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January 2012 - Thread 3

989 replies

ParsleyLion1 · 01/08/2011 19:14

And we're back......

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
MakesCakesWhenStressed · 05/08/2011 08:19

redhead - the hypnobirthing 'movement' as such was started by Marie Mongan, so she's kind of the authority on the matter, however I would say that material by any accredited hypnotherapist should be fairly good. The woman who is running the course I'm to do has written a couple of books, I think - just check they're accredited and read the reviews.

I recently re-read 'NightWatch' by Sarah Waters - a slightly baffling book to start with, but fascinating for showing a side of history that doesn't often get representation in fiction (lesbian view of WW2 anyone?)

I would highly recommend Elizabeth Berg for sheer beauty of writing. Her style is so simple, but so moving and I feel like she manages to capture those fleeting moments that break your heart with such truthfulness. My favourite book of hers is 'Never Change', but be prepared for a bit of a cry.

'The Sweetness At The Bottom Of The Pie' amused me - it's a cross between a detective novel and 'I Capture The Castle' - very whimsical, but intriguing with some strange family dynamics.

'The Guernsey Literary and Potato Pie Society' is also worth a read and apparently so is 'The Help', though I haven't tackled that one yet...

Oh well, hope this gives you some ideas - your tastes and mine don't necessarily collide, so read the blurb before purchase! I would recommend 'Never Change' to anyone with a heart though - the most beautiful and moving book. Won't be offended if you ignore all other suggestions however :-)

Moobee · 05/08/2011 08:26

Hi all!

I'm on holiday in Wales and just managed to find a wifi point to catch up quickly. I had a bit of a scare earlier in the week with a slight trickling sensation too. The next morning, I was convinced my bump had disappeared. I insisted on going to the local hospital which didn't have any midwife support. The only help I could get was chatting to a midwife on the phone who was reassuring, but I'll be looking forward to the 20 week scan.

The bump does seem to be back and as it's so high (I expand out rapidly from the ribs down!) I know it's bloat really.

I do wish we hadn't gone though as not only wasn't I able to see anyone, but my husband got blood over him and his trousers which was on the chair from the person before - really gross.

Hello to makescakes I'm in Oxfordshire too, I'd love to meet up as well if there was ever an Oxford meet. :)

redhead I'll think about some books - I love Oliver Sacks books too and read quite a lot - I'll post when back from hold next week.

ParsleyLion1 · 05/08/2011 08:32

redhead if you like books with complex characters/ family situations plus a bit of social history etc I would recommend "A Suitable Boy" by Vikram Seth. Set in India just after partition; follows several families. Also very long so lasts ages. :)

OP posts:
redheadbedhead · 05/08/2011 08:39

parsley I tried that a long time ago and didn't get anywhere but I think I might give it another go because people keep suggesting it - thanks!

and makescakes thanks so much for all those ideas, I'll go look them all up - although I don't have a great success rate with historical fiction, so might skip that one!! Never Change sounds good

anyone else? Smile

mummyzoe2012 · 05/08/2011 09:01

thanks girls, i was in a and e going to go to the midwife drop in centre session to see someone today as hopital did not check baby over, so going to go and see if she can reasure me and explain protine in wee to me.

ParsleyLion1 · 05/08/2011 09:15

Hope it goes OK mummyzoe

OP posts:
MakesCakesWhenStressed · 05/08/2011 09:16

Hi Moobee - why don't you come join us on our thread? I'll link you here :-)

Whereabouts in Oxon are you? I'm down near Wallingford and love it, but everyone else on our thread seems to be much closer to Oxford itself. Any ideas on a venue for a meet up?

I'm just waiting for someone to come and collect some large bits of cardboard. They said on Freecycle they were making a spaceship (not a real one) and needed cardboard, so I generously offered mine

Oeisha · 05/08/2011 09:31

My fav authors are Paulo Coehlo (great writing, give him a go), Anne Rice (my version of the 'chick lit' ultimatly readable) and sci-fi, so not of much use, especially as I'm a qualified Librarian and everyone expects me to have read EVERYTHING. Most local libraries should (if they have any sense) have a copy of "Who Else Writes Like...?" behind the desk...look up your fav. authors and, well, I think the name of the explains it quite well.
There is currently a free trial subscription to whoelsewriteslike.com...though I've never used the online version myself.

mummyzoe I hope you get some answers. I'd be a blubbering wreck if I were in your situation.

ghosteditor · 05/08/2011 09:33

eek this thread is moving fast! Sorry if I miss something...

mummyzoe that sounds worrying and awful - fx that it stops soon and you find out what the problem is.

moobee sorry to hear about your scare, but sounds like things are ok now. Do join the Oxford list if you haven't already. Cakes and I are almost single-handedly keeping the list alive at the moment!

redhead our reading tastes don't overlap much I'm afraid - not a fan of Franzen or a particular fan of modern American lit; it's all become so bleak and 'common man' these days. However I second the vote for A Suitable Boy (I've read it twice!). In the same vein I would very much recommend A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry. But then I have a thing for post-colonial lit.

(now wishing I'd kept a list of everything I've read this year - really meant to! Next year, next year...).

I also recommend The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon which I read earlier this year and enjoyed - and it's American! I've been re-reading a lot of books this year (many books from teenage years - comfort reading really) so I don't have all that much to recommend. My favourite kink is post-apocalyptic fiction so if you are interested in that kind of thing I can provide a huuuuge list.

ghosteditor · 05/08/2011 09:35

oh and ps, '16' week MW appt today at lunchtime - anything I should be asking?

MakesCakesWhenStressed · 05/08/2011 09:46

That's a good point - I have mine on Monday and could do with the answers to this query :-)

redheadbedhead · 05/08/2011 09:54

thanks guys, keep em coming. Can't do Coehlo I'm afraid - makes me want to punch myself in the head Wink but whoelsewriteslike sounds like a great idea. Will run off and google right away.

post-apocalyptic sounds good - what authors are you thinking ghost? I read Margaret Atwoods sci-fi futury books and quite enjoyed a lot of them.

Moobee · 05/08/2011 10:14

makescakes how weird - I posted there back in May but obviously lost the thread! I was new to mumsnet then and found it hard to refind threads if I'd not posted for a few days. Thanks for the reminder!

I'm in Didcot but used to live in Oxford so I know it quite well.

ghosteditor · 05/08/2011 10:15

redheadI just re-read A Handmaid's Tale actually - so full of awesomeness. I love Oryx and Crake too Grin

Some of my favourites are:

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
Riddley Walker by Russell Hoban (written in a new dialect - so fascinating, and I wrote on it for my thesis
The Road by Cormac McCarthy (though very bleak and will stay with you - careful what you put in your brain!)
Girlfriend in a Coma by Douglas Coupland

And there are a lot of 1950s/60s American postapocalyptic novels which I like, though they have a different vibe to the above:

A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter Miller
Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank
Earth Abides by George R Stewart
The Death of Grass by John Christopher
Anything by John Wydham

I could go on but won't! If you get on with any of these, let me know, and I'll take another look at my post-apocalyptic shelf (yes, really) and see what else I have.

Moobee · 05/08/2011 10:15

I hope things go ok for you mummyzoe.

ghosteditor · 05/08/2011 10:15

thought we'd seen you on there moobee. I tend to add the quieter threads to 'I'm watching' you can always find them Grin

ghosteditor · 05/08/2011 10:16

also, sorry ladies, should have posted in redhead's other thread, not here Wink

Fryn · 05/08/2011 10:44

mummyzoe - hope they explain what that's all about. How alarming - although if they didn't keep you in, it mustn't be anything too awful (hopefully!)

redhead - I'm afraid I'm more of a nordic crime lover (ahh, those horizons, the long dark nights, the depressed Scandinavians - lovely!), but I'm just reading Tony & Susan by Austin Wright. I'm not loving it, but it's an interesting idea and is very "American" iykwim, so you might like it - and besides, I need someone else to read it so I can hear their views!
Nourishment by Gerard Woodward was good (dark humour) - don't think it fits into any of your categories, but something a bit different.
I love Kate Atkinson as well - I presume you've tried her?

makescakes - 'The Sweetness At The Bottom Of The Pie' sounds right up my street! I love I Capture the Castle - it's basically my childhood fantasy lived out!

MakesCakesWhenStressed · 05/08/2011 10:52

Fryn - then you have to try it. I absolutely loved the main protagonist - an 11 grl who's obsessed with chemistry and is the detective of the story. She should be really precocious and irritating, but somehow the whole thing is just charming and naive.

OK. I posted on another thread yesterday about some spotting I had had and how I didn't want to be one of those paranoid pregnant women who rang the MW for every little thing, but Ghost persuaded me too and I got a really helpful response. Anyway, the spotting stopped, so no worries there, but my tummy has been really tender for a few days now and my mood keeps plummeting so I feel really tired and low. It seems daft to ring the MW about this, too, but I'm just feeling really sorry for myself, so do I leave it til my 16 week appt on Monday, or do I call them and make a nuisance of myself? I'm 17 + 1, just in case that's relevant.

BunMyOven · 05/08/2011 11:17

Cakes I always think that if there's anything you're concerned about give them a ring so that they can either reassure you or if there was a problem it can get dealt with as soon as possible. That's what they're there for and are happy to help Smile
Hope you and mummyzoe have everything sorted asap, thinking of you both, it's not nice to have worries when you just want to be enjoying being pregnant.

Loving the reading suggestions, I'm getting a Kindle for my birthday next month so am taking note!

DP told me last night that I'm starting to look pregnant with my 'pot belly' rather than just fat - got to love his sensitive way with words!! Grin

redheadbedhead · 05/08/2011 11:25

Glad you're enjoying book talk Bun! but I'm feeling slightly like I've hijacked the thread so any more ideas you lovely ladies please can you post in my lonely thread here Grin

MakesCakesWhenStressed · 05/08/2011 11:38

Thanks for the advice bun. If it helps my DH said almost exactly the same thing to me this morning "That's definitely a bump, not 'who ate all the pies?'"
Hmm

BunMyOven · 05/08/2011 11:45

Haha cakes! Men

The post man delivered a maternity top and pair of jeans that I bought from ebay this morning - heaven! Finally comfortable whilst looking presentable and all for the bargainous sum of £15 for the two items Smile

MakesCakesWhenStressed · 05/08/2011 11:57

Maternity wear is fabulous - not only is it lovely and comfy, but it makes you look even more bumpy and less pie-y ;)

Just rang the MW and she said to see my GP, so I called the GP's surgery and got an appt for 4pm today Shock

I think it must be a ombination of much more efficient practice than my old one and the magic words 'I'm pregnant', though to be fair I did say I rang the MW first, so maybe she took me a bit more seriously... Thanks for the advice/ssupport though - it's so hard to know whether you're making a fuss or not, isn;t it?

BunMyOven · 05/08/2011 12:08

That's great news! and a miracle (about the swift appointment)!
It really is difficult to know, especially when so many of the 'normal' symptoms of being pregnant are painful/uncomfortable/plain miserable! Wink

That's definatley true about the clothes, I really do look pregnant now rather than pie-y! Hoorah! Grin

Good luck with the GP appointment later, let us know how you get on.

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