Postnatal Incontinence

This morning's Woman's Hour had a lovely piece on Ethiopian fistula hospitals.

I spent the time blinking back tears, thinking of the months I spent smelling, making myself constipated so that I wouldn't be incontinent, bringing clean underwear for myself in the nappy bag along with pads, begging in tears to be allowed to use the disabled toilets in public places because the usual ones were almost impossible.

Last time I heard Woman's Hour cover this issue I emailed them furiously because they didn't differentiate between a rectocele, a fourth degree tear, and a fistula - I don't have a fistula, never did. This time they were much clearer in their descriptions, and they didn't say "never" happens in the developed world, but "almost never."

That felt a lot better.

Gender relations, a la Linnea

O likes girls. Some boys, who don't have much time with their mum, don't like girls. That's interesting, isn't it? Boys who have a baby brother and who don't spend much time with their mum don't like girls but O always spends much time with his mum.

L has a baby sister so it doesn't matter he doesn't spend so much time with his mum,it's ok.

Baby girls like big girls.

... this stuff is all SO COMPLICATED. No wonder she wants rules.

Packing, knitting, sewing, sitting

I've packed a rucksack for the four of us to go to Dublin for five days. And now I'm sitting here with my knitting on my lap, wondering whether I will summon up the energy and fingertip-impermeability to mend my desperately useful travelling handbag, which incidentally matches the clothes I've set aside to wear while travelling.

I'm contemplating necklaces. I wish I hadn't lost my wooden bead bracelet; I think I left it at the Globe Cafe or John Lewis, the day I met the publishers.

I'd love to bring some knitting with me to Dublin. I might finish something. You never know! There's this peculiar cardi, which I'm oddly determined about, and a nice little bag-thing.

Ah - medicines. I'd forgotten those. Vitamin pills and Evening Primrose Oil, and snore-stuff. And the birthday gifts!!! Here they are unwrapped on my desk.

Rob has a list of errands to run tomorrow lunchtime. I have a list of things to get done too, with both girls in tow. He has less time, by far, but I've learned that it's much faster to do things without two children in tow, so he might manage it.
( my list )