21 July 2016

HOTTEST DAY OF THE YEAR


So Tuesday we woke up to temperatures in their 30's and honestly as a 26 week pregnant woman and a 2 year old toddler, we both were not prepared and totally unappreciative of these scorching temperatures. I mean if we were in Greece or something then wonderful, we'd be lying on a lilo in the pool, with a mocktail in hand. Instead we had a paddling pool the size of a washing up bowl and a garden that has the smallest amount of shade... and totally needs some TLC, as the warmth and rain has made everything a little overgrown again.




 We ventured to the shops that morning to grab some bits for lunch, factor 50 suncream and ice poles, and nearly set up camp in the air conditioned tesco express. WOW, what a delight it was in there. They were out of icepoles, and the suncream would have required a mortgage, so luckily theres another shop and a boots pharmacy next to it.
Lucas, who rarely naps, even when he needs one, fell asleep in the middle of boots. The heat had tired him out already, I wasn't hopeful for either of us the rest of the day.

He napped in the shade for 1 hour, while I filled up the paddling pool and prepared lunch. I then took 20 minutes with my feet in the freezing cold pool while he finished off his nap, and the water warmed up in the sun to make it a nicer temperature for him.
I sat in my maternity swimsuit, with suncream on all the places I could reach. Can we talk about the fact that there is no device or help out there for suncreaming your back!?



Once awake Lucas was changed into swim shorts, a swim nappy with "Elmo" (Nemo) on it and we attempted two hats, he kept the one that was two small for him on for 5 minutes before ripping it off. I suncreamed him up a gooden and he ran around playing and letting all the water out the pool, making my suede sandals wrecked and the garden a bog! Loved the coolness on my feet though.

We then let the rabbit out, who's usually really good and just runs around the grass eating the weeds. Not this time, she darted out the front and chasing a rabbit in your angry neighbours garden and your next door neighbours garden at 6 months pregnant, in a swimsuit, with a toddler laughing at you, in 31degree temperature was not my favourite part of the day, but a funny thing to imagine. She was summoned to her hutch for the rest of the afternoon, after that!

Lucas was a little unsure of the pool, he's never been a real fan of pools and likes the one when we go swimming because it's warm like the bath, and obviously in Tuesdays temperature I couldn't make it warm otherwise he would have overheated. He did like splashing in it from the outside and did get in a few times but he preferred letting the water out instead.


Wednesday was no better, slightly cooler but still awful, so we stayed indoors all day with the windows open. Lucas laid on the floor in just a nappy all day and I fell asleep on the sofa for 30 minutes and woke up in a puddle of sweat and threw up, it was hideous. We just ate icepoles and watched movies all day in the occasional breeze from the window. It was a lot cooler inside than outside.

Lucas hasn't coped with the heat at all, he's asked for medicine so much and keeps asking for cuddles as he thinks he's poorly and he also has been so restless at night, all though that has led to a few lay ins.
I have also not coped, as a human oven anyway, I am scorching... Ice poles, cold showers and a cold wet flannel have helped me. I long for Autumn and all things, burnt orange, mustard, pumpkin spiced and cosy.


My tips for keeping cool:

1. ICE POLES - lots of them, they may be full of sugar but they're cold, hydrating and will encourage your little ones to have fluid as well as cooling them down.
2. ICE CUBE FUN - Fill up a tupplewear pot with water and a dinosaur or two and let your little one bash it with a spoon and play with it until it melts, it's better for older children as you can give them a fork to crack it open with, they may get cold fingers but they will cool down too.
3. FROZEN LUCOZADE SPORT - This one is for you pregnant mamas, freeze a lucozade sport for about 20 minutes, so it's more slushy than frozen and then drink it, hydrating, helps boost your sugars, and cold. I used to drink these all the time in the gym as found they hydrated me and gave me more energy to keep going than water.
4. PADDLING POOL - Another standard one, but obviously good for you to cool down and your little ones.
5. WET FLANNEL - or towel, around your neck, or if you're really hot over you like a blanket at night, that will cool you down a gooden.

Hope you're not feeling too hot, especially if you're pregnant and hope your little ones are enjoying the sun.

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