CHRISTMAS PEPPARKAKOR

Pepparkakor hearts on my coconut ceramic plate (made by Tine)

These little biscuits are a big thing at christmas time in Scandinavia. They are essentially a more exciting version of gingerbread. The only downside to them is that the dough has to be made a day in advance, but it's so worth it, because they taste delicious and make your whole house smell like christmas! They're also good for morning sickness.

300g butter (room temperature)
5 cups* granulated sugar
1 cup of golden syrup
1 tbsp ground ginger
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp ground cloves
2 tsp ground cardamom
1 tbsp baking soda
2 cups water
15 cups plain flour

Stir together the butter, sugar and syrup until smooth. Add in the spices and baking soda. Then stir in the water followed by the flour. Knead the dough on a floured surface and refrigerate for 24 hrs wrapped in foil. 

The following day, when you're ready to bake, roll the dough out to 5mm, and use a cookie-cutter to cut out pepparkakor biscuits. Place them onto baking paper, and bake at 170°C for 6-10 minutes.

*For those of you who don't have a cup measurer, this one is super cute...

Hedgehog measuring cups. £32 from Anthropologie

WOODLAND WALKS

Walking is not my favourite thing, but I know that it's really good for you when you're pregnant, especially if you're overdue (I was 16 days). I took lots of pictures to while away the time, and collected berries to give me an incentive to walk a bit further... 

HOME YOGA WORKOUT

I moved to Norway when I was 6 months pregnant, and wasn't sure if I'd find a good exercise class nearby. So I found a few yoga DVDs online, and tried them all out. I thought that 'Pregnancy Health Yoga with Tara Lee' was definitely the best one. 

Tara Lee

The teacher Tara Lee, who also has a famous pregnancy yoga class based in Notting Hill, focuses on improving strength and creating more space for the baby through stretching (which makes you feel more comfortable). She also helps with the typical ailments of pregnancy, like heartburn, sciatica and S.P.D (pelvic pain caused by the flexing of the pelvis during pregnancy).

You can choose to do the full practice, which is an hour long and quite strenuous, or choose a more specialised session, like relaxation, or partner work:

Main Menu of the DVD

Working out at home was great when I was pregnant because it was more flexible than a class. Even if you do find a class, its good to have something at home too as a compromise for when you're too busy or too tired (which does happen).

I did the full practice 4 or 5 times a week until the very end, and it kept me in shape during the pregnancy. I also had a really long labour (36 hrs!) which I never expected, but I think having practised yoga helped me to cope and focus for that time.

ULTIMATE PREGNANCY NUTRITION LIST

There is so much stuff out there saying what you shouldn't eat when you're pregnant that I've decided to focus on what you should (/could) eat. 

I believe that getting the vital nutrients throughout pregnancy is important, but know that it's sometimes difficult given your general aversion to food (especially in the first 3 months). So I took a simple folic acid tablet, and a DHA supplement throughout pregnancy, just to cover my back if I really wasn't up to eating much. 

I thought of posting a few recipes myself based on this list, but I thought, no, I'll make better of it and include links to my favourite recipes from around the web. So if you can face it, here is my ULTIMATE PREGNANCY NUTRITION LIST!: 

Folic Acid

For the healthy development of the baby's spinal cord

• Lentils ~ The Best Lentil Salad Ever
• Spinach ~ Soup aux Epinards
• Potatoes ~ Gratin Dauphinois

Zinc

For the production of DNA

• Low fat roast beef ~ Delia Smith's How to Roast Beef
• Pumpkin seeds ~ Roasted pumpkin seeds
• Dark chocolate and cocoa powder ~ Best Cocoa Brownies

B Vitamins

Contributes to a healthy immune system and helps maintain normal blood formation, which is important for the blood supply during pregnancy

• Salmon ~ Teriyaki Salmon
• Lamb ~ Lamb chops with lemon and tzatziki 
• Eggs ~ Veggie and Egg Tower of Power
• Fortified cereal 

DHA

Helps to support the development and function of the baby's brain and eyes

• Salmon ~ Salmon Rosti Fish Cakes
• Algae is a source of DHA omega 3’s that even vegans find suitable, and can be purchased as a supplement product.

Iron

Encourages energy production, prevents too much bleeding at the birth, helps the growing baby form healthy blood and store iron for the first few months after birth. It is also important in the production of good breast milk

• Dried thyme ~ Chargrilled chicken with thyme
• Dark Chocolate and Cocoa Powder ~ Superfood Haute Chocolat
• Fortified cereals
• Edamame beans ~ Chargrilled courgette, edamame and feta salad

Calcium

A growing baby needs a lot of calcium to make new bones, especially in the last few months of pregnancy

• Plain yoghurt ~ Nigel Slater's Classic Tzatziki
• Milk
• Pecorino Romano cheese ~ Pea and Pecorino Risotto
• Fortified soy milk

Choline

Has long-lasting effects on a baby's ability to learn and remember – and may even provide some resistance to mental illness

• Eggs ~ How to poach an egg, Smitten-Kitchen style
• Spinach ~ Garlicky spinach

ANTI STRETCH MARKS KIT

Maybe I was lucky, because I didn't get any stretch marks from pregnancy. Or maybe my love of beauty products finally paid off. Here are some of my favourite products to keep stretch marks away...

Dermatologist recommended!

A dermatologist I was on holiday with told me that Aveeno is the best high-street product you can buy for dry skin. I swear by it, and since its so cheap, I always keep the cupboard stocked up. Aveeno Oil is brilliant, because you can use it in the shower and the bath. It creates a lovely milky wash, so there's no need to use soap. It stopped my skin from feeling the effects of those many, many baths I soaked in throughout pregnancy. 

For when you want to feel like a Moorish princess

This oil smells amazing. This was great in the last trimester when I felt tired and fed-up. When your other-half refuses to massage you for 'just 5 more minutes' go and take a bath in this REN Rose Otto Oil, its just as good. 

Natural skin care

Before you bath/shower, use a body brush on your bum and thighs to stop cellulite and stretch marks. Use long, upwards strokes. Beauty gurus say that by body brushing eliminates toxins by stimulating circulation and the lymph system. 

The knight in shining armour

This cult product's ability to treat and prevent stretch marks is a modern wives tale. I used Bio Oil twice a day (morning and evening) from the beginning of the second trimester, and whether or not it stopped me developing stretch marks will remain a mystery. But I don't have any, so...

Shea butter deliciousness

This moisturiser is made with grape seed butter and shea-butter, a natural product said to prevent stretch marks. I sometimes find that shea-butter based creams are too heavy, but this one sinks in to your skin quickly. Its the best Caudalie product I've discovered yet. 

WOMEN WHO RUN WITH WOLVES

When one of my friends heard that I was pregnant, she said 'Oh, you have to buy all of the books!' 

Panic. I'm not the most organised person, I knew I'd never got round to reading 'all of the books'. Where should I start looking? How would I know which books would chime with my own opinions? Would the books scare me?

In the end, I stayed clear of the 'what-to-expect' genre. In fact, I quite enjoyed not reading those. Asking other women for practical advice is priceless, important, and much more interesting.

Women Who Run With the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes

This book I did read. The collection of stories put together reminds us of our wild side. Pinkola Estes takes tales from indigenous cultures and weaves them together to portray women as strong, instinctual and life-giving. We shouldn't be scared, timid things, but like wolves.

When I was pregnant, I felt wild. And this book helped me to remember that it isn't a bad thing. 

WELCOME

"Chikaninni" is a nickname my Mum used to call me when I was younger. 

I've now got my own chikaninni, who was born 16.08.12. My little dragon lion. We live in Norway, and I'm a mother in the wilderness. Having emigrated from an arty London scene, where life was a lot different, I feel like I've discovered another world. One filled with more excitement, creativity, and mystery than I ever could have imagined. 

My daughter's name is 'Lyra'. Lyra the eagle, Lyra the harp of Arthur, Lyra the constellation of stars. And her daddy is my soulmate. 

I hope this blog will be full of hints and tips about motherhood! I hope you enjoy reading...