Your skin's topography.

[Russ]

I have a deformity on the back of my head - there's just a big pointed bulge at the rear of my skull. All hail Freak Boy.

That's normal for some people. My friend was really worried one time and came up to me complaining about this huge bump on his head that he had only noticed since he had a bad cold. I did the friendly thing and felt it over before proclaiming that it was exactly the same as the bump I have at the rear of my skull.

I reckon it's a sign of intelligence.

[Cerys]

I reckon it's a sign of intelligence.

I've got a dent in my head.  Be careful what you say.

[Frinky]

Hello, bulge buddies. I reckon it's a sign of having a massive cock.

[Cerys]

On your head?!

[Frinky]

Best place for it.

[Ambient Sheep]

I'd much rather an episiotomy than a caesarean. I was more scared of the drugs than giving birth so it was a whiff of gas an air and some crazy yoga breathing methods for me.

A dear friend of mine had her first child in Italy last year.  Never mind epidurals (ooo, controversial!), they didn't even give her gas and air!  It was completely "natural", except that the bastards took the baby away from her immediately and she didn't see it for 12 hours, so much for bonding, seems that Italy's back where we were in the 1950s.

She said she didn't yell or scream or swear (which surprised me, knowing her), she just cried through the whole thing.  She's only small-built down there, apparently, and so ended up having to have 56 (fifty-six) stitches, and unsurprisingly found sitting down uncomfortable for some weeks.

As a result she says she ain't doing THAT again, no-how, no-way...but on the other hand she does ADORE her baby daughter to an amazing extent.  We were both surprised by that; if anyone was a candidate for post-natal depression and/or not feeling attached to her baby, it was her (we both thought so, comparing notes after the event), but no, she's a devoted mother.

However, if she DOES ever fall pregnant again she says she's on the first plane back to the UK.

Amusingly I was watching one of those "Brits Living Abroad" proggys on daytime television a while back, and some Brit lady was about to give birth in Italy.  She said she'd heard terrifying rumours about no pain relief, but this nice hospital doctor assured her that they do use it, and that she had nothing to worry about.  And indeed she had a nice birth.  Perhaps the BBC camera crew's presence (not at the birth!) helped - but I just wanted to post my friend a VHS so she could scream "LIES, IT'S ALL LIES" at her TV set.

[TraceyQ]

I'd pay good money for some gas and air again, it's bloody grate.

[Ambient Sheep]

I'd pay good money for some gas and air again, it's bloody grate.

It is, isn't it?  Only ever had it twice - once during a dental operation when I was 10, and again in my early 20s for an ingrown toenail operation.  Lovely stuff, I can easily see why medical types get addicted to it.

[slim]

Is that the same as nitrous oxide? If so, you can buy it. I bet it's not though...

[TraceyQ]

Yeah, that's the bunny. It's piped through the maternity units of most hosptals and when I went in the jacuzzi for a while I had a huge cannister of it brought in for me.
That was the first tme, though, the secomd time it was all over in 3 hours. My husband watched the cricket.

[slim]

I went to a nitrous oxide party recently. I was quite apprehensive, but it really is a fantastic buzz. You can get it by ordering whipped cream making equipment apparently, and loads of the little canisters.

Make sure to put the gas into a balloon first though kids, lest you freeze your lips to the pipe.

[Deadman97]

I went to a nitrous oxide party recently.

You make it sound like a regular weekend! Where are these gas-fuelled nitrous parties, and where do I get an invite?

[slim]

Where are these gas-fuelled nitrous parties,

Anywhere there's a whipped cream maker and 400 balloons.

and where do I get an invite?

You have to kiss my ass. KISS IT! <wink>