I Was Diagnosed With Endometriosis

This post has been shared with us by Lisa from Blooming Uterus, a website dedicated to sharing the stories and experiences of people living with Endometriosis.

Supraneeti was diagnosed with Endometriosis about a year ago.  She lives in London and is finding creative ways of expressing herself, our disease, and it’s effect.  Her story and music video follow.

I am a fellow Endo-sufferer or shall we say survivor?  I am also a film director and an actress and after being under practical house arrest for more than 5 months, I decided to make a short film in style of a music video.  The most difficult part of my recovery has been the stigma attached to anything to do with lady parts.

How long have you been in pain/diagnosed with Endo?

I was diagnosed about a year ago, but believe it or not, I did not fully understand what was actually wrong with me. I kept going back and forth between doctors and gynecologists and some ‘suspected’ Endometriosis whilst some told me you just have heavy, painful periods. My pains got so severe that I was practically bed bound and the doctor finally referred me for a Laporoscopy. They found and removed endo from a couple of places.

Do You Want To Be A Mumpreneur?

As more and more women and mothers are making the choice to start a business, the name ‘Mompreneur’ or for us in the U.K ‘Mumpreneur’ has been coined. There is no exact definition of this term which is roughly defined as:

‘Women who run their own businesses while also acting as a full time parent.’

Mumpreneurs are more likely to run a business out of the home than out of a commercial building. According to the Independent newspaper:

‘The number of female entrepreneurs has increased by 9.6 per cent during the past two years, according to the Office for National Statistics. Of these, an estimated 300,000 are mumpreneurs, according to Mumpreneurs UK, contributing £7.4bn to the economy each year. The support network found that almost 90 per cent of mums would like to start their own enterprise.’
If you are thinking of joining the growing ranks of Mumpreneurs, read these essential business tips from Jane Hopkins, creator of http://www.mumsclub.co.uk, the free business club for entrepreneurial mums.

Top Business Tips for Mumpreneurs
Women are generally multi-tasking machines and therefore perfectly capable of raising a family while generating a second income by being a mumpreneur. It might be a cliché but the sky really is the limit; all you need is a good idea, and the motivation to turn it into a viable business.

1. Be realistic about your IDEA

Light bulb moments are often ideas that come from a need. As parents we identify so many potential products that would help our busy lives, but what we see as the next best thing, in reality, may not be. Think about how much it will cost to bring it to market, research production and marketing costs thoroughly, how much will you have to sell a single product for to cover its costs, and how much do you think people would pay in comparison to the benefit it will bring. Always look at the bigger picture and be realistic.

Severe Morning Sickness – Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG)

This week we have an article on severe morning sickness/hyperemesis gravidarum shared with us by Miriam Erick from Boston, Massachusetts U.S.A.  Erick is a Registered Dietitian/nutritionist and author of ‘Managing Morning Sickness: A Survival Guide for Pregnant Women’ and ‘Take Two Crackers and Call Me in the Morning! A Real-Life Guide for Surviving Morning Sickness.’  Erick has had her work on HG published in the UK journal -Medical Hypotheses and the American Journal of Medical Genetics.  Please feel free to share your comments on this article.

Morning sickness book author helps to organizes a HERS Boston Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) Awareness Day (HGAD)

The announcement regarding an upcoming international Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) Awareness Day 2015 was discovered incidentally by Registered dietitian/nutritionist and morning sickness book author, Miriam Erick, getting computer lessons by business consultant Ed Bartley in Newton, Massachusetts. Instantly, plans to convene a “HGAD” began when Erick reviewed the Meet UP List: few dozen US cities and a locale in Spain were listed but not Boston.

As a result, a small but seriously determined group of severe morning sickness/hyperemesis gravidarum survivors convened in a Meet Up Group on cool gray Saturday afternoon on May 16, 2015, at Fresh City in Newton, Massachusetts. While the all-male wait staff at Fresh City had no idea about HG at all, they graciously and attentively supplied commentary iced tea and iced coffee to the HERS contingent. The HERS (Hyperemesis Education and Research and Support) Foundation logo was prominent signage at the entryway in Fresh City to announce the event and the Fresh City group received a crash course in the problem of HG.

Ironically and only recently has the average person known severe nausea and vomiting of pregnancy, known medically as hyperemesis gravidarum exists. This old Greek terminology confuses many. Way too technical and way too difficult to pronounce is the consensus of opinion. [“hyper” means “a lot”. “emesis” means vomit. “gravid” means pregnant woman] As dehydration in any situation is life-threatening—so does HG present the same critical life-threatening problem.

Switch Off The TV And Tune In To Your Heart

This week we have an article shared with us by Alison Howley, Mother of two and founder of From The Womb To The World in Australia, which invites women to really think about what they’re exposing themselves to when they watch birthing shows on T.V.  Please feel free to share your comments.

Last week, I came across another ‘real’ birth documentary series, ‘The Midwives.’ Set in a busy hospital in the UK, as I tuned in part way through an episode, my heart sang as a midwife talked about how perplexed she was that the caesarean section rate had soared since she started working there; stating that neither women’s bodies nor abilities have changed, so why are so many women unable to trust in themselves and the process of birth. I was thinking, yes, finally a series which is actually about empowering women! I was elated, and so looking forward to the depicted births… silly me, I forgot that I was watching television, and birth on television or in movies usually equates to the instilling of fear and dramatic life and death scenes – enough is enough – this is not birth!

When we find out we’re pregnant, it’s natural to immerse ourselves in all things pregnancy and birth. We become both the hunters and gatherers of information, and if this is our first pregnancy, it’s pretty likely that we’ll start seeking out shows like ‘The Midwives’ or ‘One Born Every Minute.’ We’re most likely quite nervous and apprehensive about our impending births, but like moths to a flame, we just can’t resist the temptation to switch on the TV to watch other women do what we’ll be doing. If it’s only one bit of advice you heed – switch off the TV and tune in to your heart.

Are You Planning Your Family Holiday?

As the school spring half term and summer holidays approach, many families are gearing up for a family break.  This week on the Sunflower Zone Blog we are speaking with Sadie Geoghegan from Thomas Cook about family holidays.  Hello Sadie, welcome to the Sunflower Zone – Welcoming New Life.

Tell us about Thomas Cook family friendly holidays?

Our family holidays are designed with the customer in mind, providing you with all the ingredients needed for a perfect family getaway. Whether you choose Self Catering or All Inclusive, budget or luxury (such as Signature from Thomas Cook), you’ll find the perfect hotel to cater for your family’s needs, including family-sized rooms to give you plenty of space. We have a great range of hotels that are centrally located in large resorts or in quieter and more peaceful locations if you prefer it.
Our family friendly hotels have plenty of facilities to keep the kids entertained (and the big kids too!). For example, our Aquamania resorts have on-site waterparks and all our Sunwing Family Resorts are located either on or next to the beaches of popular holiday destinations. You might even spot our Kids Club mascots Lollo & Bernie, if you’re lucky!

What is your Kids Club and what type of facilities and activities do they provide?

Our Kids’ Clubs provide hours of entertainment for the little ones and is also the perfect way to allow you a bit of ‘me’ time too. They are open six days a week and offer a daily themed programme of fun activities. The youngsters in the Lollo & Bernie Kids’ Club can expect to enjoy fun action games, messy art and outdoor play; slightly older children in the Junior Clubs can enjoy a bit more freedom and plenty of action-packed sports; and the older kids in the Teen Clubs can enjoy sports, games and activities for older age groups, giving them great opportunities to make new friends and hang out together.  Everyone in our Kids’ Club teams is DBS checked and all our clubs are operated to standards of similar facilities in the UK.

I Got My Pre-Pregnancy Figure Back in 8 Weeks

This week on the Sunflower Zone Blog we are speaking with Shakira Akabusi, new Mother, founder of The Natural Health Company and daughter of former Olympian Kriss Akabusi. Hello Shakira, welcome to the Sunflower Zone – Welcoming New Life.

PLEASE TELL US ABOUT THE NEW LIFE THAT HAS RECENTLY JOINED YOU?

My Son is called Rio Martin and he was born on the 31st of December 2014. We chose the name Rio, as Rio de Janeiro means ‘River of January’, and my due date was January 15th but Rio decided to come and join us a little early on New Years Eve! He’s absolutely amazing (obviously I’m biased) and already starting to have a really big personality, which I love. Our speciality is music. We jam together everyday!

WHAT IS YOUR TYPICAL DAY LIKE?

My weekdays differ greatly from my weekends. During the week I usually try to start my day by 7am with waking and feeding Rio. He will have about three naps a day, during the morning nap I prepare and eat my breakfast. In the afternoon I go out for a long walk with Rio and our chocolate Labrador Hugo, and in the late afternoon nap I sit down and reply to any emails or prepare dinner. During the weekend I have a little more freedom as my husband is home for the day. I always make sure I can get to the gym at least twice and also do a big food shop so we have everything we need for the week!

WHAT DOES MOTHERHOOD MEAN TO YOU?

Motherhood is an honour. I am so appreciative of the fact that I was able to conceive quickly and that my pregnancy and labour went smoothly. There are definitely challenges that come with the role and I have to work really hard at maintaining a sense of myself. It would be so easy to get completely wrapped up in my baby and forget what else I enjoyed before he was born. I think that is actually really dangerous as ultimately our children will grow up to lead their own lives and we can’t expect them to live for us.

WHAT WERE THE 3 MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO YOU DURING YOUR PREGNANCY?

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