I'm a full-time mummy

As busy moms, we spend so much of our time taking care of the day-to-day things. We cook and clean, drive our kids to appointments and play dates, deal with sniffles, boo boos, and diapers. By the time we go to bed, exhausted, we know it is just a few short hours before have to wake up early and do it all over again.

In order to have the freedom to take care of the little tasks every day, you need to make sure that you deal with the bigger concerns that affect your family.  Money, housing, and safety issues are usually at the top of the list. You need to make sure that home security is at the top of that list too.

Your home needs to be protected at all times. Burglars don’t only strike at night, but they can break in while you are out running a quick errand during the day. They are sometimes even bold enough to walk into your house while you are home, grab your purse and phone off the table, and run out before you even notice.

There are some ways you can protect your family at all times, and make sure your home stays secure. Here are a few suggestions:

• Keep your doors locked at all times, even when you are at home.
• When someone knocks on your door and you don’t know who it is, check their ID first under the door or through the peephole. Don’t let them in if you don’t feel safe.
• Install a wireless security system in your home for protection and peace of mind.
• Don’t leave ladders and large tools outside your house – a burglar could use them to break in more easily.
• Make sure your children follow your safety and security rules
• Have smoke detectors on every floor of your house, and an extra one in the kitchen
• Make sure babysitters, relatives and guests follow your home security rules

These important safety tips can keep your home secure, and allow you to go about your day without worry. Threats to your family’s safety can come at any time, so you need to follow these rules and others consistently. Even pet theft is on the rise, and your children would be devastated to come home and find their furry or feathered friend missing. Make the right decisions and use home security measures every day.

Protecting my family is my top priority. I wouldn’t know what to do straight away if something bad were to happen to any of us, but I know that I can’t just leave things as they are, especially if one of my kids became injured. I’ll do anything for them, and if they’re wronged in anyway, I will fight their corner for as long as is necessary. If they were injured because of someone else, I would rightly feel angry, but would want to get some form of justice.

If, for example, one of my children was to become injured while on a field trip with their school, I would be livid, because they should guarantee their safety at all times. Should one of my kids break a leg or arm because of someone else’s negligence, there’s a chance that I would have to look after them, taking time off work in the process. Then, I would stand to lose income, meaning that paying for food and electricity would become more difficult. Thankfully, with help from First4lawyers, I can make a compensation claim which not only means getting justice, but also having the means to pay for everything else. 

Making injury claims for compensation is something that any mother would do if they wanted to protect their kids from suffering while recovering from injury. A successful claim will help to reimburse any lost income and costs like medical bills, and can make recovery a little less stressful, and you can’t really put a price on that.

Summer can be a tricky time for pregnant women - it's lovely to be able to enjoy the great outdoors when the sun is shining, but being too warm when you are carrying the extra weight of your bump around can seriously impede your comfort levels.

If your ankles are fast turning into cankles and you think you are letting your fashion credentials slip, there are plenty of ways you can make sure you look and feel good this summer, here are five top tips:


Wear natural fabrics
Not only are clothes made from natural fabrics such as organic cotton easier to wash and care for - they are also very comfortable. Lightweight, breathable fabrics such as cotton and linen will help you weather the heat in style.


Think tailored not tent-like
Although maternity fashion has dramatically improved in recent years, many retailers' offerings still leave a lot to be desired and unfortunately there are still far too many shapeless tent-like pieces being passed off as maternity fashion. Though it's great to have enough room to breathe, some subtle tailoring can help you feel chic right through your pregnancy - and doesn't need to equal discomfort. Look out for trousers with waistbands that can be let out with buttons and poppers instead of elasticated waists and don't be shy of wearing dresses that are fitted on top.


Buy with mix and match in mind
When you are busy and comfort is your top priority it's easy to let practicalities like whether things match fall by the wayside. Make things easier for yourself by buying items that can be mixed and matched easily so that you don't need to spend time fussing in the morning.

Look for support
Too often the key question during maternity months becomes whether you will fit into an item, but you need to look beyond size and even aesthetics and consider whether the item will be up to the job over the coming months. As you grow you might well find that you need bras and dresses with wider straps to offer you more support.


Prioritise comfortable footwear
Avoiding cankles altogether can be an impossible feat, but you can give your ankles (and feet) the best chance possible by prioritising comfort and support when buying footwear. The likes of Beyonce and Victoria Beckham may like to wear towering heels right up until they pop, but your tootsies will be far more thankful of something padded and firmly rooted on the floor.