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Beth Sandland

You Don’t Have to be a Morning Person to be Successful (and what I thought of Simba Mattresses!)

07/01/2018 · INTERIORS, LIFESTYLE, PRODUCTIVITY TIPS

 

Simba Discount Code, Simba Mattress Review, Simba v Eve, H&M bedding, Anthropologie Mug, Kinfolk

 

I am not a morning person. It’s no secret; the idea of hopping out of bed with the dawn chorus (the gentle rumble of SW Trains and the whirring of the generator from the local cafe, if you live where I do) and carpe diem-ing the shit out of a new day is just not my jam. Frankly, I am a really tired person and I’d far rather favour a lazy morning under the covers, finally surfacing at my own pace. I admit that sometimes that just isn’t realistic and although as a freelancer I am lucky enough to be able to set my own hours, there are times that I wish I woke up at sunrise with the energy of a toddler on red bull. Do you know what I do find really boring though? All the literature far and wide incessantly hammering the notion that to be successful you must be a morning person.

I have tried very hard to force myself into an early morning routine, but try as I might the result is far more stumbling around bleary eyed in desperate need of intravenous espresso than it is enjoying a morning green juice on the decking before practising bloody sun salutations and setting positive affirmations for the gift of a day ahead. I wish I was one of those people I see on my Instagram feed ticking off half their to-do list before I’ve even dragged myself exorcist style down the corridor and into the shower, but it’s just not me. Now, here’s my sticking point: my evenings are really precious to me. I struggle with the idea of working beyond a certain point and I relish cooking dinner and settling down with The Crown on Netflix. Something has to give and it does mean that I have to rise earlier than my body would prefer, but I am a strong believer that the time my alarm rudely interrupts my sleep in the morning does not dictate my success.

You should not feel guilty if the idea of rolling out a yoga mat at 6am makes you want to poke your own eye balls out, and if (like me) you try your hardest to avoid arranging meetings pre-10am when you can get ready at your own pace and avoid the sweaty rush hour trains, that does not mean you are any less dedicated to your work or to the day ahead.

 

Here are a few things that make my day a productive one, regardless of what time I rise: 

1. Using an actual alarm clock out of reach of my bed, and leaving my phone in the kitchen over night 

2. Making my bed and opening the blinds the moment I get up

3. Brushing my teeth as soon as I get out of bed

ever left it a few hours on a weekend morning and suddenly realised at 11am that it feels like a baby ferret has died in your mouth?

4. Rituals: for me, I am not human before I’ve had a mug of earl grey tea

just as I try and operate an evening routine to tell my body it’s bed time, I do the same in the morning

5. Getting dressed in proper clothes that it would be socially acceptable to walk to the shops in

rather than half hiding behind the door when the postman calls because I’m wearing Christmas pyjamas at 2pm in June 

6. Writing a to-do list, then halving it and halving it again

I try and prioritise just 3 main tasks each day rather than attempting to do 12 half-heartedly 

7. Choosing my working environment carefully

I could sit on the sofa with my laptop at 6am but if all I can think about is the washing I need to hang out, the cliff-hanger on Suits I really want to watch and the bed next door that I’d quite like to crawl back into, I am not going to have a good day. I’d rather go to the local coffee shop at 4pm and bash out 3 hours of solid work than spend an entire day feeling distracted and lethargic. 

8. Getting a really good nights sleep and treating the bedroom as a sacred environment, not a home office 

 

 

Simba Discount Code, Simba Mattress Review, Simba v Eve, H&M bedding, cooling eye mask

 

About a month ago Simba kindly gifted me a mattress to try out and share my thoughts with you and I can honestly say I have never slept so well. One of my mottos in life is that you should always invest in things that go between you and the floor: your shoes, your car and your mattress. The amount of time we spend in bed versus the amount of thought we usually give to the quality and age of our mattresses is usually really disproportionate. Simba memory foam is firm enough to provide plenty of support but soft enough that it hugs your body in all the right places – I think a lot of my previous back issues stemmed from my hips and shoulders touching the mattress, whilst my spine sort of hovered! – and it doesn’t dent or dip like memory foam toppers tend to. You really can’t feel the person next to you toss and turn in the night and my joy is immense at not rolling toward the heavier side of the bed during the night if I’m sharing it!

At £599 for a standard double, it certainly isn’t the cheapest option out there but as far as quality memory foam goes, it’s a quarter of the price of some of the rivals on the market. Thankfully they do offer 0% finance options and had they not offered me one as part of this collaboration I would have paid full price, and certainly would not have regretted doing so either. It’s an investment, but for somewhere you spend so much time, the thousands of nights you’ll spend on it and the 10 year guarantee it comes with, it’s more than worthwhile.

Having previously trialled an Eve, I thought a quick comparison may be helpful: honestly, there’s not a dramatic difference but I did find that the chemical smell of the packaging lingered for a long time on the Eve which impacted my sleep and the bright yellow branding showed through bedding, which isn’t all that sightly. Eve is slightly firmer and didn’t seem to hold my body quite as well or mask movement from a bed-pal in the same way and knowing that Simba does have  pocket springs too makes me think it will probably age much better. 

My only issue now is it’s even harder to get out of bed!  

Get £100 OFF a Simba Mattress HERE.

Free next day delivery, 100 night no obligation trial. 

 

 

Simba kindly gifted me this mattress as part of an unpaid collaboration. As always, all views and imagery are entirely my own. Purchases on the discount link earn me a small amount of affiliate. 

Posted In: INTERIORS, LIFESTYLE, PRODUCTIVITY TIPS

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Comments

  1. Chichi says

    07/02/2018 at 12:58

    I agree. I’ve tried on numerous occasions to be ‘that person’ who gets up right at the crack of dawn, but it doesn’t work for me. It might work for someone else, and that’s great, but it’s not for me, and that’s okay. I’m not an early morning person.

    I freelance and what works for me is to ease myself into the day, rather than forcing myself to get up before my body is ready. This is also great because it’s a lot more natural for me and it means that I get plenty of sleep (I need lots of sleep) and it means that I wake up feeling refreshed instead of feeling irritated.

    Having said that, I still like to have a morning routine and I still make sure I get up by a certain time in the mornings, because I still need to be productive, I still need to get work done (preferably within standard working hours) and I don’t want to spend the evenings and weekends completing work. I’ve learned to be quite fast and organized at prioritizing and getting stuff done, and I’ve come to realize that working smart and productively is much more important. I can easily get work done within a few hours if I stay focused and motivated, instead of forcing myself to wake up super early and working 10+ hours a day.

    Chichi
    chichiwrites.com

    Reply
  2. Kate says

    07/03/2018 at 05:45

    Great ideas! I’ve just ordered an alarm clock from amazon as I spent too much time scrolling through social media before bed and in the morning

    Kate xx
    http://www.mummywho.com

    Reply
  3. Sarah says

    07/04/2018 at 14:49

    Having used to be quite the opposite of a morning person I can totally relate to everything you said! I hated getting up before 10 (or preferably 2 if I could in the summer) and you musn’t talk to me in the morning or you’ll get a very grumpy Sarah. Somehow in the last couple of years it has switched and now I am the complete opposite! I am a total morning person and if I don’t start work fairly quickly after I wake up (with shower and breakfast in between) and have a productive morning I just know I won’t have a productive day (today being the perfect example of that)

    Sarah
    http://www.sarahaurorax.com

    Reply
    • Beth Sandland says

      07/04/2018 at 16:25

      I definitely hope I make that conversion too! I think it’s about listening to your body xx

      Reply
  4. Beth says

    07/14/2018 at 12:10

    I have tried so hard to become a morning person, but I just end up being even more unproductive. I’m better off sleeping in a bit and then working instead of trying to force my tired brain to do work.
    Beth x
    Mermaid in Disguise

    Reply
  5. Meg says

    08/13/2018 at 21:48

    Loved this! I have tried and tried to wake up earlier to be more productive but sometimes you just neeeeeed sleep! Wish I’d looked into the Simba mattresses more when I moved back home after Uni, maybe it’ll be one to bare in mind in the future.

    http://wanderingmeg.com

    Reply
  6. Char says

    08/20/2018 at 22:20

    This is so good and I’m really going to apply your tips – a real alarm clock and putting my phone in the kitchen is something I’ve been putting off but I know I’ve got to! Plus I need to get myself into a routine with sleep too – It’s my aim for the start of uni. Thanks for the blog post and reassuring us we aren’t all 6am early risers who roll out of bed craving spinach and kale! Char // http://www.lunarchar.com // xx

    Reply
  7. Evilyn says

    12/09/2018 at 09:17

    Amazing Blog!!! I really appreciate with all tips. I think these are all really helpful for all.Thanks for the sharing such a helpful article.

    Reply

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I am a multi-award winning blogger, photographer and writer from London. I’ve travelled to over 38 countries, lived out of a backpack for a year and love to scuba dive! This site is a destination for all things travel, lifestyle and my successful online book club.

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Everything tagged! Paint is Farrow & Ball Setting Plaster. Shelves are Funky Chunky Furniture. And that’s my lovely dried wedding bouquet 🥰
Nursery pending 👶🏼🌈🎨 I’ve hated this Nursery pending 👶🏼🌈🎨 I’ve hated this room for the last year. After our first loss it completely taunted me and I couldn’t bring myself to do anything with it other than use it as a giant Monica cupboard. It’s been called so many things - ‘the middle room’, ‘the spare room’, it even stayed as ‘Emily’s room’ for a long time after our lodger moved out - but now we finally call it the baby’s room 🥰🤍 #week28 #thirdtrimester #nurserydecoration #pregnancyafterloss
Week 27: extra hormonal, everything is stretching, Week 27: extra hormonal, everything is stretching, bub is the size of a cauliflower in this bizarre compare babies to fruit & veg game...👶🏼🥦🌈
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😭 Hormonal wreck: I haven’t really had mood swings at all throughout pregnancy but oh my goodness have the hormones got me good this week. There have been tears. And hysterical sobbing. Sorry husband.
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🏀 Basketball belly: the stretch is real! My uterus is now firmly up under my ribs and I swear I can feel them slowly pulling apart. I cried when I sneezed - “it’s like someone STABBED me” (see point 1). Everything feels very round and my old belly piercing scar is not thrilled about life...
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👈🏼 Still an innie: ....just. It’s more like a saucer where it was once a cereal bowl.
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🦒 All the cute things: we’ve decided on a neutral safari themed nursery. Says the person who hates themes.
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💸 “But they’re so small...😭”: I’m officially on a tiny clothes shopping ban. I’ve rinsed eBay and some lovely small brands (and the Zara sale) and I get an eye roll every time I smuggle a new parcel into the nursery.
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🥴 Tasting everything 6 times over: Hi reflux.
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📖 Reading: Your Baby, Your Birth by Hollie de Cruz is next on my bedside table.
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#27weekspregnant #pregnancyafterloss #rainbowbaby #secondtrimester 
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Two things in life that you just can’t have too Two things in life that you just can’t have too much of: books and tea. My survival tools! ☕️📖💫
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Here are 3 titles I’ve read recently (and rated 5/5 - I’m a harsh critic) that are perfect if you need a pick me up or some escapism...
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1. The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley: an old man leaves a notebook in a cafe for a stranger to find telling his ‘truth’ and challenging them to do the same. The catalyst for a web of unusual friendships and genuine, warm characters...
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2. Educated by Tara Westover: a memoir that reads a little like a fiction depicting Tara’s life growing up in a strict Mormon family in Idaho with a survivalist father who is battling undiagnosed mental illness. They don’t believe in formal education or medicine and any form of governance is the work of the Illuminati. Covers some heavy themes (tw: abuse) and is extremely interesting and engaging.
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3. Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams: sometimes laugh out loud funny, sometimes poignantly sad, Queenie is a vivacious twenty-something growing up as a black woman in an ever gentrifying south London. A crap boyfriend, covert racism and a battle with anxiety paint a backdrop whilst she navigates daily life. It’s excellent!
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Hit save for later or tag someone who needs some reading inspo 📚 What’s the best book you’ve read recently?
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Love a good wedding-stalk? In it for the pics? Wha Love a good wedding-stalk? In it for the pics? What to know *exactly* what a teeny tiny BIG day of just 4 guests might actually look like? Link in bio 👰🏻💓
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Photos:  @victoriasomersethowphotography 
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Monty the monstera is going to start eating dentists soon. My top tips for a super healthy swiss cheese plant -
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🌱 A lovely bright spot away from direct sun (not a problem in winter) and radiators.
🌱 Intuitive watering: stick your finger in and water when the top 2” of the soil are dry, rather than to a set schedule. The amount needed depends on your plant (I use around 700ml approx every 10 days) but make sure you’ve got good drainage!
🌱 Every now and again I like to put it in the garden when it’s raining (in the spring/summer) or under the shower. Rain is best if possible as hard tap water can cause mineral build up on the soil.
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🌱 Wipe dust off the leaves (shower also does this) and use a spritz bottle regularly.
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With less than 2 weeks until the final trimester I thought I’d try and document weekly, as much for me to look back on. This photo is already a week old and I seem to be growing by the day!
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What’s the crack this week?...
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🤧 Pelvic floor: Sneezing brings ALL the fear!
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🐙 Movement: I saw my belly move from the outside like a scene from Alien for the first time. At bed time it feels like a small octopus is doing the Macarena in my uterus. It’s still the most magical feeling in the world.
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👶🏼 Prep: The pram arrived this week! We ordered it in a brilliant Silver Cross sale. I was feeling a bit flat about the loss of that ‘pram shopping with my bump’ experience due to lockdown but putting it together made me happy - it’s so beautiful! And so surreal - we own a pram!
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📖 Reading: The Positive Birth Book by @milli.hill. It puts across all options in a clear, non-judgey, humorous way and has made me think of things I’d never heard of. It’s also the first time I’ve understood what a birth plan might physically look/read like.
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🧘🏼‍♀️ Hypnobirthing: I’ve started to feel more nervous about the birth (not the actual act or the pain, rather fears I won’t share as don’t want to project) but we’re starting hypnobirthing online next week which I’m looking forward to!
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👯‍♀️ Following: @birth_ed, @takingcarababies, @mixing.up.motherhood are accounts that are bringing joy/invaluable info.
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#26weeks #rainbowbaby🌈 #secondtrimester #pregnancyafterloss
I loved being a pregnant bride. Often a baby is a I loved being a pregnant bride. Often a baby is a reason to delay or speed up a wedding (lots assumed that was the case for us, but it wasn’t!) and is generally seen as perhaps spoiling things a little. It’s totally fine if you do feel that way, but for us it made it extra magical. It felt totally right to have our little bub between us as we exchanged vows and I was happy to embrace the bump in my dress. I still chose exactly the look and fit I wanted and wore the sparkly heels and in a way, I found trying dresses on much lower pressure as I wasn’t worrying about my figure. Perhaps the biggest difference was staying sober and the fact that we had a tiny wedding with a fancy lunch rather than a party probably made this a lot easier. I raised a toast with our four guests but beyond that, I didn’t have any inclination to drink anyway. Bonus - a great nights sleep and no hangover! 🥂👰🏻
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Photographer: @victoriasomersethowphotography
Dress: ASOS
Box fresh kicks ready to explore [from the bedroom Box fresh kicks ready to explore [from the bedroom to the kitchen, to the loo...aaand repeat]...at least they’ll stay clean 🥴☕️
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Type into browser: https://rstyle.me/cz-n/ewjdwzcbq2x (junior size 🤑 if under a UK 5.5)
AD: Pregnancy has given me a lot of time to reflec AD: Pregnancy has given me a lot of time to reflect on my relationship with alcohol over the last year. 🍸 I flitted between giving it up when pregnant or for fertility purposes, then using it as an emotional crutch in loss which made me more anxious and restless. This time - now 6 months pregnant - I haven’t had a drink since August and have been really pleasantly surprised by how little I’ve missed it, even over the festive season. I’m not into vilifying booze; I enjoy a couple of drinks and even the feeling of lowered inhibitions and being tipsy. But I know that even post-pregnancy and the other-side of the hazy newborn/breastfeeding days, I’ll try and maintain a far more positive relationship with alcohol which for me, looks like indulging lightly and occasionally.
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Having access to brilliant alcohol-free alternatives makes this significantly easier. My favourite gin distillers, Salcombe Gin, are behind the @NewLondonLight; a 0% spirit that doesn’t compromise on taste. So whether you’re pregnant, doing Dry January or simply attempting to live lighter, you can still enjoy a Sunday evening tipple. How do you feel about the alcohol free movement?
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Get 20% off with code ‘NLL20Beth’ 🍊 #NewLondonLight #LiveLightNLL #NLL
Top 5 Books I read in 2020 ☕️ ~
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Where the Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens: totally captivating, unusual and enchanting. I literally devoured this one!
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Queenie, Candice Carty-Williams: as well as being laugh out loud funny, Queenie is also an education. A must read on what it’s like to be a young black woman growing up in London. Also tackles mental health really well!
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The Flatshare, Beth O’Leary: I recommend this to anyone who just really needs a hug from a genuinely enjoyable book. It’s warm and lovely but offers depth well beyond your usual chick lit too.
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Homegoing, Yaa Gyasi: this novel is such a triumph! Spanning over 300 years from pre-colonial Ghana to present day USA, each chapter follows a new character in the lineage of two sisters. One sold to slavery, the other married to an English coloniser. It’s sweepingly powerful and incredibly well written. I could’ve read an entire book on each character!
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A Man Called Ove, Fredrik Backman: Ove was the very first book I read in 2020 and it stuck with me throughout the year. At its most basic, it’s the story of a cantankerous old man. Delve a little deeper and it’s funny, heartbreaking and incredibly heartwarming. I just love Ove!
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Hit the ‘save’ button to come back to this list when you’re in need of a good read! What were your books of the year? 📚
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PS. If more reading, less scrolling is one of your 2021 goals too then don’t forget you can come and join us at @bethsbookclub_ 😎
2 0 2 1: the year of you 🕊🤍
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Happy new year saucepots! We had an ultra rock n’ roll night (read our books in bed then watched the midnight fireworks - that was a nice surprise! - on a phone before falling promptly to sleep...) and today is all about a long walk, a longer bath, books and tea. And obviously starting a new diary because isn’t fresh stationary the best thing about a new year?!
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Are you setting New Years’ resolutions? I prefer a bit of reflection and mindset shifting. This year it’s all about setting firm positive boundaries, protecting my energy and saying no to things/people that don’t serve that. I like the new year, not for the ‘new me’ noise but rather as a chance to let go and embrace a fresh beginning again. ⚡️☕️
As far as NYE outfits go, I’m not mad about this As far as NYE outfits go, I’m not mad about this one...🐻🥂 I hope you’re all well and excited to bid farewell to 2020. I know the clock striking midnight doesn’t fundamentally change anything but I’m hopeful that we can look forward with more optimism. I always find the turn of the year really emotionally complex. I’m not even going to attempt to unpack this last one other than to rejoice that even amongst the lowest of lows there have been highs. My beloved Nan won’t see the new year, which is hard to contemplate. I also married my best friend. This time last year I was miserable on the sofa, a day after surgery for our first miscarriage and wishing I could press pause on life. Tonight I’m still on the sofa, but full and at peace rather than empty and grieving, looking forward. For us, 2021 will see the birth of our little cub so it’s one that I’m welcoming with open arms. So much can change in a year and I hope you can seek comfort in that. However you’re feeling tonight, I’ll raise my alco-free bubbles to you because you did it: you made it through one of the toughest years in history. Brighter days are coming ☀️💓
24 weeks on the 24th December. 🌈🤍
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This day exactly a year ago we felt like the world had been pulled out from under our feet after learning that our first baby wasn’t destined to grow and come home with us. I grieved that loss deeply but I never regretted it because of all that it brought us too: weeks of joy, the realisation that we were ready for a family, a greater understanding of motherhood and of life - that it simply isn’t something you can plan. And now, new life.
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Now I sit here, 6 months pregnant with a child wriggling inside me that I can’t fathom being without. It’s so very complex because without the losses we experienced, this baby that we already love wildly and unconditionally simply wouldn’t exist. I don’t believe that ‘everything happens for a reason’ is any consolation but I do think our losses are a vital part of our story as much as this healthy pregnancy is, so in a confusing, incoherent way, I’m thankful for them.
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24 weeks is a huge milestone because in terms of gestation it’s known as the ‘viability’ mark. Our baby is officially a registrable human being and a ‘miscarriage’ is no longer a medical possibility. This is a day I’ve been really looking forward to! Thank you for continuing to hope with us, and know that we’re holding on to it extra tight for anyone struggling for whatever reason.
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Keep cooking away in there little one, growing you is the greatest joy. 🌱🤍
(Ad) GIVEAWAY! WIN A LUXURY SPA BREAK FOR TWO 😍 (Ad) GIVEAWAY! WIN A LUXURY SPA BREAK FOR TWO 😍🧖🏼‍♀️
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Start 2021 with something special to look forward to. Who couldn’t use some pampering and R&R after the year we’ve had?! The Spa at Carden is a brand new £10 million ultra luxe indoor and outdoor spa nestled in the award-winning Carden Park Hotel’s extensive grounds, just outside of Chester.
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THE PRIZE: a lucky winner will win a one night spa break for two including a spa day, a 50 minute treatment each, a double or twin room and a full English or continental breakfast! Valid for all of 2021 subject to availability.
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TO ENTER:
• Follow me @bethsandland and @thespaatcarden 
• Tag a friend below!
• Unlimited entries (tag in separate comments)
• Share to stories for a bonus entry!
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INFO: Closes 22/12/20. Winner announced 23rd December by  me on *THIS ACCOUNT* - please do not engage with any fake/scam accounts claiming to know the winner! This giveaway is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Instagram. This post is unpaid but marked as ‘ad’ due to the commercial nature of giveaways.
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GOOD LUCK 🥰🎄
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(AD) I had a very productive day of Elf duties as (AD) I had a very productive day of Elf duties as we finished off the Christmas shopping to add to the bits we’ve ordered online! Now to pour a Faileys (faux Baileys...) and get wrapping up with Home Alone on in the background...
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If you haven’t finished your shopping yet then checkout @mandmdirect - the home of designer brands with up to 75% off! I did some of my Christmas shopping there and picked this cosy outfit up for myself too. The jumper dress was £8.99, the coat less than half price at £29.99 and the hat £5.99 (all non maternity)! You can also find Uggs on there with some huge savings...See my stories for some brilliant gift ideas for tricky recipients, with delivery guaranteed in time for Christmas 🎅🏼🎄
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Have you finished your shopping yet? Do you enjoy it or find it a chore? I love thinking about what to get each person, but it can definitely get overwhelming!
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