Well, we suggested the university creche but she didn't seem keen: not sure why. And it's not due to pressure from the uni that she's sending her away; my supervisor couldn't care less whether students have kids or not. Anyway, we'll see.

I reckon we'd all be better off if fathers got the same maternity pay as mothers. Then there'd be no interview discrimination. And you can bet if this problem affected men there'd be some quick solutions from the government.

Thanks everyone. I don't eat dairy just cos I don't like it, but sometimes worry that I'm storing up osteoperosis for the future. I do like soya but was last week told by a professor of cancer drug development that soya is one of the worst things women can eat, which worried me a bit. I've since looked at some literature, and it seems pretty mixed: some say soy compounds are cancer-preventative, and some that they are linked with increased cancer. What to believe?!

No Smilodon, I did not mean to suggest that. I just have heard (another type of straw poll) a lot of relatives actually use the expression "now is a good time to start a family". Obviously some times are better than others; but if no time is ever a "good" time for you, then I wonder why you would do it! It's possible to make room in your life for a good experience of childrearing, surely? If it's not going to be a good experience, then why do it?

But I did not intend to sound critical; each to their own, in the end.

By the way this student's child is over a year old now. I don't know what will finally happen, though.

And don't tell me to eat Marmite, I'd sooner eat my own slippers

He he.

I'm not (anaemic), mind you, I was just wondering if you would become slighly low in iron/B12 etc if you gave up all animal products.

Actually on this subject, a soon-to-be student at our group told us last week that she will send her baby to live with her mother (in another country) for the duration of her PhD. I think my supervisor was a little taken aback at this, considering it a huge and needless sacrifice. I don't know how many (or if any) other people have done this, but she (the new student) seemed pretty happy with it.

Well...I don't want to get into this too much cos my insensitive gob upset people last time . I think (now) that Olivia and co are largely correct in that most people can do it, others (including me)cannot. But...I'm not sure about the argument that there will never be a "good" time to have children. Plenty of people identify ideal times in their life to have children - if you cannot foresee that you ever will, then it may be that your lifestyle is not suited to children.

Other than that: I wish the OP the best of luck.

That's true. I've been avoiding meat cos of the cost; buying a lot more beans and daal. But then how do you avoid mild anaemia or flaky nails?

I don't know the rules, but I hope they let you do it. After all, this show may lead to something even bigger and it could make your career. In which case, when you are (even more) famous, you can tell interviewers how you could never have done it without EPSRC

She should not be teaching you: supervisors should have proper training. I've occasionally "taught" new students or international visitors, but only for a day or two.

If she is now your main source of supervison then you are entitled to complain. Perhaps in a friendly way: suggest to her (with witnesses) that you feel bad taking up her time and maybe together you can arrange other support for you?

PC_Geek's right. I know of similar stories; if you search through the threads (search for "Third"; the UK equivalent, I assume) and you'll find them.

We don't have any traditions: don't even have middle names in my family. Very dull.

I never knew that, Emmaki

What name do the children take?

Yes, i think the Spanish have a good system. Also the Icelandic: sons take father's name plus "son", and girls take mother's name plus "dottir". Everyone's happy (but an awful lot of Magnus Magnusson and Peter Petersons).

Agree with you there, Olivia: I often think the same way when I hear peope (usually bishops or Conservative MPs) state that married couples tend to stay together longer than unmarried couples. Yes, but why is that necessarily a good thing? They may not be any happier, but feel unable to move on because of the cost or messiness involved in legal divorce proceedings. That's an unhappier situation to be in, especially for any children involved.