After 31 weeks of madness at work, I have finally started my Maternity leave and began to prepare for the arrival of my little girl. It’s mad to think how quickly the last four years have gone working for Lush, it’s so much more than a job and I’m grateful that their Maternity scheme is fantastic and that I have the security to return to work! When I found out that I was pregnant I decided not to use any of my holidays/leave for the year, instead, I saved them so I could leave work a little bit earlier than normal before my due date. I’m so glad that I did this as working on my feet and the pressure of the baby was really taking its toll on my pelvis and I was starting to struggle especially as my final trimester started. A week before I finished work I was diagnosed with Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD) and given the advice to rest as much as possible so finishing work when I did definitely came at the right time!
For me, having possibly a year off from work feels very odd. I’ve been juggling working alongside full-time education since I was 16 so to have graduated from University and have completely finished working until 2019 is a massive lifestyle change. I thought that I would be missing working already but I don’t even feel guilty to say that I needed a break and although I’m only two weeks into my leave I feel so much better in myself both physically and mentally.
Whilst my baby is doing her last bits of growing I’ve taken the time to plan a lot of upcoming content for my Instagram and my blog. I’ve done this without setting major deadlines to not overwhelm myself but now I have more time it’s definitely something I want to delve into. A few bloggers that I follow have had a massive break in the first few weeks of welcoming a newborn, I myself just have no idea how I’ll feel until my little girl arrives. When it comes to blogging or social media it’s something that is just mine and a little escape for me, I think it’s important to find something that makes you feel like you. If I feel like I’m up to working on content then I’m going to allow myself to do it but again not pressure myself if I want to take my time, even if that’s just half an hour a day whilst the baby is sleeping!
One of the nicest things that came with my Maternity leave was the Lush Expectant Mother Box, they send this out to all of their staff members with their Maternity leave paperwork. The box is a beautiful selection of products that are perfect for use in pregnancy and going into motherhood. It’s such a lovely little treat so I thought I would share the products that have been personally selected by Lush for their members of staff. Obviously, these products aren’t created solely for pregnancy so if something catches your eye I’d definitely nip into your local store to have a little try of something to pamper yourself! So let’s get into this box of goodies and see what I’ve been treated to.
(Therapy Massage Bar, The Olive Branch Shower Gel, Pink Peppermint Foot Lotion, Dream Cream Hand and Body Lotion, Big Blue Bath Bomb)
Therapy – £6.75
Massage Bars are so simple to use as they are the perfect size to hold in your hand and apply to the skin. Therapy is full of ingredients that are beneficial for the appearance of scarring and stretch marks. I’ve been using this a few times a week throughout my pregnancy all over my bump and my stretch marks, it’s a fabulous way to bond and interact with your baby too. Main ingredients include Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Shea Butter, Organic Sweet Orange Oil and Organic Lavender Oil. This product is Vegan.
The Olive Branch – 100g £4.95, 250g £9.95, 500g £16.50
Feed your skin with Olive Oil goodness with this fruity and uplifting Shower Gel! I love using this in the morning as it’s fantastic to wake you up and leaves your skin feeling incredible for the whole day. It’s great for a super quick shower and locks lots of moisture into your skin. Main ingredients include Fresh Mandarin Juice, Fair Trade Olive Oil, Bergamot Oil and Orange Flower Absolute. This product is Vegan.
Pink Peppermint – 225g £13.95, 450g £25.95
Pregnancy can really take its toll on your feet so this is a perfect product to cool and soothe the after work ache. It smells like mint chocolate chip ice cream and is such a gorgeous colour too! This has been a complete lifesaver for me due to working on my feet and it makes you feel so pampered. Main ingredients include Fair Trade Almond Oil, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Spearmint Oil and Peppermint Oil.
Dream Cream – 100g £6.95, 240g £13.95, 450g £22.95
If you’ve not heard about this product over the past few weeks then you must have been hiding under a rock! Social media has gone crazy for this miracle cream and its incredible healing ingredients for extremely sensitive skin. I love this product and it’s been something that I have used on my skin for the past few years, it’s so gentle and great for any dry areas! Main ingredients include Oat Milk, Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter and Chamomile Blue Oil. This product is Vegan.
Big Blue – £3.50
This is one of mine and my boyfriends favourite Bath Bombs, it’s packed full of Sea Salt and Seaweed so fantastic to soften your skin. If you’re struggling with aching muscles this is a complete game changer and the Lavender in it will help you settle off to sleep too! Main ingredients include Fine Sea Salt, Arame Seaweed, Lemon Oil and Lavender Oil. This product is Vegan.
These products have been so good to me over the last few months and with just 7 weeks to go my body is definitely going to thank me for it! It’s amazing how a bit of self-care can go such a long way and with being so heavily pregnant it’s such an important time to look after myself. Whether you’re expecting a bundle of joy or just looking for something new to try from Lush there are so many products that are suitable. All of Lush’s products are handmade, cruelty-free and safe to use in pregnancy!
