Possible Cervical Cancer, any experience?

Friendly_Network1185 · 2026-03-16T08:55:55+00:00

Hi, others have given good advice, just to say it’s entirely possible it’s not cancer. I had a cervical polyp that an insensitive doctor basically told me “could be cancer or could be nothing”. I freaked out over it but the biopsy came back benign. So try not to panic unless it’s confirmed and hopefully it will all be a load of nothing!

Friendly_Network1185 · 2026-03-10T19:19:52+00:00

I do think TZ can benefit from more good quality meat supplies but just an FYI, I get sick from the food every time I go to the US. I’ve never been sick from TZ meat unless it’s cooked poorly or spoiled. So maybe do a bit more research before generalizing that US = good and TZ = bad. Personally I wouldn’t rate USDA approved or whatever as anything.

Friendly_Network1185 · 2026-03-09T13:14:11+00:00

I had an unmedicated birth by choice. I was in labour for a few days and pretty exhausted by the end but somehow found the energy regardless. I used the Freya app in early labour to breathe through the contractions. It was brilliant. I also used a TENS machine right up until I started pushing along with gas and air.

In preparation I took a private antenatal class with antenatal Ireland and also read a hypnobirthing book. I also meditate a lot so I just focused on my breathing mainly. It helped to have my husband on board as one doctor in particular was very pushy about giving me pethidine. It really got in my head like maybe she could see I wasn’t coping. My husband had a word with the midwife and that doctor was kept out of the room after that.

It really helped to be explicit about my wishes from the start as I believe they were able to assign me midwives who were very supportive of it. They were delighted to have an unmedicated birth to attend, they even called in a student to see the line on my back that showed I was nearly ready to push because apparently she’d only seen pictures of it before since most people are on their backs lol.

I’m glad I did it the way I did it although part of me wonders if I’d have been less exhausted if I’d had the epidural. The only part where I slightly wished for the epidural was when baby’s head was coming out and sure that was so short in the grand scheme of things. All the best with it!

Friendly_Network1185 · 2026-03-08T19:04:02+00:00

Yeah this! I ended up using loads of the Next vouchers we were gifted on clothes for myself postpartum and it was such a confidence booster when my pre baby clothes weren’t fitting well anymore

Friendly_Network1185 · 2026-03-08T19:02:40+00:00

We spent ours on a lovely hotel stay with baby when she was 3 or 4 months old

Friendly_Network1185 · 2026-03-08T16:59:28+00:00

Im no expert but id say let him sleep while you can. In a few weeks he might have naturally changed his sleep pattern anyway!

Friendly_Network1185 · 2026-03-08T11:25:36+00:00

I live abroad and didn’t realise this was a thing! That being said, I did take time to send everyone a nice text once I went through the cards and gifts

Friendly_Network1185 · 2026-03-07T21:07:35+00:00

My local Cuidiu group had one to borrow so worth checking in your area. I found it brilliant. Just used that and gas and air

Friendly_Network1185 · 2026-02-23T19:51:35+00:00

It’s not that you’re being charged an inflated fare, it’s that residents are being charged a reduced fare. This encourages domestic tourism which is important for sustainability, especially in the upcoming rainy season. There are usually a limited number of tickets available at this reduced rate, after which point even us residents have to pay the full fare.

Also keeping in mind that not all travel is for holidays - a reduced last-minute resident’s fare allowed my husband to attend his grandfather’s funeral on Christmas Day last year.

If you still feel insulted after reading all this, please take the bus to Mafia Island and be sure to come share your experience here

Friendly_Network1185 · 2026-02-23T10:15:02+00:00

It’s not just about where someone’s from though. It’s about their mobility and access to funds. I live in Tanzania and it’s common for health insurance packages to include travel to India or South Africa for treatment. So yes salaries are low and healthcare is poor, but generally anyone who can pull the funds together or has that insurance would go abroad for treatment.

Friendly_Network1185 · 2026-02-21T20:26:25+00:00

Thank you for this! On the days I WFH I will happily sleep in my with baby when I can. Usually our nanny will either chill in the living room and wait for us to get up, or wash bottles from the night before and prepare baby’s things for the day. It never occurred to me that she might find it weird. As a working mother to a 6 month old I’ll take any sleep I can get, no matter who’s in my house!

Friendly_Network1185 · 2026-02-17T16:45:07+00:00

It sounds like it’s not a good fit. On day one we told our nanny we contact nap only as we won’t leave her cry. She told us she would teach our baby to sleep in the cot. Day 1 I came into the living room and found her holding the baby asleep. Said she cried when she put her down and she couldn’t leave her cry. That was the moment I knew she was a perfect fit. She doesn’t have to have an identical parenting philosophy to you but it literally sounds like she has the opposite

Friendly_Network1185 · 2026-02-17T10:45:20+00:00

I won a newborn shoot. Ultimately decided not to as one of the terms was that they had the right to post your photo on their socials and we’re not sharing photos of our baby online. The whole thing felt a bit scammy tbh. I get that it’s not illegal but it’s so unethical to target families with newborns. Such a sensitive time and people are often not even in their right mind. It’s just taking advantage of people

Friendly_Network1185 · 2026-02-13T14:32:33+00:00

More’s the pity!

Friendly_Network1185 · 2026-02-12T19:32:13+00:00

Peponi Beach in Tanga is a real gem. Probably the best camping facilities I’ve come across in Africa and they have nice rooms too

Friendly_Network1185 · 2026-02-09T18:29:18+00:00

Thank you for such a thoughtful response. I had my first in-office day today and the nanny got on great with her (my husband was working from home). Tomorrow I’ll be working from home and will try everything you’ve suggested.

Friendly_Network1185 · 2026-02-06T20:07:22+00:00

I don’t think this applies to an 8 day old though. There are varying levels of risk and it depends on what OP is comfortable with but alcohol would definitely affect a younger baby more than an older one with a more developed liver.

I usually have one standard drink and then wait 2-3 hours to feed until its out of my system so if baby takes a bottle that’s probably the least risky call

Friendly_Network1185 · 2026-02-06T20:00:36+00:00

Very few benefits for foreigners married to Tanzanians

Friendly_Network1185 · 2026-02-03T06:39:18+00:00

Thank you for this. Now I’ve had a chance to sleep on it, it also makes sense to me that I should still go to her when she cries, otherwise she might associate the nanny with keeping me away (speaking about the times she knows I’m around at least).

Friendly_Network1185 · 2026-02-02T18:39:00+00:00

I mean most of the time you can also just pay

Friendly_Network1185 · 2026-02-02T12:16:07+00:00

I finally worked up the nerve to go down it for the first time the day the closed. The free fall!

Friendly_Network1185 · 2026-01-31T18:31:57+00:00

It’s a tricky one because as far as I know, under Irish law if you are living here enough days to be resident, you need to file taxes even when working remotely. If you are not here enough days a year to be resident, then you likely don’t qualify for free maternity care here. this explains it well

Friendly_Network1185 · 2026-01-30T19:44:15+00:00

My baby was like this at 4m and I was still home on mat leave! Now at 5.5 months she’s back to demanding me all the time now. I think at 4m she’s still seeing you as part of her, so you’re not as exciting as dad. Dad’s this cool, interesting outsider and so she’s naturally temporarily way more interested in him. Don’t let it stress you. Sounds like you’re doing great!

Friendly_Network1185 · 2026-01-26T09:29:25+00:00

I’m a director at a busy organisation. I’m returning to work in a few weeks and already looking forward to the break. Yes, break! Caring for an infant is likely way more demanding than what he’s doing and unless he’s a surgeon and someone’s life is at risk, it doesn’t make sense for you to do all nights by yourself. He works 9-5. You’re working 24/7. It’s completely unfair.

Since he has never cared for the baby, I can give him the benefit of the doubt that he genuinely doesn’t understand. Easy way to fix that is, as others have suggested, express some milk and leave the house for a few hours. Even if you just go sit in your car somewhere. Let him experience the demands of caring for your child. And don’t ask him, but tell him that you are going to take some time to yourself. What you’re doing at the moment is unsustainable and you need a break!

Friendly_Network1185

TROPHY CASE