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September 29, 2006

hello, I'm 9 months pregnant, kindly let me sit the f*ck down

Next time you're pregnant and using mass transit in Korea you can enjoy the benefit of seats marked especially for you. After having witnessed many an appalling example of how a New Yorker's ability to block out the whirl of surrounding activity does NOT benefit pregnant subway passengers, I feel like the marked seats are not a bad plan. Though just yesterday I noticed a decidedly non-handicapped young man taking up TWO "priority seats" with his macho spread legs--so the signs might not work here. In Korea they are also handing out "badges" to not-yet-showing pregnant women so that strangers can give them preferential treatment. This seems a bit overly protective (and prying), though the badges could come in handy at a cocktail party or if you start vomiting in the middle of a staff meeting.

Posted by ceridwen at 3:46 PM | Comments (1)

September 28, 2006

La Gioconda Gravida?

New scans of the world's most famous painting seem to imply that the model may have been pregnant. She's wearing some sort of veil that was customary for pregnant women back in the day... not visible to the naked eye, but discovered through some new fancy-pants scanning equipment. More here.

Posted by rebecca at 8:46 AM | Comments (0)

September 25, 2006

on the wagon across the pond?

The UK is slowly starting to get more serious about pregnant women not drinking. Although the official recommendation suggests that light drinking (no more than 2 units a week) is still acceptable, a new campaign aims to inform/remind mothers-to-be that no booze=no risk. The signs will be placed in ladies rooms at pubs. Knowing the bathroom habits of sober pregnant women (and drunk un-pregnant ones) I'd assume that means they'll get seen. Still, it's a far cry from the requisite black and white signage behind every U.S. bar, where everyone gets an eyeful of the surgeon general's warning.

Posted by rebecca at 10:50 AM | Comments (0)

September 19, 2006

tap that bump

Inside her belly is more beer!

Posted by ceridwen at 10:39 AM | Comments (0)

September 15, 2006

This is New York?

Another breastfeeding in public showdown, this time in our own backyard, Toys R Us Times Square. But this one leaves a particularly bad taste in my mouth (and it ain't just the pregnancy hearburn talking.) For the past couple of years that we've been tracking these nursing stand-offs, we have considered ourselves lucky to live in such an evolved, open-minded city. The shocker, it seems, is not so much the affront of the mega-store; I'd expect no more from a bastion of plastic. But I expected more from New Yorkers. If this is how the biggest, bluest city in the country thinks about breastfeeding, we're a lot worse off than I thought. How depressing.

Posted by rebecca at 11:37 AM | Comments (0)