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Aphie 26 Wollongong, Australia: 2cil8i3piwg8f; Share

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Birth Announcement
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Started this discussion. Last reply by Marta Jespersen Jun 24.

To Educate, or not to educate What was the question?

Replied Apr 19

What does Feminism mean to you?

Replied Apr 16

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Aphie added 2 new blog posts. View Aphie's blog posts Jun 2

Aphie's profile changed Jun 2

Aphie started a discussion called Birth Announcement Jun 2

Aphie added the blog post 'Why "Yummy Mummy" is still a sexist term, even if *you* personally don't mean it that way' Apr 19

Aphie replied to the discussion To Educate, or not to educate What was the question? Apr 19

Aphie commented on the blog post Get it? Apr 19

Aphie replied to the discussion What does Feminism mean to you? Apr 16

Aphie replied to the discussion Raising Socially Conscious Children Apr 11

Profile

About Me:: Eldest child partnered with an eldest child.
I have a BA in Communications and Cultural Studies, a passion for books and literature, and I speak Very Bad French.
I had an evolving list of Things To Do before I Am Ever A Mother. Of the ones remaining, I kept them all. Including the one about living in a foreign country, and the one about visiting Paris, finally.

I have a Very Small Son.
His name is Morgan Bryce, and his father and I hope to raise him to be the coolest, most feminist little boy ever, against pressure from both our families to produce a heavily gender-normed child.
At the moment, most of my input to him consists of trying to ensure he gets enough breast milk, however.

I'm slightly snarky. Somewhat melancholic. Very crafty.

Do you consider yourself a Feminist?: Ever since I was a teenager.

Are you...: a housewife, a woman who shoulders all domestic responsibility for your family

Relationship Status:: In a Committed Relationship, It's Complicated

Website:: http://botticellibabe.livejournal.com

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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

Posted on June 2nd, 2008 at 5:48am — 1 Comment (Add)

Morgan's Birth Story

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

Posted on June 2nd, 2008 at 5:46am — No Comments (Add)

Why "Yummy Mummy" is still a sexist term, even if you personally don't mean it that way

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

Posted on April 19th, 2008 at 2:43am — 1 Comment (Add)

Sex predictions

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

Posted on March 4th, 2008 at 3:13am — 3 Comments (Add)

The business of birth

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

Posted on February 26th, 2008 at 4:27pm — 2 Comments (Add)

Comment Wall (13 comments)

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At 9:48am on April 10th, 2008, Emily HW said…: Excellent! Sounds like you guys are all set for Splodge. I'd love to have a craft room myself. I have so much random cloth that it almost needs it's own room. :-)

So, I'm having a Squirt of d00m myself! I'm about 10 weeks along, so I'm a bit envious seeing you towards the end. I must admit, I'm not a good pregnant woman. ;p

At 5:57pm on April 1st, 2008, Emily HW said…: Aphie, where have you been?

At 8:45am on March 4th, 2008, Nelly said…: Oops sorry....that probably happens a lot, we're getting that a lot over here at the moment, people keep trying to spell my partner's name the French way so he keeps having to send bankcards and insurance forms back!
I used to think London was too busy and loud and well not very British (it felt like a foreign country to me) but in the last few years I started going more and more and really looked forward to an excuse to go, I think once your not intimidated by it and know your way around a bit it helps.
I'm originally from the Midlands but I lived around Cardiff for uni so that's pretty much where I call home now, I think it's still my favourite place in the world as well.
Belgium I suppose is pretty exotic but surprisingly it doesn't have the rich and varied culture that the UK has, I guess I was spoilt by the weekend trips to museums and historic sites, Brussels is so small that we pretty much exhausted it's "places of interest" in the first month but on the other hand we can now say "hmm I'm bored lets go to France/holland/germany today" :)
When we moved here we knew it would very much be a sink or swim kind of thing and that was part of the appeal but we didn't have much time to think it through really and perhaps concentrated a little too much on the excitement, I don't think we'll be moving somewhere where we don't speak the language again anyway!
I love the name of where you live, Wollongong that's an exotic name if ever I heard one! Where abouts is that?

At 7:51am on March 3rd, 2008, Nelly said…: Hi Alphie,

I miss London and the UK something terrible, i've been here in Belgium 6 months now, it is very pretty and a bit of an adventure but really I guess it's true that's there's nowhere like home! I've always wanted to go to Australia, I love the idea of big empty expanses of land where you can see for miles, there's nowhere to experience that kind of peace over here. How did you find London?

At 1:37pm on February 29th, 2008, Barbara said…: Hi!
Thanks for the welcome!! This looks like a great place!! Right now im trying to get a web design business off the ground. I dont have any clients yet but just trying to get my domain perfected so I can advertise.

At 10:51pm on February 12th, 2008, Gloria said…: Hi Alphie, I know women carry a wicked load, besides the usual, and by usual I am sure you know what I mean. I mean the constant "keep up" with friends and neighbors, especially the working mothers and friends. And sometime meaning to or not, add thier input about being better able to provide for thier families.
I find it difficult at best to say, "look as odd as it may sound" I have a purpose besides just being housewife. This at times goes over as well as the Hidenberg, at times it hurts even more, because my husband would love to see me have a job. He is bossy, not that he means to be, but hes a man. And men are bossy in general, hes good don't get me wrong, but he really dosen't get how exhausting it can be to raise children, and during the period of time we are in, I find it downright exhausting. Most of the time they are self indulgent, my oldest son left because of feeling that he was not understood. I have another that is 25 and looking to go, he earned a nice salary this past year, it is all gone. Not one dollar barely to speak of in the bank, hes got a serious girl friend who he wants to marry as soon as they can afford it. Then I have my 21 year old daughter, she is big into anything hair. She works very hard at her "art" as I will call it. She loves what she does, she dosen't barely lift a finger otherwise, it might be dangerous to pick up clothes off the floor, the sink is definitely forbidden, lets not bother to touch the toilet either, I am sure there are forocious monsters that come out when nobody is there. My fifeteen year old, reminds me of someone that is not only self-confident bossy like her dad, she is actually the only one, that me and my husband have together. The others are mine from my previous marraige, he has done everything he possibly could to be a good father figure, but as we know those are always testy and difficult mixes. But my kids definitely relate to him as Dad. Otherwise, now that you know me a little better,I will wait to see your next post. Lots of luck, I believe you are expecting? Write me back I want to know.

At 12:18pm on February 7th, 2008, robyn said…: Hi Aphie,
I work with a group that supports and empowers women through pregnancy and the birth process to advocate for and educate themselves with evidenced based information. My personal belief is that reproductive rights extends beyond conception and should include a woman's right to give birth how and where she feels safest and most comfortable. If you are interested, I recommend the book Pushed by Jennifer Block.

Yeah, I did social work for 10 years before burning out and "retiring" to be with my son. I am going for my yoga teaching certification this summer which is very exciting.

At 11:23pm on January 14th, 2008, Cassandra said…: Also? Your blog post concerning fears about how people will treat your child based on their gender was absolutely fantastic. For a minute, I thought it was something I wrote and didn't know how it had published itself on the internet. *hugs* :)

At 11:16pm on January 14th, 2008, Cassandra said…: Hi Aphie!
Thanks for the confidence-building comments! They're very, very much appreciated!

And, if I can make an assumption, I'm really looking forward to commiserating with you about pregnancy symptoms and sleep deprivation later on--as well as tackling social injustice issues important to feminism. =P I wish you all the luck in the world with along your journey to motherhood, and oh believe me, I'm here with you (and if I can make another assumption, just as terrified!).

(Hee, it seems like there's a lot of eldest children in this community... I'm one and so is my husband.)

At 8:43pm on January 2nd, 2008, Lyndsay said…: Thanks, we think she's pretty cute too! When I go back to school it will be for Russian women's history. Congratulations on your little one to come, do you know if it's a girl? boy? Or are you going to wait and be surprised?