Cleft news

New British research suggests the possibility of facial cleft repair in the womb. (Obviously a bit late for us, but interesting nonetheless.)

Incompetence

A short hospital stay last week (all fine now) gave me cause to think about pregnancy/birth language again. Some of the terms in general use really do make you wonder about the people who invented them - they seem to reveal a totally negative and distinctly judgemental attitude towards maternity.

For example, I apparently have an 'irritable uterus'. This is an ok term I guess, although to a laywoman it does conjure up the image of my womb being cross with me, which is hardly comforting. But it reminded me of reading about 'incompetent uterus' or 'incompetent cervix' which basically means that the cervix is weaker than normal and starts dilating too early. Could there possibly be a more loaded word than 'incompetent' to describe this? Is it only me who would feel personally accused by such a diagnosis (even knowing on a rational level that I am not consciously responsible for the behaviour of my internal organs)?

Of course, it gets worse. If your labour doesn't move swiftly enough for those overseeing it (for example, stress can occasionally stop labour altogether), it is called 'failure to progress' and steps will be taken to get you going again. Fair enough, but why bring the concept of 'failure' into it? Failure sounds human and avoidable, even if it isn't, and is surely the last word we'd want associated with what is already the greatest test of physical endurance most of us will ever have to go through.

Oh and there are more failures on the horizon - once you actually have your baby he or she might be assessed as 'failing to thrive', a weirdly vague diagnosis (referring to slower than expected growth and weight gain) which in its lack of medical specificity just sounds like a scary accusation aimed at the parent.

What hope have I got of getting through the next 10 weeks in a conducively calm frame of mind when half the relevant terminology seems designed to scare me?

Weeks: 29+6

National Poetry Day

Happy National Poetry Day!

Every year this day seems to receive less and less publicity, sadly, or maybe it's just because every year I've moved further and further away from the circles where anyone gives a damn (compared to say, 1999 when I was actually working for the Poetry Society on NPD where it was obviously experienced as the most important occasion of the year).

This year's theme is 'identity'. Something I am still thinking about a lot as I get closer and closer to adding a new label to my patchwork self: mother.

Weeks: 28+2

Frogmore news

The new issue of The Frogmore Papers (#68) is now available, with another excellent cover designed by Neil Gower. Subscriptions are only £12 for two years (4 issues)...

And all of Frogmore #67 is now up on The Poetry Library's poetrymagazines.org.uk.