Brands

I've never been particularly brand conscious but I know quality when I see it. Or maybe conscious is the wrong word. I am in the publishing industry and come into contact with fashion and beauty brands and it's difficult to not want to own the best... I love nice things I won't lie - but I'm certainly not going to spend thousands on a Gucci or Louis Vuitton just because of the name. I might seriously consider putting money away for a Chloe bag - they are beautiful and although also a major brand, you can see the excellent craftsmanship and the fact that the bag are seasonless. I generally try and avoid trendy brands.

Becoming a mommy and making the choice for your little one is test of how important brands really are. Of course you want the best for your baby but you also don't want to be suckered into buying something out of guilt or worse. Safety, practicality, cost, durability and of course high cute quota are my top five criteria in choosing brands in strollers, bottles, cots, car seats...

So I'm wondering - Nuk, Avent or Dr Brown's; Peg Pereggo, Graco or Phil & Ted's; Johnsons, Elizabeth Anne's or organic... 

Or maybe it doesn't really matter. And it's just a question of taste. And of course - price!

The countdown

Support group

I've been feeling rather out of body lately... I'll be sitting in a meeting and completely forget where I am or what we're talking about. Somebody will ask me about something that's happening in a few months' time and I can't think of how far off that is because I can't remember what month I'm in. Sometimes when I'm at a function, I just can't get comfortable sitting or standing and chatting with so-and-so... I want to find someone else to talk to because I feel awkward or stuck for words. People I've known for ages, I suddenly struggle to make conversations with. At times I feel like people are attacking me - some people say the meanest things (and it's not me being sensitive) with or without realising...

It's very surreal - and I keep on wanting to snap myself out of it but as much as I try to, I can't. Only much later do I feel real again, either at home, or with my family or close friends or when I'm writing...

So I'm going to visit expectant moms at www.pampers.co.za , a lovely group of SA women who chat regularly about pregnancy, baby care, gynaes, advice on ailments... it's great to know and be able to chat to people who are probably going through what you're going through. 

O how I wish one of you was pregnant too!

Image: www.frankie.com.au It's one of my favourite magazines!

What not to eat...

I made the mistake of eating ulusu also known as mogodu at Nambitha in Orlando West on Saturday night. Can you blame a girl? I was in Soweto - and it was really all I felt like eating. It had been too long since I'd eaten traditional food (besides the new tinned samp and beans I found on shelf at Pick n' Pay- yum!). As I was taking my last forkful I turned to Zanele, Dikatso and Tsholo in turn and said, 'Shit! I forgot I'm not supposed to eat this'. Too late. And at 4am the next morning, I suffered the most horrendous cramps and spent most of the wee hours slave to the toilet. If those cramps are anything to go by, I think I can survive labour.

Some of the other banned substances when pregnant: liver, raw salmon, tuna, hard tack...