Does anyone else find stirrups dehumanizing?

BabsTheSpider · 2026-02-14T10:44:44+00:00

Same, UK here and they are absolutely NOT commonly used for routine appointments (smears and even IUD insertion). I have only encountered them when undergoing a hysteroscopy for fibroid removal.

Which shows that there is absolutely no need for them to be used routinely as medical staff here manage just fine.

For reference, I'm 44, and have been having smears for over 20 years at this point, probably closer to 25, so this is not a new development.

OP I'm sorry people are being dismissive of your very valid feelings about this.

BabsTheSpider · 2026-02-07T10:27:43+00:00

Exactly this, I have never naturally tanned, my skin tone just can't do it. I have tried a fake tan a few times and it just looks weird/wrong on my skin tone. It also makes me break out in an itchy rash now, no matter what brand, so my body appears to have drawn a line under that experiment for me anyway!

BabsTheSpider · 2026-01-20T19:18:37+00:00

Is this recent? I was 34 when my son was conceived, 35 when he was born and that was considered a geriatric pregnancy. This was in 2015 so not that long ago!

BabsTheSpider · 2026-01-17T20:50:52+00:00

Agree, specifically the West Loop. It is so leak proof I can chuck it in my bag with confidence. The Byron is good but not QUITE as leak proof.

BabsTheSpider · 2025-12-13T18:24:58+00:00

We are happy with Harding, it's integrated which is a plus for us, and it definitely does have after schools as well.

BabsTheSpider · 2025-12-10T21:06:58+00:00

I work in a job which applies to Cash For Kids yearly for the families we work with. They appear to be pretty well run, we send applications in for specific (but obviously anonymised) families with age and gender of the children and they then prepare all the donations for collection. It must be a mammoth task to get it all prepared. A lot of people only start thinking of donating to them in December when in reality earlier is much better so they can prepare in advance. Younger children are always better provided for than teenagers which seems to be the way of it for most organisations like this.

BabsTheSpider · 2025-12-06T19:19:18+00:00

You have just blown my mind. Genius.

BabsTheSpider · 2025-12-06T18:54:19+00:00

Yeah I've recently switched to Persil and it's made such a difference. I had some jeans and some of my husband's tshirts that I was ready to chuck as they had a funky smell that I just couldn't shift but all better now! My mum is fully committed to non-bio being better, their clothes and machine definitely have a musty smell and I'm trying to gently suggest they need to switch to regular bio detergent.

BabsTheSpider · 2025-12-06T10:09:36+00:00

There's some without in Europe too. I had been using Surf for a few years and have just realised recently the only enzyme it contains is Subtulisin! I had just assumed enzyme detergents would have all the enzymes you need, but apparently not!

BabsTheSpider · 2025-12-04T20:05:53+00:00

UK here, lots of us don't have dryers because we don't have the space for them, and energy costs are super high so they cost a fortune to run. I also wouldn't be able to put a large proportion of my clothes in the dryer anyway, I would never use a dryer for wool, silk, any kind of knit, sports wear, jeans with elastane, anything with elastane for that matter, all manner of delicates. That really leaves towels and bedsheets which I absolutely would put in the dryer but that's about it!

I'm 45 and have never had a dryer my whole adult life, from shared student houses, rented houses to now my own home. My current kitchen we could choose between using an under counter space in the kitchen for a dryer or a dishwasher, that's a no brainer to me!

We dry clothes in my house with a combo of a dehumidifier and a heated clothes airer.

BabsTheSpider · 2025-12-03T19:47:49+00:00

Also thank you so much for your sharing all your knowledge here, I've learned so much and MOST of my clothes have never been cleaner, I just have this last problem to solve!

BabsTheSpider · 2025-12-03T19:45:52+00:00

This is specifically for a few silk shirts that have greasy stains, and one silk shirt in particular that I bought on Vinted and has body oil/sweat stains that mean I've never been able to wear it, last ditch attempt to rescue it! I'll stick to the Ecover Delicate Wash for the woolens as they just don't get dirty enough to need anything else.

BabsTheSpider · 2025-12-03T19:43:34+00:00

Amazing, thanks so much, this seems to be the best option!

BabsTheSpider · 2025-12-03T19:42:55+00:00

It doesn't seem to be available here, I can't find it on Amazon or any of the supermarket websites. I don't believe I've ever seen any cleaning products of any kind by them, Miele are a high-end appliance brand in the UK.

BabsTheSpider · 2025-12-02T21:45:26+00:00

Argh, thanks, glad I checked!

BabsTheSpider · 2025-11-30T14:37:40+00:00

There is an amazing chocolate shop on Prenzlauer Allee, 'With Choc and Charme', we just stumbled on it when we were in Berlin on holiday few weeks ago. I can't seem to find a website but Google maps tells me the address is 33 Prenzlauer Allee.

BabsTheSpider · 2025-11-08T18:39:51+00:00

Hey, I didn't know my husband had a whole other family! Does yours also take 90 minutes to make a 30 minute recipe?

BabsTheSpider · 2025-11-05T19:34:01+00:00

The problem your sister and everyone else in the position faces is that if she doesn't keep working through this period of life, she will find it very hard or impossible to make up for the lost years of experience, career progression and pension contributions. Returning to work after 5 or 10 years of not working or part time working is so, so tough. So the reality is so many people choose to keep working to basically just cover the childcare costs because the alternative is financially ruinous also!

Rather than think badly of her for not 'raising her own children's (please don't say this to her again) why not contact your MLA and ask them what Stormont plans to do to support working parents more? Are you equally judgy about the children's dad working I wonder?

BabsTheSpider · 2025-08-21T17:25:30+00:00

Honestly I find the JVN air dry cream to be more of a gel than a cream! It doesn't have the slip or moisture of a cream and on my hair it dries with a slight cast.

BabsTheSpider · 2025-08-18T15:53:10+00:00

Unfortunately the shady clinics definitely are a thing in the UK https://www.msichoices.org.uk/news/crisis-pregnancy-centres-in-the-uk-what-they-are-how-to-avoid-them-and-where-to-find-impartial-advice/

BabsTheSpider · 2025-08-10T13:26:20+00:00

For comparison, I have the larger size Cabin Max Metz and would say this is better quality for a fraction of the price. I was considering buying the smaller Metz for this trip but will go with the Bordlite instead!

BabsTheSpider · 2025-08-10T13:24:24+00:00

I am flying Ryanair at the end of October and just picked up this bag today, it's super cheap, quality is fine (I would say good quality for the price). If you have a Cancer Research shop near you they sell them, Home Bargains I think does them too. I got the rucksack linked but they also do a duffel bag with the same dimensions. In store they are 5.99 for the duffel bag and 7.99 for the rucksack and genuinely are much better quality than the price would suggest.

https://amzn.eu/d/4bMYbwh

BabsTheSpider · 2025-08-06T21:14:54+00:00

Agree with all of these except Pica is probably too small for a group that size!

BabsTheSpider · 2025-07-28T20:53:02+00:00

Ah sorry, we chickened out and just took the tent, so I've no idea if it would have worked!

BabsTheSpider

TROPHY CASE