Sofia - July 28th 2015

Three pictures taken on Vitosha street in Sofia. Used Photo App: Fotor HDR

Sofia, July 2015

During my daily walks around my city I often take pictures. Here are few of them (edited with pixlr app for iOS)

Weekend pictures

I was in the countryside this weekend. I managed to take few pictures which I consider nice. It is just my view of the two hot days.

My top 5 baby items worth buying for your newborn

When I was pregnant I was wondering what to buy for our new baby so that we wouldn't be missing anything the day he comes home. We ended up buyng enormous amount of stuff, some of which we never used. That's why I want to list here the things that I actually considered the most useful for us, hoping to be able to give some directions to new parents. I will not mention for now cot, stroller and changing table, same as diapers and baby cosmetics because I assume that they are the mandatory stuff all parents buy. Instead I will list items about which people most probably might not think.

1. A good automatic breastpump (if you wish to breastfeed your baby).

This is for sure our best investment (or maybe the second best after the stroller), even though I didn't use it as much as I expected. A good pump is necessary for two reasons: if the mother has too much breastmilk it is good to extract some of the leftover milk after the baby has been fed and that way to prevent issues like clogged channels or even mastitis.

If the mother has too little breastmilk, pumping often might stimulate the milk production. 

There are different kinds of breastpumps on the market. My recommendation is not to save money on this item because a good breastpump could save many problems and most probably will help the milk supply to be maintained in good levels. Automatic is always better because if you have to pump often with a manual pumt, it becomes a very tireding excercise.

2. A good sling or a baby carrier (suitable from birth).

I read a lot of reviews of such items before giving birth but I ended up not buying one. Eventually I received two used carriers as gifts (thank you, my dear friends!), but they were not very suitable for my baby. He is now way too heavy for me to be able to carry him more than 10 minutes without having a strong pain in my back. Also I suspect that these carriers are made for babies smaller than my son's current size...  Or at least that's my impression because I didn't find any instructions and description for them.

I recommend the carrier or sling to be bought right after the baby is born (or a month later). Ideally the mother can go to the store and try it out together with her little baby in order to understand if it is confortable for both of them. If you decide to buy a sling, consider getting one with both standing and sitting position because as the baby grows, he/she wants more and more to stay in a vertical position. This is my biggest challenge now because my baby loves staying in a carrier but I just can't bear it any more for a long time.

Some people say that their babies don't like slings or carriers. I believe that with most babies this wouldn't be a problem if the mother starts using such item the earliest possible. But probably there are diferent cases so it is also a good idea if you can buy the sling with a possibility to be returned within a month or so, in case you don't like it.

3. Elastic baby clothes

By elastic I mean such clothes that can strech. Consider buying mainly stretchy clothes in the first year of your child. They have two advantages: 1. It is easier to put them on a constantly moving and not colaborating baby; 2. As the baby grows very fast in the first months, the clothes that are stretchy last longer because they often fit even if the kid is already big for the relevant size. I didn't consider this and bought many not elastic clothes which ended up to be the ones used less time.

4. Bathing net

There are nets which can be attached to the baby bath tub in a way that the baby is swinging over the bath tub without touching the water. The net is used before the baby manages to sit. This item is especially useful if only one person has ro bath the baby (but I have to admit I haven't done it alone) because there is no need to hold him/her with one hand all the time. The only disadvantage of this net is that the baby is not in the water and can get cold. To avoid this the parents have to pour water on top of the baby all the time. Nevertheless the net was one of the most useful things we bought (and probably one of the cheapest :))

5. More drawers

If all your drawers are almost full before the baby is born, consider buying at least one new piece of furniture with at least 3-4 extra drawers. The little new person in your life is tiny but his/her belongings are increasing progressively. There are many items that won't be used any more within only 3 months from the birth and even if you decide to give them away you might have to keep them for some extra days or weeks. In the meantime new things are being bought... Well, 4 new drawers are tottaly not enough, at least they were not for us.

What are your top 5 most useful baby items?

Sofia this morning - June 10th 2015

Two pictures showing my city today after the rain

My top 6 advises for getting in a better shape without much efforts

Getting in shape is a big challenge for most of us. We all know that the best way to accomplish it is to visit a good dietitian and to hit the gym at least three times a week. Both things simultaneously. However it is also possible to get in a slightly better shape without spending too much time, money and efforts.

Here are my top 6 advises for everyone who wants to get in a better shape. They are a good choice for the times when your jeans are too tight but your willpower is not strong enough to make serious changes to your lifestyle. By following them you won't see miraculous results but you will feel better and look better within a month or two.

1. Eat breakfast

 I don't want to quote researches showing that people who eat breakfast loose more weight than the ones who don't. In my own experience eating breakfast helps you to stay in a good mood until lunchtime. Also the breakfast is a good metabolism stimulator.

I know that not all people are waking up starving (like me :)), but the breakfast doesn't need to be too heavy. If you really don't feel like having it, an apple or a banana with the preferred morning drink will also make a good start of the day.

2. Cut all soda and juices

This is very important because of the sugar content in all these drinks. If you normally don't drink soda quit all the fresh juices and start eating the fruits instead. It is true that the freshly extracted juices are fully natural, but they are less good for the body than the fresh fruit. The reason is that when the pulp (or all the fibre) is removed what is left is mostly high percentage of fructoses - sugar. At the same time after drinking a juice you don't have the feeling that you have had something nutritious when in fact two cups of juice contain the same amount of calories as a candy bar.

3. Bring with you bananas or almonds for quick snacks

Busy people often don't have time to eat. Than suddenly the hunger hits and they eat fast food on the go, promising themselves that this will be the last time. But it won't be the last time until we start knowing better our eating habits.

When you are very hungry you loose your self control until the moment your stomach gets full. For that reason before reaching the point of starvation have a snack of a banana or 8-10 nuts (I read somewhere that almonds are the best). Within 20 minutes the crazy hunger will be gone and you will manage to finish the lunch with a fresh salad instead of junk food. 

4. Walk

This one doesn't need much explanation. Just try to walk 30-60 minutes every day. If you already do, increase the walking time by using less transport, avoiding elevators, etc. It will have a good effect on your shape and on your overall health.

5. Cut alcohol

Alcohol is very rich in calories and it tends to increase the appetite (as reported by many people). It is not always easy in the social environment to quit it completely but you can try to consume it less often. 

If you have a beer every day, try having it every other day. If you have a drink every other day, keep it only for the weekend. But don't drink double on the drinking days - it will ruin the effect.

6. Drink water
This has become a cliché but it is very valid. By drinking water the body feels less hungry. The metabolism works better. You might avoid headaches. If you normally drink very little don't aim for 3 l daily. Start with 1 l, then 1,5 and you will get used. Just keep remanding yourself because it is easy to forget.

I am sure that everyone knows very well his weak point that is ruining his good shape. Mine is the sugar. One day I will try a completely sugarless diet, but I am still not ready for this. Until then I guess I will never be completely happy with the mirror :)

Candy minimal

For the ones that haven't heard about candy minimal yet I will just clarify that this is a new style of photo editing. It is all about minimalism and candylike colours. I really like it!

Here a few of my first tries - nothing spectacular but it was so much fun to create them :)