I’d love to hear from the women (and maybe a few men) who are reading the ramblings of this Mama Mooti. If it’s mainly new mums, I think I’d worry less about scaring the expectant mums. But if there are more mums-to-be among you, slathering yourselves with ‘Mama’s Everything’ Body Balm and putting those stretch marks in their place, I offer this warning:

DO NOT READ THIS POST IF YOU ARE AT ALL WOBBLY WITH FEAR ABOUT THE THOUGHT OF YOUR IMPENDING LABOUR

Today my lovely friends, my comrades in motherhood… today I will talk about best laid plans…

I sometimes wonder where I’d be now if I hadn’t worried so much about the direction my career was taking me. Would I have had my children a decade ago? Would I have brought them up differently? Who knows? All I do know tonight, after five days of 6am starts and three wake-ups a night, is that I am knackered and feeling every one of my late-30 something years.

Having said that (apply matchsticks to eyelids now) one good thing about getting older is hearing more and more tales of how new arrivals have entered the world – from friends, family and now, hopefully, some of you.

Whether it’s first, second, third (or more) time around, labour always has a few surprises up its sleeve. With that in mind (and a chicken salad calling) I’m going to open this one up to you…

I’ve already talked about my son. Days in hospital, quarantine and drips (see previous Mama Mooti posts for details)! My daughter – well that’s another story and I thank my lucky stars most days that we got out with our souls intact. So what about you? You’ve driven the route twenty times and everyone (including the postman) knows who to call in an emergency. So how did your babies make their debut appearance??! Go on, tell Mama Mooti…

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