Latest news with #mumof4
The Sun
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I'm a pregnant benefits mum-of-four on and moving my kids to one bedroom for some privacy – trolls say I'm selfish
A PREGNANT mum-of-four has been slammed for moving all of her kids into one bedroom. Nicole Austin is currently pregnant with her fifth child and lives in a t wo-bedroom house. 3 In a recent video posted to social media, the mum revealed she was moving her youngest son in with her three daughters to get some alone time before the next baby comes. In the clip, she said: "We're putting four kids in one bedroom. I am currently pregnant and to make room for baby, we need to put our son in with his sisters. "Now this may seem absolutely crazy to you because it really does to me without any context." She explained that her daughters were in a double bedroom on a triple bunk bed, which had lots of space for their toys and clothes. Nicole said her son was in her bedroom, but as he needed a bigger bed had to move out as there was no room for it. Expecting hateful comments on the video, Nicole added: "And you know what? "Screw what you all think because me and my husband are going to really thoroughly enjoy having our own room back before the new baby comes." She went on to add that the sleeping arrangement would only be for four weeks, as they had a big announcement coming up about their living arrangements. "And in those four weeks we will actually be away for seven nights on holiday without being at home," she added. "So he really only needs three weeks in with his sisters." 3 I'm a mum of two and get a £1.7k Universal Credit payday each month people hate me as they work 40 hours a week for the same The clip has since gone viral on the family's TikTok account @ theaustins_1 with over 170k views and 4,000 likes. People were quick to share their thoughts in the comments, while some branded the mum as 'selfish', others were more understanding. One person wrote: "Buy a sofa bed, give up your room, and make downstairs your space." Another commented: "Stop breeding." "Give up your room, have a sofa bed and don't be so selfish," penned a third. How can I get a council house? To apply for a council home, you need to fill out and hand in an application to your local authority. To find your local authority, simply use the Government's council locator tool on its website. Once you have access to your local council's website, it should offer you guidelines on how to complete your application. After applying, you'll most likely have to join a waiting list. Bear in mind, even if you are put on a waiting list, this doesn't guarantee you a council house offer. Your council should also offer you advice on how to stay in your current home and solve any issues you might have, such as problems with a private landlord or mortgage. You are eligible to apply for council housing if you are a British citizen living in the UK providing have not lived abroad recently. Each council has its own local rules about who qualifies to go on the housing register in its area, but it is based on "points" or a "banding" system. For example, you're likely to be offered housing first if you: are homeless live in cramped conditions have a medical condition made worse by your current home are seeking to escape domestic violence Once you are high enough on a council's waiting list, it will contact you when a property is available. Some councils let people apply at the age of 18, while others let you apply even sooner at 16-year-olds. EU workers and their families and refugees may also be eligible. A council house is reached through a points system, so depending on your housing needs, you may be considered low priority. The council will contact you about any available property once you are high enough on the waiting list. There is no limit on how long you can expect to be on the waiting list. Meanwhile, others were much more supportive, a fourth said: "Good idea, it's important to have some time alone before baby gets here, enjoy." "Looks perfect to me? I don't understand the big deal,' claimed a fifth
The Sun
18-06-2025
- General
- The Sun
Pregnant mum-of-four shamed & labelled ‘vile' and ‘filthy' as she shares reality of cooking in her air fryer
A MUM-OF-FOUR has found herself labelled "vile" and "filthy" after sharing the reality of using an air fryer to cook for her ever-growing family. Nicole Austin is no stranger to incurring the wrath of online trolls with regular videos documenting her life as a pregnant mum living in a council house. 7 7 7 7 But she found herself accused of deliberately rage-baiting people online with her most recent video, in which she showed just what it looks like inside her fryer. "When I opened my air fryer to cook my children's dinner today, I simply couldn't believe my eyes," Nicole said in her TikTok video. "There was absolutely no way I could cook their dinner in this air fryer... I can't even tell you the last time it's been cleaned." She added that with her air fryer and microwave, it's a case of "out of sight, out of mind", and when they're not used often, they get "neglected". "I use my oven a lot more than I use my air fryer, so I really didn't notice it get in this mess," she sighed. "Look at all that fat, grease, grime, and chips... ew!" She then turned her "cook my kids dinner" video into a "clean my air fryer" video instead, as she said: "This was a biohazard. "I dread to think the deadly diseases my kids would have got if they ate from this air fryer." Nicole then showed herself cleaning the fryer, and even used a hoover to suck up all the food remnants. "I'm getting really good at keeping on top of visible mess, but things that aren't visible right in front of me, they get forgotten," she added. Mrs Hinch shares epic air fryer nacho recipe that takes only 10 minutes to make & loaded with hidden veggies for the kids "And unfortunately, that's what happened to this little old air fryer." "Anyone else struggle with cleaning things they don't frequently use?" she added in the video caption. But people in the comments section were less than impressed with Nicole's video, with one writing: "You are vile, there are no excuses for not being clean especially when you have children. "You should be ashamed of yourself. This nothing other than laziness. "Vulgar." "This is such a fire hazard and just plain disgusting," another shouted. What are the most popular kitchen appliances? "The most popular kitchen appliance often depends on current trends, personal preferences, and the needs of modern households," Tracy Coleman, Product Director at High Street TV told Fabulous. "However, there are a few standout categories that have become staples in kitchens everywhere. These appliances combine functionality, convenience, and innovation, making them essential for daily use." Iconic nutribullet blender The nutribullet 600 Series has become an iconic kitchen appliance, known for its simplicity, power and ease of use, this blender is an absolute must-have for smoothie lovers and health-conscious people. It is the perfect gadget for those who want a quick and easy way to add more fruit, vegetables and protein to their diet, making it one of the most popular blenders out there. Slow cooker king If you love the idea of slow-cooked meals but don't have hours to wait, the Pressure King Pro can cook dishes like stews, risottos, and soups in a fraction of the time it would take using traditional methods, so it's no surprise that it is so popular. CleverChef Finally, the Drew&Cole 5-minute CleverChef is another stand out, which offers speed and convenience. As the name suggests, it's all about getting meals ready in five minutes or less. Simply add your ingredients, close the lid and just let the 5 Minute CleverChef do the rest! It sears steaks, crisps up crunchy toasties, and makes deliciously fluffy omelettes. All while locking in the delicious original flavours of your ingredients. "This should be wiped and cleaned after every use," a third insisted. "Why would you continue to use it and get to the state it's in? "I'm a mum to 4 and never ever would imagine doing this to my kids!!! No excuses!" "That's just filth. Those poor kids," someone else sighed. "I actually feel sick," another admitted. "This isn't struggling this it's absolutely disgusting," someone else agreed. "All that stuff that was in there can be very dangerous, and that could've set on fire. "As it probably instructs, please clean regularly." 7 7
The Sun
11-06-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Mum sparks debate after revealing why she NEVER washes new clothes, bedding or charity buys – but whose side are you on?
FROM how many times you wash the sheets to the number of times you wash your clothes and at what temperature – it's been a debate among many people. But one mum has got people talking after revealing her routine when buying new products. 1 Taking to TikTok, the mum-of-four shared a video on her social media page @ livsmeh, which currently has 10.9K followers. Livvy responded to someone who commented on a previous video of hers saying: 'you must wash new bedding.' However, the mum responded with something slightly different, and it has very much got people talking. She explained that she 'never' washes new bedding and has never washed her new clothes either. Livvy also added: 'I sometimes don't even wash clothes I get from the charity shop. That's gross isn't it?' She explained to her followers that she didn't understand why people would wash their new bedding or new clothes. The mum then went on to explain that she didn't even wash the brand-new newborn clothes she bought. Livvy then asked her followers: 'What am I doing wrong here? Why? They're new.' Before then telling her followers that she didn't want to know the answer to those questions. After 24 hours of the video being shared, Livvy's video received over 10.2k views, with 90 people rushing to the comments section to share their thoughts. I got Ringworm working in the changing room of a major high street store - it's why you should always wash new clothes Some were mixed. One wrote: 'Same here. Mum-of-five, new bedding straight on, new clothes straight in the drawers, charity shop clothes sniff test will decide whether it gets washed or not. 'If it smells like the person smokes it goes through the washer twice, if not in the drawer they go!' A second added: 'If you wash them, then you have to dry them and then you have to put them away. No thank you.' A third said: 'Not gross in my opinion.' However, others didn't agree. One commented: 'Always wash before use. "One of my kids got hives from the factory finishings on a body warmer.' A second said: 'You lost me at a charity shop.' Whilst someone else wrote: 'Oh I'm more than fine with new clothes and bedding, but the charity shop clothes not being washed has been scratching all over a little bit.' Another added: 'The charity shop non-washing has kinda given me the ick.' Laundry tips Catherine Green, sustainable cleaning expert at smol shared her laundry tips. How often should you be remaking your bed? When it comes to your bed, maintaining a hygienic sleep setup can actually improve your sleep quality, helping you start every day better. Most people shed 500 million skin cells per day and a lot of that ends up in bed for dust mites to feed on. And those with asthma or allergies might see symptoms worsen by sleeping on dirty sheets! You want to be washing your sheets once a week - or every 10 days if you don't suffer from allergies and wear nightclothes. Bedding builds up with sweat, skin cells and oils quickly, even if it doesn't look dirty. Using an effective detergent like smol's will still give you a great clean on a 20°C cycle - that's better for the planet and your energy bills! What temperature do smol recommend then? For your regular weekly washes I recommend washing most loads at 20°C for 30 minutes. It's gentler on fabrics, slashes energy use, and still delivers excellent stain removal with the right detergent. A colder wash can actually be more effective if you opt for a bio detergent as its enzymes need cooler water; too hot and they lose their ability to digest stains. A wash at 60°c (unless you have silk sheets) every now and again can help kill off dust mites and other nasties. What's the difference between bio and non-bio detergent? Bio detergents contain enzymes, which are especially good at breaking down tough stains like food, grass, or sweat. It's best used in mid to low temperature washes (ideally between 20-40°C) as anything hotter can cause them not to work effectively. Non-bio skips the enzymes, which in turn makes it more suitable for those with sensitive skin or allergies. Although non-bio doesn't contain enzymes, it's still great at removing stains and keeping your clothes clean, you just may need to use a slightly higher temperature setting to aid with the cleaning process.
The Sun
09-06-2025
- General
- The Sun
Pregnant mum-of-4 trolled for being ‘lazy' as she shows the state of her council house first thing in the morning
A PREGNANT mum-of-four has been labelled "lazy" after sharing a look inside her council house kitchen first thing in the morning. Nicole Austin is no stranger to causing a stir on social media, particularly when she posts videos showing just how messy her house actually is. 4 4 4 And one accusation she regularly hears is that she's lazy - a description she found herself attracting once again after explaining why she and her husband leave their dinner washing up until the morning. "Sometimes I'm just too tired to do the evening washing up after dinner," Nicole said in a video on her TikTok page. "And in our household that's okay! "Rest is way more important to us than doing some dishes. "And that's how it should be." Nicole added that because she's a "morning girl", she's always "bursting with energy" as soon as she gets up. "So at 6am, 7am, whenever we get up, we come downstairs and we clean everywhere," she continued. "This is 90% of the time before the kids are even up. "So the kids don't even know the difference before anyone comes at me for that." Nicole predicted some of the responses she was going to receive, as she said she's even "waiting for the threats of social services". My council house always looks dirty despite endless scrubbing - it's all broken or hanging off hinges & I can't fix it "But come on, if you're that exhausted, why are you pushing yourself to do some dishes that can easily be done a few hours later after you've got some sleep?" she said. "Putting rubbish away, taking bins out and things like that. "I do understand. But some dishes? No." When it comes to her own priorities, Nicole insisted she "prioritises my peace". "I learnt this because I used to burn myself out all the time," she said. "Now I prioritise my peace. And sometimes that does mean going to bed and getting that extra hour sleep. The household items you're not cleaning often enough IF you want to ensure your home is squeaky clean, you'll need to listen up. Below are the household items you're forgetting to clean, and how to get them sparkling... Remote Controls: Wipe with a disinfectant cloth. Use a cotton bud for crevices. Light Switches: Wipe with a disinfectant wipe. Use a mild soap solution for tough stains. Door Handles: Clean with an antibacterial spray. Wipe down regularly. Underneath and Behind Appliances: Vacuum or sweep regularly. Mop with a suitable cleaner. Shower Curtains and Liners: Wash in the washing machine. Use a bleach solution for stubborn mildew. Kitchen Sponges and Dishcloths: Microwave damp sponges for one minute. Wash dishcloths in the washing machine. Computer Keyboards and Mice: Use compressed air to remove debris. Wipe with a disinfectant wipe. "And I'll never feel guilty for that!" "Do you do your kitchen clean up at night or first thing?" Nicole asked in her video caption. "Or whenever you feel like it? BIG controversy!" As Nicole predicted, people slammed her in the comments section, with many having some choice names for her. "Lazy lazy lazy people," one raged. "This is what's wrong with GB these days. Self diagnosed scroungers!" "Don't matter how tired I am, having a clean home for my children to wake up to in the morning is a priority, even when I was heavily pregnant," another said. "You also have a man tell him to pull his weight instead of leaving it to you - it's just pure lazy." "Nope, I cant... it leaves smells in the house. and coming down to the smell of last nights dinner makes me feel sick," someone else said. "I couldn't sleep knowing there's a mess waiting for me - I would be an overwhelmed mess in the morning," another insisted. However, others defended Nicole, with some agreeing with her that it's more important to put self care first. "I don't get the comments on here," one said. "Leaving washing up overnight isn't the worst thing in the world! "If you know it is going to get done the next day then what's the issue?" "For God's sake," another added. "Stop coming for this lady just because she hasn't done her cleaning. "Leave her alone!" "I do & I've got a dishwasher, rest is important," a third commented. "No-one's on their deathbed wishing they'd done the dishes every night before bed," someone else said. 4
The Sun
08-06-2025
- Health
- The Sun
I have to tuck my belly into my pants after fat jabs made me tiny but other crazy side effects will cost me £9K to fix
FINISHING an eight-mile run, Tracy Hughes walks into her bathroom and turns on the shower. Wearing her form-fitting exercise kit, the mum-of-four has a svelte size 10 body that women half her age would be envious of. 8 8 8 But as Tracy, 47, peels off her leggings, she reveals a secret - her jelly belly - five pounds of loose and wobbly skin. 'I have lost seven stone in just eight months using fat jabs, ' she says. 'I used to weigh 20st and now I tip the scales at just 13st.' However, while Tracy is thrilled with her new physique, she admits her weight loss has come with plenty of unwanted side effects. 'Topping the list is my jelly belly and it has to be packed into my knickers and trousers every day,' she says. 'I have learnt no amount of exercise will make your body's skin shrink and ping back to normal. 'Now I have five pounds of loose skin on my stomach. The top of my thighs is also covered in flabby folds despite running eight miles a day, three days a week and working out at the gym.' But it isn't just her loose skin that is causing an issue for Tracy. 'I've also seen my feet and hands shrink dramatically and I now have a turkey neck, ' she adds. 'To fix these side effects, I'm planning on forking out more than £9,000 on plastic surgery, including a tummy tuck, face lift, liposuction, as well as filler and Botox. 'No one tells you about these side effects.' Regional childcare manager Tracy is married to Ian, 50, a postman and lives in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex. The pair have four daughters aged 30, 25, 21 and 14 and three grandchildren aged between three and five months old. Growing up, Tracy was slim but after she had her first child in 1995 she saw her weight creep up. 'I went from a svelte size 12 to an uncomfortable size 20,' she admits. 'I ballooned during pregnancy and couldn't shift the weight. 'After each child, I'd diet and exercise, but the weight never seemed to shift. 'If I did lose a few pounds, I'd pile it back on again. 'The food noise in my head was overwhelming, and I couldn't find an eating plan that worked for me,' she says. 8 8 Over the past 25 years, Tracy tried milkshake diets, low-fat eating, calorie counting, soup diets, juicing, even the Atkins eating plan and Keto diets to lose weight. 'I managed to lose five stone on the Cambridge Diet, but I couldn't control the food noise long enough and the weight piled back on again,' she says. 'I have been on a diet, or thinking about what diet to try next, for the past 25 years. It's been overwhelming.' At her biggest, Tracy was a size 20, tipping the scales at 20st and had a BMI of 45.4, making her obese and at risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. 'My family and I would spend £350 a month on greasy takeaways, I loved kebabs, burgers and curries,' she says. 'But I was covered in stretch marks and hated myself and my body.' Tracy admits her weight gain was also worsening her menopause symptoms. 'I couldn't sleep properly or get comfortable. I was constantly turning in bed. 'My husband made me sleep in another room, complaining that I was so hot it was like sleeping next to a radiator. 'Whenever I felt down, I was stuffing my face with McDonald's takeaways, Chinese and kebabs.' However, last September when the couple celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary with a vow renewal and a second honeymoon in Cyprus, it was breaking point. 'I looked back at the vow renewal photos and burst into tears. 'I just sobbed. I thought I looked like a whale. 'It was what I needed to make me determined to lose weight.' That was when Tracy decided to take the advice of a friend who'd attended her vow renewal. She recalls: 'When she arrived, I almost didn't recognise her. My pal had lost a huge amount of weight and was glowing. 'When I asked her what her secret was, she told me it was Mounjaro. 'So instead of relaxing on break in Cyprus, I ordered the weight loss jabs with a private prescription. 'The injections cost £170 a month and the month's supply arrived before we got home from our second honeymoon.' Tracy started taking Mounjaro in September last year and says within 24 hours she felt the food noise in her head stop for the first time in almost three decades. 'I woke up and wasn't wanting to eat or obsessing about food,' she says. 'I went for a walk that day and signed up to a gym.' 'I was thriving' Tracy lost a stone in the first month on Mounjaro and then each month after that the weight continued to drop off. 'Within a month, I was back running, slowly building up the distance day by day,' she says. 'I started going to the gym and training for a half marathon, my energy levels were through the roof. 'I was thriving, exercising. I was eating smaller portions. I no longer wanted a glass of wine, and I was only craving healthy foods like lean protein and vegetables.' However, in the last two months, Tracy admits she started noticing the unusual side effects while using the jab. 'As I lost the weight and was rapidly dropping dress sizes, I noticed my stomach was still flabby and floppy,' she says. 'It's when I hit the five-stone weight loss mark, I realised the skin wasn't going to ping back into shape even though I was running 24 miles a week and working out. 'Since then, the more I shrink, the more flab folds develop on my so-called 'Ozempic jelly belly'. 'It has to be packed into my tummy control knickers.' Tracy admits that her loose skin has put a stop to her wearing certain items of clothing. 'I can't wear a bikini until I have my 'Mounjaro plastic surgery makeover',' she says. 'I will have to wear a full swimsuit with tummy control pants to keep my belly folded into place.' Tracy is now planning on spending more than £9,000 on plastic surgery to iron out the side effects of her fat jabs. 'I know I need a tummy tuck liposuction, a breast uplift, and a thigh lift to deal with the loose skin left from the jabs,' she says. 'I tell people losing weight is only half the journey you have to start saving now for plastic surgery.' Everything you need to know about fat jabs Weight loss jabs are all the rage as studies and patient stories reveal they help people shed flab at almost unbelievable rates, as well as appearing to reduce the risk of serious diseases. Wegovy – a modified version of type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic – and Mounjaro are the leading weight loss injections used in the UK. Wegovy, real name semaglutide, has been used on the NHS for years while Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a newer and more powerful addition to the market. Mounjaro accounts for most private prescriptions for weight loss and is set to join Wegovy as an NHS staple this year. How do they work? The jabs work by suppressing your appetite, making you eat less so your body burns fat for energy instead and you lose weight. They do this my mimicking a hormone called GLP-1, which signals to the brain when the stomach is full, so the drugs are officially called GLP-1 receptor agonists. They slow down digestion and increase insulin production, lowering blood sugar, which is why they were first developed to treat type 2 diabetes in which patients' sugar levels are too high. Can I get them? NHS prescriptions of weight loss drugs, mainly Wegovy and an older version called Saxenda (chemical name liraglutide), are controlled through specialist weight loss clinics. Typically a patient will have to have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, classifying them as medically obese, and also have a weight-related health condition such as high blood pressure. GPs generally do not prescribe the drugs for weight loss. Private prescribers offer the jabs, most commonly Mounjaro, to anyone who is obese (BMI of 30+) or overweight (BMI 25-30) with a weight-related health risk. Private pharmacies have been rapped for handing them out too easily and video calls or face-to-face appointments are now mandatory to check a patient is being truthful about their size and health. Are there any risks? Yes – side effects are common but most are relatively mild. Around half of people taking the drug experience gut issues, including sickness, bloating, acid reflux, constipation and diarrhoea. Dr Sarah Jarvis, GP and clinical consultant at said: 'One of the more uncommon side effects is severe acute pancreatitis, which is extremely painful and happens to one in 500 people.' Other uncommon side effects include altered taste, kidney problems, allergic reactions, gallbladder problems and hypoglycemia. Evidence has so far been inconclusive about whether the injections are damaging to patients' mental health. Figures obtained by The Sun show that, up to January 2025, 85 patient deaths in the UK were suspected to be linked to the medicines. One side effect which shocked Tracy was just how much her feet changed on the fat jabs. 'I went to put on my work sandals a month ago and they are too big,' she explains. 'I thought I was seeing things, so I pulled out a similar pair and my feet were too small for them as well. 'The weight loss jabs caused my feet to shrink and go down a shoe size. 'In the past my old shoes were tight due to my feet swelling but to realise my feet have actually shrunk from size nine to a size seven-and-a-half is jaw dropping.' Tracy says she has had to spend hundreds replacing all of her old shoes. 'I knew I'd be buying new clothes because I was losing weight but buying new shoes because you have gone down a shoe size is unheard of,' she says. 'I sold my old plus-size clothes on Vinted and have made £800. I was going to use that for a weekend away. Now I have had to use it for new shoes.' Tracy has had to have all her rings resized due to her shrinking fingers too. 'My engagement ring pinged off in the shower and I thought I'd lost it,' she says. 'Now after a seven-stone weight loss my husband has bought me a new wedding ring and engagement ring, and they are an entire size smaller. 'I didn't think the jab would mean I'd have to get new wedding rings, but it happened.' Tracy is now experiencing turkey neck – another side effect of the jabs. 'I noticed a month ago my neck skin stretches out and my under-chin skin is floppier,' she says. 'I have added that to my list of cosmetic surgery makeovers.' But even with the various side effects, Tracy says it was all worth it. "I feel amazing as thin Tracy,' she says. "I am more in control. I am addicted to Mounjaro. I don't want to stop the jabs as I know they are helping me so much," she says. "I know many people would complain about these weird effects. "For me it was a shock initially. "But I'd rather experience the odd shrinking foot and jelly belly to be half the woman I was.' 8 8 8
