I was in no way prepared for breastfeeding. Of course I had heard that it may be a little tender and sore in the beginning, but I had no idea of what was waiting for me. I had read every book on natural childbirth I could get my hands on and watched countless home birth stories, but I completely neglected doing any research into breastfeeding, thinking it would just come naturally and be a wonderful bonding time for me and baby. Even when my midwife saw my little pink, sensitive-skinned nipples and said “you may have a problem with breastfeeding”, I didn’t take notice. Well. It proved to be way more painful than the birth I had so meticulously prepared for – even with the painkillers I took every day. And the worst thing about breastfeeding is that, unlike birth, you have to repeat she same painful process, every three hours, all day long! It weighed heavily on my emotions too as I become consumed with the guilt that came hand in hand with not wanting to feed or nourish my baby simply because it was sore for me – and how selfish is that? Good lord, looking back, it’s a wonder I didn’t jump off the nearest cliff!

Here are a few things I wish I’d known before having a baby and what worked for ME in the end:

• Breastfeeding doesn’t come easily for everyone. If you are very fair, with very pink light nipples and a history of sensitive skin issues, you might encounter problems; mentally prepare for that and do some research into breastfeeding and latching. Perhaps even see a lactation consultant before you give birth to learn the correct way to hold and feed your newborn. Purchase and get familiar with nipple shields and breast pumps in case you may need them. My fear of breast pumps prolonged my healing by a good few weeks.
• Consult a lactation consultant sooner rather than later. As soon as I could feel (and see) that my nipples were getting worse and not better, I went to see a lactation consultant who helped me to correct our latch. This brought some immediate relief. It was not to be the end of my pain though, and in the end I saw my consultant three times before breastfeeding became manageable.
• Laser, laser, laser. I went for three sessions of laser therapy with a physiotherapist in the beginning and then went for another five sessions when Immy was four or five weeks old and it had become clear that things were still not getting better (this was prompted by looking down after a particularly painful latch and watching my blood foam out from the side of her little mouth). If you do go for laser, they say that you can feed straight afterwards. I did not find this to be the case and that is why I did not heal properly the first time round. I only healed my right nipple completely when I removed Immy from said nipple entirely, expressed that breast and went for a laser session every day for five days. I bottle fed her the expressed milk and kept her on the less painful left nipple so that she wouldn’t forget what a real nipple felt like or how to suckle. This was the busiest week of my life as I spent so much time expressing, sterilising and feeding that I barely had time to do anything else. It certainly made me see that breastfeeding was much easier and helped me decide that I definitely wanted to stick to it. After a week’s break, I latched Immy onto the right nipple again and it had healed! It was amazing and I felt very little pain from then on.
• Be aware of other factors that might cause nipple/breast pain and educate yourself on their symptoms. Just as I had got over the pain of my cracked nipples, I was hit by a double whammy of both thrush and Raynauds, both of which were excruciatingly painful. There I was airing out my nipples, allowing them to dry naturally as so many had advised me to do, and I was actually causing Raynauds to develop. Raynauds is a constriction of the blood vessels brought on by the cold and usually only occurs in extremities like hands and feet. Nipples are also an extremity and if you leave them out and about to dry after a bath or a feed, they’re going to get cold and the blood vessels are going to constrict! It took another visit to the lactation consultant, and loads of late night googling, to cure these two conditions (I still have to be careful with the Raynauds and make sure my nips are covered up immediately after bathing and feeding. Gotta keep them babies warm! Some women even cut out fleece circles to keep in their bras.) Thrush is luckily very curable with over the counter medication. I think I brought thrush on by feeding Immy straight after walking and running – so make sure you wipe your nipples clean with a warm facecloth before feeding if you have been sweating. This all sounds so obvious now, but at the time, I had no clue.
• Nipple creams don’t work. Ok, ok. Perhaps my cracks were too far gone for creams to help. In the end, I think I used them more as a placebo than anything else; honestly, I tried the vegan and the non-vegan lanolin ones (I was desperate), and I even drove all the way to Somerset West to get an all purpose homemade concoction made and it didn’t heal nothing! As soon as baby latches or you put on clothing, it comes right off anyway. I reckon the whole reason I got Raynauds in the first place, was because I was waltzing around topless, waiting for nipple creams to sink into my skin! As soon as I stopped using the creams, my nipples healed. If you really want to use something on your nipples, I’d recommend good old coconut oil.
• Lastly, don’t listen to everything that everyone says (says me, telling you what to do lol) – find what works for you and most of all, trust your gut. I knew deep down that when I went for my first laser sessions they were pretty pointless, because as soon as baby latched again she would reopen the wounds. But I listened to everyone and continued to feed on that nipple. The next time around I knew that in order for my nipple to heal and for me to continue breastfeeding, I had to give that nipple time to heal. And so, against everyone’s advice, I introduced Imogen to the bottle and let the deep crack on that nipple heal free of her little piranha mouth for a week. Bugger nipple confusion* – at that stage I was so ready to throw in the towel that it was either going to be a little bottle-feeding for a week or formula.

In the end, looking back, I wish three things had happened before I began breastfeeding: that I had done my research into breastfeeding, that I had seen a lactation consultant before giving birth, and that I had trusted myself from the beginning. It is of course much easier to say this all now, in hind sight. And obviously, what works for some, may not work for others. But hopefully my story will help or inspire you if you are pregnant or are currently experiencing painful breastfeeding. It took me six weeks to not wince in pain at every feed, and now I am so grateful that I listened to my gut and sought help and medication, despite everyone telling me to “just push through”. If I had just continued to push through, I would have mentally cracked and put her on formula. Even now, I still have the occasional painful latch or wake up with one painful, massive boob in the middle of the night. Breastfeeding is definitely no walk in the park. But when my baby girl looks up at me whilst feeding, nipple in the corner of her mouth, my self-made milky nourishment shining on her chin, and cracks me a gum-less grin, I know that all the pain, tears and late night pumping has been so worth it.

Post note: As a vegan mom, all of the above has cemented my deep knowing in the fact that humans are not supposed to consume dairy products. Dairy cows are forcibly impregnated, carry and then give birth to their calves, who are then taken away from them with hours or days of labour ending. The mamas are then subjected to their most sensitive bits being strapped up to machines twice a day to extract the milk meant for their babies. I have seen the blood and pus entering those machines and trust me, dairy cows get mastitis, and feel the same horrible pain from pumping and feeding that us human mamas do.  At least we have our babies to help comfort us though the pain. They have nothing but heartbreak. Please consider cutting down on your consumption of dairy products.

*Nipple Confusion is when babies confuse the nipple with dummies and/or bottle teats and are unable to feed off the breast again. Imogen did not suffer from this – there is no confusion when it comes to her and her food!

** A great source of information for me (and where I spent many a late night google search) was this awesome breastfeeding and parenting site: https://kellymom.com

Well. Andrew had got it so right (this time!).  The 1960s hippy movement brought many free-spirited travellers to the island of Ibiza, which was a mecca for hippies due to the continued practise by locals of ancient songs, dance and rituals that date back to before the time of Christ. The island is also said to hold many spiritual powers, with the Carthaginian goddess of love and fertility, Tanit, said to live inside Es Vedra, a limestone rocky outcrop on the Island’s southern coast. Despite the influx of the manic party tourists in the summer, ranging from billionaires arriving on yachts to British students arriving on Ryanair flights, there is still a progressive community of spiritualists and artists living on the island, leading to a general appreciation of health, wellness and creativity. There were vegan and vegetarian options at almost every restaurant we visited and the supermarket down the road had one of the biggest selections of vegan “meats” and “cheeses” I have ever seen. There really is a feeling I can’t quite describe about the island, and it’s easily one of the most intoxicating places I’ve visited. It’s not everyday you see a lithe, dreadlocked, real-life nymph at breakfast in luminous green tights and a purple crop-top with a French bulldog on her lap. Let’s just say that I’m almost about ready to pack up my life and move to that dreamy little island!

A big part of the reason I fell so hard for Ibiza is that the best restaurant I have ever been to is there. Its called Passion and yes, I think it may even beat my previous favourite restaurant ever, By Chloe. I’m going to straight off tell you that it’s not a fully vegan spot, but it is a health restaurant, and so the eggs, dairy, chicken and turkey they do serve are all organic and GMO-free (they don’t serve any red meat at all). Every menu item is clearly labelled as to whether it’s vegan, dairy-free and/or gluten-free. There is even a symbol for when a dish is vegan, but contains honey as honey, like the consumption of mussels and oysters, is still a grey area for some vegans. The menu is extensive and there are separate menus for breakfast, smoothies and juices and lunch. The only problem I had with Passion was that our stay in Ibiza was not long enough for me to try every vegan option! We ate lunch there on our first day, and after a week of vegan travel food (i.e. junk) my body was screaming for goodness. I ordered the Zen buddha bowl with quinoa, tofu, tempeh, quinoa, broccoli, avo, and butternut. Oh, man. Home run. I was in heaven! If I thought it couldn’t get any better, we ate brunch there every day afterwards for the rest of our trip. I tried out the vegan flapjacks and the vegan tofu scramble wrap, which was so good I had to have it two mornings in a row, sacrificing the chance of trying one of their many avocado toast options. Guys, when a menu has an entire section dedicated to avo toast… then you know – you know?

Passion was founded by the lovely Lana Love back in 2002 – way before the health conscious movement was as popular as it is now. In fifteen years it has grown from one to six shops, including four cafes, a juice bar and a health shop. If you’re in Ibiza, there are cafes in Playa Den Bosa, Ibiza Town on the Marina, San Jose and Santa Eulalia. Each cafe has its own vibe and decor, but a common thread of modern, light design runs through the spine of them all. The menus also vary slightly from location to location – for example, Santa Eulalia is the most vegan and vegetarian friendly cafe, whilst the newest offering, San Jose, is geared towards a wining and dining clientele, with offerings of organic wine and beer as well as delicious and healthy tapas platters. There really is something for everyone and I almost wish we had stayed in Ibiza for our entire babymoon so I could try every spot. Next time!

We stayed at The Gran Hotel Montesol in Old Town Ibiza, which I think is officially my favourite and the prettiest hotel I’ve ever stayed in. We rented a car to get around the island – they drive on the right so take a little cruise around the airport carpark before hopping onto the highway. If you’re not into debauchery, then I highly recommend visiting the island in early spring like we did – we enjoyed some magnificent warm days and I finally got to witness those magical Ibiza beach sunsets everyone (Andrew) bangs on about. Also, accommodation is a lot cheaper in early spring than during the busy summer months. A lot of restaurants, shops and bars are closed during the off-season, so be sure to double check they’re open before missioning there and maybe being disappointed. I wish I could say I did some fancy cultural things like visit museums and art galleries – and we did consider taking a bump pic of me pretending to drink a bottle of whiskey and smoke a joint outside the famous club, Pacha –  but I literally just ate, walked the streets and slept the entire time. Hashtag pregnant in Ibiza! Thank you Andrew for being right this time. This little island gem has a piece of my heart forever.

Kate is the kind of friend who brings you vegan magazines back from overseas trips, lends you big, warm coats to cover your belly on baby-moon and brings chocolate cake from the market to your house. Kate, I’m so very sad that you and Gareth are leaving us for London (also, slightly jealous), but I know you’re just going to have the best time there! We miss you already. And I promise I will be a the best adopted mama to your plants and send you regular updates! Thank you so much for everything! xxx

As soon as I told Kate I was pregnant (when you’re working closely with someone on a project, mush brain needs to be explained rather early on), she was adamant that I should have a maternity shoot. A teensy bit disdainful of all things baby bump at the time, I was unconvinced, but to make her happy, I agreed to a tentative shoot date in February that she said I could always cancel closer to the time. When the time came, that disdain had become excitement and I was actually in agreement that it would be rather nice to have some memories of my pregnancy that weren’t sleepy, badly-lit bump selfies taken in my grimy bathroom mirror! We agreed to a chilled shoot at home and in the streets of Stellies, as I wanted to keep it as real as I could to my own life. I’m not the kind of person who swans around pregnant on the beach in a flowing white dress and flower crown, so I wasn’t going to pretend to be a ocean goddess for a maternity shoot (having said that, I don’t usually bath in rosemary sprigs either, although the herb does hold some significance for this pregnancy!). Instead, we took some pics at my favourite coffee shops in Stellenbosch and at my most loved spot in the whole entire world – my bedroom, bathroom, and more specifically, my bed and bathtub! Kate, I’m probably sounding like a stuck record, but I love these pics and I’m so glad I listened to you! Here’s to many years of friendship, whatsapp voice notes and cake dates. You’re obviously gonna have to fly back over for a newborn shoot. Ha!

Black maternity dress by Anneen Henze Collection
Kimono by Sadie Bosworth

1 |  put your alarm on

I’m a huge fan of the Five AM Club, a concept I first heard about through reading Robin Sharma‘s books.  I firmly believe that the hours between five and six am (sometimes even four and six am) are magic hours. But my body, if left naturally, especially as winter approaches and the sun comes up later and later, will usually only wake up at six-thirty. And so every night I put my alarm on for four forty-five am, which gives me a few minutes of umming and ahhhing before I get roll up, have a glass of water and begin my morning routine. I’ve recently purchased myself a proper alarm clock (this beautiful gold bad boy from @home) as I no longer sleep with my phone next to my bed. This is largely because I don’t want those microwave signal vibes around my unborn baby at night and I’m also trying not to look at social media or the news as soon as I open my eyes. My little retro alarm clock ensures I no longer need my phone alarm to wake me up and it feels awesome! It is also so loud that it helps get Andy up earlier too… but don’t tell him that was my plan.

2 |  streeeeeetch

The best thing I have done this pregnancy so far and was worth every cent, is the prenatal yoga workshop I did with Victoria Albreksten of Riverside Studio in Stellenbosch. Spread over four sessions, three of which involved movement and poses, where Victoria showed me the correct ways to do postures whilst sporting a big belly, and one workshop, where Victoria taught me various types of breathing practices, meditation methods and pregnancy and birth affirmations that would help keep me calm and collected over the next few months. Victoria even put together an awesome little guide of everything she taught me, so that I could refer back to everything we had covered for home practise – god knows, I need a record of it all with this pregnancy mush brain! So the first thing I do in the morning, is pull out my yoga mat and stretch – usually for about twenty minutes or so. Some mornings I’m keen to flow and work up a bit of a sweat, with added squats and press-ups, and other mornings I will just do some quiet stretches involving a lot of modified cat-cow and downward dog poses. I find these stretches such a relief for the back pain that comes with having a baby pulling my centre of gravity more and more forward with every passing day.

3 |  meditate

After my twenty or so minutes of movement, I settle into a seated position, usually with the support of my beloved Lilo’s Stitch pregnancy pillow from Faithful to Nature (it’s hypoallergenic and made with vegan and cruelty-free materials – no painfully plucked down feathers in this comfy pillow – it’s so comfy that Lulu and I FIGHT over it) and meditate for about ten to twenty minutes, depending on how I’m feeling. I will either do a meditation involving the breathing techniques, visualisations and birth affirmations I learnt though Victoria’s workshop, or I will follow the Calm Birth’s Womb Breathing meditation, which helps me breathe vital energy into my “energy vase”. I know, I know, it sounds a little wacky, but the “energy vase” is a point in the navel believed to help collect and bring energy and life force to your baby, as well as to charge and revitalise your chakras and the energy flow throughout your body. Practicing this regularly will also help me prepare for breathing properly during labour. As I sit there with my hands on my belly, visualising my breath flowing through my body to my little nesting baby, I really feel connected to her and she usually likes to respond with a gentle kick or swoosh, which I love. I hope to one day teach her this way of connecting to the self, others, mother nature, the angels, God, the powers that be and our whole crazy awesome universe. After all, these things are all found within, aren’t they? I really can’t stress the importance of this act – meditating makes me so much more prepared to handle anything that is thrown in my path, and I can feel the difference in my energy and mood if I don’t start off the day with a little quiet time of breathing and awareness of self.

4 |  angel cards and journaling

I’ve made an active effort to start journaling this year – largely because I want to remember this period of my life forever and also because writing shit down helps me focus on my dreams and goals, as well as act an outlet for any fears or anxieties I may be experiencing. Which are, understandably, rather a lot right now! Before I start writing, I like to draw my angel cards – sometimes one card, sometimes three – for a little inspiration or comfort regarding any questions I have at that point in time. Even if I think I have nothing interesting to journal, drawing cards will usually get my mind ticking and my imagination flowing, as well as bring up any ideas I need fleecing out, whether they be personal or work-related. I use Doreen Virtue’s “Healing With The Angels” Oracle Cards, which I’ve been using them for almost ten years – I love the way they are written and the illustrations are really beautiful too. After I have finished journalling, I like to plan my day and write out my to-do list in my daily planner.

5 |  study

For the final stage of my morning magic hours, I like to spend a little time on study – learning more about things I’m passionate about or reading / watching / listening to inspirational books, videos or podcasts. At the moment, I’m switching between reading Dr Michael Greger’s How Not To Die and reading / listening to various inspirational podcasts and audio books. Robin Sharma is a firm favourite and I often pop through back to our bedroom, where my morning cup of coffee awaits me (yup, now you know why I’m happy about the alarm clock getting Andy up early too lol!) and snuggle up in bed  to watch one of his Mastery Sessions. Andrew will never willingly of his own accord seek out any sort of inspirational teachings, and so I like to think I can sneakily inspire him every morning to live the best life he can by watching these clips together. And actually, he did reference a point made by Sharma in conversation the other day, so at least I know it’s going in – even if it is just by osmosis! Another book I’m “studying” is Women Who Run With The Wolves and I’ve just recently finished The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck by Mark Manson, which I actually bought as an audiobook on Audible.com. Audiobooks are my latest obsession, as I can plough through books whilst driving, walking the dogs, cooking and cleaning the house. I’m a student at heart and a complete spirit junkie, so I just love reading and learning about new things – I’m pretty sure it’s the secret to eternal youth. If you’re not learning, you’re stagnating! If you have any suggestions for great inspirational books and podcasts for me to add to my audiobook library, please pass them on!

That pretty much completes my morning routine – well, my early morning routine anyway! After coffee and cuddles in bed (which involves a lot of belly rubbing these days as little Beanborough kickstarts her day), it’s time for our daily dog walk, breakfast, showering, laundry, vacuuming, emails and work! All of which are made far more manageable, and even enjoyable, by the above five steps! Do you have a morning routine? Have you figured out your secret to starting the day right?

Have a wonderful Tuesday lovelies – look out for my newsletter later this week (subscribe in the side bar).

* Note: this perfect morning does not always happen! Sometimes the dogs whine and scratch at my door, sometimes my husband needs to leave super early to cook breakfast at work, which just disturbs everything; sometimes I only journal and sometimes I only stretch. I do try and make sure that everyday I meditate and breathe! Whether it’s while I’m walking the dogs, vacuuming or simply having my meals in the courtyard – any mundane process or task can become a meditative one if you block out the white noise and focus on your breath. x

You can’t go online these days without seeing how much plastic and waste there is on our planet and most especially, in our oceans. Every week there seems to be news of whales and other marine life washing up dead on beaches with mountains of plastic and even car parts in their stomaches, which just breaks my heart. Did you know that a single plastic bottle can take between four hundred and a thousand years to disintegrate? And even once it has disintegrated, it leaves tiny molecules of plastic in our soil and sea which become part of the food chain. In a nutshell, we’re literally starting to eat plastic! And if you know how toxic plastic is, you will understand why this is not great for the human body at all. It’s becoming such a crisis that last week, Sky News launched their Ocean Rescue initiative, as well as their documentary, A Plastic Tide (see more here), and even Prince Charles is on board with getting major companies and corporations to help with reducing wastage and making recycling easier for everybody.

It’s one thing reducing and recycling in first world countries, where most municipalities collect your recycling for you from your home, but recycling in South Africa, yes, even in the beautiful city of Stellenbosch, is quite another story! I’m still hoping to find a recycling service that hasn’t closed down, or get a reply from the municipality regarding where or how I can recycle in the area. This struggle has led me to the conclusion that my goal is going to have to ultimately be a waste-free household. Eeeeeeppppppp. How am I going to do this? Well after following the 30 Days to Zero Waste Challenge over January, I have identified my major weak points and these are the steps I have taken / am taking to make my life as waste-free as possible:

No more Plastic Shopping Bags

I have invested in some good quality shopping bags (my favourites are locally made by EcoGemGem) and have made a pact with myself that if I ever forget my shopping bags at home, I’m not allowed to buy plastic ones! I will physically carry every last item of shopping to the car by myself before purchasing one single plastic bag.

Yes, it’s happened already.

Yes, I carried every item to the car with my own two hands.

As for picking up doggy poo from the lawn, I am currently using brown paper bags and a garden spade. Glamorous, huh?

Farmers Markets and Reusable Cloth Product Bags

For the past few weeks, I’ve been doing my fruit and vegetable shopping at farmers’ markets where the produce is less likely to be packaged in plastic. Bar for the berries and mushrooms, almost every vegetable and fruit item comes as is at the Oranjezicht City Farm Market at Granger Bay. They provide brown paper bags if needed, and I also have purchased reusable cloth produce bags from EcoGemGem (as pictured) which are see-through and weightless to enable easy weighing and transport of your fav foliage! Every time I use them in Spar or Woolies, I get impressed looks from the cashiers and fellow shoppers – it’s the way forward, folks! Those little plastic bags provided at the grocery store’s veggie stands are horrific – please try to avoid using them at all costs! I’m sorry to say I haven’t been shopping at Woolies in quite a while because ALL their produce is just covered in plastic and styrofoam. Not good for our planet, Woolworths! Or our bodies.

Reusable Straws and Cutlery

I purchased glass straws from Stream Straws a couple of months ago and I LOVE them! I always carry one in my handbag for use at restaurants and I’ve also started carrying my own cutlery for meals at markets. Plastic straws and cutlery are the items found most in our oceans and really, most of the time, are not even really needed. If I forget my stream straw or cutlery, I simply use my hands to eat or sip straight out of the glass. It’s not rocket science.

Environmentally-Friendly Bathroom Products

Our bathrooms are filled with plastic! From earbuds to toothbrushes and beauty products, it’s really hard to avoid waste in this area of our home. I’ve started by using a bio-degradable and environmentally-friendly toothbrush from Faithful to Nature (R40), buying bath and shower products not wrapped in plastic (such as Apostrophe Bath & Body‘s beautiful vegan soaps) and going back to replacing cotton buds with a good old facecloth to clean ears and remove eye makeup. Most of my beauty products are already local and natural and come in glass jars, but there a few more products like my makeup and hair products which are packaged in plastic. I’m looking forward to finding more eco-friendly replacements to them. Let me know if any come to mind! Or who knows, maybe I’ll go stage-eleven-hippie and start making my own.

A Good Quality Glass Water Bottle

Single use plastic water bottles are the number one waste product around the world. In the US alone, 24 BILLION plastic bottles are discarded every single single year. Remember when we were kids and bottled water was not even a thing? Like if you wanted to drink water, you asked for it in a glass, or slurped it from a tap in the public bathroom? The bottled water trend is KILLING our earth, and unless you really don’t have access to clean drinking water (and I’m guessing that if you’re reading this blogpost on your smart phone, you do), then there is no reason you should be purchasing water in a plastic bottle. I’ve bought a good quality glass water bottle and I keep it on me at all times when I leave the house. If I forget to fill it up at home, I’ll ask a cafe to do it for me or head into a public bathroom to fill it up. If I’m desperate for a soft drink, I’ll purchase it in a glass bottle rather than a plastic bottle.

Eating In

Takeaways are sneaky little plastic pundits, especially those of the sushi variety! I try limiting takeaways to one night of the week and try to order from a company that uses bio-degradable containers – pizza boxes are usually the safest best. Cook at home as often as you can and pre-make meals in bulk over the weekend for the next week’s lunches, thus avoiding popping into the store on your break for a sandwich or salad. These items are usually always packaged in plastic! Invest in a good quality lunchbox instead of using Ziploc bags or cling film to transport your homemade lunches to and from work.

Composting

Do you know how much less waste you throw out if you use your food scraps and other bio-degradable waste for composting? It’s unbelievable! I’ve just started adding to our already-existing compost heap on the property, and it’s made such a difference. And it’s not only food scraps that be composted, but things like cardboard, newspaper, hair, nail clippings, tea bags, coffee grounds and even vacuum dust can also be chucked on there! Read here for more information. Also, visit Faithful to Nature to check out their various home composting bins and kits.

So that’s pretty much the biggest changes I’ve made in my life over the last few weeks or so. There are still a couple of things I want to work on in the next few months. The biggest one concerns my pets. I have managed to reduce our household waste to one bin bag a week (note this is largely because I haven’t found a recycling option yet) and most of that waste is the plastic packaging our pet food comes in. I’m currently feeding our three dogs Vondis, which is a locally made raw food, and while I give them ten points for being healthy, the food does come packaged in 500g plastic bags. I feed Jessie and Millie two bags each a day, so you can imagine how that adds up! My next step is to probably start making my own dog food… the problem is that Millie (the German Shepherd) refuses to eat vegan dog food (the other two will literally eat human shit if served up to them, so they don’t care), which means I will have to cook meat, and I’m not sure if I can do that. Every fibre in my body tells me to not purchase meat and every smell receptor in my nose tells me I wouldn’t be able to stand cooking it. My other option is to put the dogs back onto kibble, as it comes in one big massive bag, but it’s also filled with sugar and preservatives and god knows what else (yes, even the expensive brands)! So, dear readers, any advice on the above would really help! Are you a vegan or vegetarian who cooks their dogs meat? How do you stomach it? Or have you managed to turn your meat eating hound into a veggie? How did you do it? Help! And please, no attacking from the vegan police, I have honestly tried feeding Millie the most delicious vegan food, covered in peanut butter and marmite, and she will not touch it. Unfortunately, I was not vegan when we got her and I therefore cannot change what she was accustomed to before my lifestyle change, just as I can’t force my husband to be vegan either – as much as it would rock my world and he would receive a million blowjobs a day (are you reading this, babe?? Lol).

Another change I need to make has to do with my clothing. Last year, I hardly bought any new clothes. I think that over the last few years, I have pretty much mastered the capsule wardrobe and I have some great quality items that I mix and match all the time. But being pregnant has forced me back into the clothes shops (my boobs have got so massive, I even had to buy new bras) and, shock, horror, H&M seems to be the only place that does maternity wear. Not very local. Or sustainable. Or un-sweatshoppy.  I have discovered Cherry Melon and also, very recently, Anneen Henze, both South African labels that make maternity wear, and I will be buying any other items I may be needing come the colder months, from them. Let me know if you know of any other great South African maternity clothing brands!

And speaking of clothing… there’s this little baby on the way. A brand new consumer to add to our already-busting consumerist world. And yes, we know this, baby things are SO cute. So. Fucking. Cute. Take-my-credit-card-and-stab-me-in-the-eye-with-it cute. But I’m being very mindful of the clothing and toys I am buying her, and trying to stick as much as possible to local, sustainable and non-toxic plastic items. I bought a little dress made by a granny at the market the other day and it felt SO good swapping my hard-earned monies for a one-of-a-kind locally made item. I’m also planning on using cloth diapers as much as possible and eco-friendly disposables – so we’ll see how that all goes. Who woulda thunk?

Wow! That ended up being a ridiculously long post. Hope it made up for the radio silence over January. I also hope that this post many have inspired to start making changes in your life regarding waste usage. Perhaps by the end of next year we can all share gloriously smug pictures of our yearly household waste accumulated in an one times old mayonnaise jar? Wouldn’t that just be fantastic!

Have a wonderful week!

Kez x

PS: In celebration of all things waste-free and living the kindest life we possibly can, I’m giving away a copy of my vegan lifestyle guide, A Guide for Wildflowers, an EcoGemGem “Be Kind to Every Kind” vest and three veggie produce bags over on my Instagram account. To enter simply follow me (@keribainborough) and @ecogemgem, tag two friends in the giveaway post and let me know in the comments what changes you’re making every day to live life as kindly as you can!

Immediately we were struck by the aesthetics of the place – my brother declaring it, in only the way he can, “very trendy”. It’s clean, calm, simple and fresh with charming touches like beautiful wooden sculptures of farm animals, as well as seating made out of wooden crates. I first met Norah and her daughter when they were eating at Nomad. Well, actually, I kinda introduced myself! I had heard via the vegan grapevine of this wonderful lady introducing delicious vegan meals to the menu at ELL at Spookfontein in Hermanus and I just had to meet her. Norah is as lovely as I remembered, and was quick to find us a spot and rattle off her recommendations for her favourite drinks. We went for fresh red and green juices, as well as cappuccinos made with their own homemade almond milk. The service was quick and friendly and the worst thing about the entire experience was attempting to choose what we wanted to eat! I settled on an Oriental Surprise box, filled with spring rolls, rice paper rolls, vegetable sushi and mushroom dim sum, while Chris went with the spicy faux chicken burger and sweet potato chips. I think the box must be the most popular dish, as I saw so many going out – and I soon could see why! It was delicious – light and tasty, but also healthy and filling – the perfect meal for summer – and to allow me room for a dessert (who am I kidding? I would’ve ordered one anyway!).  I treated myself to the yummiest pavlova and Chris wolfed down his chocolate mousse, a very happy grunt escaping from his general facial area now and then.

When I say I didn’t want to leave ELL269… I’m not joking. There is such a lovely, relaxed and gentle vibe about the place that I could have sat there all day, ordering various items off the menu as the hours went by. I couldn’t wait to go back! And so I did. Yesterday with the whole family! And it was, once again, so good! Highly recommended that you support this lovely spot if you’re in Hermanus – and if you’re not, head on out for a day trip. You won’t regret it, I promise.

Follow ELL269 on Facebook and Instagram. Copies of my guide, A Guide for Wildflowers, are now available at Ell269 and profits will go to the Greyton Farm Animal Sanctuary, so be sure to pick up a copy if you’re there! love x

I’m so excited to let this little baby project out into the world! It really all began when my brothers started asking me for my vegan recipes and any tips and advice I had on cooking plant-based food. I set about writing an email that included a list for South African plant-based pantry items, as well as nutritional tips and recipes on making super easy (and trust me, if it’s easy enough for my brothers, it’s easy enough for you!) vegan food. As that email became longer and longer, friends and family members began encouraging me to put my recipes and tips into a book. When my friend, photographer and designer Kate van Onselen, got wind of my plan, she was on board faster than a labrador on a peanut butter woof treat! It is actually thanks to Kate that the guidebook was finished this year – I’m a bit of a procrastinator by nature, but with her encouragement, advice and deadlines for photo shoots and layouts, the book was done by the end of September.

So if you’re keen to get a copy (or three) sign up for the newsletter by clicking here and receive a discount code for your first purchase. This code will be available until the 15th of November, so be sure to make use of it before then! You can also pre-order your copy now to ensure that you get your grubby paws on the guide as soon as it ready for delivery at the end of October. The guidebook is the size of a standard magazine and contains 120 pages of good vegan vibes! It will look beautiful on your coffee table or book shelf, but I’m reaaaaally hoping it’s going to be a permanent feature on your kitchen cookbook stand and that you use it often. I’m super excited to help everyone eat more compassionately and live in line with their values! I cannot wait to show you guys more of the book – I’m counting down the hours until I hold the shiny finished product in my hands.

Thanks to everyone near and far for all the words of encouragement throughout the production of this little project. I hope you all get yourself a copy because I spent my entire life savings on it and am now broke AF.  A-hem.  YOLO? Hop on over to read more, subscribe to the newsletter and pre-order now >> A Guide for Wildflowers

Last year, I kinda participated in manifesting a move away from the farmlands I grew up in and around. Driving behind animals on their way to slaughter, hearing the screams (and smelling the smells) of the factory farmed pigs next door and seeing hundreds of dairy cows with massive udders limping down the road to the milking shed every single day, twice a day, broke my heart. I was operating on a level of extreme sensitivity and each day was a rollercoaster of ups and downs. Moving to the Cape has afforded me a greater measure of daily peace. Although we are technically living in the Stellenbosch farmlands, I’m more likely to be stuck behind a tractor and trailer carrying grapes, than a livestock truck carrying cows and pigs. This has been good for my soul I think, and my heart has healed. Living away from the frontline of animal agriculture has made me a more peaceful and understanding vegan. But it has also made me a shy one. I’ve found myself lately asking hosts to try and not mention that I’m vegan at dinner parties, or avoiding answering any comments or questions from people regarding my lifestyle choices. I’ve been a little embarrassed to be honest; afraid of offending people or appearing judgemental, and most of all, horribly conscious of my choices being an inconvenience to others.

The truth is, I guess, that being away from farm animals and no longer interacting with them every day, has made me disconnect from their plight. And that’s ok. Perhaps it’s where I needed to be this last year. It’s how I’ve healed and it has brought a measure of peace to my life. But yesterday, when I walked beneath the impressive entrance and up the driveway to Farm Sanctuary SA’s beautiful new timber barn, it all came rushing back to me. Rubbing Baloo the rescue calf’s big ears, seeing the resident rescue pigs snuggled up in the hay of their big, comfy stall and watching Romeo, the newborn rescue dairy calf, desperately searching for his mother’s udder and suckling at my fingers, took me straight back to my life in the Midlands; to my orphan calf, Marmite, to weaner calves being sent to feedlots, to pigs staring at me through the slats of transport trucks, to live goats tied down to the top of cars, to newborn males calves abandoned on the side of the road, and to chickens stuffed on top of one another like inanimate objects in plastic crates. My visit to Farm Sanctuary SA took me right back to why I’m vegan. It’s not to offend, it’s not to inconvenience, it’s not to be trendy, or to be healthy or thin (lol – shout out to the fat vegans), it’s for the animals. First and foremost. It always was for them, and it will always be for them. Because whilst I may be embarrassing to some, or maybe “a little too extreme” for others and perhaps a bit tiresome to everyone, what I most certainly am, is a being with a voice. And I will use it. Every day. And I thank Joanne and the team at Farm Sanctuary SA for reminding me of this. I’ve signed up to volunteer at the sanctuary once a week and I can’t wait to get down and dirty with the very reasons for my lifestyle change.

So what can you expect as a visitor to Farm Sanctuary SA? Think green fields, inspiring art sculptures and displays, a beautifully designed barn (with a loft where you can even sleep over), roomy pens for the piggies and calves, a big field and  hatch for the chickens, a farm stall filled with yummy vegan treats and organic produce, a cafè serving the most delicious vurgers (choose between a quinoa or beetroot patty), and of course, the opportunity to enjoy delightful pig belly rubs and cow kisses. The Garden of Vegan Cafè and the sanctuary is open to the public on weekends and public holidays, but you can also visit the animals on weekdays by appointment. There’s ample opportunity to help (which you will want to do straight away, believe me) by offering to volunteer or through donations of cash or food. The passion for animals of founder and director, Joanne Lefson, can be seen and felt in every little detail – from the architecture of the building to the clever and inspiring copy of the pamphlets and volunteer forms. I fell in love instantly, and I know you will do too! So give the Farm Sanctuary a visit as soon as you can and show your support for the people actively seeking to make a difference to the lives of so many special beings.

PS: Did I mention there is a pig who can paint at this sanctuary? I kid not! Rescued from factory farming, Pigcasso has become something of a legend in the town of Franschhoek for her love of painting! Her original works (signed by her cute snout) are for sale at the Garden of Vegan farmstall and all proceeds go to the sanctuary for the rescue and keep of farm animals. Apparently she will be in Cape Town CBD today, so if you’re in the area, go say hi and meet this incredibly intelligent little soul. I think she is going to be a very famous little piggy soon.

Farm Sanctuary SA is located at the end of Dirkie Uys street in Franschhoek – simply turn right at the T junction onto the Elandskloof Private Road and then you will see the magnificent barn 100m up on your left. For map and directions click here. If you would like to make donations, click here.

There are a few things I do now that I’m vegan that I never did before. These include, and are not limited, to the following:

Burst into tears at the realisation that there is not one single avocado or banana left in the house.

Help snails cross the road.

Help spiders out of the bath. And the shower.

High-five/ bum slap / bear hug people in the grocery store queue who have Frys products in their  shopping baskets.

Get nervous at the mention of a “braai” – not necessarily because of the food issue, but because of all the comments and questions. (wheredoyougetyourproteinisyourhusbandveganiheardofveganparentswhokilledtheirbabyveganismistooextreme)

Spend a ridiculous amount of time researching and reading nutrition articles for ammo against the rabbit-food-eating-haters.

Go into a flat panic and existential crisis when I realise that I forgot my EcoGemGem shopping bags at home and I have to buy plastic bags. Like, how many tins of tomato can my handbag actually hold? Let’s test this, shall we?

Absolutely adore meeting other vegans and attending vegan events, like the Green Monday South Africa event held at Saucisse Deli in Woodstock last week Monday. I’m not usually one for events, but if it has anything to do with eating green and saving animals, I’m there like a bear. Hosted at the stylish Saucisse Deli in Woodstock, it was more of a friendly get together than a big event, and it was wonderful to meet and chat with some fabulous like-minded ladies. I was also super excited to learn that Saucisse Deli has yummy vegan options on their menu and that on Mondays they always offer a blackboard vegan menu in support of Green Monday. I feasted on the breakfast option – a lightly baked avocado stuffed with cherry tomatoes, lemon spinach, wild mushrooms, greens, seeds and served with rye bread. Delicious!

If you haven’t yet heard of Green Monday, it’s a global movement promoted by the Humane Society International to encourage people from all walks of life to eat plant-based meals every Monday. You can sign up and pledge to be a part of the movement on their website > http://greenmonday.co.za/join/ and if you’re worried that cooking meals using only plants is too hard, don’t stress! There are tons of easy recipes on their site to help you out! I was also super impressed to hear about Green Monday South Africa’s initiatives in low-income communities to promote and educate people on how to grow their own food, as well as how to cook affordable and delicious traditional plant-based meals. The days of choosing not to eat plant-based because it’s too expensive are more than over!

Considering that fifty-six percent of South African women are overweight or obese, and that a plant-based diet leads to lower rates of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, dementia, cataracts, gallstones, cancer (especially of the digestive system) and even arthritis, perhaps switching to a plant-based diet for one day a week might do the health of our country’s population a favour? Eating plant-based also means less stress on the environment as less water is needed in the production of plants than in the production of animals. The mass breeding and production of farm animals results in the release of harmful amounts of methane, carbon dioxide and nitrus oxide into the atmosphere. In a nutshell – the diet of a meat eater releases seven times more carbon emissions into the atmosphere than the diet of a vegan. Considering, we’ve just last week passed the tipping point of 400 parts per million of levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere – a point we can never turn back from – giving up meat and dairy once a week is the least we can do for Mother Nature. If you’d like to read more about these facts and why a plant-based diet is beneficial for humans, the environment and animals, visit the Green Monday website.  Also, it’s Monday today… just saying

I now find the local radio station way more entertaining than 5fm. Yes, even the music is better, in my opinion. And the presenters all seem to be well educated and knowledgable, rather than just full of hot air. Sorry mom for making you listen to a loud, screaming Mark Pilgrim (edit – I obviously meant Mark Gillman. This clearly indicates my memory loss) in my youth. I totally get now why you wanted to listen to Daryl Ilbury and why traffic reports are so vitally important.

I just don’t get this long, pointy fingernail trend as sported by Kyle K and the gang. I can still appreciate how cool it looks, but… I mean… I just have to ask: how do you wipe your bum. Seriously? How?

I don’t wear thongs anymore. Ever. Not even when I’m wearing tight, white jeans. You can see my pantyline? So? IDGAF. At least I remembered to put panties on today.

Shaving my legs has become a waste of precious time rather than a necessity. In fact, so has blowdrying my hair (hence the new short do) and applying makeup. I’m becoming more androgynous by the day and I actually love the freedom it brings.

I seriously considered buying myself a bag of weed the other day to replace my Friday evening wine / wind down sessions. This is mainly because a) my hangovers are so bad these days that they’re almost not worth the wine, and b) I can’t fathom wasting another precious Saturday morning lying in the foetal position on the couch. There are markets to attend, people! And mountains to climb!  And fresh produce to purchase! And local farmers to support! (as I type this, 23-year-old me cringes inside. And takes another bite of a greasy Big Mac.)

I have replaced fashion and fitness magazines with home and food magazines and spend a lot of time vacuuming and cleaning. Trips to the Garden Centre and Builders’ Warehouse seem to make me excited, rather than suicidal.

Fresh flowers and scented candles are a thing. A thing I get.

The prospect of having children doesn’t seem so bad anymore. They make wonderful excuses. Don’t want to go to a braai? “Little Molly is so sick, sorry, we couldn’t possibly bring her.” Also, being pregnant means non-frowned upon daytime naps and no hangovers for nine months? Bliss! Perhaps even worth the torn vagina and life-long responsibility.

I exercise not to look skinny now, but to prevent falling apart at the seams and melting into a pile of soft, wrinkly flesh.

I spend 90% of my money on food. And skincare. A choice I am obviously more than happy to make. I’m even considering challenging myself to purchasing only secondhand clothes (and I mean SPCA secondhand, not fancy vintage secondhand) for the whole of next year. Anyone want to join me? (also, I’ve been around long enough now to know that flared, high waisted pants, florals, prints, lace and military wear come back into style every.damn.season.)

I plan my day, and sometimes weeks, around the need to go into town and grocery shop. I used to just pop down to the store if I needed something as trivial as a packet of chewing gum. Sometimes three times a day. Now I’m like, Oh my god, Parking! Petrol! People! Have to get out of gym clothes! Have to put makeup on! Meh. I’ll go tomorrow.

Andrew and I downloaded an app the other day which ensures that you get at least eight hours of sleep a night. Yup. I’m just going to leave it at that.