catmag

Hippocrocopig. Not her though, obviously

A bit selective? The bairn has had all of his recommended immunisations to date. Vaccines that have been used for years where the benefits outweigh the potential risks. I made one decision for him not to have something where the long term risks weren't known, and I took that decision as a mother with a little bit of medical knowledge, not as a pharmacologist. You mentioned a couple of months ago that you have a daughter. How old is she? Do you consider that her immune system is as fully developed as an adult? I genuinely can't remember as it was 4 years ago, but rest assured that it wasn't Wikipedia or Netmums.

Cos it stops the bairn from being able to open the drawers?

Why is this such an issue?? I always wash ALL bedding on a higher temperature

It avoids you cos it wouldn't be able to put up with your fucking whingeing if you actually caught it

Because I read an awful lot around the subject and made the decision based on the fact the drug was rushed through, unable to ascertain the long-term effects and he was only 9 months old with an immature immune system. I absolutely wrestled with my conscience about it but I wouldn't dream of giving him a regular flu jab at that age and the "Swine Flu" was a sensationalised variant of regular flu. Yes people died from it but I see people die of "flu" annually - it's not just whipped up into a media frenzy. Obviously I cacked myself every time he sneezed for the rest of the winter but I'm happy with my informed choice at the time. As for missing your flu jab? My grandma had the jab and got rampant flu and she won't ever have it again. We're offered the flu jab every year at work - some years I've had it and some years I've not but am yet to get flu in any form. (Famous last words )

I can understand parents being wary of the vaccine 10 years ago in the height of the scaremongering, but do think it's foolish to not let the bairns have it now. I refused to let my then 9-month old have the swine flu jab in 2009 when he was "sent for" by the GP surgery.

It's possible to catch it, but adult immune systems can deal with it better than kids and it mainly presents in children up to the age of 18 (most commonly in pre-school children though) I don't know what the full story is of the man in his 20's who died - whether he had any underlying medical conditions etc which is often the case.

Aye as it's still a recommended vaccine for by the Dept of Health for all children in the UK, even if they're older.

When you look at the sheer numbers of parents now panicking and flooding to health centres, it looks like that wasn't the case. This Wales epidemic appears to now be moving into England with the health service expecting large numbers of parents now wanting it for their kids after refusing it when it was offered to them.

Did any of you with bairns choose for them not to have the MMR?

Why? What's ambiguous about that?

Whites and light colours/darks and dark colours - that's all you need. I do towels and bedding on a hotter wash but generally a 40 wash is fine for everything else.

Jealous tbh

Am I ever! If you receive a message that doesn't make sense at about midnight then it'll be me

I love that!

I still can't get over the expression of the dog in them earlier pics man

I know! I'm such delightful company at the moment - full of miserable tales Booked them flights today anyway, have been out for dinner and have a family wedding on Saturday so there's nice things too

Found out too that all her family were with her when she passed away and her mam had a heart attack at her bedside half an hour after she died. She's recovering but scared in case the funeral brings something similar with all the stress. Just awful.

Thanks for the kind words chaps, it means a lot MF - I'll see what I can do!

Very conflicting moods atm. On one hand I'm just arranging a weeks holiday in June to southern Spain with the bairn - the first holiday abroad in 5 years and the first for the little one, tempered by the news that a friend in Manchester has passed away - she's the same age as me and had cancer. Currently juggling everything to be able to attend the funeral on Monday which will be frankly heartbreaking.

Oh I can't drive a golf ball to save my life but my putting is fucking immense

I fucking hate golf with a passion but it turns out I'm actually quite good at it. Won a putting competition when I was on holiday once and the prize was 6 hours free golf tuition with the professional golf instructor on the island. My then husband was happy to take it off my hands..