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Anyway, her post (about the contradictory, non-specific and generally unhelpful advice given to pregnant women) reminded me of a book I was given when pregnant with L. Called something like How safe is my baby? (or possibly How safe is your baby?) it simply set out the actual statistics for the various risks and let you make your own mind up.
I'll allow you a little gasp of astonishment at such a horrifyingly trusting idea.
I found it rather helpful, as books go, and when I'd finished with it, I posted it to a friend, who never received it.
Some years later, Hannah's post reminded me about it and I thought I'd get another copy to send to a pregnant friend. Only I can't find it. Nothing on Amazon, nothing on google, nothing on the second hand and out of print books sites I frequent.
After a bit of detective work, I identified two likely publishers and sent them both polite emails wondering if it ever had been on their lists, and apologising for the fact that I wasn't absolutely 100% certain of the title.
I got the following (names changed to protect the innocent) in reply:
Dear Ms...
I'm sorry to
report that the title is not ours, so I can't help you.
The best way
to find it, is to get onto the Internet and go to
www.amazon.co.uk. Once on the site find and
Click on BOOKS.
Once inside
Books, type Your title into the Search Box and you
should have a
good chance of finding the title you can't actually
remember.
Good Luck
Barry...
A disappointingly incomplete response there from Barry. He missed the bit where you have to plug in your computer and turn it on.
ReplyDeleteAre you planning a response? This could be fun....
"Dear Barry,
Thank you for your email. It must have taken you a little while to research and I am very grateful for your sharing the results with me. I shall be sure to follow your advice just as soon as I have worked out how to use a computer.
Yours sincerely,"
Dear Barry,
DeleteWhat is a site? I don't want to go camping, as I cannot be sure that it will not rain and I don't want to put my children at risk of exposure.
Do you do home visits? Perhaps you could come and show me what to do?
Yours sincerely
What do we think?
I fear that Barry might get a bit excited at the thought of a home visit. I don't imagine he gets out much.
DeleteNot if we combine home visit with cats protection, as suggested by Blackberry Crumble...
DeleteBut surely it's far to dangerous to sit near a computer? You were pregnant only 2 years ago. Surely there's evidence that exposing yourself to dangers can be backdated, and damage your now-born children?
ReplyDeleteAnd as for being patronised, well, you ARE a mummy now... brain turned to mush... only interested in what brand of nappy to buy... what do you expect?
Backdated dangers? There's an idea to give a parent sleepless nights. Just think of all those roads we've crossed safely... what if they come back to squash us?
DeleteIs it this one?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Safe-Your-Baby/dp/1905410069/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1371798907&sr=8-3&keywords=how+safe+is+your+baby
I just followed Barry's instructions. Man's a legend.
Whoops.
DeleteDo you think that's what he did?!
In my defence it honestly wasn't there three weeks ago....
Oh, go on. Ask him how to access the Internet...
ReplyDeleteIt's quite tempting, isn't it? I could put on a whole persona too. The opposite of a super secret identity...
DeleteSend him a real letter. Written in crayon.
DeleteDear Barry,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind letter, it really touched me that you took the time to respond. I miss getting post since the nice lady at the cat protection league stopped writing....
Cat protection? We can get worse than that surely?
DeleteSexual health clinic... AA... Cat protection. It's essentially a spectrum.
DeleteForget Barry, he can only talk the talk. Mrs T is a legend she walks the walk.
ReplyDeleteAhhhhh Lolz. Don't you just hate it when that happens. No one will ever believe you that it wasn't there before,you know that don't you!
Mrs T is a legend for many reasons.
DeleteAnd it really wasn't!