By: lydia-on-life February 19, 2019February 20, 2019 Parentingdating as a single parent, Mum, relationships, single mum, valentine's day5 Comments

Am I Ready to Date?

“Maybe our girlfriends are our soulmates and guys are just people to have fun with.”
― Candace Bushnell

Valentines Day has never been a big deal for me, even when I was in a relationship. I remember my first Valentines Day date and how much anxiety it brought me. All I had to do was get dressed and do my hair and make-up in time for my date yet I was completely nervous throughout the entire process. The pressure to look good without looking like a bag of nerve ruined the whole experience for me.

Now that I am single, the idea of dating brings a new set of nerves.

By: lydia-on-life February 1, 2019February 15, 2019 Lifestyleblogging, mum blogger, mummy blogger, Parenting, Ramblings4 Comments

Changing Things Up for the New Year

“You cannot change what you are, only what you do.”
― Philip Pullman

I’m writing this post because I’ve decided to make a slight change to this little corner of the internet I call my blog. It’s been playing on my mind for a while now but I wasn’t quite sure whether it was for me and whether I really wanted to do it or not…

By: lydia-on-life December 21, 2018February 26, 2019 ParentingBody, c-section, Mum, mum blogger, post-partum, postnatal, recoveryLeave a Comment

After Childbirth – The Bit They Don’t Tell You About

“The worst thing that we do to each other as women, not share the truth about our bodies and how they work, and how they don’t work.”
– Michelle Obama
I am 3 months post-partum since delivering my son via emergency caesarean section (c-section) and I still don’t feel like my complete self yet. There’s a lot about the recovery process that not a lot of people talk about.

By: lydia-on-life December 18, 2018February 15, 2019 Parentingemergency c-section, labour & delivery, Mum, mum blogger, single mumLeave a Comment

My Labour and Delivery

“Childbirth is a time when a woman’s power and strength emerge full force, but it is also a vulnerable time.”
– Annemarie Van Oplo

On September 17th after 41 weeks and 5 days of being pregnant, I welcomed the most adorable little boy named Matthew. I had such a healthy pregnancy (despite the emotional roller-coaster) , so for the delivery to be so traumatic was a shock to me and my family. Was it the ignorance of being a first-time mum or a failure on the NHS? I’m not sure. A part of me thinks it’s both and here’s why.

By: lydia-on-life December 14, 2018February 15, 2019 ParentingBaby, checklist, hospital bag, labour and delivery, maternity, Mum, mum blogger, NHS, pregnancy, pregnantLeave a Comment

Hospital Bag Checklist – What to Really Pack

“The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.” ― H. Jackson Brown Jr

This is baby number 1 and I can’t tell you how many videos, websites and apps I looked at to ensure I had the hospital bag essentials I needed for the labour and delivery. Any advice people gave me I made a note of because I wanted to be as ready as possible. My pregnancy was unplanned and filled with a lot of emotional ups and down and I wanted to be everything I could to ensure that my labour and delivery was a lot more smoother and that I was as prepared as possible. But, can one ever be fully prepared for the delivery of their first baby?

By: lydia-on-life December 11, 2018February 15, 2019 Parentingblogging, mum blogger, pregnancy journey, Product Review, single and pregnant, single mumLeave a Comment

5 Pregnancy Apps for First-time Mums

“Enjoy the moment while waiting.”
― Lailah Gifty Akita.

There’s an app for everything these days and pregnancy is no exception. Finding out I was pregnant was a very nerve racking experience which I rambled about here. It wasn’t planned and I certainly never imagined it happening the way that it did. But it did and after the initial shock of it all I was ready to continue on the journey into motherhood. However, as a first-time mum I knew I would need a lot of help. Lucky for me I had an amazing support system around me but the App store played a significant role too.

By: lydia-on-life December 7, 2018February 15, 2019 Parentingblogging, Mum, mum blogger, pregnancy journey, single and pregnantLeave a Comment

My Pregnancy Journey

“You never understand life until it grows inside of you.”
― Sandra Chami Kassis

Before I found out I was pregnant I always thought my pregnancy would be associated with three things:
1) Eating for two,
2) Craving a random and slightly questionable meal at 3am and;
3) Asking my husband to prepare me said meal in the middle of the night in our newly refurbished home.

Spoiler alert. None of these things happened to me. None. Life has a funny way of doing the complete opposite of what you think it should do, right?

By: lydia-on-life December 4, 2018February 18, 2019 Parenting, Personal DevelopmentBaby, blogging, Life Lesson, life update, Mum, mum blogger, single mum7 Comments

Babies, Break-ups and Blogging

“Some changes look negative on the surface but you will soon realise that space is being created in your life for something new to emerge.”
Eckhart Tolle

It’s been a couple of months since I’ve posted anything new on here but after a much needed break I’m back doing what I love. To mark my return I thought I’d share a little little life update on what’s been going on and what I have in store for my little corner of the internet.

About

Welcome to Lydia on Life!

A parenting and lifestyle blog run by a twenty-something single mum of one.

Disclaimer

Just so we are clear on how things work on this side of the internet, here’s a disclaimer regarding the content you’ll see here

Contact Me

Hello! Is it me you’re looking for?

Then get in touch! I’d love for you to be a part of the adventure.

Lydia’s Lazy Lunch #1

By: lydia-on-life February 26, 2019March 1, 2019

Lifestyleeasy simple recipe, lazy cooking, meal prep, Mum, single mumLeave a Comment

If cooking becomes an art form rather than a means of providing a reasonable diet, then something is clearly wrong.
– Tom Jaine

Having a baby is hard work and trying to find the time to cook as well as eat is even harder when you have to clean, feed, entertain and soothe a 5 month old on minus 8 hours of sleep. As a mum I don’t and a human being I don’t ask for much.

After attempting to meal prep, I thought I’d start a series where I share some of the quick meal ideas I use to keep up with the demands of motherhood.

10 Movies & TV Shows Perfect for Valentine’s Day on Netflix *

By: lydia-on-life February 6, 2019February 15, 2019

Lifestylecollaborations, Mum, netflix, single mum, sponsored, tv shows and movies, valentine's day2 Comments

It’s that awkward time of the year again. I’m talking about Valentines Day… *gasp* Dun dun duuuun.

For most of us it’s a day of flowers, chocolates and Instagram worthy dates but for me it’s a little different. I’m single and I’m a mum. Not exactly the ideal candidate for this time of the year. Or am I?

Now You Know My Beginning

By: lydia-on-life December 30, 2018February 6, 2019

Lifestyleblogging, mum blogger, RamblingsLeave a Comment

“You only grow by coming to the end of something and by beginning something else.” ― John Irving

Now that Christmas is over I’m stuck in this weird phase where all the days till New years seem to just mush together. Tell me I’m not the only one that feels like that?

 If I’m honest I’ve felt like that for the last few months.

My Reverse Bucket List

By: lydia-on-life May 31, 2018February 3, 2019

Lifestyleblogosphere, bucket list, gratitude, Mind, mindfulness, Ramblings, reverse bucket list3 Comments

“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not…” ~ Epicurus

We all have a bucket list, right? Whether mentally or somewhere on a piece of paper, we’ve all sat down and thought about the things we’d like to achieve in our life time. But sometimes this list can leave us feeling a little overwhelmed and often becomes a reminder of all the things I haven’t done.

When You Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

By: lydia-on-life April 28, 2018February 3, 2019

Lifestyleblogging, blogging event, Fashion, getting your mojo back, RamblingsLeave a Comment

“Change begins at the end of your comfort zone.” ~ Roy T. Bennett

If you’ve been keeping up with my latest posts then you may know I’ve been going through something. I’m still going through it and I’ve not quite figured out how to share it on here. I will at some point.

But for now, I’m focusing my energy of getting out of it. I’ve cried over it, I’ve prayed about it and now I’m ready to step out of it.

Getting Your Groove Back

By: lydia-on-life April 15, 2018December 9, 2018

Well-beingBody, getting your mojo back, mental health, Mind, personal, Soul5 Comments

“Don’t live the same day over and over again and call that a life.” ~ Germany Kent

I’m fortunate enough to work for a company that allows me to work from home when I want and as often as I want. This luxury has been a God send for the past 2 weeks. I’ve been able to deal with a lot lately and my only comfort was locking myself in my room hoping it will somehow sort itself out. But we all know life doesn’t work like that.

Why It’s Okay to Cry

By: lydia-on-life March 30, 2018February 3, 2019

Well-beingcry, crying, emotions, express yourself, Mind, pain, personal, Ramblings5 Comments

“We need never be ashamed of our tears.” Charles Dickens.

We all feel sad, stressed, overwhelmed, scared, and frustrated at times but rarely do we openly choose to express them through crying. Instead we are made to find other ways of expressing those emotions because crying is often seen as a sign of weakness. Why is that?

20 Things I Learned in 2017

By: lydia-on-life January 17, 2018February 3, 2019

Personal Development2017 goals, Life Lesson, new years resolution, Ramblings3 Comments

“Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” ― Søren Kierkegaard.

2017 was a fun year full of more ups than downs and a lot of lessons. I wanted to share some of those with you as we begin the new year! As always, this is going to be a long one so please bare with me. What did 2017 teach me?

Why You Should Take A Social Media Detox

By: lydia-on-life January 11, 2018February 20, 2019

Well-beinginstagram, Mind, Ramblings, snapchat, snapchat filters, social media, social media detox, youtubeLeave a Comment

“Distracted from distraction by distraction” – T.S. Eliot.

We all have a love hate relationship with social media, right? One minute it’s the best thing since sliced bread, the next it’s the biggest pain in the butt. As useful as social media can be in our everyday life, it can soon turn into something negative if used in an unhealthy way. When it does, it’s time for a detox.

6 Things To Do In Mombasa, Kenya

By: lydia-on-life November 25, 2017February 22, 2019

Lifestylelife in mombasa, Mum, things to do, things to do in mombasa, Travel, visit mombasa2 Comments

“A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes.

If you’ve been following me on Instagram and Twitter you’ll know I recently went to Kenya to visit my family. Whilst I was there, I went to Mombasa to…