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Mother and daughter adoption story
New Year’s Eve has only ever really meant one thing in our house. It is the day my mum was born at 3 minutes to midnight in 1926. I imagine her entering the word and crying and then the fireworks going off. My mom adopted me and Mum died in 2009 and I miss her. The idea of me blogging came from her and my whole social media journey is a powerful legacy from her to me. This week I want to introduce you to my Mum. She was an amazing woman and anyone who knew her was very lucky indeed. She had a long and fascinating life. For today,…
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Pregnancy surprises revealed by one mum
I thought I would kick off the blogging week with a response to the BritMums prompt on expectations around pregnancy by letting you know some of my pregnancy surprises. Here are the things that surprised me. 1. I bonded with my first child as soon as I sensed I was pregnant. I can remember talking to him all the time particularly on the way to work. 2. I was amazed that my partner continued to find me attractive throughout the pregnancy and beyond. 3. I had never experienced heartburn prior to pregnancy. One of the rotten side effects of pregnancy. 4. I thought morning sickness would feel like normal nausea. It does…
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Dark Day
I am picking up now but for much of the day my mood was so low. Black clouds weighing me down. I hate how even with post-natal depression long gone (years ago), I can still be right back in the depths. I am not a nice person to know at such times. I get taciturn and solemn. If Him Indoors is around, I get angry and raise every real or imagined sin with him. What were the triggers this time? The weight gain this week and the malfunctioning scales. I have felt so in control of things for the last couple of months and then suddenly the scales were telling…
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Birth Mother story shows reality of adoption
Here is a birth mother story. It could be my own mother’s tale. Only she can confirm that. I know she doesn’t understand. She will blame me I am sure. I can’t see her. I can’t face the upset it will cause to my family. What will she expect of me anyway? I can’t be her mum now. It is too late for that. What good would it do? I had her in the Sixties. It is true that they were swinging and I had a great time in the dance halls of London. Away from Ireland, away from my parents, being young and free. I thought I was in…
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What Does It Feel Like To Be Adopted?
What does it feel like to be adopted? I intend to blog about adoption issues every day this week and hope to cover various viewpoints. It is one of those life issues that affects many people, rippling out down the years and across boundaries. So there are many voices – adoptive parents, birth parents, adopted people, siblings of adopted people, wider birth relatives, partners of adopted people, children of adopted people. If you would like to submit your voice, please send me some writing to mums-the-word@live.com this week for hosting on my blog. I recognise that it is all too easy to judge and that many in the mix have…
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How to write a birth plan and be ready!
Birth plans seem like such a good idea when you first hear the concept whether you want natural birthing or as much intervention as possible to relieve pain. As a mum-to-be we have a vague idea that birth might involve a lot of pain and screaming so surely it is best to have a plan. Here is how to write a birth plan and some other reflections from one mum. Before I experienced the reality of childbirth, I thought the pain was a rite of passage and that mums were exaggerating the level of pain involved. I dutifully went to antenatal classes and read books galore on what to expect.…
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Common Pregnancy Issues You Might Face
There are many problems and issues that can be a problem during pregnancy. Some require medical help and treatment, but the more common issues are uncomfortable and frustrating. Here are five common pregnancy issues and what you can do about them. #1 Bladder and bowel issues As well as the weight of a growing baby, your body during pregnancy will be gripped by a surge of hormones. Both combine to cause problems relating to bladder-control and bowel issues. For example, some women find they need to urinate more frequently, whilst other women find getting to the toilet on time is almost impossible. Constipation is also common amongst pregnant women. There…
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Firework Safety Quiz for Bonfire Night
Firework safety is an important issue all year round with the increasing use of fireworks to mark occasions like Bonfire Night and New Year’s Eve. As we are approaching 31 December fast, NCC Home Learning has put together a quiz on firework safety. This quiz is aimed to see if you are aware of the dangers associated with fireworks. I tend to avoid using fireworks and have since becoming a parent. It some ways this seems a shame as I remember family events as a child with Dad taking charge of the firework display. All the local community got together and I was so proud that my Dad handled everything…
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How writing improves your life – an A-Z guide
Writing matters! I am a writer and when you think about it, most of us are. Consider all the writing you did at school or work. Think about all the notes you have sent to your child’s school. If you juggle many tasks, perhaps you rely on the power of the to do list. Here are some thoughts in an A-Z guide on how writing improves your life. This year’s National Stationery Week aims to keep Britain writing. Here’s an A-Z of why writing really matters: A is for: Archives. Handwritten documents and notes have been passed down through centuries to permanently record some of history’s most important events –…
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Love the Sales – a personal wishlist
Do you love the sales? It won’t surprise my regular readers that I enjoy getting a bargain. That is why you will often find me in charity shops and occasionally on Ebay. So I was delighted to know there is a website where you can find out all about the sales in different shops covering a range of items from fashion, electronics, home, garden, sports, gifts or anything else that takes your fancy. It’s a busy time for us as a family so here are things I am considering from Love the Sales. I would love you to tell me which items you like best and what you enjoy about…
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Hospital blunders – how do they affect you?
Hospital blunders are irritating at the very least and sometimes downright dangerous. I had no real experience of hospitals until I gave birth to my first child. At one of my first appointments, my records were muddled up with someone of the same name. Understandable perhaps as quite a coincidence that someone with the same name as me should be pregnant at exactly the same time as me in such a small country town. With my third child, I was told by a midwife that after spotting late in pregnancy, his view was that I should never have left hospital until I gave birth. All was well in the end…
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Fostering facts -give a child a new home
What are fostering facts and statistics and might they encourage you to look at fostering as a life option? I was fostered at the age of 11 months and adopted a few months later back in 1970. I am always interested to hear about developments in fostering and adoption. Local Authorities, with the support of leading organisations and charities such as Ofsted, the Coram, The Fostering Network and IFAs (Independent Fostering Agencies), play a leading role in securing a brighter future for children in care. To give you an idea of how important the foster care industry is to helping these children fulfil their potential, Foster Plus have pulled together…
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What is life after depression like?
What is life after depression like? I am becoming increasingly aware and joyful at how differently I find things now the black clouds of depression have disappeared. 1. Life after depression means I don’t mind the house not being clinically perfect. I don’t have the housework skills to make this happen or perhaps I do but not when a husband, children and animals are around. It does not matter. However, it did and it hurt me so much that I could not meet the standards either of myself or others. I always did housework every day but could only see what was not right. Now I focus on what I…
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Fun apron celebrates what mums do
Will you create a stir and make mums and the tasks they juggle visible to the wider world with a fun apron? I was delighted when artist Steph contacted me to tell me about her range of textiles. As regular readers know, I am keen to raise the visibility of mums and the work they do. Check out Steph’s interview and let’s resolve to always create a stir perhaps sporting this fun apron. What is the striking story you have to share? It started with a list. As a mother, there is always a list. Notes scribbled on bits of paper, whiteboards or chalkboards in the kitchen, activities listed on…
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The worst mother in the world?
Sarah is a mum who thinks she does not stand out and I beg to differ. If you agree, I hope you will leave a comment so she can read them and realise that she is more inspirational than she might believe. What is the striking story you have to share? I was 17 when I had my first child. I battled slight depression but it was manageable. However when I was 22 I had my second child a complicated pregnancy and birth. It involved my son being born by emergency c-section. I had blood transfusions waiting and can’t remember much about being in theatre itself. I became very protective…