Aphie's Blog (8)

Morgan had a very wet, wheezy cough and kept spewing up nasty, sweet-smelling yellow stuff all day. "Completely normal for a newborn", one of the midwives on the ward told me,"especially caesareans. They don't have it all squeezed out of their lungs during the birth process. He'll clear it out in… Continue

I had my usual midwife checkup on Thursday, and the doctor had booked me in for External Cephalic Version (baby turning) on Friday, after which he advised they'd chemically attempt to induce labour if successful, and probably give me a caesarean, if not. My local hospital doesn't allow for vaginal breech births, so I knew if we couldn't get Splodge to turn my only option was a c-section, and since I was both very tired of being pregnant, and knew there were worried noises being made about my blo… Continue

I don't think it's possible to add anything to Kate Harding's most fabulous address of just why this American Vogue cover is racist - and about why it's not okay to insist that those of us who do get it are hypersensitive, overreacting, "looking for racism everywhere, etc." BUT I would really, REALLY like to point this article out to those whom I've had discussions with re: Feminism in… Continue

I checked out a bunch of Old Wives' Tales today on predictions of what bits Splodge will have.

This one says I am having a girl.
As does this one.
These lists suggest an hermaphrodite, with girlish leanings!
The… Continue

Here in Australia we have national, free healthcare for the majority of necessary procedures - including birth. I'm under the public healthcare system so the costs of my birth are covered by the government. This will include any possible surgery or help for myself or my child (though everything's been "textbook" so far and *knock wood* will continue to be). It's not a perfect system by any stretch, but from what I've gathered about the US version of healthcare it's VERY good - and it's certainly… Continue

This comic is incredibly sad. It also the reason I always swore I would not have children until I wanted them, and part of the reason why I am pro-choice, and why I am so strongly in favour of my friends (and others) to choose to be childfree.

I spent much of my childhood feeling like that kid in the bed. It's not funny, and it's not fair. Nobody should ever feel like that. Continue

May I just mention how much I loathe and despise the term "yummy mummy"?
I have serious concerns for the mental health and wellbeing of any individual who uses the phrase at all seriously or repeatedly.
Not only does the term suggest that, as a mother, you aren't normally 'yummy' (and we'll leave the infantilised sexual overtones of THAT little word-gem right alone, because it's so not worth it), but the connotation is that you should want to be. "Yummy Mummy" is… Continue

Everybody wants to know what gender Splodge is.
New-made acquaintances at this Christmas past thought nothing of swanking up five minutes after introduction and asking "So do you know if it's a boy or a girl?"
An old friend from highschool asked me early on 'What do you want?"
When I confessed to desiring a daughter she turned on me an incredulous look "But what if it's a boy?"
The hormones urged me to snap "I'll shove it back in and demand a refund!" but I was ever so controlled… Continue