzie Churchill. 

This was, in fact, my first lingerie shoot since having my son. My body has changed, and so has my opinion of it, but much to my surprise, instead of disliking my body since childbirth, I love it more. 

It has a new purpose; it created life and has helped me nurture that life and continues to do so. I will never look at myself in the same way. 

One thing I couldn't wait to do when I felt fully recovered from birth was to get into some pretty underwear. I was sick of wearing big pants and sets that made me feel frumpy. I wanted to be in sets that made me feel confident and comfortable at the same time.

In this blog, I am wearing Only Hearts Organic Cotton Wrap Bralette and the Organic Cotton Not So Basic Thong.

I hope you like the images and stay tuned for more from our collaboration.

x

This blog features images which were taken as part of a paid for collaboration 

Lighthouse Clothing

Coastal living is in my blood; it's what feeds my soul. I can say with my hand on my heart; I will never live away from the coast. There is a sense of freedom that I feel when I am on the beach; it comforts me and gives me a feeling of belonging - it's something I will never be able to live without.

Growing up in a city, spending 11 years of my life, feeling enclosed by my surroundings has made me never take for granted where I am now. The place I call home isn't just one town; it's not just Newquay, it's Cornwall. 

For over 20 years, I have called Cornwall my home, I have wandered her beaches, explored her coastal paths and gazed upon her quaint villages. I have found my favourite places on Earth, as well as some of the people I treasure the most. If you were to ask me how my perfect day would plan out, it would always revolve around the beach and the surf. I move with the tides and drift with the waves, and as long as I am out in the sea air, I am happy. 

Now, I am a mother and preparing to raise my son in this beautiful corner of the world, and I couldn't be happier to know that he will get to experience life on the beach. There aren't many days that go by when he is not on the beach at some point during his waking hours, crawling, playing in the sand and splashing in the rockpools. He keeps me on my toes, and I always need to be ready for adventure. 

Since welcoming in this new role as a mother, I have realised a few things: 

1. Coffee is always a good idea

2. You can get showers, dressed and makeup done in less than 20 minutes

3. You want to feel comfortable in what you're wearing. 

I live in jeans, striped tops, cotton shirts and jackets that will suit, whatever the weather. Not to forget barefoot on the beach and trainers for around the town, I am 100% committed to being comfortable, but still trying to feel stylish at the same time. I have found stripping back my style and going back to basics has made my life easier, hassle-free and my wardrobe more organised. 

When Lighthouse Clothing asked me to collaborate on a blog post, I jumped at the chance. Their Ocean Shirt, Causeway Breton Top, Rathlin Jacket and Outrider Waterproof Coat are perfect additions to my coastal lifestyle. 

To celebrate the collaboration, they are offering you all the chance to get £10 off your first purchase with the code CORINNE10 when you spend over £40.

S H O P  T H E   L O O K S 

H E R E 

This blog was in paid collaboration with Lighthouse Clothing 

Making Surfing Fun

Since becoming a mum, I struggle to surf as much as I did pre-baby. No longer can surf every time the waves arrive, nor can I surf for hours and hours upon end. I am sure that one day I will, but Albee is so young still, and when you're a working mum, it's not always as easy as chasing the swell. 

At the start of my surfing journey postpartum, I really struggled to keep my surf stoke and struggled not to hold on to negative thoughts when it came to missing the surf because of mum duties. As soon as I accepted that my life had changed, and so would my surf time, I was quickly able to let go of any stresses and pressure I had put on myself and truly enjoy the time that I did and do have in the water ... all be it few and far between. 

I wanted to share these thoughts with you because I know how hard we can be on ourselves. As surfers, as mothers, as human beings. We put so much pressure on ourselves to perform to our best abilities all the time. To be doing the things we love all the time. When in reality, sometimes, that's just not possible. Maybe your childcare fell through, you're a single parent and have very little time to yourself, or you have to work late. Whatever the reasoning, life can simply get in the way of your surf time, and that is ok. 

It's unrealistic to expect to be able to do what you love all the time, and it's also an unnecessary pressure to put on yourself. I used to always feel like I had to be doing remarkable things all the time, and had to be seen to be travelling, surfing, shooting - "living my best life". When in reality, when I was, in fact, doing all of those things I took them for granted. I didn't live in the moment, appreciate the moment. I always felt like I was chasing the next thing. 

Now I don't travel as much as I did, my shoots are more sporadic, but I couldn't be happier. I appreciate the times that I am in the water, in front of a camera and find joy in planning mini staycations and daydreaming about trips away after the summer.

Maybe I have been rambling on a little too much and gone off on a tangent, but I just wanted to express how my life becoming a little more "ordinary" and a little less "instagramable" has, in fact, made my life fuller and made me a lot happier. 

I now surf less than I ever have before, but I am making surfing fun again. I enjoy the feeling of being in the water, sat on my board, not worrying about a thing. If you don't already, I urge you to try and do the same. Remove that pressure and make surfing fun! 

Photos by Ben Battell // Wetsuits by C-Skins // Surfboard by Fourth Surfboards

Eco Parenting

Before having Albee I never really considered how much waste a baby could generate, it was something that had never really entered my mind, but when I started to get prepared for his arrival, I began to think about ways in which I could reduce my waste as a parent. Because let's face it, this is something we should all be doing in all aspects of our lives. So, with today World Earth Day I thought it would make sense for me to share my experiences reusable nappies and wipes.


It's hard to change the bad habits we have all got into, but motherhood was something I had never experienced before, and I was adamant I would do my best to not get into any wasteful routines. However, I also wanted to be mindful that I didn't know how I would find my new role and didn't want to add any unnecessary pressure, so I decided to try and focus on one area at a time rather than setting my sights on being a 100% plastic free parent, because I knew I would struggle with this. The area I chose to focus on was nappy time.


It shocked me when I found out some nappies take 500 years to break down. Five hundred years, which is crazy, and something that hit home. Especially when I remember a breastfeeding specialist telling me to change Albee every time he needed feeding to ensure he was awake, and that he could feed every couple of hours!


I would say I change Albee's nappy (at age seven nearly eight months old) around 4/5 times in 24 hours, sometimes more sometimes less but let's go with 5. So that's five nappies a day, seven days a week, for a month, you're looking at 140 nappies per month. Crazy isn't it!


Then there are the wet wipes, don't get me started on those! Most don't decompose, most clog up our drains, sewage systems and waterways and most contain chemicals which are tough on our babies skin. I hate wet wipes and only use them if I am stuck.


So if you're a parent of expecting mother, father or parent already and you're looking to reduce your little one's waste here are some tips I would like to share and some brands I am using, and I trust. Not everyone is ready to give reusable nappies a go, they can seem daunting, time-consuming and the thought of cleaning up you know what can fill some with dread. Hopefully, I will convince you to give them a go and help reduce your little one's waste.

N A P P I E S 

I brought 4 Bambino Mio nappies from Aldi and have been sent two more from the brand as a gift. Five of the nappies are the all in one system, and one is the two-piece nappy.

I can say after using them for who knows how many months they are amazing. Both designs have their benefits. The all in ones are quick, easy to get on, but I found the two piece system could hold more and had more room for extra linning. At the start, we had some accidents, because one thing I didn't realise is that they cannot stay in the reusable nappies as long as the disposable ones (well Albee cannot anyway!). So, I had to make sure I changed him more or added extra linning.


Don't be scared to use them out and about. Bambino Mio also sells convenient wet bags, which you can put any dirty nappies, you can zip them away, carry them around with you until you can get home and wash them. Add extra linning if you're going on a big car journey or putting them down for a nap. You can buy additional nappy liners or even use muslins or flannel cloths.

Washing them isn't an issue. I kept his nappies in a nappy bin, with some essential oil in it. When the bin is full I wash them on their own or with my reusable nappy wipes. I use a Bio D nappy sanitiser as well which is excellent and always make sure I wash my machine once a month (which I did before anyway.)

W I P E S 

My advice, buy the Cheeky Wipes System. You will not regret it. They are great for all the fluids your baby will excrete. They have changed my life. I carry them around with me and on the odd occasion where I have to use a wet wipe I hate it! I cannot shout about this brand enough; I honestly think they are up there with one of the best things I have EVER received.

In the set you get

- One dirty box

- One clean box

- Cotton Pads/Wipes

- Two types of essential oils

They are so easy to use, you simply get your cotton wipes wet in the clean box, wipe away the mess on your little one, then chuck it in the dirty box — that simple.

And same as the nappies I store them in the dirty box until the end of the day and then wash them with the nappies.


I honestly do not know what I would do without the Cheeky Wipes and the Bambino Mio nappies. They are by far one of the best products I have been gifted as a mother. They are clean, hygienic and kind on your babies skin and earth friendly.

Now I have shared the brands I have been using here are my top tips!

Don't be hard on yourself
If you use a disposable one from time to time. Sometimes, you have those days and especially at the start when life is one big whirlwind!

Be prepared.
Take multiple wipes and nappies and a wet bag to put them in. You never know how many you're going to need when you're out and about.

Find your own way.
Understand what works for you if that's one reusable nappy a day that's cool. Just do what suits you and your lifestyle.


It's a small step but it's a step all the same and the more steps we all take to reduce our waste can only have a positive result on the environment we live in.

Fowey Hall Hotel

At the beginning of March Albee, Ben and I packed up our car and headed off on a mini Cornish adventure to the beautiful South Coast Cornish town Fowey, to spend a weekend at Fowey Hall. It was, in fact, my second time visiting Fowey Hall but this time it wouldn't just be for high tea and spa treatment, I would finally get the chance to stay in one of their stunning rooms along with my family.

With this being Albee's first time in a hotel and our first mini break away not staying with family, I was a little nervous about how the weekend would go. What if I forgot a crucial bit of baby paraphernalia or what if he screamed all night and we couldn't enjoy dinner?

Thankfully, I am happy to report that our stay went unbelievably well, and precisely what we all needed. So here is what we got up to.

We arrived early evening on Friday quickly settling into our stunning room, which had panoramic views of the coastline. We got Albee set up, which didn't take long as the staff at Fowey Hall had taken care of all the details, meaning we didn't have to. With a changing mat, nappy bin, bottle warmer, cot and blanket; our stunning corner suite was entirely equipt for Albee, it also had everything we could possibly need. With stunning interiors and breathtaking views, we didn't want to leave.

With Albee ready for bedtime we started his routine and promptly ordered a bottle of red to the room to enjoy while we got ready for dinner. We opted to move Albee's cot into the children's room, to give us a bit of time to sip wine, in our robes and catch up. Life has been so busy for us both and this weekend away couldn't have come at a better time. We actually got to spend some quality time together.

With Albee going to sleep like a dream, Ben and I could enjoy a "grown-up" dinner. We took full advantage of the baby listen in the system, which for those who don't know, is essentially a baby monitor which goes off if the baby so much as coughs, alerting the reception staff, who then intern inform the parents.
To be completely honest, we were very nervous about using this, but trusted our instincts and did check on him a couple of times during dinner, but if I haven't said already, I have been blessed with a dream sleeper of a baby who once down very rarely stirs and the Friday night was no exception.

We got to enjoy the most beautiful dinner, with exquisite wine, local cuisine in a beautifully set dining room. I got to wear a lovely dress, some makeup and feel like the "pre-baby me" again. It felt so refreshing. We may have spent most of the night talking about Albee, but it was beautiful all the same.

The following morning we were up early ... very early in fact. Albee woke at 5am, so we all got into our ginormous bed for cuddles. When we were all finally ready to get up, we headed down for breakfast, Albee had already had his milk but as we are weaning, we decided to give him some fruit in the high chair provided, which was the first time we had ever fed him in a highchair and well, didn't he just love it! The hotel even provided Albee with his own big and tippee cup!

We took it in turns to enjoy our cooked breakfast and fresh coffee, with morning sun, shone through the family breakfast room, as we planned what we would do with our day, making plans around my all-important 2pm Spa appointment.

With nap time approaching I took Albee for a walk around the hotel grounds to get him off to sleep. When he had finally drifted off, I sat on one of the benches overlooking the Fowey Estuary and watched the wind blow through the trees. Albee slept for over an hour, it must have been the fresh sea air but he woke up full of smiles, so we popped him in the carrier and headed down into the town.

Taking the scenic route, we wandered down through the narrow streets, stopping off in the beautiful independent shops. We brought Albee an ocean and beach inspired book from a tiny book shop and a few other little trinkets. Stopping for a coffee, it was soon time to head back and my afternoon of relaxation to begin.

While Ben and Albee watched the ruby in our room, I headed down to the spa for a back and shoulder massage, followed by a facial. The therapist took the time to ask about any problem areas, we discussed my skin condition and chatting about the type of products they might use. I honestly could have stayed in that room all afternoon, but once my treatment was over, I was eager to head back to the room to see my boys.

We had all originally planned to head to the pool, but Albee had other plans, in fact, his teeth or should I say lack of teeth! As I wandered in the door, I was greeted by a rosy-cheeked grizzly baby who didn't know what he wanted. Knowing these nights too well, we quickly made the decision to inquire about room service (while I ordered a couple of the Fowey Hall Gin & Tonics - which we divine!).

We opted for room service as Albee took a while to go down, and with a slight temperature, we didn't feel happy leaving him. Again, I couldn't fault the hotel staff! We had the same high-level services and delicious food as we did the night before in the hotel restaurant but from the comfort of our room, in our robes with Albee tucked up in bed. We even took advantage of the hotels vast collection of DVD's and snuggled up in bed watching a film. I cannot remember the last time we did this.

Our final morning in the hotel was just as beautiful as the first, we took our breakfast a little earlier then went for a long walk down to Readymoney Cove. We sat in the sunshine, watching the gentle waves lap the shore while Albee slept in his pushchair. Our time in Fowye had come to an end for now, and we had to head back home.

Although we were heading home back to reality, we were heading home refreshed, rejuvenated and more connected. To be honest, I had never seen the appeal of staying in a hotel in your home country let alone your home my county, but after our weekend at Fowey Hall, I can honestly say I am a hotel convert. The weekend away was exactly what we as a family needed.

I honestly couldn't fault our stay, Fowey Hall go above and beyond to accommodate families, in fact, they are all about family, but still make the time to give the adults a "grown-up" experience too, all the while getting to enjoy the experience the luxury of spending time together as a family in a very relaxed and hassle-free environment.

 

For more information, Fowey Hall, head to www.luxuryfamilyhotels.co.uk 

This blog post is in collaboration with Luxury Family Hotels, it is not a paid post, and the views are all my own.