You mean sharing pooing isn't the done thing? I'll have to edit some of my stories, I'm sure it's mentioned in my journal!

I think people want to compare. I know people who if you say "I had a 33 hour labour" say "no you didn't" or "mine was longer" as if we're up for a medal. Or write you off if you have stitches (one midwife) or trouble feeding (the same midwife).

Other people want to gossip - I HATED having someone say "oh yes, I've heard this story" - excuse me, it's not "this story" it is MY BIRTH and WHO DARED to tell you about it before me? (I have 2-3 friends and a mother who are incurable gossips; I hate it but mostly because I like to give out my own news).

I like to know who knows what, I know I have told my sister more than my mother, I haven't said much to SiL because she never asked but -oh, I hate people telling pregnant people the down side to my birth story too - if a pregnant woman asks I give a different story to if someone wants to talk to someone who has been there, done that - I downplay a lot of the troubles for a pregnant person but do warn of the dangers of monitoring, inductions and obstetricians with hands.