I had a TENS machine when I was having my daughter and it was great; I’ll have to get one this time again. The nurses kept trying to give me pethedine and I tried to bite them (from recollection), so they desisted. I just know that if anyone is going to have a bad reaction to drugs, it will be me, but I didn’t have the words to explain this to them at the time. One reason I have never really dabbled in illicit drugs!

I started loading groceries into the checkout the other day, and the woman in front of me said, “Um, sorry, but I’ve still got half a trolley to go.” There was a young baby sitting in the seat of her trolley. I apologised profusely (while removing my things) and said “I just didn’t notice, for some really strange reason.” She laughed and said, “No strange reason about it - you’re just pregnant.”

Luckily my brain came back afterwards last time. I hope it does this time too!

I think that’s really the only useful critique of the baby bonus bust-boom effect. Unfortunately Leigh and Gans mostly ignored it in favour of the headline-grabbing Teh Fat scare.

Luckily, my daughter was born two days before her due date, naturally. I didn’t even have gas (I tried it, but I starting thinking “people on the roof” were “looking at me”, so they took it away again). Hopefully No. 2 will be the same as No. 1, just much quicker! I was lucky to have a really experienced private midwife with me for No. 1, but I can’t afford it again (even with the baby bonus).

Yikes, on the gas reaction! That doesn’t sound like fun at all. Gas/epidural/drug reactions are one of the reasons I’m keen on antenatal courses and birthing units providing really comprehensive education on pain relief in labour, including a good toolbox of non-pharmaceutical relief - everything from one-on-one support to massage to TENS to guidance in positioning to waterbirth to leaving the woman the hell alone if she wants to be. There are still plenty of hospitals and doctors who “won’t allow” at least several of these options.

In my experience, some women are not at all prepared for an epidural not working or half working, for example, and it’s a terrifying situation to find yourself t in when you were relying 100% on being numbed as your coping strategy. (Not that you were in this situation, I’m springboarding off here.)

I hope number 2 is a great birth for you. Maybe you could afford a doula, or do you have some informed/supportive friend who could provide backup support? Good midwives are worth their weight in gold, aren’t they?

It is a really silly way of trying to help people, but as you say, JC, it’s all about perception, not reality.

VJ: I use ’skeptic’ because that’s the way it’s spelt by the Australian Skeptics, an organisation of which I’m a member. It’s meant to signal ’skeptic member’ who is also a lawyer. Put it down to thinking up a blog moniker 4 years ago in about 2 seconds!

I had my first child around Christmas/New Year, and it really sucked - not enough staff and they sent me home even though I had mastitis because they needed the bed. I’m not going back to that hospital again!

My best friend has Type-1 diabetes. I think it put a tremendous strain on her body to be pregnant, and she’s had a number of health problems subsequently. Luckily, with an insulin pump, she was able to carry a baby to term. I understand that diabetes during pregnancy is a totally different kettle of fish - for one thing, it goes away afterwards.

I guess I’m neurotic about these things because I was born very premature, so I really want things to go well with my own children.

Luckily, my daughter was born two days before her due date, naturally. I didn’t even have gas (I tried it, but I starting thinking “people on the roof” were “looking at me”, so they took it away again). Hopefully No. 2 will be the same as No. 1, just much quicker! I was lucky to have a really experienced private midwife with me for No. 1, but I can’t afford it again (even with the baby bonus).