It is very important to us here at Bumpalicious Maternity that we give something back and we are really pleased to be supporting Baby Lifeline as our chosen charity.

Baby Lifeline works with leading health and legal professionals to identify and prioritise equipment needs for the maternity sector, as well as cutting edge training for continuing professional development - to improve care already given.

Equipment ranges from small items such as digital weighing scales for babies to major pieces of technology such as incubators, scanners and various monitoring equipment.

With the help of leading experts in the maternal health field, Baby Lifeline has produced a series of nine interactive videos known as the B.I.R.T.H. series which has been of great benefit to maternity units all over the U.K. The series has received endorsement from the Royal College of Midwives as well as The Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists.

We donate £2.50 from each sale of our own brand wrap nursing tops to Baby Lifeline. We also take part in various other fundraising activities and work hard to raise the profile of Baby Lifeline. I have agreed (along with my husband) to run the London Marathon for the charity in 2012! I also plan to hold a host of other fund raising events to support this fantastic cause.

Watch this space for further news on my training for the London Marathon and other events.....

Amanda.
Bumpalicious Maternity

Baby Lifeline

30 January 2011

Up to 12 miles now for a long run. Not bad and on schedule in accordance with the Training Plan!

Had a great day yesterday at a Marathon Training Event at Birmingham University. It was great to hear from the experts and to find out that I was running OK, if a little bit like an elephant! I know that I hammer hard on the floor but I find it very difficult indeed to run as if I am on a cloud - just running in itself is the main thing on my mind! We learnt about threshold training and that this is the best way to improve fitness/time in the 12 weeks we have left before the Marathon itself.

At least teh coaches didn't look at me and tell me that there was no way I would get round 26 miles! Well, plan revised for more threshold and plenty of protein in the diet. Onward and upwards to another 12 miles this week!

13 January 2012

First long run yesterday, 10 miles. I did it along with Libby and Helen. I spent most of the time at the back pleading with my tired legs to keep going but I made it and my legs are pretty much OK this morning. I think my super new trainers helped! I was also good and went to yoga on Wednesday. I'm enjoying the extra food I can eat but have been infomred that I need to commence core body next week - can't wait!

10 January 2012

Right, it is here; New Year and London Marathon place confirmed and I can't put off the training any longer.

I went to my first Birmingham Running and Triathlon Club (BRATS) running training session on Saturday morning. It was interval training that I loath! Well, I survived it and (kind of) enjoyed it. At least the once a week regular session will give me a running commitment that I have to keep to and will force me to do the bits of training that I really don't like. I was walking afterwards, I seemed to have paced my intervals correctly and I was faster when I should have been - all good news so far.

However, my legs were not happy with themselves on Sunday morning and I nearly shot though the roof when Neave jumped on my thighs! However, being the dedicated athlete that I am, I went for a short run on Sunday afternoon and a slightly longer one on Monday evening. I found that my legs were OK once I got going but that I had to keep going or there was a chance that I may never move again! Keri informs me that my legs will feel like this for a few weeks before they are conditioned to regular running - joy!

Well, it's yoga tomorrow and then more core body exercises early each morning. I'll let you know what bits I can't move next!

Update 4 August 2011

Fundraising has started! £7.50 being the first donation into my marathon pot. Lovely husband has agreed to do his birthday cycle ride in aid of Baby Lifeline. This involves cycling hundreds of miles in France including taking in Alp D'Huez and The Galibier which are very large mountains indeed. I have started my Marathon training and I'm up to three 9 mile runs a week. I expect that this will drop off a bit during the summer but I hope to be back to it properly in September. I also have a couple of half marathons in the pipeline.

 Update 31 October 2011

Keri has finished his epic cycle from Lyon to Nice through the Alps and is in one piece! I am so proud of him and this great achievement, not just because he has raised money for a fantastic cause but becasue he has shown how great he is. The mountains Keri and Mark cycled through were massive but also beautiful and they were blessed with glorious weather.

They left Lyon on Saturday 15 October and arrived in Nice on Friday 21 October having cycled an average of 80 - 100 miles a day mostly uphill. They both really enjoyed it but expressed how much hard work it was, especially standing at the bottom of a mountain and not being able to see the top that they knew they had to cycle to.

I am really grateful to them both and I know that everyone at Baby Lifeline is as well.

8 November 2011

I spent yesterday morning with Judy and Sharon at Baby Lifeline trying to get to grips with the basics of their data management system. Judy is looking for people who can spare a few hours to input data to ensure that the Baby Lifeline database is fully up to date. This will enable them to contact the right medical professionals for their training courses which provide a great income stream for the charity and also provide essential training to help prevent prematures babies dying unnecessarily. It will also allow Baby Lifeline to keep in touch with its fund raisers and other supporters.

I've committed to spend some hours doing this over the next few weeks. The Bumpalicious world is as crazy as ever but it really made me feel better about myself for taking some time out to help a very worthy cause. I even treated myself to a glass of wine on a Monday!