Tag: mummy blogger

New Mum | What do you feed a 6-9 month old?

“A baby’s motivation to put food in his mouth is curiosity and copying – not hunger “ ― Gill Rapley

I headed down to my local supermarket to get some of the ready-made baby food on the shelves and Matthew absolutely hated every single one of them. Now what?

“A baby’s motivation to put food in his mouth is curiosity and copying – not hunger “
― Gill Rapley

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If you’re new to my blog, then welcome!

And if not, then welcome back!

How are you? How’s life treating you?

Me, I’m doing OK considering I’ve spent the last week suffering from a cold given to me by my son. I was told that kids collect all sorts from nursery but I didn’t think I’d have the privilege of experiencing it so soon. He’s only been there 2 weeks! Nonetheless we are both doing better and I had just enough strength and time to work on a few blog posts and here’s one of them.

So once upon a time I write a food related post because well I was trying to test the waters of my content and also share some of the meals that have been saving my ass as a mum who hates cooking but loves needs to eat. If that sounds like you then do check out my first Lydia’s Lazy Lunch post and let me know what you think of my first meal in the series. I hope to share more with you in the coming months.

Anywho, in that post I mentioned that Matthew was showing signs he was ready for solid food (sitting up, looking at my food, grabbing my food and shoving it in his mouth, that kinda stuff). I got so excited that I headed down to my local supermarket to get some of the ready-made baby food on the shelves and he absolutely hated every single one of them, even the baby fruit purees. I didn’t like them either but thought it was a me thing. Every thing tasted sour for some reason…

As happy as I was that his taste buds and I were agreeing, this excitement was short lived as it downed on me that now I’d have to make his food from scratch. If you’ve read my last food related post you’d know I hate cooking with a passion but my baby gotta eat and enjoy his food so call me Suzy Homemaker. No don’t call me that please.

Through persistence, patience and a whole lot of wasted food I was able to find a handful of dishes he really liked and I thought I’d share some of them with you.

The weaning process has defiantly been an interesting phase in both of our lives. He’s discovering new flavours and textures whilst I’m discovering new poo smells and textures and a whole new level of forgiveness. 9 times out of 10 the food I spent the better part of my day researching, preparing and blending usually ended up everywhere but my baby’s mouth.

So, if like me, you have no idea or are running out of ideas on what to feed your 6-9 month old here are the quick and easy meals my son is loving during the weaning process. Now please note I am not a dietician or claiming that these meals will go down well with your baby. These are just suggestions to get you started if you’re in need of some ideas. They worked for me, my son and my sanity and I only hope they will do the same for you. Speak to your GP if you have any concerns or need advise on any of these dishes. I’m just a mother sharing my experience on the internet that’s all I’m saying…

Without further ado, here’s what you could feed your 6-9 month old.

Breakfast

Lunch

  • Scrambled eggs, avocado & baked beans
  • Salmon, spinach & pasta
  • Potatoes, mixed vegetables & soft cheese

Dinner

  • Turkey or beef mince stew, vegetables & pasta
  • Chicken stew, sweet potatoes & mixed vegetables
  • Mackerel and avocado

Dessert

Finger foods

And that’s it!

I plan his weekly meals around these food combinations and ensure he is having plenty of milk and water in between so he’s not constipated or dehydrated.

It’s a learning curve for both mother and baby when it comes to weaning or anything else in the motherhood life. We have to take time to get used to it. It took me 3 months and loads of wasted food to get this list. It’s frustrating, tiring and worrying but it’s also fun and exciting once you get passed the mess. You’ll soon realise how much the internet *cough* Instagram and YouTube *cough* lies to you. There is nothing glamorous about the weaning process. You’ll find food bits in all the wrong places, you’ll not get the portions right and your kitchen will look like you live with the 7 dwarfs. Still, I am glad to say that I’m finding my way through it. I might actually end up being Suzy Homemaker at this rate.

I’m still figuring out how much he actually eats and what other foods he likes but I know that these meals always go down well with him. They are pretty quick, easy and self explanatory and I always mix them with milk but if you’d like me to share how I make them then do let me know in the comments. My usual rule is if I taste it and I like it, he will like it too.

As tiring and often heartbreaking as the weaning process can be you feel so accomplished and proud to see your baby scoff down all the food you made once you figure it out. It makes the mess, stress and begging all worth while. Kinda…

I also found the www.madeformums.com website really useful when it came to weaning and baby recipes and meal planning. I’d suggest picking 2 or 3 meals to try for a week to see how your baby takes to it. That way if they like it, don’t like it or have an allergic reaction to it you’ll be able to easily pin point which one it was. But remember I’m not a professional nor am I claiming to be. I’m just a first time mum sharing her experience.

To make the process of making the food fun I usually have him in the kitchen with me and pretend we’re on a cooking show on YouTube. Is that sad? Probably, but who cares!

Your Turn…

How did you find the weaning process? Do you have any easy to make baby recipes or know of any?

Let me know in the comments below or on my socials @lydiaonlife.

Also, don’t forget to follow the blog too! And why not add yourself to the mailing list for updates whilst you’re at it? I don’t post often enough to spam you!

Till next time!

Love always,
Lydia x

Mum Bloggers | Where Are All the Black Single Mums?

“It is more substantial to represent a purpose, rather than just a title.” ― T.F. Hodge

Over the last few months of 2019 I’ve slowly started embracing the world of mummy blogging (or mommy blogging for my US people) but it’s not been easy as a black single mum.

“It is more substantial to represent a purpose, rather than just a title.”
― T.F. Hodge

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If you’re new to my blog, then welcome! And if not, then welcome back!

How are you? How’s life treating you?

Me, I’m doing good and slowly getting back to regular posting. As you know being a mum is hard and finding the time to do anything aside from being a mum is even harder. But as always I keep myself motivated as best as I can when it comes to life and blogging.

Over the last few months of 2019 I’ve been slowly trying to embrace the world of mummy blogging (or mommy blogging for my US people). It’s hard to do so when you only have a few readers and very few people see you as a mummy blogger but I’ve decided to not let the opinions of others determine how I see myself. This goes for all aspects of my life, including hobbies such as blogging.

So what is mummy blogging? Mummy blogging is a way for women to create content online about the most challenging and rewarding parts of our lives – being mothers. I stared my mummy blogging journey last year as it helped me get through the postpartum period and the challenges I faced once I was face-to-face with the little human I’d been creating for the last 9 months. Here’s where my journey began if you’re interested.

I’ve accepted that blogging about motherhood is something I love doing and hope to keep doing however as I’ve started this journey, I’ve noticed that there aren’t that many mummy bloggers like me – young, black and single. Why is this? Are they all hiding or am I just looking in the wrong places?

If you do a Google search for ’single mummy blogger’ 99.9% of the results are of women who look nothing like me. Our ‘single mum’ label might be the same but how that label affects us is different, very different. Don’t get me wrong, single motherhood is tough no matter how you look however as we’ve seen in this world, race and culture has a huge effect on our lives, especially in the black community.

It was sad to see so little representation in an area that was so important to me as a single mother and writing enthusiast. There aren’t that many books on the topic of thriving as a black single mum and our stories aren’t always conveyed in a positive light. This bothered me a lot but I was glad to see a few ladies out there making their mark on the blogospheres as independent black single mothers and I wanted to share them with you.

Without further ado, here are some amazing black single mothers with incredible stories about their journey.

The Single Mom Journey is a blog ran by a 40 something-year-old single mum of two named L.C. Like many of us, she uses her blog to share the wisdom she’s gained on topics such as raising kids, relationships, career moves, money matters, faith and inspiration. Her hope is that women, particularly single mums, will use her blog as a forum to be real and share their struggles without judgment. Check out her post on black single mum blogs for more amazing mothers to help you on your journey!

Black Moms Blog is run by Shanicia, a full-time mum of one living in Atlanta. She uses her blog to offer parenting tips, recipes, information about cultural and current events, as well as highlighting black businesses and mums who are making a splash in the business world. Her mission is to provide a place that changes the narrative of what Black motherhood is really all about. Here’s the post that got me interested in her story

Single Black Motherhood is a blog ran by a 26-year old working mother of one named Kim. Like me, she struggled to find millennial, black single mums on the blogosphere or podcastphere (is that a thing? I’m making it a thing) so decided to create her own. On her blog she shares her journey and the things she’s learning along the way in hopes of inspiring other young black single mums out there. How she managed single parenting with two jobs whilst studying is amazing to me and defiantly worth a read.

Sophie-sticated Mum is a blog ran by Dr. Reed AKA Sophia, a 30 something single mother of one and a National Certified Counsellor with a PhD in Human Behaviour (okay mama!). She uses her blog to encourage women to turn their lemons into lemonade and make boss moves whilst putting God first. Her story on how she became a single mother is definite one to read. So inspiring!

Greater Than Mama Blog is run by Briana, a 27 year old single mum of one. She uses her blog to show other mums that you don’t have to stop being you, just to be someone else’s mother. Although she doesn’t claim to have all the answers on how those two sides of motherhood can co-exists, she hopes to figure it out with the rest of us through her blog. Here’s her latest post which I know I’ll be using once Matthew starts day care.

Although I was happy to find these wonderful ladies, I couldn’t help but notice that most if not all of them were from the US. There are around 1.8 million single parents in the UK and 90% of them are women. How many of those are black women, I’m not sure but if I exist, surely there are others? Surely there are women out there like me with a story to tell about their journey?

This thought reminded me why I decided to share my own single parent journey here on Lydia on Life. Not only did I want a place to document my thoughts and experiences but to also connect with other mothers who look like me, talk like me and are dealing with similar life issues as me. I’m glad I was able to find a few but I know there’s more stories out there waiting to be told.

So for now I’ll continue sharing my journey (and anyone else I find) for my own growth so that anyone else who feels the way I do will know they are not alone.

I hope you enjoyed my little list of wonderful black mummy bloggers who are doing it all whilst raising children single handedly and sharing their journey with us. I can’t wait to learn from them and enjoy their content!

Your Turn…

Do you know of any other black single mum bloggers from around the world? Would they be interested in sharing their journey with me?

Let me know in the comments below or on my socials @lydiaonlife.

Also, don’t forget to follow the blog too! And why not add yourself to the mailing list for updates whilst you’re at it?

I try (emphasis on the try) to post once a week so stay tuned!

Till next time!

Love always,
Lydia x

Life Update | What Happened In May?

“How you feel about home after holiday says a lot about home.”
― Joyce Rachelle

Having some me time is so important, especially as a mother. Single or not, being a mother requires so much of yourself that it’s easy to lose yourself in the midst of it all.

“How you feel about home after holiday says a lot about home.”
― Joyce Rachelle

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If you’re new to my blog, then welcome! And if not, then welcome back!

How’s life treating you?

Me, I’m doing fabulous! May is a very special month for me for many reasons. Not only is it my birthday month but it’s also the month I use to reflect on all that I have done since my last birthday. It’s a mindfulness exercise I started last year called a reverse bucket list thats helped me learn to change my perspective on how I look at myself and the things happening in my life.

Being away from my usual surroundings also helps hence why I’ve not posted anything on here this month. I decided to take a much needed 3 week holiday to Kenya with my family where I knew I’d be able to relax, gather my thoughts and hit a very busy second half of 2019.

Aside from enjoying the time away from the London life, being in Kenya gave me the boost and guidance I needed when it came to parenting and I hope to share all I’ve learned in the months to come.

But for now here is a short, sweet and hopefully interesting recap on what Matthew and I have been up to in May.

What’s been happening with me:
  • I successfully travelled with a 8 month old to Kenya (this was not easy at all!)
  • I turned 27 (another birthday spent in another country)
  • I revived my Instagram page (hadn’t posted in over a year)
What’s been happening with Matthew:
  • Travelled on a plane for the first time (he did well considering how long the journey was)
  • He visited the rural areas in Kenya to see our extended family for the first time (everyone loved him)
  • He started standing on his own (if he could stand all day he would)
  • His top two teeth came through (this was not a fun experience for either of us)
  • He finally settled into a routine that works for me (the joy I feel about this is indescribable)

And that’s it! These were the highlights of my May. I’ll go into some of those moments in another posts but I hope you’ve gotten an idea of how we are doing so far in our journey.

As much as I enjoy being a mother and sharing that experience on my blog, sometimes stepping away from all that even for a little while will do you more good than trying to soldier through it.

Having some me time is so important, especially as a mother. Single or not, being a mother requires so much of yourself that it’s easy to lose yourself in the midst of it all. Our mental health is important if we want to not only raise strong amazing children but enjoy all that comes with it.

So from one exhausted mother to another I encourage you to take as many breaks as you need till you feel ready to face the world again because the world and the world of parenting is a difficult place to live in. There is nothing wrong in taking some time to focus on you and your mental health. This time can really help you get through those difficult moments and enjoy the wonderful moments that come along with it.

Speaking of wonderful moments, head over to my Instagram to see what Matthew and I got up to in Kenya. I don’t think I’ll be making such a long distance trip with him anytime soon but I’m so glad I had the opportunity to do it so early on in his life. I guess Brighton will have to be good enough for now!

The rest of 2019 is looking to be pretty busy for both of us so bare with me as I adjust.

Your Turn…

What were the highlights of May for you? Is there anything in this months round-up you’d like me to talk more about?

Let me know in the comments below or on my other social platform @lydiaonlife.

Also, don’t forget to follow the blog too! And why not add yourself to the mailing list for updates whilst you’re at it?

I hope (emphasis on hope) to start posting once a week again so stay tuned!

Till next time!

Love always,
Lydia x

Life Update | What Happened In April?

“A mother continues to labor long after the baby is born.”
– Lisa Jo Baker.

April has come and gone and it brought a lot of exciting and not so exciting things. I learned a lot about myself and those around me and realised just how important a change of environment can be.

“A mother continues to labor long after the baby is born.”
– Lisa Jo Baker

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Hello and welcome to my blog!

How are you? How’s life treating you?

I’m back with another round-up on what’s been going on with me and Matthew this month. April started off really low for me and I kinda shut away from friends and family as that’s how I deal with things however as time went on things started to get better. I learned a lot about myself and those around me and realised just how much stepping out of my comfort zone and following these tips can help me get my groove back.

So as promised, here is a short, sweet and hopefully interesting round up of how my April has been

What’s been happening with me
  • Managed to catch the flu (not great when you have a baby to look after)
  • Postnatal depression got to me really badly (I hate that word)
  • Sorted out my date for returning back to work (is it bad that I’m excited?)
  • Found a mentor for the project I’m working on (another exciting milestone for me)
  • I attend my first tech event for black folk called AfroTechFest (Amazing experience!)
  • And finally I got my lashes done for the first time (check them out on Instagram)
What’s been happening with Matthew
  • Turned 7 months (7 whole moths guys!)
  • He managed to catch my flu (dealt with it like a champ though)
  • Started walking along the edges of his bed from one end to the other (falls half way but it’s progress)
  • I took him to the office to show him off to everyone (travelling in London with a baby ain’t easy)
  • He’s been accepted to my first choice nursery ( I only registered for one)
  • And finally we officially started the weaning phase (it’s messy and we’re both still adjusting!)

It’s been a busy and emotional month but it’s been a good one. I’m super excited for the next one though so stay tuned for May’s round up! *cough* It’s my birthday month *cough* *cough*

Your Turn…

What were the highlights of April for you? Is there anything in this months round-up you’d like me to talk more about?

Let me know in the comments below or on my social @lydiaonlife.

Also, don’t forget to follow the blog too! And why not add yourself to the mailing list for updates whilst you’re at it?

I try (emphasis on the try) to post once a week so stay tuned!

Till next time!

Love always,
Lydia x

Mum Blogger| Am I Changing Anything This 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…

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

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If you’re new to my blog, welcome to my online home.

And if not, then welcome back!

How are you? How’s life treating you?

Me, I’m doing great. I’m currently sat on my toilet writing this post because, well it’s comfortable…kinda. It’s the one place I can let loose (literally) and be my absolute unashamed self. It’s also the one place I’ve found myself feeling creative and flowing with ideas. Weird, right? I’ve thought (and sang) some of my best work whilst in the bathroom but by the time I’ve gotten to a more “appropriate” room to write them all down, they’ve either disappear or just aren’t flowing as well as they were in the loo. This must be a sign, right? Or maybe I’m weird. Either way, I’ve learned as a new mum, you have to do what you have to do to get things done. Even if it means doing them whilst in the toilet.

But my choice of writing rooms isn’t why I’m writing this post. Oh no! It’s more exciting than that…I think.

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. After scheduling all of my December posts I felt a little flat when I started working on my January posts. I wasn’t as excited about the content I planned to put out so instead of posting I took sometime out to rethink the direction I’d like my blog to go.

I didn’t want to start the new year by putting out content for the sake of it or content I wasn’t really excited about. I actually want to enjoy writing and reading what I put out. Then the lovely Jenna over at jennasworldview.com tagged me in a twitter post which I took as a sign to stop thinking about it and just do it. I love me some signs! And so I decided to take the plunge and just do it. What’s the worst that could happen? Maybe I shouldn’t say that…

Anywho, can you guess what it is? No, it’s not the new layout, although I am really in love with it. Looks rather nice don’t you think?

Okay, I’ll tell you.

Drum roll!

Lydia on life is officially becoming a….mummy blog! Tadaaaaaaa…

Okay, a little anticlimactic I know. I probably should have stuck to talking about the new blog layout but becoming a mum blogger seemed more exciting to me.  If you’re still reading this then hopefully you feel the same way.

Some of my readers might have already thought of my blog as a mummy blogger since I spent like a month talking about my pregnancy, delivery and recovery but that was just me venting and expressing. I didn’t think it would be as therapeutic as it was nor did I think I’d enjoy it that much but I did. So much so that I was like hmmmmm, why don’t I just focus on this part of my life.

Aside from it being the biggest part of my life right now, it’s also become the most exhausting, worrying and exciting bit too. And I’d like to share it with anyone who wants to listen. I mean, I usually do in person so why not online?

This part of my life has also highlighted to me the lack of representation for women and probably men in my situation. I searched high and low for months trying to find someone like me, who was going through what I was going through and I was shocked to not find as many as I thought there would be. Have I been looking in the wrong places or is everyone hiding? I don’t know, but what I do know is that I’m here and I have the amazing opportunity to share my journey so I’m taking it.

I once heard someone say if you can’t find a tree, be the tree. That someone was me, I said that. I made it up as a way of motivating myself and more often than not it worked. What I’m trying to say is be the change you want to see if you can’t see it. Don’t just complain about it, be about it.

I’m a young single black woman, raising a child whilst learning to co-parent and build a career and although I never saw myself in this situation, it’s happened and I’m learning how to deal with it. I am in no way saying my story is unique or that I even know what I’m doing. I just believe that you don’t have to be unique or know what you are doing to share your story. You just have to be willing to share it. #everystorymatters.

The little I’ve shared on this blog has certainly help me and if it can help someone else then great. If it doesn’t then at least I know it’s helping one person; me.

You can be your own worst enemy or your greatest saviour. Choose wisely.

So long story short, I’m still Lydia on life, just more emphasis on the mum life now #mummyblogger #mommyblogger for my US people dem. I don’t know why I felt the need to announce this but guess it makes it more real when it’s written down somewhere on the internet. It also serves as an introduction to the content I have planned for the next few months. I’m so excited!

If you’ve made it this far in the post, why are we not friends already? Let’s work on that…

May God bless you and I hope you’ll stick around. If you do, I encourage you to interact with me and join me on this journey. I’m winging it and learning as I go along. I know sharing it on the internet is subject to some criticism (especially being a single mum) which I’m fine with. In fact, I welcome open and honest conversations about motherhood and parenting in general – online and offline.

However, I ask you to remember that it’s okay to agree to disagree as long as we do it with respect. Sing it with me, R E S P E C T, I’ll tell you what that means to me. It means, live your life and allow me to live mine. And don’t judge me for writing about it from the comfort of my toilet seat, which by the way has proven to be very successful. Think I’ve found my new writing room.

Thank you for listening to my Ted Talks.

Your Turn…

Where do you feel most comfortable writing? How did you decide on what to write about?

Let me know in the comments below or on my social @lydiaonlife.

Also, don’t forget to follow the blog too! And why not add yourself to the mailing list for updates whilst you’re at it?

I post once a week so stay tuned for the next one.

Till next time!

Love always,
Lydia x

P.s: Happy New Year! (Is it too late to say that?)