Not suffering in silence with fertility issues

I have been mulling this post over in my head for a while now, as it’s quite a personal subject. As a blogger, I naturally want to share all my experiences good and bad, but there is a fine line between sharing and oversharing. I have been struggling with the notion of having another child since Christmas, my head is ready but my body is most definitely not in agreement.

I fell pregnant with Alice just 5 weeks after we got married, so there wasn’t really much time to think about what if it didn’t happen first time round. It was a very straight forward pregnancy and labour, no complications during birth, but I did have to have an iron drip a week after Alice was born because I lost too much blood for my body to recover naturally.

Moving onto breastfeeding, I fed Alice until she was 12 months old (October 2018) and then stopped because I had always planned to stop at this age. I thought it would be another simple step in the whole process, but boy was I mistaken.

It’s now 6 months on and my hormones are a wreck, I’m pretty much bleeding every day (give or take a few day’s break here and there) so I made myself an appointment with the GP. Fast forward to this week, and I discover that I have a cyst on my left ovary which is 3.7cm. Leaving the doctors surgery I was in shock with the news. I found out it’s quite common to have an ovarian cyst, but I never expected to be told I had one, and this may be the cause of my hormonal imbalance.

It’s now May, a new month, and I have a follow up appointment booked to find out where to go from here. I have had a lot of advice from friends and family who are telling me not to worry, as stress can play a big part on what’s going on inside ourselves. It’s something which I am working on accepting little by little, and that the answers are coming soon.

I really wanted to post this around Infertility Awareness Week (21-27th April). I have been kindly sent some products from SpermCheckUK to help do some further research in the mean time. SpermCheckFertility is a test to check whether your partner’s sperm count is high or low in the comfort of your own home.

I also have FertileCheck fertility gel to try out which is a gel that naturally supports conception and doesn’t create a barrier for sperm unlike some lubricants.

Although infertility is a really hard topic to discuss for many of us who have been through difficulties or know those who have, I want to help keep the conversation going by not suffering in silence. I feel like this will help me see this period in my life through, no matter the outcome, and possibly will reach someone who is in the same boat as me. Don’t be afraid to talk and let someone know.

SpermCheck and FertilityCheck are now on offer in Boots until 22nd May.

Saharasplash x

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The specialbuy from Aldi is back!

You heard it, the Aldi specialbuy event is back on in store and online right now. I always love covering this event and firmly believe that Aldi is the top store when it comes to essential and affordable baby and toddler products. I have discovered so many gems from the seasonal specialbuys, so here’s what I’ve got and recommend this time…


The Lacura range is always a part of our bathtime routine. Although the strawberry is my favourite scent to wash my daughter’s hair with, we are going to be trying out the lemon and tea tree oil for a zesty change.

Lacura 3 in 1 conditioning shampoo: 79p

Aldi kindly gifted us these products to try out, and we also received a towel bundle, some lovely bibs, books and the most adorable set of trainers below!

Hooded towel/wash mitt set: £3.99
Pack of 3 bibs: £2.99

These shoes are in the specialbuy event for just £5.99 and come in pink or blue. Alice just couldn’t wait to get these easy slip-ons on her little feet.

Sound books: £1.79
Trainers: £5.99

Alice is wearing size 18-24 months and we are going to be wearing these all summer long I can tell.

One thing I spotted online that I definitely need to pick up is this gorgeous Koala SureGrip Mat by Nuby. It’s just £6.99 and just love how you can store different things in the face and ears!

What will you be getting in your local Aldi this week? If you don’t have one nearby, then head over to their website to see it all.

Saharasplash x

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Farewell 2018, thanks for the memories

As I reflect on the year about to be behind us, I cannot help but feel slightly cheated. I have spent the last few months fighting a terrible virus which has kept coming back in different forms. Needless to say, this is why I feel a bit miffed by 2018. On the other hand, despite the illness it has been another year filled with surprises, babies and of course blog posts. It’s been a joy to see Alice develop into a tiny person day by day and I feel really proud of my blogging achievements. I’d like to share a few December highlights with you to say farewell 2018, thanks for the memories.

It’s been a year filled with family for sure. And what better way to spend the Christmas period than eating your favourite food with your family. My sister and I had a wonderful lunch (with Alice too) just before Christmas and I dressed for the occasion in a jacquard jacket and glitter sock boots from Fashion World.

My Christmas wrapping experience was one of my most favourite to date. I’m a lover of wrapping presents, and to get properly in the festive mood I had a cute novelty robin dress, again from Fashion World. I wrapped while Alice slept, ate mince pies and watched Christmas movies- just perfect! Now this is where things went downhill as the big day approached…

Christmas Eve was sort of a write off as I came down with the flu and all my plans for the day went out the frosty window. I felt so awful not just health wise, but also for Alice as I couldn’t look after her, and for Paul who had to stay at home and help out. By the evening I pushed myself to bake some cookies with Alice as I had planned, but after that I was done. Christmas morning came, and the farm was covered in a dense frost that was just perfect for a wonderfully Christmas photo. Still full of cold, we went outside and got this beautiful photo. I felt better by the minute and we went on to have a peaceful day with lots of lemsip.


Just before New Year, we took a very long drive to Glasgow for three days to visit a good friend and have an adventure. Wearing another festive feelgood item from Fashion World, we hit Glasgow centre for all the fun we could manage.


We had the best time and rather fortunate weather too. We got Alice her first tablet for the journey back home (7 hours in total) but she was a star as usual- only three episodes of Wiggles required!

So, farewell 2018, thanks for the memories but not so much the illnesses! I hope your 2019 is prosperous, filled with laughter and great times shared with loved ones.

Happy New Year! Saharasplash x

Still feeling like you don’t want to let go of Christmas? Then head over to read about my festive meet in the South East

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A trip to Paradise Wildlife Park

It’s not every weekend you get to visit a tiger, a monkey and Santa all in one go. The Schaefer family went on a trip to Paradise Wildlife Park recently in Hertfordshire and what a day trip out we had! Alice had her golden ticket in her hand as we entered a magical room full of activities. No waiting in lines with little impatient faces, we decorated baubles, gingerbread men (well, we ate marshmallows) and wrote a letter to Santa before we got called up by Santa’s helpers for our visit. 

Here is Alice’s first visit to see Santa, she was intrigued by the lights and by the man in red sitting next to the tree. She was quiet but such a good little girl, and seeing as she was on the nice list…


She got to choose her very own toy from Santa’s workshop! 


After a spot of lunch in the jungle cafe, we headed out to see what we could find. The Paradise Wildlife Park is a lovely size to venture round, not too big but plenty of things to see. Alice particularly loved the penguins and the meerkats! 

The park has an Australian outback section where we saw kangaroos and emus. 

We were able to get up close to so many animals like monkeys and even big cats too. 




A cosy cuddle with a polar bear! 

Thank you so much to the Paradise Wildlife Park for having us visit for the day, we have so many memories and will definitely be back for more!

Saharasplash x 

Feeling festive? Then you must check out my big fat Christmas gift guide 2018 for some mega gift inspiration 

A Truly Alice in Wonderland Tea Party

It’s no secret that I have been slightly obsessing over everything Alice in Wonderland since having my own little Alice. I think this birthday party had been an idea in my head during pregnancy as soon as I found out I was having a girl and that we would name her Alice. So, a Truly Alice in Wonderland Tea Party was set in motion and I’m here to share a few moments from Alice’s first birthday party…

Sign by The Paper Butterfly

As usual, my head was filled with specific details and I couldn’t wait to get started with the preparations to see it all come to life. We had hired a village hall for around 40-50 guests so we had enough space for us all to have one giant tea party! I used artificial grass which we had kept from our wedding day, and this grass has come in so handy for other uses too! The decorations, plates and food looked amazing when everything was laid out.

Decorations by Talking Tables (the Truly Alice collection)

I had some beautiful Alice-themed biscuits made just for the occasion too, and I think we had about two left when the party was over!

Biscuits by Sisters that Bake

The hall came equipped with a kitchen so we were able to make guests any tea they desired, including this fabulous blend by Adagio Teas.

Some of my favourite flavours were in this special blend, and I can’t wait to explore more of the range this winter.

Tea by Adagio Teas

Party bags were waiting next to the most whimsical cake made by one of our local favourites.

Cake by The Cupcake Kitchen (Ipswich)

Now for some costume reveals. Of course Paul came dressed as the Mad Hatter. Alice’s grandad had an inspired waistcoat that fit so well with the theme.

I came dressed as a big Alice- clearly I couldn’t avoid the sign that said ‘Eat Me’!

Alice’s dress was a limited edition piece from Cath Kidston with quotes and delicate designs.

The Queen of Hearts was inevitably Alice’s nana, her auntie came as a very dapper White Rabbit.

It was such a special moment to see Alice blow out her first birthday candle, an incredible milestone for an incredible little Alice.

Thank you so much to everyone involved and all our friends and family for a Truly Alice in Wonderland tea party.

Saharasplash x

PR samples included, all thoughts and views my own

Ready for any occasion with Prestige Hampers

I just love this time of year. Not just because there are many holidays and events to look forward to, but we have many birthday celebrations in the family from September to December. This is such a busy season, and I’m always on the hunt for great gift ideas. I’ve got to be really prepared and organised, as we never let an occasion pass us by without some sort of party or family fun weekend. This post is all about being ready for any occasion with Prestige Hampers.

I’ve been a big fan of DIY hampers since I can remember. Hunting down all the perfect products to complete a hamper is so much fun. However, time constraints now apply as I am older and responsible for my own little one, so finding a bespoke hamper has to be quick and simple. Take this lovely example, aptly named ‘Simply Delicious’…

Hamper contains:
Founders Stone Shiraz 75cl
Founders Stone Pinot Grigio 75cl
Belgian Chocolate Mint Thins 125g
Sweet Chilli and Lime Yorkshire Crisps 100g
Mint Chocolate Cremes 150g
Minty Crisp Dark Chocolates 50g
Biscoffee Cappuccino Coffee Shortbread 160g
Belgian Fancy Truffles Cocoa Pieces 200g
English Afternon Tea 25s 50g
Monty Bojangles Pistachio Marooned Truffles 100g
After Dinner Coffee Pouch 56g
Cheesy Nibbles 175g
Mrs Bridges Ploughmans Chutney 230g

Naturally I had a very keen Alice wanting to inspect each and every gift to make sure it was up to scratch!

I simply love how so much thought has gone into creating this hamper- the green colour scheme is something I would definitely look for when choosing a perfect gift, also the mixture of sweet and savoury is a definite crowd pleaser.

This hamper is priced at under £100, and Prestige Hampers have gifts to suit every kind of budget. They also have gluten free and vegan hampers which I haven’t seen anywhere else before.

If you’re tight on time but still wanting a personal and excellent quality gift, you can be ready for any occasion with Prestige Hampers.

Alice approves

View the incredible range of Christmas hampers online!

Saharasplash x

Next up, head to my autumn vibes edit for a look at what’s new in my wardrobe this season.

PR Samples included, all thoughts and views my own