2015 MARCH-MALLOWS... Due in March 2015!! Come join us!

[NellyLou]

I think a lot of it is that if the father has had it done, they feel the son should too. That's what I hear a lot. I don't think it's as much an issue now to have boys look the same as other boys in the locker room because there are more that aren't getting their sons circumcised. Also, do boys actually compare this stuff?! Why are they taking their undies off in the locker room!?

 

[MrsKChicago]

I'm sure they have to shower after gym class sometime, or change for swim lessons, but I really doubt they're examining each others' junk! But what do I know? Even so, I think the circumcised vs intact split is almost even now. I think last I heard it was something like 55/45%. And we live in a very diverse community, so I'm sure he'll be exposed to both. And it's not like there aren't plenty of other differences between an adult male's body and a little boy's. It's just another question to add on to "why is yours so much bigger?" and "why do you and mommy look different?" and "why is there hair on your butt?"

 

[mommasquirrel]

I have a good friend who has a 4 year old. We went to a playgroup together because I was visiting. She's down in Oregon and there are a lot of all-natural families. So the boys were all playing and then a group of them had to go potty. One boy noticed that another boys peepee looked different and asked what happened. They all went to the kids mom afterwards and asked why she cut him. It was bizarre and the little boy who was different got mad and was crying. I felt awful. As a girl I never had to deal with that, thank goodness. Although y brothers thought it was the most fantastic idea ever to tell me I broke mine off when I was little because I was pulling on it too much. So for a very long time I thought I was broken. To this day, I still get mad at my brothers and I vow to never let that happen with my kids. btw, I have five brothers. My two older sisters were out of the house by the time I was 3. Seriously told everyone I was a boy until I was about 9...

 

[mommasquirrel]

hahahaha...MrsK..I look forward to all those hilarious and weird questions children often pose. I went to sit my nephew for a week while his parents went on an anniversary trip. He was bout 5 at the time. He asked a lot of weird questions and I even caught him staring at me in the shower. Later when his parents got home he exclaimed, " mommy, daddy, Auntie Liz has huge boobs." he was holding his little hands out like he was carrying a massive pumpkin. I was so red faced I didn't know what to say. Then he said I don't have fur growing on my nether regions like mommy. I swear the next two days was like walking in the hall of shame at their house. My husbands twin--still looks very much like my husband laughed so hard and proceeded to call my husband and tell him about it.

 

[MrsKChicago]

Haha! Brothers are such jerks. My brother was pretty good to me, but he still had me convinced that black squirrels were venomous and that there was a demon dog living in the backyard of the building with the creepy gangway down the block. I always walked past that house very fast! Even after I realized he was full of it...

 

[NellyLou]

"why is there hair on your butt?"

HAHAHA! I was asked this this morning when I got out of the shower!!! Sorry, haven't shaved down there in a week or so (Also, she thinks everything in that vicinity is a bum, not just the back part haha). So get ready for random unfiltered questions! She also has a serious fascination about my boobs and talks about them all the time! She says they are big, which I don't mind because no one has ever told me that in my life haha!

 

[missfrick]

Ladies, to change subject a bit, what do you all think about drinking during pregnancy? I know we talked about this early-on, but now that we're all out of the first tri and well into our second, I am curious. The past two nights, DH has had a glass of wine, and I have had a total of 3 small sips over the two nights. But I feel very guilty about it. I know in Europe many ladies drink 1-2 glasses a week with no harmful results, I'm okay right?

 

[MrsKChicago]

You're fine!

I wouldn't stress over a few sips or a small glass on occasion. I don't think I'd be comfortable drinking regularly because we don't know what the safe maximum is, but there's no evidence that a single occasional glass of wine will cause any problems. I nearly ordered a mimosa with brunch the other day, but I didn't want to make the waiter uncomfortable. I had a few sips of champagne on our cruise, though, and it was instant heartburn, so it may not be as enjoyable for some women! I gave the rest of my half glass to DH because it wasn't good enough champagne to be worth it.

 

[Bookity]

My husband is extremely pro circumcision. I'm not 100% against it, but I do have misgivings about it. His reasonings are about cleanliness and STDs and I know I've heard about studies that this risk is quite minimal. I think a big part that weighs on his mind is the ONE friend he has who is not circumsized has told him horror stories of disgustingness he has found under his foreskin. Well, I don't want to be mean, but I've got a feeling his friend probably doesn't keep up with his hygiene as well as he should so there's a reason for that. I do think I'll let him have the final say, having the penis and all. I don't see him changing his mind either. He's very stubborn.

As far as drinking goes, I see nothing wrong with a glass here or there or a few sips as you've had. I wouldn't do it (simply because I don't even like wine), but definitely wouldn't judge someone who did.

 

[Bookity]

Looking at the fruit chart... seems like a BIG leap from a grapefruit to a cantaloupe going from week 23 to 24. Isn't it?

 

[MrsKChicago]

Yep! Big big leap. I guess it was a giant grapefruit and a small melon! I think they do grow a lot right around now, though. I haven't looked ahead at what comes after cantaloupe. I gotta say, the fruit size chart is getting a little less exciting and a little more terrifying as we're getting into melons!

 

[missfrick]

Well I'm in cantaloupe week and I can vouch that 24+3 and on I have been feeling LOADS of movements, so I think growth is in overdrive now.... not like, going from a poppy seed to an apple seed, but still. And we notice these growths more.

 

[DrMum]

Really interesting chats today girls!

Drinking, yeah I'm not worried about a few sips here or there, or even a small glass once in a while. It's not like you're caning martinis on a nightly basis!

And circumcision, DS isn't done because well it just wasn't the cultural norm where we lived before. I was quite surprised when we moved to canada that every man and his dog seems to have had bits chopped off their body! I think with proper hygiene and cleaning there is no reason to chop bits off unless that's either medically or religiously required. That said I clearly do not own these bits myself so cannot comment on how attached to a foreskin I would be if I had one....! It's strange in the UK we never even considered it, but here we talked about it for this boy, but the outcome is still not to snip.

And then the childcare at home whilst on mat leave. Yeah I'm also with you nelly, I plan to have DS home with me for every precious minute to let him help and bond with the new baby. When our daughter died it wasn't just us who lost a daughter, he also lost his little sister, and he needs to have time with a healthy baby to feel a part of a normal experience. I think it's really important for his coping and understanding, but even if things were different I would still have him home! You can totally do it. We are women, we are tough and strong! Gosh I've come over all feminist now....

I should stop before I launch some kind of protest march or something on your behalf!!

 

[mummy_smurf2b]

On the drinking topic in the UK they have Been looking at it seriously. About a week a go ish it was actually on the news about it and how there is discussions of makin it against the law to drink during pregnancy, it came with a story of a girl who sued her mum for compensation because she had the alcohol syndrome. I don't know what came of it in the end but there's only one way I could look at that and that's yes ok but then what about those whole smoke or do drugs in pregnancy which is also damaging to the fetus but also how do you prove a person is pregnant and drinking without several blood tests throughout pregnancy costing the government probably thousands? But then I also wander what about alcoholics who get pregnant what do they do because it's dangerous to suddenly stop you have to slowly slow down on it. Just saying here I don't want anyone to take offense who does smoke or drink I myself have no probs with a small intake of alcohol

As for ear piercing, I remember having mine done thou I don't recall what age I was. They did one ear and it hurt so much I refused letting them do the second haha but it's not something I'd consider for my kids until they are old enough to decide themself.

Just my opinions

 

[missfrick]

Ugh I'm so frustrated with DH! He has a super-fast metabolism and there are always cookies and chocolate and snacks in the house. Usually I'm fine because I don't generally want any of it, except salty snacks like chips that I keep out of the house, but with this pregnancy one thing I'm kinda loving is chocolate, which I usually stay away from. So today I've eaten about 4-6 Fudge-o cookies and I asked him to bring the rest to work so I wouldn't sneak them all day tomorrow. He tells me I need to have willpower. But I know that with certain foods (including french fries) I just can't stop, and I purposely don't keep some things in the house, and even at restaurants sometimes ask him to move my plate away from me. Ugh don't men know they just need to agree with everything we say about certain things? (this being one of them!) Sorry for the rant.

 

[MrsKChicago]

He's clearly never been pregnant if he thinks "Just have willpower" is an acceptable answer! It's not like you're not letting him eat cookies, you just don't want the temptation! Totally reasonable!

 

[mommasquirrel]

My hubby was like that until I ate all his "snax" in a day. Now he takes them to work or hides them where I cant find them. My vice is anything sweet. Cookies, cakes, cereal, and last but not least chocolate.

 

[NellyLou]

Willpower!? Tell him to come to my desk tomorrow and see how willpower works when you're preggo... I have a drawer full of goodies because I have zero willpower. And yes, chocolate, especially aero bars, tastes so much better when I'm pregnant!

 

[NellyLou]

Better yet, tell him to ask my cubicle neighbour haha. He knows I eat all day!

 

[frenchie35]

Remember this and tell him that he needs to have willpower to pull himself out of bed for 3 am feedings!

There has been a big campaign over the last 5+ years in France to advocate zero alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Smoking is a different story: France is known for making accommodations for smokers. Pregnant women are encouraged to limit themselves to 3 cigarettes/day if they can't/won't quit to reduce stress. Both DH and his sister were "smoked" babies: DH was over 2 months premature, and his sister was a couple weeks early and had deformed kidneys. I also know she had several miscarriages in the 10 years that separate them. Some people just can't quit!