To think that GPs shouldn't be promoting this sexist, outdated rubbish?!

[NotTheNiceLadyDoctor]

I've namechanged for this, for reasons that will become obvious!

I'm a GP in the Midlands. I'm also currently 23 weeks pregnant with my first child. When I had my booking appointment with my midwife back in July, she gave me a big pack of stuff, which included Emma's Diary. For those of you who haven't had the grim experience of reading this particular publication, it's a booklet which mixes medical information about pregnancy with the fictionalised pregnancy diary of an idiot called Emma. The diary is peppered with all kinds of offensive comments and attitudes. The diary section normalises unhealthy attitudes towards weight gain and body image, and promotes pregnancy breast growth as a happy perk because it'll make men fancy you more, rather than because your boobs are preparing to feed a baby. Emma becomes so forgetful at work that she can barely do her job and wishes she'd gone on maternity leave as early as legally possible. It also promotes very dated attitudes about gender and relationships.

If you don't have a copy to hand, my Twitter thread last month gives a flavour of the kind of crap Emma's Diary is filled with: twitter.com/DrHFRyan/status/1025280307015168000

Incredibly, this offensive, misogynistic, outdated publication is still being officially endorsed by the Royal College of General Practitioners. I have a huge, huge problem with this as a GP. I don't think that family doctors should be normalising these kinds of attitudes about pregnancy, body image, and gender roles.

Personally, I'd like nothing more than for Emma's Diary to fall off the face of the earth, but as a compromise, I'd feel a lot happier if the Royal College of GPs wasn't associated with it in any way. Can I please ask you to sign my petition if you feel the same way?

www.gopetition.com/petitions/stop-rcgp-endorsing-emmas-diary.html

If you happen to be a doctor - I know there are a few of us on here! - you can also read my blog for Pulse magazine on the subject: www.pulsetoday.co.uk/views/blogs/dr-heather-ryan/a-right-royal-mess-why-is-rcgp-still-endorsing-emmas-diary/20037467.article

(To be clear, I am very much speaking in my personal capacity here, and not as a representative of my GP surgery or any of the organisations I'm involved with.)

Most of the leaflet does look outdated and I've never read it. I do however feel sad that you are rude about the fact she used a TENS machine and gas and air. You're a doctor in an impressionable position. Many women do want epidurals. Personally, I found the thought of an epidural terrifying and looked at other options. I did my homework and signed up to hypnobirthing classes and only had gas and air. I highly recommend looking into other options, you might surprise yourself and your patients and even become an advocate.

Emma’s diary annoyed me as well, as it seemed to open me up to LOADS of unwanted marketing calls from companies while I was pregnant, including lots from an energy company ‘I can see it’s your due date soon, would you like to sign up for xxxx plan’ I’m ok thanks ‘but with the baby coming soon? , errmmm obviously I have electricity and heating just not with you! I guess freebies are never freebies and should have known my details would get sold on but I thought I’d got rid of all those annoying calls when I changed my number!

Love your Twitter thread - hope the petition works

Fantastic twitter thread! Poor Emma, who has been pregnant for decades.

I'm going to write Nick's Diary. It will be childish scrawl on the backs of envelopes and scraps of The Sun.

Dear Editer, here is my diery. Sorry about the riting, I grazed my knuckles on the flore aggen.

Entry 1
WAHHAAAAY knocked her up, di'n I???? LAAAAAADS!!!! I AM A LEGEND.

Entry 2
Bitch won't fuck me. Not even a blowy. I've told her how sexy her massive tits are and nothing. I'll call her fat again, see how she likes it. I'm gonna fuck Marie off reception again. She better not give me clap for a third time, bitch.

Entry 3
Fucking Emma useless cow. Talking about not working after my Son arrives (it better fuckin not be a girl - we don't need no scan to tell me I dun her up with a BOY) so she can sit on her fat arse and spend my money. She ain't written a thing about her online bingo habit in her fuckin diary, has she?

Entry 4
Buy beer.
Clap clinic.
Delete browsing history.

Entry 5
Marie has agreed to take it up the wrong 'un. This is without doubt the best day of my life.

PS Emma had a baby last week or something, and it wasn't even a boy. I'm gonna LTB. She's humiliated me. At least I've got Marie's arse to cheer me up and the lads will respect me again.

@Fromage, that is hilarious! It's vile and depressing, obvs, but so is Nick!

I never received a pack. Bought my self a baby book so I knew what to expect as I had absolutely no idea; hadn't been brought up around babies and children, no parents for advice and friends hadn't had their children yet. I would have followed it if I had received one though as I was cluless.

Signed. Have avoided most of the freebies packs and clubs this time around. Sorting out the baby's room yesterday found loads of the free samples I never bothered with the first time.

I reckon Emma is the kind of woman who'd be posting on Netmums, not Mumsnet, and she'd have one of those tickers in her signature

I’ve signed and I absolutely agree with the substance of what you’re complaining about. It’s great that one of their members has picked it up as that will hold more weight.

But what this thread seems to demonstrate is that women who hold the same views as you have been writing it off as bullshit for the last two decades anyway. If you really want to change something then it would probably help to be less sneery about the women who might find something to identify with in Emma.

My dd is 12 yo now and I don't remember Emma's diary, it sounds almost sounds worth it just for comedic value 😉

I know the bounty thing is wrong but when I had dd I was a single parent and penniless so the freebies were really appreciated. They def didn't come round taking photos or harressing me when dd was in scbu though, I'm sure I would have felt very differently if so.

I can’t remember whether it was the ‘main’ bit of pregnancy/birth info book given to me by my midwife. If it was then in hindsight it is quite patronising to be given it in a sugar-coated, dumbed-down, chick-lit style ‘diary book’, like women can only process important information this way.

Signed. Love your Twitter rants. My dc are 22, 17 and 16. I hated bloody Emma. Can’t believe this crap is still around.

It's still going???? I complained about it to my own GP when I was pg with dd who is now 19!

Signed. Keep up the good work.

Brilliant news this evening - RCGP have announced they are ending their relationship with Emma's Diary! Although the reason cited is the data selling and subsequent fine (see ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/news-and-events/news-and-blogs/2018/08/emma-s-diary-fined-140-000-for-selling-personal-information-for-political-campaigning/ ), I am delighted that the College will no longer be associated with such an outdated and offensive publication. Thank you all so, so much for your support

Well done!!!

Excellent news!

Oh, well done! Bloody well done!,

wow, congrats.

You've done a great thing!

Oh well done! now I know my dd will never have to be subjected to it. Mind you, RCGP will probably choose something equally stupid to replace it.