THE ONE WITH HOW TO DRESS HOUR GLASS BODY SHAPE

Before reading this post, please check How to know your body shape post

The key to dressing an Hourglass body type is to proportionally dress the top and bottom of your body while accentuating your waist. Wide belts over shirts and dresses are a great way to show off your waist. You can create an even more curvaceous effect by proportionally adding a bit of volume to your upper and lower body, but always try to maintain balance since it is your best asset. You have great legs so feel free to play with skirt lengths. 

Tops

Look for tops that will accentuate your waist and maintain the balanced look of your figure. Look for:

• Belted tops.
• Tops with banding or nipping at the waist.
• Form-fitting tops.
• Wrap-style tops.
• Tailored shirts and jackets.

Tops for hourglass body shape

1. Your figure was made for form hugging tops. You can further enhance your waist by adding a belt to basic tops (tube tops, knit tops, sleeveless tops, etc.).
2. Tops with that add volume to the bust and shoulders with a snug fitting empire waist create a dramatic hourglass effect when paired with a proportionally voluminous bottom.
3. Wrap-style tops accentuate your waist and enhance your hourglass figure.
4. Flowing tops that are banded at the waist, showing off your amazing curves, create a dramatic hourglass effect.
5. Wear fitted dress shirts with darted waists that conform to your natural shape. Stay away from boxy styles.
6. Choose either form-fitting jackets or jackets that nip in at the waist with a flare at the hip. The flare should be balanced with a structured or princess shoulder.

Bottoms

Lucky you! You can wear most any bottoms as long as you pair them with the proper top. Try the following:

• High-waisted pants and pencil skirts.
• Boot cut & straight leg pants.
• Skirts that will show off your great legs.
• Skinny jeans and pants paired with a balanced top.
• Cargos or flap pocket jeans paired with a balanced top.

Bottoms for hourglass body type:

1. Pants with wide waistband are very flattering on your body type. Pair straight-leg pants with a form skimming top or cargos with a fuller top to maintain your hourglass proportions.
2. Wear skinny jeans with banded, belted or not-to-tight body skimming tops. 
3. Boot cut jeans look good with most any of the recommended tops.
4. Figure skimming and pencil skirts of all lengths look good on your figure. 
5. High-waisted skirts are particularly flattering. Add a flounce around the bottom to balance fuller tops and jackets.
6. Full skirts are flattering when paired with a top that adds fullness to your bust and shoulders while accentuating your waist. This look creates a very dramatic hourglass effect.

Swimsuits

You will look great in most swim suits. The key is to keep your proportions balanced. Look for:

• Tops with straps that sit mid-way across the shoulder. Match colors and patterns of your top and bottom.
• Balanced ruffles, padding and embellishments can enhance your curves.
• Bottoms that cut straight across your hips.
• Strapless or bandeau tops.

Swim suits for hourglass body shape

1. Choose tops with straps that sit in the center of your well balanced shoulders. Match unpadded tops with simple bottoms or padded tops with embellished bottoms.
2. Bandeau tops are flattering on an hourglass figure. Pair simple bottoms with simple bandeau tops or embellished/ruffled tops with embellished/ruffled bottoms.
3. Simple bottoms that cut straight across your hips look great with simple tops.
4. Ruffled or embellished bottoms will enhance your hourglass figure when paired with similar tops.
5. One piece bathing suits with a wrap or banded waist will enhance your hourglass figure. Make sure to stick with suits that have the same pattern or colour across the bust and hips.
6. Choose tankinis with a balanced top and bottom. Pair simple tops with simple bottoms and pair embellished tops with embellished bottoms. Keep the color across your bust and hips is the same.

Dresses For Hourglass Body Types

Choose dresses that accentuate your natural waist. Select dresses that are balanced. Dresses with full sleeves should also have a full skirt. Dresses with a fitted top should have a straight skirt. Stay away from boxy, shapeless dresses.

Accessories For Hourglass Body Types

Wide belts, body shapers that smooth your figure (like Spanx).

Celebrities with an Hourglass Body Shape

Kim Kardashian

Sofia Vergara

Salma Hayek

THE ONE WITH HOW TO DRESS THE PEAR SHAPE BODY

I talked in a previous blog about how to know your body shape.

Today I'm going to discuss the pear shape in specific. How to dress it, how to emphasis the good and hide the flaws, what colour and patterns to wear and so on.

The key to dressing a pear body type is to enhance and add volume (or the illusion of volume) to your upper body while emphasizing your waist and de-emphasizing your lower body to create a balanced, hourglass appearance. Learn more about how to dress a pear body type by by mixing and matching the below suggested separates .

Tops for a Pear Body Shape

When dressing a pear body type, look for tops that will will help balance your lower half while accentuating your defined waist:

• Tops with nipped or fitted waists.
• Off the shoulder, boat-neck tops, wide V or U necks.
• Structured shoulders, princess or flutter sleeves.
• Embellishments around the bust and shoulders.
• Bright colours and bold patterns.

1. Billowy tops that add volume to the bust with a snug fitting waist. Add flutter or princess sleeves for a more dramatic effect.
   
2. Shirts with a fitted waist, and embellishments around the bust and shoulders to balance your lower half.
   
3. Find dress shirts with structured or princess shoulders and a darted waist.
   
4. Wear wrap shirts that emphasize your small waist with full or structured shoulders and a wide neckline. Wear a padded bra for an enhanced effect.
   
5. Jackets with full or structured shoulders and a nipped-in waist in hip-length. Draw attention to your bust with pockets or details. Stay away from lower pockets.
   
6. Off the shoulder shirts or shirts with wide necklines and a fitted or nipped-in waist will widen and draw attention to your slim shoulders and emphasize your small waist.

Bottoms for a Pear Body Shape

To dress a pear body type, look for bottoms that will minimize your lower half:

• Lightly gathered skirts that skim your body without adding volume.
• Avoid details such as whiskering and embellished pockets.
• Pants that fall straight from the widest part of your hip.
• A-Line skirts.
• Darker colours, clean lines and simple stitching.

1. A-line skirts that gently skim your body help to de-emphasize your bottom.
   
2. Look for lightly gathered skirts that skim your bottom without adding volume.
   
3. Simple, dark coloured slacks with no (or minimal) pockets with a mid-rise waist. Choose relaxed fits that fall straight down from the widest part of your hip.
   
4. Dark washed, boot-cut or trouser-cut jeans that fall straight down from the widest part of your hip. Avoid whiskering and embellished or small rear pockets.
   

Swimsuits for a Pear Body Shape

To dress a pear body type, look for bottoms that will minimize your lower half and tops that add volume to your bust and create the illusion of an elongated shoulder line:

• Wide-set straps.
• Moderate to full coverage bottoms.
• Dark bottoms or waist bands.
• Scoop or high-cut legs.
• Light coloured tops that are ruffled, embellished, patterned or padded.

1. Light coloured or bold patterned tops with wide-set straps. Choose a padded or push-up top to balance your lower half.
   
2. Ruffled or embellished tops that will draw the eye up while balancing your lower half.
   
3. Choose darker coloured, moderate coverage bottoms with a higher cut leg. Bottoms that are too horizontal in cut or have too much coverage will make your bottom look larger.
   
4. One piece bathing suits with lighter coloured or embellished busts and wide-set straps. Choose a higher-cut leg to reduce the visual width of your hips.
   
5. Choose tankinis with light, patterned or embellished tops with wide-set straps. Pair with darker bottoms. Choose a top with under wire and padding to enhance the effect.

Dresses for Pear Body Types

Choose dresses with a-line skirts, fitted waists and cuts or embellishments that draw attention and add volume (or the illusion of volume) to your bust and shoulders. Wrap dresses with a full/flirty shoulder (flutter sleeves, princess cut) and a-line skirt are particularly flattering.

A wrap dress with wide shoulders and A-line skirt perfect fro pear shape bodies

Accessories for Pear Body Types

Chunky necklaces and earrings, padded bras, body shapers (like Spanx) that trim your bottom and modest, natural-looking shoulder pads.

Celebrities with a Pear Body Shape

Jennifer Lopes

Rihanna

Christina Aguilera

THE ONE WITH REGISTERING THE BABY IN THE UK

I was asked to write a blog about the steps of baby registration and passport in the UK. 
1st thing you need to know is registering your baby is related to the area where you gave birth. Each area has it's own local register office. Whether you gave birth at home or a birth centre or a hospital. The midwives work out the paper work for you, and give you the registration papers that you take to your local register office.

Most offices require an appointment, some don't. So once you decide where you are gonna give birth, you must entre the website of your local office and know whether they take apportionments or not. 

Once you get your appointment, you go to the office with the papers that the hospital gave you and register your baby. You don't need the baby with you. If you are not married to the baby's father, he has to be with you in order for his name to be listed as the father in the certificate, if he is not there, he will not be listed at the moment but this can be changed later. However, if you are married, you take the marriage certificate with you and you list him as the father. Please note that, listing the father in the birth certificate is different than naming the baby, meaning you can name your baby with the father's last name even if he is not listed as the father.

If your local office doesn't require an appointment, it's a good idea to wait for a couple of days before you go, just to give time for the baby's information to be uploaded on the system. All you need to bring with you is your passport, same for the father and the registration papers.

Once you get the certificate, you can apply for the passport.

An important note, for a baby who is born in the UK to get a British passport, at least one of the parents should have a British passport. This is not the states, where any baby born in the states can apply for the american passport even if both parents are foreigners. Cause some people mix things up. So the  steps I am gonna discuss now is related to that. If your baby is not applicable for a British passport, then you should go back to your country embassy in the UK.

There are 3 types of passport application in the UK, the regular application that's done either online or via post and the passport takes about 3 weeks to be delivered to your home.
The one week fast track and the 1 day application. The one day application can't be done for the 1st passports. 
So the remaining options is either the regular or the one week. I personally applied for the one week. But this can't be done by regular post, this requires an appointment. You call the passport advice line and book the closest appointment you can find, I couldn't find a close appointment compatible with the time of my flight in the London office, so I booked the closest one I could find which was in Liverpool. You go and deliver the application in person, and it takes exactly six days to be delivered to you.  My apportionment was on Friday and the passport came the Thursday after. I payed extra 3 pounds for secure delivery. So the passport was handed to me in person with ID checking and a signature.

That's it :) I hope that was helpful :)

THE ONE WITH THE VAGINAL DELIVERY VS. C-SECTION DELIVERY

Since I talked in my labour story about trying to encourage more women to go through natural vaginal delivery, I thought I'd make a post to summarize the pros and cons of both vaginal and elective C-section. And here I stress one more time about ELECTIVE C-section, as I am not talking about necessary C-section, because in fact in some cases C-section can be life saving to both the mother and the child. Here I am talking about women who choose a C-section just because they think it's easier and pain free or they are just to posh to push.

Vaginal delivery:

Pros for mum:

• Shorter hospital stay and shorter recovery period.
• Avoiding major surgery and it's associated risks (will be discussed with C-section)
• Easier to get back to your old shape, as the abdominal wall muscles are still strong and intact.

Pros for Baby:

• Earlier contact with your baby and initiate breast feeding sooner.
• Muscles involved in the process and more likely to squeeze the fluids in the baby's lungs, so the baby is less likely to suffer from breathing problems.
• Babies born vaginally receive an early does of good bacteria as they travel through birth canal, and so that boosts their immune systems and protect their intestinal tracts.

Cons for mum:

• Tears my develop in the vagina or perineum (area between vagina and anus)  and so my require suturing. (usually minor)
• More likely to suffer from urine or anal leakage due to weakened perineal muscles ( rarely happens and if does usually resolves after a while and get better with perineal exercise)

Cons for baby:

• if labour is prolonged or the baby is too large, the baby might get injured during the birth process itself, such as bruised scalp or a fractured collar bone.

C-section:

Pros for Mum:

• There are not a lot of advantages of having C-section if a woman is eligible to have a vaginal delivery.
• However, if a pregnant woman knows that she will NEED ( I say again NEED) a C-section, a surgical birth can be scheduled in advance, making it more convenient and predictable than a vaginal birth and going through a long labor.

Pros for baby:

• None

Cons for Mum:

Scar of C-section

• Longer hospital stay 2-4 days on average.
• Longer recovery period.
• More physical complications such as pain at site of incision and longer soreness.
• Higher risk of blood loss.
• Higher risk of infection.
• The bowel or bladder can be injured during the operation or a blood clot may form.
• A review study found that women who have had a C-section are less likely to begin early breastfeeding than women who had a vaginal birth.
• Women are three times more likely to die during Caesarean delivery than a vaginal birth, due mostly to blood clots, infections and complications from anesthesia.
• Once a woman has had her first C-section, she is more likely to have a C-section in her future deliveries.
• Greater risk of future pregnancy complications, such as uterine rupture, which is when the C-section scar in her uterus ruptures, and placenta abnormalities. The risk for placenta problems continues to increase with every C-section a woman has.  

Cons for Baby:

• Babies born by Caesarean section may be more likely to have breathing problems at birth and even during childhood, such as asthma.
• Greater risk of still birth (means baby dies in the womb, and born dead)
• Small risk that a baby can get nicked during the surgery.
• Some studies have also suggested a link between babies delivered by C-section and a greater risk of becoming obese as children and even as adults for reasons that remain unclear. One possibility is that women who are obese or have pregnancy-related diabetes may be more likely to have a C-section. 

Every word written in this article is based upon scientific facts. And as I said, I am not against a C-section when it's needed cause sometimes it can be truly life saving, but other than when absolutely necessary, a vaginal delivery can be by no debate the safest and best option for you and your baby, and the pain scares you that much, you can always go for an epidural once the pain hits you. 

For those of you who don't know what epidural is, it's the anaesthesia of the lower half of the body same used for the C-section. It makes the area from your uterus and below completely numb.

That's it for today ladies :)
Hope I was of benefit :)

THE ONE WITH THE LABOUR STORY - Part 3

Welcome back dear readers :)

So, I was moved to the delivery ward, and after the fluid drip started. I got the shocking news of "NO Epidural, It's time to push"

At that point, I was SO exhausted, I could barely even talk. I remember one of the midwives was a bit annoying to me and I had no energy to tell her BACK OFF. And if you know me in person, I am not the kind of person who usually let go of things :D.

Anyway, the feeling of pressure in my pelvis kept coming and getting stronger, it felt like passing an enormous gigantic poo that just won't come out. And YES, you could pass urine and/or stool during labour. I'm sorry to tell you, but after giving birth, you can have no shame. :D

Luckly for me that didn't happen, cause the PGs caused me diarrhoea the day before, and on the same day I had nothing to eat from the sickness, so there was nothing in my colon. feuhhh

I started pushing, and I absolutely had no energy.  Ahmed was standing next to me, shouting "YES, YES" and I knew he was lying and nothing is coming out, but I had no energy to tell him "cut the crap". I mean, I could feel the head under my pubic bone and just stuck in there!! 

The main midwife was a calm soothing woman, she kept telling me "you are doing really good, but we need longer contractions that last at least 10 seconds". I was like HOW THE HELL AM I GONNA DO THAT?? 10 SECONDS?? COME ON!! 
Of course, that was all going all in my head, cause as I said before, NO ENERGY.

I kept pushing and I could feel nothing is moving along. I asked the midwife if she just could pull her or suck her out cause I am absolutely rock bottom. The midwife told me "No love, you have to do it on your own, we want no doctors in this room. All natural".(which even me knows how ridiculous that sounds, but when you're in labour you can say all sorts of crap). At one point, I even asked Ahmed if he could do it for me :D. 

The funny thing was, in the middle of the pushing I saw Ahmed drifting off and texting something on his phone. Ordinary Salma, would have killed him right there on the spot :D ,but I had no energy to even ask what the hell is he doing. Later I found out that two of my best friends, have made a whatsapp group named "Push Salma Push" :D , as a kind overseas support LOL. And he was texting the updates :D .LOL

Anyways, I kept pushing whenever the contractions hit, sometimes even in between, actually I pushed whenever I felt like it. The contractions at this point where so hard that I actually once tried to rip my own face off :D. Most of the other time I hold on to Ahmed's neck and pulled on his clothes asking him "What do I do? I'm gonna die Ahmed, I am gonna die" and he would answer "I am so sorry, but sweety your are doing great" :)

Finally, the head passed under the pubic bone, and I could now feel the stretching in my vagina. At then Ahmed told me "great Salma, I could see her head, and she has hair :) "

Almost half the head was out, I could feel myself stretched to the maximum, here the midwives told me to stop pushing and starting pouting (short rapid breathing). This is to adjust the baby's position and to prevent you from having unnecessary tears or trauma.

I started pouting, then all the sudden I could feel the head passing out and one more push and out she was :)

They then brought her to my chest, she was so calm and awake and beautiful :). I held her and greeted her "Hey you, I've missed you" :)

Meanwhile, they asked me If I wanted the placenta out passively or actively. Passively means to wait for it to come out on it's own which could take up to half an hour. Actively means they give an injection of Ergometrine to help speed out the process. I choose active. The placenta was out in seconds.

A few minutes later, they took her to dress her. They found out I was bleeding so they hit an emergency button and all the sudden I found 8 midwives and doctors in the room :D , but they have already figured out the source of bleeding that was a 2nd degree small tear in the vagina, nothing too serious. All through that I was lying there like a dead women, only rolling my eyes to see what's going on with absolutely no comments :D. I didn't give a damn. :D

They started stitching me, I was given a local anaesthetic, and I remember there was a spot that wasn't completely numb during the stitching, and I could actually feel the needle going through my skin, and I didn't even twitch an eye. All I said to the midwife "It hurts there" in the calmest palest voice you could imagine :D
I mean I just had a baby passing from there, like a few stitches now are gonna hurt !! :D COME ON !!

They finished the stitches and changed my bed sheets. I was left to sleep, I slept for an hour then I woke up to see Layla. 
Yes, this is how wonderful normal labour is. Once the baby is out the pain is gone, everything goes back to normal, and I was walking around like nothing ever happened.
Then I was moved from the private room to the maternity ward with my baby and a whole new chapter begun :).

That's it with labour story. The main reason I shared it is to encourage more women to go into normal birth, and to let them know that If I can do it, so can they. Trust me, despite what it might sound like, it's nothing compared to C-section and it's complications. Natural birth is a very safe process for the mother and child, and the pain you go through only makes you stronger. I can never forget the amount of impression in Ahmed's eyes after he saw what I have done. Until now, I am a hero.

Honestly, I loved every part of the experience :) 
Hope all of you mommies to be to have a natural safe delivery and I wish all my readers all the best :)

                                                      From SALMA with love xxxx

THE WITH HOW TO KNOW YOUR BODY SHAPE

I get asked a LOT of questions, about "What is my body shape?" "What can I wear that suits me?" "I don't know what to wear" ....etc.

So I decided to make a series of blogs, describing the types and shapes of women's bodies and how to determine which type do you belong to. And finally how to dress to hide your flaws and highlight your assets ;)

So today's blog is just the introduction, about the body types and to figure out where do you belong. Then each body type I'm gonna discuss in further blogs. :)

OK, so let's begin. 

Basically, there are 6 types of body shapes, all are determined by the ratio between your bust and shoulder to your waist to your hips.

1) Pear shaped:

The 1st and the most common type in Egypt, (sometimes called triangle), your hips are larger than your bust and you have a nicely defined waist. You have an elegant neck and proportionately slim arms and shoulders. You first gain weight in your bottom and legs flowed by your tummy and upper body. Your waist is your best asset so don’t be afraid to show it off.

PEAR SHAPE

2) Apple shape:

This is the 2nd most common in Egypt, its also sometimes called the diamond shape, you have a tendency to gain weight in you stomach, back, hips and buttocks. Your waist is undefined and the widest part of your frame. You carry some weight in your upper legs, but your lower legs are shapely and one of your most attractive features. You also have proportionately slender, shapely arms.

APPLE SHAPE

3) Hour Glass Shape:

Lucky you! You have the Hourglass body type that most women strive for. Your bust and hips are well balanced and you have a beautifully defined waist. Your have gently rounded shoulders that align nicely with your hips. Your waist is obvious and gracefully curves out to your hips. You most likely have a rounded bottom and beautiful side as well as front profile. Your upper body is proportionate in length to your legs which are shapely. From top to bottom, you are a picture of harmony and balance.

HOUR GLASS SHAPE

4) Straight body shape:

This means that your hips and bust are balanced and your waist is not very defined. You probably have a bottom that is more flat than round. You tend to gain weight in your torso first and then your upper thighs and arms. Your lower legs are always shapely and one of your best assets.

STRAIGHT LEAN SHAPE

5) The inverted triangle body shape:

You have a proportionally larger upper body. You have broad shoulders, and ample bust and a wide back. Your hips are slim and your bottom may have a tendency towards the flat side. Your waist is subtle and you have a tendency to gain weight in your belly and upper body. Your beautiful, shapely legs are your best asset.

INVERTED TRIANGLE

6) Spoon Body Shape:

Your hips are larger than your bust and you have a defined waist. Your hips have a “shelf” appearance, you are prone to gaining weight in your tummy and have a tendency towards love-handles. While you may gain weight in your upper thighs and upper arms, your lower legs and arms are shapely and your best assets.

SPOON SHAPE

7) Top hour glass body shape:

you have a beautifully defined waist and bust that is larger than your hips. You have gently rounded shoulders that align nicely with your hips. Your waist is obvious and gracefully curves out to your hips. You most likely have a rounded bottom and beautiful side as well as front profile. Your upper body is proportionate in length to your legs which are shapely.

TOP HOUR GLASS SHAPE

That's about it for today ladies ;)
The next few blogs I am going to discuss each body shape in details and type of clothes and patterns that suits each type ,so stay tuned ;)

                                                                    To be continued xxx

THE ONE WITH THE LABOUR STORY - Part 2

Hey you, so back to the story...
Saturday morning, I had my 1st dose of Prostaglandins

the PGs are inserted at the location of the pessary

 (these are the hormones normally secreted by the body to soften the cervix and causes the early uterine contractions that helps open the cervix). These PGs are in the form of a gel the is inserted deep into the vagina.

 You get connected to the CTG, the gel is inserted and you stay put for half an hour before you get disconnected and can start to move around.

So the systems goes like this, usually they start by 3 doses of PGs each is 6 hours apart, if that doesn't work, then "Artificial rupture of membranes" 

artificial rupture of membranes

 is done, which means they break your water for you. If that doesn't work, then you will be given a drip (which contains a hormone called oxytocin which is the hormone responsible of the strong contractions in the 2nd stage of labour that actually pushes the baby out). And finally, If that doesn't work then a C-section (which was the absolute hell to me, thank GOD I didn't get to that point).

So, I had my 1st dose, which did nothing. I was assessed again after 6 hours to see if my cervix opened up. Assessment is done inserting her finger into the cervix. 

cervical dilatation assesment

Originally I was dilated only a finger tip. The midwife found that i was still the same, but here after the 2nd assessment actually caused the contractions to start  along with the 1st PG dose and I got my 2nd dose as well.

So, the contractions started with the 2nd dose of the gel, they felt like strong period pains in the back and at the lower belly, but for me they were bearable still so I took no pain killers. I slept for a couple of hours through the pain, then I woke up in the middle of the night with stronger contractions, so I was given codeine ( a pain killer a bit stronger than paracetamol ) and went back to sleep and woke up a few hours later for my 3rd assessment. I was dilated only one cm,

 the midwife could insert the whole finger in, and trust me that was actually the worst pain I have ever experienced in my whole life, way worse than labour, it actually brought me into sobbing tears. When a finger is being inserted into the cervix, you could actually feel the blood rushing into your ears from the excruciating pain.

That was Sunday morning, I woke up feeling sick and I threw up all my breakfast, and I threw up a couple of times after that. The midwives said that was a good sign of labour as well as the codeine could have made me sick, because it does do that. The constant sickness made me loss my appetite and I didn't feel like eating the whole day.

On the other hand, the contractions where getting stronger, that when they hit, they would shoot down my legs. The midwife came and asked me to move around to help speed along the process, as the gravity helps along the pressure of the baby's head to open up the cervix. So I asked to be given a stronger pain killer so I could move. And then I was given an injection of pethidine (which is a synthetic derivative of morphine) , it doesn't make the pain completely go away, but just easier to handle. 

They asked me not to move alone with pethidine as it has a drowsy effect, so I walked around the hospital with Ahmed's help. It did make me drowsy a bit but nothing I couldn't handle, in fact it felt great. :D

We went for a stroll in the hospital car park, I went up and down any stairs I could find. I even did some squats.

squats

In total, I moved for about 2 hours. The effect of pethidine started to wear off after that, and the pain became unbearable again.

It was almost 6 pm, the pain was starting to get crazy. I was exhausted, I haven't eaten the whole day and hardly slept since the day before. The pain was getting worse and worse, and I was assessed again and I was still 1 cm :S

I was offered the ETONOX , it slightly affected the pain. I started sobbing into tears cause I wanted to sleep and couldn't. The midwife came in and I told her I wanted another pethidine  so I could sleep for a couple of hours, and she answered "Unfortunately, you can't sleep because you are in labour". 

At 7:30 I was given the  pethidine which did nothing. At 8 pm i felt a gush of water, I called my midwife to check cause I thought my water broke. I looked down there I saw a mucus substance with streaks of blood, and the midwife told me that was only the show (which the mucus plug that closes the cervix). But I insisted that also my water broke cause I could feel water leaking whenever I applied pressure. She double checked and indeed, my water did finally break :)

I was assessed again, and I was dilated 3 cm. It wasn't much but finally some progress. At that point I gave in and asked for an epidural.

They told that had to be given in the obstetric ward not the maternity, and they still have no bed for me. I kept sobbing and they started calling the ward to push a bed for me, and finally an hour later I was moved upstairs to the obstetric ward, to be given an epidural.

I went up, they started me on the fluids to prepare me for the epidural. Then I got the heavy feeling in my pelvis. I wasn't sure If I wanted to wee or poo or what. I went to the loo and nothing was coming out, but I still had the uncomfortable feeling that I wanted to push something out, I just didn't know what it was. Then the midwife came and told me that is the baby, and I should probably move back to the bed, cause I don't want to have the baby in the toilet :D. 

So, I moved back to the bed. I told the midwife I wanted to push and where the hell is the epidural ?!! So she assessed me and told that I was fully dilated and I have to start pushing now and I can't take the epidural any more....

                                                                   To be continued ..xxxx

THE ONE WITH THE LABOUR STORY - Part 1

We are all hear stories about labour and how hard it is and how terrible it can get. That is not totally untrue. However for me, the pregnancy itself was even a harder experience than the labour. Yes, mine wasn't easy but to be honest I can't say I hated it all. Despite being a long 45 hours experience I would never say I won't go through it again or I wished I had a C-section. 

It really saddens me when I hear many women now in Egypt actually choose to get C-sections, either thinking that it is the easier option for them, or it's a sign of luxury since they can afford it or they are just to posh to push. It saddens me because it greatly show the lack awareness about the risks of unnecessary C-sections and the benefits of normal labour for you and your baby. And on the other hands, how some doctors now a days lack the good conciousness and drive some women, who actually did want a natural birth, into have an unnecessary C-section cause it's gonna take him half an hour instead of a day or three and he is gonna get triple the money. 

So, the bottom line is, yes labour is hard but it's not the worst thing that can happen to you and trust me when you are done with it you are gonna feel like a hero. You will actually have done something that LITERALLY no MAN can do. Plus, once it's over you become your regular self in a snap, no pains no aches no nothing.

My story is pretty fascinating actually, cause I had this birth plan and I ended up having totally something else, the only thing that I stuck to was the "No epidural" policy. 
So, my original birth plan was having a water birth,

birth pool in the uk

 in the birthing centre not the hospital, cause it's a more natural environment, and no pain killers other than the ETONOX  which is also called the laughing gas (it a 50% oxygen + 50% nitrogen mixture that you breath in and numbs the pain and makes you sort of drunk, LOL) it doesn't completely take the pain away (well,nothing does but the epidural) but it makes it more bearable.

However, that wasn't what happened. As  I was getting closer to my due date, there were absolutely no signs that I am gonna have this baby any time soon and I was absolutely miserable. I couldn't sleep of my SPD, I could hardly walk because of it as well. My feet hurt like hell because of the oedema. And to top it off with a cherry, Ahmed's visa was about to end just a week after the supposed due date, so if i didn't go to labour before then, I might have to do it without him which was the scariest part for me. 
Bottom line was, I had to have that baby on my due date which was the 7th of march.

So, I asked for a consultant's apportionment, and I discussed my case with him and I stressed that I need to be induced for both medical and social reasons, and since it was gonna be on my due date anyway, so he saw no harm in doing that. And indeed I was scheduled for an induction on the 7th of March and a membrane sweep on the 5th. That meant that my birth plan has almost completely been changed, cause an induction can only take place in a hospital, under the supervision of doctors. But, at that point, I didn't mind that cause I was in a need to be put out of misery.

Then, on the 5th of march, I had the sweep (which btw is not fun at all, infact it hurts worse than labour) , and I also I noticed reduced foetal movements, which meant that I couldn't feel the baby move like it used to, so Friday morning I went straight to the hospital and I was put on the CTG machine which a device that monitors the baby's heart rate and the uterine contractions. 

illustration of CTG monitoring

The heart beat were fine, but the baby still hardly moved. Then the doctor came and reviewed my case, and saw that since I was scheduled to be induced on the next day anyway, the might as well do it today cause it's risky to wait now. So, they told me to go home, bring my hospital bag and come back at 6:30 pm.

We came back and I was admitted, but I wasn't induced until next morning because the ward was so busy, that the midwives couldn't risk putting another woman through labour through all the hectic madness that was going around.

                                                                                                        To be continued xxxx

THE ONE WITH THE METABOLISM 13 DAYS DIET (translated)

Important note: This diet isn't from my invention, it's a diet I found online and tried personally, and gave me good results. I am posting it today cause I was asked for it translated to Arabic, so I put both languages for both my readers. The whole post is a copy and paste job.

THE ONE WITH HAIR CARE

I was asked by one of my precious followers to post a blog about hair care and so on. 

I get lots of questions about hair types and how to deal with each type and reasons for hair loss...etc.

Well, hair is a pretty easy organ to maintain if we know how to, from the early start. But the truth is most of us take it for granted until its too late. Well, its never too late, but it become harder to manage and more high maintenance.

OK, so lets begin by knowing about hair types out there. Basically, they are three, it's either oily/greasy or dry or normal.

Knowing which category you belong to is pretty simple. If your hair doesn't survive an overnight without starting to get greasy, then you're definitely the greasy type. If it can take up to 5 days or even a week before it starts to get greasy then you're the dry type. Any where in between is the normal hair.

The hardest one to maintain is the greasy one, cause it requires frequent washing otherwise on the long run, the grease could actually kill it. This is one the commonest reason for hair loss and people don't realize it.

The story simply is, when you have greasy hair, and you don't wash it frequently and properly (YES, both are important) I repeat FREQUENTLY & PROPERLY, the grease accumulates over time around the hair follicles and actually chocks it to death,

and when it falls off, the grease blocks the follicle preventing new hair from coming back. Imagine someone blocking your nostrils and mouth with a block of gee!!! You can't eat or breath, you are gonna die now, aren't you??

 This is exactly what happens with improper care of greasy hair. 

The ironic part is, the solution is quite simple. It lays in the no. Of washes per week and the washing technique.

A) Regarding the no. Of washes, in summers, you should wash your hair every other day, that means around 4 times a week. In winter, 2-3 times is sufficient.

B) Now, the technique; well, listen carefully cause this is important. 1st thing you need to do, if you are at dead end stage and your hair is shedding like crazy (to know that, other than hair shedding, scratch your scalp gently with and your nail, then take a look under it, if it comes out with a yellowish doughy substance and you have just washed your hair, then you are in the red zone my lovely), is to get yourself a medical shampoo designed specifically for greasy hair, not just a regular brand shampoo. If you're still in the just oily hair zone, then a regular shampoo for oily hair will do.

Next, is to get yourself a scrubbing brush. YES, you heard me right. Go to IKEA ,kitchen utilities section, and buy a nice semi-hard scrubbing brush, not for the dishes but for your hair.

What we are going to do know is make an ex-foliating session for your scalp. We need to remove all the accumulated grease over the years and scrub it right off, and here is how.

Stand under hot water (as high as you can handle) for 15 mins or if you have a vaporizer that would be great (probably you won't, almost only hair dressers have that). Anyway, the shower will do. 

What we are trying to do is to open you pores as much as possible and get the grease as soft as we can to get it out.

Next, start separating your hair into sections and put a little shampoo on that scalp section and start scrubbing with the brush as hard as you fell comfortable. Then move on to next section until you have covered you entire scalp. Then wash your hair with warm water properly.

You know it worked when you move your palms over your hair (not your fingers through your hair, we don't want your hair to be ripped off) and it gets stuck every once in a while cause its so dry. This is how greasy hair is supposed to feel after each wash. And don't go all smarty pants after this and apply conditioner !!!!! Conditioners is a NO NO.

Finally, wash your hair with cool water to close those pores and finish your shower.

For hair styling, buy a hair serum called "zero frizz"

put a little of it on your palms, depending on how long and thick your hair is, rub it on your palms then flip your head over and apply it to the ends ONLY. Stay away from the roots. I repeat, stay away from the roots. 

There you go, you are all done. Fresh clean hair. 

This process needs to be done every one or two weeks, depending on how greasy your hair is. Between these sessions you need to wash your hair the exact same way but with your fingers instead. Just give your scalp a good rub massage with your fingers and the special shampoo.

Within a week I guarantee your hair will noticeably stop shedding and will feel softer than ever.

flip your head

Next, is the dry hair. The main reasons for shedding of dry hair is lack of nutrition. So a blood test to check for anaemia is a good way to start. If it turns out negative that is good news, but you still should take hair vitamins (nothing in specific, just go to the pharmacy and get any hair vitamins you like) and keep taking them non-stop, cause you will never see proper results before 3 month, cause the hair cycle takes that long, 90 days. So, if you stop before that, you're the one to blame. :)

Secondly, don't wash your hair unless it's greasy for a day, give your hair a chance to enjoy its self nutrition. Dry hair gets brittled easily and the hair just snaps and falls off. Also help it by an oil/cream mask bath once a week. 

And use any shampoo you like for dry hair. That's it :)

Last but not least, norm hair, same tips apply for dry hair, just the frequency of washes will be more than the dry hair, but the rule of thumb is, give your hair an oily day before you wash it. And use a shampoo designed for you :)

Finally some general tips:

1) There is a normal range of daily hair shed which is about 50-100 hairs per day.

2) My tips here are regarding hair loss for otherwise healthy individuals, if you suspect aggressive unexplained loss or localized hair loss, contact a doctor immediately. There are some serious medical conditions that could manifest by severe hair loss.

3) No matter your hair type, always take multi-vitamins and never stop them.

4) Eat a balanced diet full of leafy green veggies.

5) Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.

6) A general rule of thumb, always allow one day of greasy hair before the wash, even if you have greasy hair type.

7) Finally, trim any brittle ends every 40 days, cause they cause the body extra work to feed them in order to cure them, and they can't be cured. So all they do is pull nutrition from healthy hair.

Hope this helps and please share with me your results and experience.
Keep safe. xxxxx