When the time comes to be intimate again following childbirth, it can bring up complex feelings. Here’s how to work through them…

Birth is a powerful and incredible feat, and bringing a child into the world is arguably one of the most life-changing things a person will ever do. But childbirth takes its toll on the body, both physically and emotionally – not to mention the months of pregnancy beforehand, which stretch and push your body to, what feels like, its limits.

Once your little bundle of joy is safely home, you begin the journey of learning how to navigate your lives as a couple, while simultaneously doing your best to take care of your baby.

It may be the last thing on your mind for a while, but there may come a time when you’re ready to resume sex with your partner. For some, sex is an important part of growing and maintaining not only a physical connection with their partner, but also an emotional one.

Thinking about the actual event, however, can be daunting. If you’ve had a particularly traumatic birth, stitches or tears (or even if you haven’t), it’s normal to have some anxiety around sex after pregnancy and birth. Here are five simple and effective steps to help ease your worries.

1. Don’t push yourself

Although it’s best to wait until you’ve stopped bleeding before you start having sex again, after a straightforward birth it’s likely that your GP will ‘sign you off’ at your six-week check for physical activity – which includes sex. However, it’s important that you don’t view this as a ‘must-do’, unless you really feel ready.

Leah Hazard, midwife and author of Womb says: “It’s dangerous and unhelpful to think of the six-week check as a time when women get some kind of professional permission or validation to resume penetrative sex. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to intimacy: every body is different, and every timeline of recovery and readiness is different.”

2. Make time for intimacy

A baby makes you busy. So busy, in fact, that it’s all some of us can do to lie on the sofa mindlessly scrolling on our phones for an evening. But carving out a little time for intimacy – kisses, cuddles, holding hands – can help you feel much more connected with your partner, and allow you to remember the sweetness at the core of your relationship, outside of dirty nappies and feeding schedules.

Leah says: “Some people will feel emotionally and physically ready for intimate touch just a few days after birth, while others may not feel that way for many weeks or months. Both approaches are fine. It’s important to give your body and mind time to adjust, and it’s also helpful to remember that a nurturing physical relationship with your partner doesn’t have to involve penetration, or even genital contact.”

3. Ensure you’re completely ready

Vaginal dryness is a common cause of painful sex after giving birth, and it’s really key not to push yourself if you’re hurting. Even if you’re in the middle of what you thought might be your first time back between the sheets with your partner, you should press pause on things if you’re feeling uncomfortable or in pain. It’s important

Can you keep personal treasures without allowing clutter to take over your home? We explain more about how you can collect memories, not things

We all have little mementoes that remind us of our lives and shared experiences. Perhaps you collect little trinkets from past holidays, or keep a box full of tickets from shows you have been to with loved ones, to little gifts brought back to show that we were in a friend’s thoughts while they were travelling. From fridge magnets to an array of cuddly toys and souvenirs, it can be easy to get caught up in keeping items from our past to act as physical reminders of some of our happiest memories.

But why do we become attached to so many little things that others may consider ‘junk’, is that attachment always a bad thing, and what can we do if we’re worried our collecting of things is getting out of hand? We explain more about how you can collect memories, not things.

Why do we collect things?

According to the Royal Mint, an overwhelming four in five (83%) of us have collected something during our lifetime, with just over half of us (57%) currently keeping a collection.

The reasons why we collect things vary from person to person. Some people may start collections as a way of enjoying themselves, expressing how much they like to be part of a certain hobby, or even as a status symbol. Many collectors have a passion or love for the things that they collect. Others may slowly grow their collection, adding a new item to celebrate or signify major life events. While for others, their collections may create a sense of comfort, reminding them of where items were bought, who they were with at the time, happy memories around travel or spending time with loved ones.

We may link these items within our collections with people, places, or events, entwining those positive memories with the physical items we have kept - whether that item is something big or small, expensive or cheap. In essence, our collections can become almost a physical representation of our lives: what we have done, who we have spent time with, and where we have travelled.

Collect memories, not things: What does collecting memories mean?

The idea behind collecting moments instead of things is that we should focus on how our memories connect us with others, rather than physical objects. When we focus on collecting moments, we return our focus on creating shared experiences with others. That could be with a partner, family, friends, or even now people you’ve never met before.

By focusing on how we feel in the moment and the activities and events we share, we can create more meaningful connections and memories together. Through finding different ways of recording these memories, we can enjoy and even share them for years to come.

Why do people collect memories?

Collecting memories over things can be beneficial for both us, and those we love. Gathering our memories can help us to better learn and reflect on ourselves, the world around us, our place in it, and those around us. Finding a way to collect your memories can help you to better understand what you have learned,

Welcome to the weekend, friends! Can you believe it’s Thanksgiving week already? We have family in town and I’m looking forward to lots of great food and games.

Want a stress-free Thanksgiving dinner? Find out what you can make-ahead and follow the timeline to get it all done on time! Are you a list maker? Do you love having a plan for everything and then checking things off? If so, this post is for you.

ON THE BLOG this week: Are you looking for the perfect pork roast recipe? Roasted all day, left falling apart and tender enough to cut with a fork; this Italian Pork Roast just might become your favorite pork roast with the very first bite.

These creamy, buttery, cheesy mashed potatoes are what food dreams are made of, I suggest making extra, to avoid arguments over who gets seconds.

Tasty and pretty these green bean bacon bundles with their buttery, sweet glaze and a hint of warmth are a dinner-time treat.

Savory, and sweet with a touch of heat comes together perfectly in this sausage and apple stuffed acorn squash. My friend Margaret told me about this recipe a while back and I’ve looked forward to trying it ever since. As soon as the winter squash hit the stores, this was on our meal plan. You’re going to love it.

From the crunch of the sugar crust on the bottom to the juicy cranberries to the flaky cake layer on top; Nantucket Christmas Cranberry Pie is cranberry dessert heaven.

Have you heard of Milk Punch? This old-school cocktail is made with bourbon, whisky, or brandy. It is a very lightly sweetened drink that starts with milk and half-and-half, it’s flavored with hints of vanilla and nutmeg.

Slightly chewy with a sweetly tart combination, cranberry oatmeal bars are full of cranberries and apples topped with brown sugar and oatmeal crumbs.

Smooth, creamy, and filled with the warm spices of the holiday season Eggnog Ice Cream is the perfect fireside treat. While ice cream is often considered a summer treat, eggnog ice cream is a winter favorite. This lightly spiced ice cream evokes a cozy feeling and we enjoy it through the holiday season.

What I’m CRAVING: My friend Maegan transformed a tube of crescent rolls into these absolutely irresistible cinnamon sugar cruffins and I can’t wait to try them.

Researchers have found a link between financial fears and low energy, and it could be impacting you at work

It’s fair to say that we all have a lot on our minds at the moment. The cost of living crisis is dominating news headlines, and our day-to-day conversations, too. And many of us are having to take a hard look at our finances in order to navigate the time ahead of us.

Financial worries can affect each of us in a number of different ways, most commonly stirring up feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression. But a new study from Censuswide and Unum has highlighted the way that it might be affecting us at work.

What they found was that 29% of UK workers said financial worries from the cost of living crisis had negatively impacted their productivity at work this year, with 31% expecting this to continue into 2023. A further 40% said that their worries about financial pressure leave them feeling physically tired, and 32% said that the pressure keeps them up at night.

From there, it’s easy to see how an individual may slip further into mental health struggles. In a Mind survey of more than 1,000 people, 73% reported that when their mental health is poor, they struggle more to manage their money, and 74% also said that difficulty managing money then went on to affect their mental health – a demonstration of the cyclical trap that financial trouble can turn into.

Money worries can also lead to feelings of isolation. Generally, we don’t find it easy to talk to others about our concerns, even (and sometimes, especially) those who are close to us. We can also feel pressure to put on a front – to continue to turn up to pricey social events when, really, we don’t have the spare cash to do so. Overall, the situation can feel quite hopeless, but Mark Till, CEO of Unum UK believes that workplaces should be stepping in to help employees.

29% said that financial worries had negatively impacted their productivity at work

“Our research captures some major red flags in the lack of support from businesses and the resulting impact on productivity, as well as physical and mental health,” Mark says. “With only 15% of workers expecting their productivity to improve in 2023, employers need to be aware of the long-term implications of not helping employees during the current difficult economic climate.

“High-quality employee benefits and support services are essential, but employees can’t utilise these unless they’re aware of them. Communication and embedding these benefits are critical, as well as enabling a culture where employees feel they can speak freely about concerns and understand where to go to access early intervention support.”

Are you aware of the support that you might be entitled to? Read our guide to checking your Employee Assistance Program, and we’ve also got advice for managing your money and your mental health, as well as dealing with financial shock.

A solution for financial worries often feels out of reach. Afterall, if the problem is ‘lack of money’, most of us don’t have the ability to conjure up some more. But when it comes to managing the feelings caused by the worri

Slightly chewy with a sweetly tart combination, cranberry oatmeal bars are full of cranberries and apples topped with brown sugar and oatmeal crumbs.

Cranberry Oatmeal Bars

Sometimes, not often, but sometimes desserts are just too overpoweringly sweet. Especially during the times of the year when we are surrounded by so many rich indulgent foods. Desserts with cranberries are the perfect answer to that.

I can’t be the only one feeling that way. I know, because if I make a dessert with cranberries to take to a gathering, it guaranteed that I will come home with an empty pan. I have a feeling that these easy cranberry oatmeal bars with fresh cranberries will meet a similar fate.

Cranberry oat bars loaded with cranberries and chopped apples bring just the right amount of sweetness to any dessert or snack time. Because they have fruit and oatmeal I would argue they could be considered for breakfast as well.

The layer of fruit between the crust and easy crumb topping is thickened by the cranberries and cornstarch and sweetened by the apples with a touch of sugar. The crust is a buttery oatmeal shortbread pressed firmly into the pan.

The topping is the remainder of the crust ingredients, just crumbled and loosely spread over the fruit. When baked the topping will brown and the cranberry and apples will bubble and smell amazing.

To serve, you can even top the bars with Brown Sugar Ice Cream or Eggnog Ice Cream for an unforgettable holiday dessert.

Cranberry Desserts

Cranberries are s