We need to have a little talk

Yes, it

So. Baby. It's time to chat. Well, you're not a baby, and that's sort of the point. You're two years, one month and one week old, and it's two years, one month and one week since I last had proper sleep. Yes, yes, I know there was that month before Christmas - believe me, I think ...

on loneliness in motherhood

Motherhood can be lonely. Especially the first time. When you don't know anything much, and you're overwhelmed by this small, soft, wriggling being for whom you have suddenly become responsible. When it's your first child, and you have no toddler or pre-schooler to keep you busy, but keep you company and keep you laughing, while you tend ...

So shoot me

Two weeks ago, the toddler discovered television. And I am so happy. I know it's not good for him, I know at twenty months he is too young for TV, but my happiness outweighs any anxiety or guilt I might have about this. For the first time in six years, I can make dinner in the ...

social media village

If you're reading this, there's a good chance you picked it up from Twitter or Facebook - it's not news that we're getting most of our, well, news, entertainment, information and of course blog posts, from social media. And this includes parenting information - who do parents talk to when they have questions? Maybe mothers or ...

Breastfeeding support : change the focus

It's World Breastfeeding Week from August 1st to August 7th, and the Irish Parenting Bloggers have decided to do a Blog March to show support.  Each of us will publish a post this week based on our own breastfeeding experiences, and linked to this year's theme: Breastfeeding Support: Close to Mothers. This has been rattling around in ...

Stop pointing at the bumps!

So women are fasting and over-exercising during pregnancy to avoid weight gain - "Pregorexia", which is a dangerous obsession with staying slim while pregnant, is on the rise, according to a recent article in Grazia. They are desperate to maintain their pre-pregnancy figures as far as possible, and to avoid putting on weight that will be difficult ...

The mammy-war myth

Mommy-wars. Or since we're in Ireland, let's say Mammy-wars. I can't stand the term, but it's the widely-used name for the phenomenon of mothers judging mothers on every element of parenting, originally coined to refer to mothers working outside the home versus stay-at-home mothers. Newspapers love the SAHM/ mothers working outside the home debate, as do radio shows, ...