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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To be pissed off with the Yummy Mummy Survival Guide?

45 replies

babyignoramus · 21/08/2008 17:49

Sorry rant here - but I'm only in the second chapter and this book is getting on my tits.

Included in the pregnancy bit is a suggestion that you re-consider keeping your pets and don't visit farms, zoos, pet shops or vets. The tone of it has made me so . Apart from the blatant scare mongering (or course you can visit a zoo ffs - just don't touch any animals and wash your hands after) pets are a commitment. Most people realise when they take on a pet that they might add a baby to the mix one day.
"ok, I've had my cat for two year and it's served its purpose as a baby substitute, but I'm having a real one now, so off it goes". Are people really that selfish and shallow? What happened to a dog is for life? The only reason I'd dream of re-homing my pets is if a) the baby is allergic or b) the pets themselves are unhappy at the change.

Sorry, rant over.

OP posts:

MrsTittleMouse · 21/08/2008 21:40

The thing that I hated most about Yummy Mummy was the advice on eating and nutrition during pregnancy. It is so driven by the need to not gain too much weight, and no wonder as she has an eating disorder. All about only eating 5 calories more a day because the foetus is so small, and nothing about the increase in metabolism or the extra calories needed to grow an enormous uterus/placenta/all the extra blood and amniotic fluid and breast capable of breastfeeding.

Tis very smug too, I'm glad that she isn't a friend of mine as it's all "I did it first amongst my circle of friends and therefore I know best". To be honest, I'm a bit about the whole "I had children, but look! I still have a career" when that career is based solely on whittering on about your childrasising experiences. Not really something that we can all aspire too, is it?

MrsMattie · 21/08/2008 21:43

The book sounds like utter drivel.

p.s. agree with paolosgirl. People who think 2 dried apricots satisifies a craving for cheesecake are nutty.

JuneBugJen · 21/08/2008 21:45

its a hateful piece of shite.

Only glad I got it from the library so it only wasted my time and not money.

hf128219 · 21/08/2008 21:45

Read the book - found it relatively amusing.

Re cat(s) - I have a cat and spent my whole pregnancy alone due to dh being in Afghanistan.

What was I meant to do? Leave the cat poo in the litter tray?

TooMuchCider · 21/08/2008 21:47

But what's all the stuff about waxing? I would never read this book and have to know - how does she manage to go on about it? And why?

All seems v peculiar to me...

hf128219 · 21/08/2008 21:49

I don't remember the bits about waxing - I would have thought that is just normal female grooming.

Naetha · 21/08/2008 21:50

I stopped reading the book at the point where it suggested getting rid of your pets.

I have 3 cats, they are also my babies, and DS 8 mo absolutely loves them.

hf128219 · 21/08/2008 21:52

Naetha - does DS like to stroke them? My dd's face lights up when the cat walks into the room, and throws out her arms. So sweet!

preggersplayspop · 21/08/2008 21:53

I didn't like it either. She recommends clothes for babies from places like Ralph Lauren.

I also found the eating stuff a bit worrysome. She was basically saying don't eat too much when pregnant in case you get fat. Got her priorities totally mixed up IMO.

There was also some guff about not letting your baby get into the bad habit of 'snacking' when breastfeeding. I was worried about this for a while because my DS only fed for 7 mins max at a time so I was fretting about all these bad habits I was apparently getting into. Bollocks - he was guzzling loads in that time.

scottishmummy · 21/08/2008 22:03

LOL what were you doing reading such an obviously shallow book.yummy mummy=smug perky.

bin it,you are not compelled to read it

Naetha · 21/08/2008 22:06

Stroking is one way of describing it - two of our cats stay well away, but the other is a big softie and doesn't mind his fur being pulled. I can see them becoming very close over the next few years.

The only downside is that DS has developed a taste for cat biscuits...

MamaHobgoblin · 21/08/2008 22:13

Flipped through it in the local bookshop, and then had to be led away by DH in mid-rant, gibbering... HORRIBLE book. Uck. As for getting rid of pets, aside from morals of giving them the shove, my baby already dotes on the cat and has to be disuaded from clutching her to his sticky bosom.

Ralph Lauren baby clothes? Really?? Gah.

GothMummy · 22/08/2008 00:14

Oh I think that book is awful, I picked it up in the supermarket once and it annoyed me just scanning the pages.

About the animals/lambs thing, I have horses and other animals, handled them regularly through pregnancy and didnt even know that you should avoid lambing ewes, so I was in contact with sheep/lambs. Another time I would probably not kiss the sheep daily but thats as far as it goes ;)

wigparty · 22/08/2008 00:54

tbh, she sounds like a complete cock
Do you reckon she MNs?

katiechops · 22/08/2008 13:08

I read yummy mummy survival guide when pg and found it really quite amusing, but in a "OMG! This woman is a complete knob!" kind of way.

Was particularly shocked at her advice for what to eat during pregnancy (something along the lines of small bowl of musili with skimmed milk for breakfast, tuna sandwich and apple for lunch, grilled chicken and salad for dinner, with snacks of some dried apricots and maybe a ricecake), then finding out that she had an eating disorder and was actively bulimic during one of her pregnancies.

beanieb · 22/08/2008 13:13

"Included in the pregnancy bit is a suggestion that you re-consider keeping your pets"

rally fucks me off. People are always mailing round my work to try and get rid of their pets because they are pregnant or their partner is pregnant.

NicMac · 22/08/2008 19:14

HATED it with a passion, complete pants

Original poster

babyignoramus · 22/08/2008 19:33

Just broke the news to my sister that I hate it - to which she said 'ha! it's shit innit?'. I think this may have been a ploy to wind me up........!

OP posts:

scottishmummy · 22/08/2008 19:38

never read it, couldn't stomach the cringey smug title.i am content to never know its full banality

LittleDorrit · 22/08/2008 22:07

Spicemonster and Hester - I know the book you are talking about - it's still on my bookshelf - The Fat Ladies Club. I really hated it too - read it 2.5 years ago, so don't remember too much about it - but I remember thinking it was badly written and that some of the content was very annoying !!! (yes, felt very sad when found out one of them died...)

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