Kristi Nicole Smith

29/09/2026

Third-time mum lifesavers 🤍

On this journey with Sadie, I’ve learnt a lot. Clearly I never learnt it all the first two times 😂 But there are genuinely a few things I’ve used this time around that have made me think, where were these with baby number one and two?!

The peri-care kit was probably my biggest lifesaver — peri bottle, adult nappies, postpartum pads, cooling liners and herbal spray. I was incredibly fortunate to only have a tiny superficial tear that didn’t need stitches, but even then, this little setup was an absolute game changer for those first few days of healing.

My postpartum trolley. WHY did I not do this before?! 😂 Everything for baby, everything for me, snacks and water — all in one place that I could wheel from the bedroom to the lounge. So simple. So practical.

Engorgement. I actually dreaded my milk coming in this time because I remembered how uncomfortable it was. Cooling breast soothers, gentle lymphatic drainage, a supportive bra, feeding on demand and lanolin ni**le cream made such a difference.

And lastly, keeping baby close. Lots of skin-to-skin in those early weeks, and my Ubuntu Baba carrier for when Sadie wants to be close but I need my hands. 🤍

Nothing revolutionary — just a few things that genuinely made postpartum easier for me.

And now, after three babies, I finally feel like I’ve cracked the postpartum setup… just in time to never do it again. 😂🤍

15/09/2026

Two weeks of our precious Sadie.

Israel McKenzie: 7 years
Meeka Ryan: 5 years
Sadie Daniel: 2 weeks

07/09/2026

Sadie Daniel Smith
29.08.2026 • 3.1kg • 51cm

1:27am, Saturday I woke to the most immense pressure in my pelvis. It almost felt like a sudden drop. I got up went to wee and climbed back into bed. But as soon as I lay down, the pressure came straight back. So I got back up and went to back the bathroom, that's when I noticed some pink-tinged fluid.

1:50am, I woke Craig and we called my midwife and doula. At this point, contractions hadn’t even started.
Naturally, my next thought was that I did not want to look like an ogre while giving birth. So I tied my hair up and put on a little makeup while Craig made us a hot drink and started filling the birth pool.

2:20am, at this point contractions started. I would sway and breathe through them, but I was still happily chatting, drinking my tea and doing my makeup.

2:37am, I called my dear friend and photographer, Saysha, who was coming to photograph the birth, thinking we still had some time.
Directly after that call, everything changed. The contractions suddenly ramped up. I went from breathing and swaying to deep, low roars. I know from my previous births that when I’m approaching transition, I vomit. Which happened at this point. Shortly afterwards, I suddenly felt like I desperately needed the toilet. I ran to the bathroom, trying to understand what my body was doing. An incredibly powerful contraction came over me. And with it came fear.
I started to declare the fear to be gone!

Pam, my doula, then came running in and realising very quickly that things were moving faster than any of us had anticipated. She got me onto the bed on my hands and knees, trying to slow things down and buy us a little more time. But my body had other plans. Another enormous contraction came and instinctively I reached down. There was a bulge. I could feel my baby coming. Pam told me to roll onto my side and shouted for Craig, who came running into the room- he had been letting our midwife onto the property. Another powerful contraction came. I felt Craig’s hands. In that moment, I felt complete freedom to let go.

My body completely took over, and I got to experience something I had prayed for — fetal ejection reflex. There was no conscious pushing, no pain. I just remember roaring her out.

Sadie was being delivered with her cord wrapped around her neck and Craig, completely on instinct, immediately flicked it from around her as my body birthed the rest of her.

At 2:52am, Craig delivered our daughter.

Sadie came out blue, but Nomz, our midwife, came running in with her incredible calming presence. “It’s okay. She’s fine. She’s okay.”
She took over until we heard that little squeak, then placed Sadie onto me.

Fifteen minutes earlier, I had been happily chatting on the phone.
Thirty-two minutes earlier, my contractions had only just begun.

There was no photographer in time.
There was no birth pool.
There wasn’t even a midwife in the room yet.

Just me, my doula, my husband, Jesus — and a little girl who had clearly decided she was coming whether the rest of us were ready or not 🤍

Thank you to my team:
Midwife: Nomz Phungela, from The Natural Childbirth Centre
Doula: Pam Willment, from Bump to Bundle (Pam has journeyed alongside me through all of my babies and breastfeeding journeys)
Photographer: Saysha Baker Photography

02/09/2026

Our family is complete 🤍

20/08/2026

To my Israel and my Meeka, 🤍

As the time draws closer to welcoming your baby sister into this world, I find myself thinking so much about the two of you.

Once upon a time, it was you I was waiting for.
You, I was praying for.
You, whose little face I couldn’t wait to see and whose little body I couldn’t wait to hold.

And now, somehow, here we are.

Israel, you are about to become a big brother for the second time. And Meeka, my baby girl, you are about to become a big sister for the very first time.

Life is going to look a little different for a while. There may be moments when I can’t do something with you quite as quickly as I used to. There will be days when we have to move a little slower, be a little more patient, and learn together what life looks like as a family of five.

We’ve spoken about how it might sometimes feel strange, or even a little scary. But we’ve also spoken about all the beautiful things that are coming — a new little person to love, another sibling to grow up alongside, and so many new memories for us to make together.

More than anything, my prayer is that there will be such a peace over our home as we step into this new season. That even amongst the change, the tired days and the beautiful chaos, you will always know that you are seen.

That you are known.

That you are loved so, so deeply.

I am already so proud of you both. This year has seen a new home, a new season, and now preparing to welcome a new little sister — and you have taken it all in your stride.

Thank you for being brave with us. Thank you for asking questions, for talking about your feelings, for dreaming about your sister and for making space in your little worlds for her before she has even arrived.

My Israel and my Meeka, what a privilege it is to be your mom. I am so grateful for who you are and for who you are becoming.

I love you forever 🤍

23/07/2026

I’ve been a little quieter on here lately, and honestly, it’s been intentional.

Life has been wonderfully full, and social media has taken a bit of a back seat while I’ve tried to be more present in the season we’re in.

Somehow, we’re already down to the final six weeks (give or take!) until we meet our sweet baby girl. 🤍

This third pregnancy has been so different to the first two.

With your first baby, life naturally slows down. You notice every little kick and rest when you’re tired. Even with baby number two, life still had a gentler rhythm.

This time… life hasn’t slowed down at all.

Between work, school runs, sport fixtures, family life and all the beautiful chaos that comes with raising two growing kids, there really isn’t much time to stop. You just keep going.

Looking back though, I feel incredibly grateful. This has been my easiest pregnancy, and I know what a gift that is.

What makes this little girl even more precious is knowing how long we’ve prayed for her.

For five years she lived in my heart before she ever grew beneath it. Craig and I spent so much time praying, talking and surrendering to God. Looking back now, all I can see is His faithfulness.

She is such an answer to prayer.

Knowing this is most likely our last pregnancy has made me realise just how quickly these seasons pass. Ironically, it’s also been the pregnancy I’ve documented the least.

Not because she’s any less loved.

But because third babies simply join a family that’s already moving.

So every now and then, I’m reminding myself to slow down. To pause, watch her little kicks, place my hands on this growing bump, and thank God for the miracle happening right now.

Soon these kicks will become cuddles, and this bump will become the little girl we’ve been praying for.

We’re excited.
We’re nervous.
But more than anything…

We’re so ready to meet you, sweet girl. 🤍

21/03/2026

We've been keeping a little secret...

18/01/2026

13/01/2026

Designing spaces has always been a deep love of mine.
But somewhere along the way… that love grew into something more — a real passion for furniture and how it shapes the soul of a space.

That passion took root during our travels through Bali.
We’d walk the streets, sit in beautiful cafés, explore tiny furniture stores — and I found myself deeply inspired by the craftsmanship, the textures, the care that goes into every piece.
In Bali, design isn’t an afterthought — it’s everything.

And so the dream began:
✨ Bring Bali Home ✨
To share the pieces that moved me with fellow South Africans who value beauty, intentionality, and soul in their homes.

Today I’m so excited to say —
I’m now offering a curated range of handmade Balinese furniture at wholesale prices
to the South African market 🇿🇦

This is your chance to access unique, artisanal pieces — not mass-produced furniture — that carry the warmth, story and spirit of Bali.

If you’d like to see the catalogue and order form,
📩 Send me your email address
and I’ll send you everything you need to place a pre-order.

Let’s bring a little piece of Bali home 🌾

25/12/2025

Merry Christmas from our family to yours.

- What a wonderfully, busy day. My heart is full ❤️