Spotted! My Hospital Bag – fab ready-packed labour bags.
A pre-packed labour bag?
My first instinct was to roll my eyes and sigh at the silliness.
But then I looked.
And found myself in the unheard of position of admitting I was wrong.
I actually really love this idea.
One of the really common frets of a first time mum is “what do I need to take in my bag for the birth?”.
And running my oh-so-experienced (well, I’ve done it four times) eye over the packed list of ‘ingredients’ in these bags?
I’d say there’s little I’d want to add. They’re well thought out, have good quality items, and pretty much cover all the bases.
At £85 it doesn’t sound cheap, but once you tot up everything you’d buy yourself to go inside, I don’t think it’s a lot at all. And that’s a large amount checked off your pre-birth To Do List in one easy purchasing click.
My one criticism?
Snip those horrible bows off the side of what was a very nice holdall!
The bags are available in a variety of colours (and there’s a twins version too), and are available direct from My Hospital Bag
Read MoreCOMING SOON, MOBA® THE CONTEMPORARY MOSES BASKET
At last, the Moses Basket has been updated!
New Moba® (coming soon… patience grasshopper…) is a safe and cosy place for your baby to sleep. It’s also a seriously cool bit of kit!
Designed and made in the UK, Moba® cleverly combines a contemporary, ergonomic design with practicality. Chic, eco-friendly, hygienic, fully ventilated and very light to carry… and because it’s made from smooth recyclable material with special soft touch handles, Moba® is tough, safe and very durable.
We do love baby stuff that will last from generation to generation.
The RRP is £89.99: watch this space, it’s coming this summer (www.mobauk.com and @mobauk)
The Little Green Sheep Organic cocoon wrap review
This gorgeous organic Cocoon Wrap swaddle blanket from Little Green Sheep is a lovely way to ensure your baby feels secure and safe in its early days. If you have never used a swaddle, it works a bit like a sleeping bag, in that the baby is put in it and then the ‘arms’ are wrapped round. Made from organic cotton, it is incredibly soft and comfortable. My baby is now 6 weeks old and I have used it a lot – I think it is one of those things that the more you use it, the more you WILL use it. I didn’t swaddle any of my other children, and I can really see how beneficial it is – one of the main things is that it will stop the ‘startled’ reflex that my daughter does in response to sudden shouts, which usually wakes her up! This can only be a good thing when you have a 6 and a 4 year old running around.
Reviewed by Nicole, and the very willing Erin.
We’re BIG fans of swaddling, and this particular swaddle is one of the softest, loveliest ones we’ve seen. The organic Little Green Sheep Cocoon Wrap is available from VUP Baby for a smidge under £16 – we love it, and are sure it’ll soon be one of those things that you wonder how you managed without. Actually, you might want to think about buying two, while you’re there…
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Gorgeously Practical Maternity Coat from Vertbaudet
REDUCED! Down from £99 to £74!
When I first found I was pregnant with baby #2 and my regular clothes started to nip in places they hadn’t before, my first stop was to search out my “pregnant” clothes from last time round. I despaired! Have styles and fashions (and my tastes!) REALLY changed that much in just 3 short years?! Er, yes. They have. So, it was back to the drawing board for my 9 month stretch in maternity wear. This is where the lovely Laura steps in and asks if I could possibly review some maternity wear from Vertbaudet. YAY! Lifesaver! (My bank manager also applauds you my dear!)
So, what did I get to review? Some bootcut jeans, a long-line cardi and a winter coat. Now, I’ve had them for some time, and they formed my core wardrobe for the duration of my pregnancy, so my thoughts are based on washing and wearing repeatedly, not just occasional wear.
When I opened my parcel, I was like a child on Christmas morning. Seriously, I’m sure if you had been a fly on the wall you would have laughed at my squeaks of glee at the selection I received from my wishlist. I was particularly pleased to have been blessed with the addition of the wool-cloth coat to keep me and the bump warm in the colder months. I can confirm now – it did its job well! I am a fuss-pot when it comes to coats. I admit it. I am desperately hard to please in that department (same as with jeans, but we’ll get to that later!) so when I say the coat was great, it really must have been. At first viewing, I thought it might be a bit lightweight should the weather be VERY cold, but despite the lack of weight, it was cosy and comfortable. A roomy fit around the bump, with plenty of room for expansion (even at the very end) but nicely fitted at the top to give some definition to the shape of the wearer – none of this waddling around looking like a blob thank you very much! The style and cut impressed me further by having “moveable arms”. Yes, I KNOW that seems like a small ask, but am I the only one who has a pet hate for these stylish but non-functional coats and jackets that you have to take off before getting in the car to drive? Grrrrr! Vertbaudet have it all worked out though – I happily drove around wearing the coat with no restrictions on my movement. Well done designers! So, for all the good things I have to say, I will add a small negative – it has no hood. I may not actually use a hood that often, but I do like a nice winter coat to have the option to keep my head dry should I need it. Take this coat and add a hood and I would be a VERY happy lady indeed.
Maternity Wool Coat now reduced from £99.99 down to £74.25 (that’s 25% off!). Bargain.
Read MoreBestest christmas Gift guide – Pregnancy Photography by the Pregnancy Photographer
Pregnancy Photography. Gorgeous.
Recording your bump, your pregnancy, this stage in your life – who doesn’t want to stop and hold on to these memories? Whether you’re loving your pregnancy, or hanging on by your fingernails for it all to be over, this is a time that won’t come again – and recording it with a portrait can be a really special thing to do that comes to mean more and more as the years go by
As Courtenay Hitchcock says “Because every bump is beautiful, every pregnancy unique.”
And yes, okay, it’s too late to have a portrait session booked in before Christmas now.
But.
A voucher is a wonderful thing – and a fab idea to leave hanging under the nose of a husband or a sister still floundering over what to get you…
A session with The Pregnancy Photographer starts from £125, and he can arrange exclusive 5* Babymoons too…
Read MoreMaternity Winter Coat? Look no further…
Finding a reasonably priced winter maternity coat can be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Believe me, I know; I’m on my third pregnancy, and haven’t had much luck in finding one which meets my essential criteria of style, value for money AND warmth.
In fact, I couldn’t find one suitable for any of my previous pregnancies.
One of the considerations is cost – you don’t want to spend a fortune because let’s face it, you won’t be wearing it for more than one season!
That’s where Vertbaudet come in; unbeknownst to me they sell some really stylish maternity wear, at great prices. Who knew?
I was given this grey wool winter coat to review, and not only is it reasonably priced, it’s exceptionally warm AND looks great. I can honestly say that I no longer feel embarrassed on the school run because my coat is too tight. This coat is stylish over the ever growing bump, and I can do it up properly (hurrah!). It fits perfectly and is actually flattering, I have even had lots of lovely comments.
I love it! My confidence has been given a real boost at the school gates (and I have been totally convinced that a maternity coat is a must-have purchase, rather than a larger normal coat!).
In terms of cost this coat represents really excellent value – it feels really good quality, and the stitching is perfect. You can choose from grey or black, and with two young children I especially like the fact that it is machine washable!
I haven’t seen a better maternity coat this season. In fact, I’m quite disappointed Vertbaudet don’t sell women’s wear now…
Best of all – the coat is currently reduced over at Vertbaudet down to just £74.25. Bargainous!
(reviewed for us by the ever-lovely Claire from Being A Mummy)
Read MoreSpotted! The Birthing Dress
LOVE this idea. When I gave birth, I found a button-through brushed cotton plain nightie for my hospital bag. Functional – but dull and oh-so-unattractive. I used it all four times, and whilst it gained a fond place in my affections (we went through so much together) I never did actually LIKE the bloody thing.
But oh how I would have LOVED to have this in my bag to put on. Super pretty, promisingly comfortable AND really practical – and fab for after the birth too. Total winner in my book.
Available for a smoosh under £43 from the always-fab Mummy & Little Me.
Read MorePhilips AVENT 3-In-1 Steriliser Review – Steamin’ Hot. Of course.
Okay, so with our small people starting school in a couple of weeks (*gulp*) we’re a bit past the need for sterilisers. Happily, a quick shout on twitter brought us the lovely Boo & Me, who agreed to review it for us :) …
I was excited to be asked to review the Avent 3-in-1 electric steam steriliser; I have never particularly got along with our steriliser and this one looked really interesting. It is different to anything else I have seen on the market as it can be used in three different ways:
As well as being adjustable in size, it is also very slim line which saves loads of worktop space – it’s narrower than my toaster! We have a fairly small kitchen so this is fab news for me.
I really like that it can change to fit your needs. The smallest basket is perfect for dummies, teethers and spoons, the middle size for breast pumps, cups and bowls and both baskets together for bottles.
The only negative point for me is that although it says it fits all bottle types on the box, our Tommee Tippees need to be squeezed in due to their wide necks. They do fit, but it makes loading the steriliser a bit fiddly when I’m in a rush and have Boo under one arm!
However, I absolutely love the fact that it is small and adjustable, as well as quick and quiet (our last steriliser whistled like a boiling kettle!). As it all comes apart it is also really easy to empty – it’s just a case of taking the base to the sink rather than a whole steriliser. Because it’s much less bulky I am happy to put up with wedging my bottles in once a day!
And the Good News is that the AVENT 3-In-1 Steriliser is currently reduced on Amazon from £60 to just £39. Bargain!
Read MoreMothers Day Idea #1 – mamami luxury change bags
The ultimate in luxury baby change bags! Loved by famous mamami’s Sophie Ellis Bexter & Lauren Lavern the mamami ultimate luxury baby bag is the perfect accessory for all style-conscious Mums.
Could an expectant or new Dad do any better than nabbing one of these for Mother’s Day? A chic exterior belies the super-practical insides, and removes forever the Mumsy look of so many changing bags (yes, they’re necessary, yes we love them – but they’re so often ugly, and we love Pretty too!).
To top it off this Mother’s Day, mamami has teamed up with jewellery designer Chambers & Beau to give away a FREE ‘pitter patter’ necklace worth £90 with every purchase. Plus there’s FREE UK delivery too.
The offer applies between 28th February – 29th April and the Mother’s Day offer is available for purchase on mamami and Babes With Babies too.
Read MoreThe Robe Around review – a towel specially made for pregnant bumps.
Have you ever struggled to get a towel to cover your er, modesty?
As a fit and healthy man who runs every day this wasn’t an issue that I’ve encountered, but my wife realised that a standard towel rapidly becomes ineffective in this regard once you pass about 20 weeks of your pregnancy. So I volunteered her services for the Robe-Around review – I thought she would be the ideal person.
Essentially this is a towel with a Velcro fastening at the top to prevent it falling down and a pleated section at the front that provides that important extra space for ones bump. Sounding good so far right? In principal a great innovation, that addresses a real and practical need for pregnant women.
But what about in practice? Well firstly you need to wash the towel quite a few times to get rid of that new-towel fluff; initially we only washed it twice which resulted in a rather fetching covering of black fluff for my wife!
Secondly, while the Velcro is very useful for when walking about in the towel and certainly better than the classic tucking in method, it isn’t so great when you are actually drying yourself. Velcro on bare skin isn’t pleasant and trying to avoid it when you’re not as flexible as normal due to the bump is easier said than done.
Finally if you are tall like my wife (5’10”) then this towel may not be quite long enough, she would have preferred it to reach below her knees (and yes I intentionally dodged any reference to ‘a few more inches’).
So in conclusion we’d give the Robe-Around 6/10; it really is a good idea, but needs some fine tuning. It’s great for walking around in, but not so user friendly when you actually want to dry yourself.
The Robe Around costs £20, and can be bought direct from Sporty Bump.
Reviewed by God(dess) Ben, ably assisted by his lovely wife Alexandra. Though that’s not her up there in the towel. You can see more of Ben over on Mutterings Of A Fool.
Read MoreWell, I never had MY bra fitted this way *pout* (but thank you HOTMilk…)
HOTMilk lingerie bra fitting guide. See this and you may never be able to keep a straight face the next time you find yourself in the fitting room… Take a peek and spread the word…
Read MoreThe Bestest Christmas Gift Guide #29 – the MOST Beautiful Gift For Mummys With Small Babies
*Pauses while you all regain your breathe from that “ooooh!” of wanting*
We have a full review of this delicious Lin & Leo bag from Lush Baby (yes, it IS a practical change bag too – who’d have thought?), but it would make SUCh a wonderful new Mummy gift we thought you might want to wave it under your mans nose as soon as possible…
Here’s Emilys first thoughts when she received it:
“Love the very VERY lovely, cheerful changing bag. Been stroking it all evening and a bit worried about putting stuff in it! Couple of my Mummy friends have been stroking the bag with jealousy in their eyes. Red definitely, gorgeously best.
It is so much more glamorous than my usual bag – the leather is lovely, the colour is bright and I feel quite the yummy mummy! It isn’t cheap, but if I had the money to spend this is what I’d be spending it on! Off to go and gaze in adoration at the bag once again before actually doing something constructive today.”
Oh for Father Christmas to pop one of THOSE under the tree, eh?
Read MoreCasha Poncho – just plain fabulous!
The gorgeously pregnant Alics has been reviewing the Casha Poncho for us – it’s not actually maternity wear, but is so perfect for a quick cover up with or without a bump.
In the Casha Cashemere Poncho, Alice says
“Hark! What’s this? Why, it’s something that fits over my enormous bump!
Quality-wise it is lovely, really soft, a beautiful shade of grey, and well constructed. It is really very sophisticated and smart. Completely fine for turning up to work meetings… it has really come into its own is as an emergency layer. It folds down really small and is so easily slung in my handbag, so is great for this unpredictable British weather. Rather than wondering whether or not to take a bulky cardigan out or not I can now just grab the poncho… perfect!”
You can find Alice over at Backstitch, a brilliant place to stop by if you’re into fabric and patterns.
Read MoreWarm Welcome to Maternity and Nursing
The original idea for the Maternity and Nursing website was to be an outlet for the Yes! Nursing Bra and it soon expanded to a wonderful on-line shopping stocking hard-to-find items from all over the world for mums and mums-to-be in the UK.
From breastfeeding support products to birthing pools and beyond. I can personally vouch for the Preggie Pops/Queasy Drops as they really helped to keep that morning sickeness feeling at bay during my last pregnancy *shiver*.
Read MoreSecret Review – The Dodo Pad Book of the Big Bump
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This review was written by our lovely new reviewer Rachel – who’s second baby is due this very week! It’s not been a terribly popular thing – the pad was seen, not loved and unused by one reviewer, so Rachel offered to give it a go herself (we’re nothing if not fair, giving every product a proper chance). Here’s what she thinks of it now, near then end of her pregnancy:
I loved the look of the Dodo Book of the Big Bump when it arrived, and was excited about using it. Unfortunately, due to its rather large size I found it impossible to carry about, so ended up using my regular diary for all my pregnancy related organising.
The planner contains 12 dividers, each with a useful pouch on the rear, 100 sheets of square lined paper and a ‘month to a page’ pregnancy planner.
I found several of the sections were not really relevant if like me you already have a child, and don’t have Big Essentials to buy or products to contrast and compare. However I can see that it would appeal to an organised first time mum, with lots of time to read pregnancy magazines, plan her dream nursery and collate tips for those early days of motherhood!
I would have found special pouches to hold scan pictures and pregnancy photos useful, a daily rather than weekly diary layout, and would prefer a smaller version for portability.
At £17.95 it’s not something I would have bought for myself even first time round, but it would make a nice gift for the organised first time mummy-to-be.
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‘Joyful Pregnancy’ Hypnosis CD
Available on Amazon for a smidge over £14
Review by Debbie…
When my Joyful Pregnancy CD arrived in the post I wasn’t feeling that excited about it as after a stressful pregnancy to date I was sceptical as to whether it would have any benefits. I am happy to say that I was proved wrong and this double CD is both inspirational and beneficial to your state of mind.
I found CD 1 extremely interesting with Janey Lee Grace giving invaluable holistic advice. In particular, I found her nutrition and exercise advice very helpful. There are also useful money saving tips plus suggestions of how to feel more in control throughout your pregnancy.
CD 2 is a relaxing hypnotherapy session with Glenn Harrold. The first time I played it I ended up turning it off halfway through feeling frustrated that it hadn’t worked but to be honest I don’t think I gave it a fair trial as you do have to be in the right frame of mind from the onset of the CD and make sure you allow yourself some quiet time and space to listen to the entire cd without interruptions. I mistakenly thought I’ll have a quick listen before I get the dinner ready! After listening to it again, through headphones as suggested on the CD, it was a totally different experience and I would challenge anybody not to fall asleep before the session is over! I did think maybe I was missing out on information everytime I fell asleep but the session actually encourages you to sleep suggesting that the information is still reaching your subconscious mind. Either way I felt both physically and mentally relaxed at the end of every session.
I would recommend this CD to any anxious mums-to-be as it will help you feel more relaxed and knowledgeable enabling you to enjoy the remainder of your pregnancy and birth.
Read MoreCongratulations Pol! Baby Jacob is here!!!
Pol is one of our crack team of reviewers, and we are thrilled to announce the arrival of baby Jacob!
The Important Details for you:
- born on 13th August
- at 2.46pm
- weighing 9lb 4oz
- after 2 hour labour!!!
- Mum and baby both doing just fine.
Congratulations Pol, Steven, Sam and Jo – he’s just beautiful (and doing a truly splendid job of reviewing the Halo Rocker *grin* ). And don’t you just love the little curled up newborn legs which leave the babygrow all floppy at the bottom?
Read MoreElemis Japanese Camellia Oil Review
My Elemis oil arrived in the post amazingly fast, next day delivery. I was 18 weeks pregnant with my third baby and very excited to try out something which could potentially avert any further stretch marks!
It came very well packaged in a sturdy cardboard box with the Elemis logo on, and it was like Christmas when I opened it up and saw the bottle of oil nestled snugly in Elemis tissue paper. The bottle itself is nothing special, plain brown glass with a little spire shaped screw cap which completely belies the gorgeous smelling oil inside. I couldn’t smell the oil in the bottle but once I had rubbed it into my skin and it gently warmed up it gave off the most beautiful exotic smell. I quickly found that I didn’t need much of the oil as it did go a long way, but once it had sunk into my skin it wasn’t at all greasy as I had expected. It left my skin feeling smooth and smelling gorgeously exotic.
I’m now 34 weeks pregnant and I’ve rubbed the oil onto my bump every day so far. My skin feels beautifully soft and smooth and although I can’t see underneath my bump anymore, my husband assures me that not one single new stretch mark has appeared! It has even reduced the appearance of my existing stretch marks, making them slowly fade. My husband has also been begged and cajoled into giving me several massages with the Elemis oil, although I’ve put a stop to them for the moment as they seem to have more effect on him than me! It is reassuring to know that the Elemis oil is specially developed for pregnancy and is safe to use, as I am always unsure which aromatherapy products are safe and which aren’t.
I will continue using the Elemis oil until my baby is born, and even beyond for the odd massage… wishful thinking with a new baby I think! Although the oil is expensive I think it’s definitely worth it for a product that lasts so long, smells so good, works so well, and gives me peace of mind knowing it is safe to use.
Read MoreDreamGenii Pregnancy Pillow review
£45.99 direct from dreamgenii
The Dream Genii pillow has been reviewed for LittleStuff by the wonderfully pregnant friend of LittleStuff; Tracy. A pillow was despatched to her with much haste because at nearly-8-months pregnant and a bad case of SPD she was keen to try anything that would help her sleep better. So without any further ado, here is Tracy’s review (drumroll please)……
IT ARRIVES
Pillow is here!
Here’s hoping to a good night’s sleep tonight. Been having really rough nights of late, so lets see if the pillow works.
It also says it is approved by midwifes as a feeding pillow, so will test that out in a few weeks.
THE FIRST NIGHT
Went to bed – rather early 9.30pm – full of excitement that I have a new sleeping partner. Having been diagnosed with SPD back in June and been shown by a very nice physiotherapist how to position pillows to help sleeping comfort, I was looking forward to trialling the Dream Genii which promised to “aid a restful nights sleep”!
Shaped like a rather large coma it has a small pillow to fit in the base of your back with a quilted section to be placed under your middle, then a further pillow to support ‘bump’. This is all attached to a long thin pillow that is placed between your knees for support. It tells you to lay it with the long pillow to the right, so you lay on your left side. If you roll to your right side you don’t carry the pillow with you, merely slot the thin pillow through your knees from behind??? Okay, so off I go. Not sure if I am too tall for it – only 5’8″ – but the leg pillow felt too high when I was laying down, yet if I moved the back and bump support pillows down, they didn’t feel in the right place. But stuck with it.
Personally, the support for the legs didn’t seem quite right. When lying on your left, the leg pillow feels quite long, but it still only supports your knees and keeps them apart which is no good for the pelvis. You really need the legs equal distance apart, so need the support right down to your ankle. When lying on your right, the leg pillow was a lot shorter as you are obviously pulling it from behind and it only keeps your knees apart and a bit of your thighs. The back and bump pillows worked well, but could do with being a little firmer. My physio had shown me how to create the same effect with a feather pillow plumped to make a ‘bow’ with you lying in the middle of it and the ‘bow’ edges supporting your front and back.
So far, it is okay but not sure my sleep was any better. Zzzzzz…………
THE NEXT NIGHT
I think after a bit of shoogling I’ve got the right positioning for the Dreamgenii! Certainly more comfortable than the previous night. Still not sure of the pulling-the-leg-pillow-between-my-legs when lying on my right, but was snug as a bug when lying on my left.
You really do feel quite cocooned once you find the right positioning. All the tap dancing by sausage I think means he likes it too!!
Will be bagging it up (can’t remember if I said, but it comes in a nice big plastic bag with handles that clip together) and taking it away with us for the weekend.
CONCLUSION
Well, I’ve had 5 nights now with the Dream Genii, and I do like it. It is comfy to sleep with and it does have the benefit that when you roll over, the flatness of the quilted section that you lie on means that this is easier than trying to manoeuvre over a feather pillow, but the leg pillow still doesn’t feel right when you are lying on your right. Maybe it’s just that I don’t wake up enough when I am rolling over to remember to pull the pillow between my legs? Also, I personally think it’s a tad bit expensive for what it is when you can achieve close to the same support from two feather pillows. Overall, I found it a pretty good product but not convinced it’s worth the extra cost for the same quality of sleep I can get with normal pillows. I’ll report back on how well it performs as a nursing pillow when I’m knee-deep in middle-of-the-night feeds and nappy changes.
www.dreamgenii.comRead More
HOTMilk Lingerie review
Maternity bras. Feeding bras. Not the stuff a girl dreams of living in for a year or so, is it? Images of 1950′s firm white cotton pointy practical types spring to mind, don’t they? Well, a New Zealand company took a hold of that idea and stood it right on its head. The founders of HOTmilk understood that just because a woman is pregnant or breastfeeding, she doesn’t instantly stop needing to feel attractive. Feminine. Even (gasp!) sexy.
And HOTmilk have put the ‘lingerie’ back into maternity underwear.
Of course, first and foremost maternity lingerie has a job to do – and must do it well. It has to be kind to pregnant skin. It has to be supportive to swollen breasts and adjustable to the expanding and contracting needs of breastfeeding boobs. It needs to properly support the ‘better-endowed’ of us without the need for the underwires which are oh-so-bad for Milk Mamas. Small things like seams across tender nipples and pretty-but-scratchy lace need to be thought about.
So HOTmilk took all of those principles, and added them to their beautiful underwear design skills.
The result? Pretty, feminine, seductive underwear that really truly works. Every woman knows that your underwear defines how you feel. No matter what you wear on top, if you have on a gorgeous, sexy bra and knickers underneath you can’t help but walk that bit taller. And when you’re pregnant, or have been up all night feeling like a dairy cow, we’ll take all the sexy help we can get, yes?
I tried the Baby Doll Delicious Maternity Bra, in a deep dusky rose embroidered with sunflowers and decorated with soft gentle lace and I love it! It is oh-so-comfortable, supportive even to my DD cups – and sooo feminine too. The shoulders straps are soft and broad, the back strap is wide and supportive, and has six adjustment options to ensure a continued good fit.
My only problem is the lack of large sizes available in this country – you can get them in New Zealand so why are none of the UK stores stocking them (up to a size F no less – HUGE kudos to HOTmilk for recognising a bigger Mummas need to feel sexy too)?
The HOTmilk range is not infinite – they are a young company and are taking care to only add the best to their range, which takes time. They do however, go further than just bras – the matching knickers come in various styles and they also have a camisole and a gorgeous black bodice for nightwear. If you’re looking for something more than functional I strongly suggest these might be exactly what you’re after.
HOTmilk… even the name is genius…
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