Masochistic Mommy

You see the world from your own perspective – of course you do. What can be harder to recognise is that not everyone else does. When you’re a child, most of the people in your world are focused on you most of the time. When you’re two, for example, you can scream when you’re hungry and someone will produce food for you. But that’s not going to work when you’re 20. Okay, so you’re thinking “No shit Sherlock”. But there are other ways in which we can all too easily assume that the world is focused on us when in fact no one is giving us a thought. Parenting is the mother of all imagined theatrical stages. We picture ourselves centre-stage, with all eyes on *our* performance. Either we think people are “breastfeeding at us ”, or a scientific study is a conspiracy to make us feel bad , or someone pointing out the risks of circumcision is spoiling for a fight with us. Such self-centrism is an easy trap to fall into. Yet part of growing up is recognising that other people might not have us in...

A man called Pete Hunt has created a 'Breastfeeding Volume Monitor' which he is showcasing at a forthcoming design convention . The gadget is a... "new and exciting product, which measures how much milk a baby is consuming during breastfeeding to give the mother peace of mind and ensure that they have a healthy feeding baby. The device gives real time feedback of how much a baby is consuming without interfering with the breastfeeding, so therefore action can be taken before the baby becomes ill, saving the baby’s health, medical costs and easing the parents’ anxieties" (Press release). The device has a rubber panel that attaches to the mother's breast. This is then attached to a circuit board with a digital display. More images here . My thoughts on this contraption? You don't need to be hooked up like C-3PO to know how much your baby is consuming. Diaper output and infant alertness are adequate gauges. I fear this device, whilst arguably well-intentioned, wil...

Did you know that if you follow the standard, “What I need for my baby” list for the next 21 years, then your child could cost you over $200,000 (that’s $9,500 per year, or $800 per month), even without being privately educated. The marketing clout of the baby industry has got a lot to answer for. The reality is that most of the items we are told we should buy for our babies are unnecessary . This timeline will expose the common (and not-so-common) culprits. If you’re new to starting a family, it will hopefully give you the advantage that many second-time parents enjoy. Jump to... Pregnancy 1 Week Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5 Month 6 Month 8 Month 11 12 Months 18 Months 2 Years 3 Years Pregnancy: Maternity clothes: There’s no reason why you cannot wear your normal clothes instead of purchasing ‘maternity wear’ often at inflated prices. Items such as wrap-around dresses, smock tops, tunic tops, dresses ...