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7 inventions that put a stop to domestic rows

“Did you turn off the immersion?”

CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT you; can’t live with the sight of your gym shorts on the radiator.

It could be worse, ie, a time before the invention of these aggro-relieving devices:

1. The fliptop lid

Never again will a cap go missing on a tube of toothpaste. Never again will you get the blame for it going missing.

via Shutterstock

2. The electric shower

Behold a world before hot showers at the tug of a ceiling cord: the ‘immersion’ switch on the hot water tank. God forbid you forgot to turn it off before leaving the house for a night out…

via Shutterstock

3. The slow-closing hinge

You just can’t slam a door in anger these days. And that is a good thing.

via Shutterstock

4. Two-sided electric blankets

One person is always too hot, the other is always a fridge. Problem solved.

via Shutterstock

5. The electronic toilet lid

It lifts and closes at the touch of a button. The gender gap of 500 years disappears in one second.

via Shutterstock

6. The universal remote control

Why is there always one remote missing? WHY? What did you do with it? This universal remote solved this divisive issue. Now you only have one remote to lose.

via Shutterstock

7. The dishwasher

It no longer matters who hates washing up and who is allergic to teatowels.

Although who unloads the dishwasher might be another row in the brewing…

Andrea Castelli/Flickr

Now that you have found domestic bliss, let IKEA help you make room for your life.

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36 Comments
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    Mute Emma Smith
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    Mar 11th 2024, 8:09 AM

    Need to start education and exposure to breast feeding to a time before women have a child. Eg visits by breastfeeding mothers and babies to secondary schools. Has to be normalised for everyone. Give women and girls the confidence they can do it. Then adequate supports. 59 breastfeeding consultants in the HSE is inadequate I’d say.

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    Mute Donna-Marie Kovačić
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    Mar 11th 2024, 8:15 AM

    @Emma Smith: as in, progressive indoctrination? Seems a tad archaic. The information is there, and so are the supports. If a new mother wanted to breastfeed, she would. Firstly, fewer women are having babies now due to the sheer expense of them. Secondly, fewer women are breastfeeding due to it being impractical in a world where women have to work full-time jobs now because one income in a household isn’t enough. Let women have the choice as to whether they want to breastfeed or not. Let them be the ones to decide if it works for them.

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    Mute Brendan O'Brien
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    Mar 11th 2024, 8:43 AM

    @Donna-Marie Kovačić: They are less likely to have the choice, or to find that it works for them, if they don’t have proper support.

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    Mute Sean O'Dhubhghaill
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    Mar 11th 2024, 9:33 AM

    @Donna-Marie Kovačić: Breast feeding impractical? Always the right temperature, always sterile, always available, and the perfect balance if nutrients. Breast feeding mothers should be allowed and encouraged to take their baby into work with them.

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    Mute another one? what's going on is the semi state sec
    Favourite another one? what's going on is the semi state sec
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    Mar 11th 2024, 9:50 AM

    @Donna-Marie Kovačić: What has a lower birth rate got to do with the percentages of women that are breast feeding their newborn? If you don’t have a baby in a given year you’re not included in the stat

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    Mute Save Rainforest
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    Mar 11th 2024, 8:51 AM

    There’s not enough support and not enough education around breastfeeding. If a mother has any issues breastfeeding the solution offered by everyone around including health professionals is just to give a bottle. While a mother still might want to breastfeed and just need someone to help her looking into why it’s not working out. The only reason why a woman absolutely cannot make breastfeeding work is if they don’t have milk ducts which is a very rare condition. Of course any mother can choose not to breastfeed, but if they want to there should be support and education offered. Education is a big thing as well, some people literally can’t comprehend that a breastfed baby can feed a lot more than every 2-3h and it’s normal

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    Mute Susan Walsh
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    Mar 11th 2024, 9:39 AM

    From experience, I think the main problem is that it’s all touted as being so natural etc without telling expectant parents (both of them need to know & understand) about the potential issues that can arise. Some of them are easily solved but some need a bit more help. However I think they’re so scared of people not doing it that they’re not giving the full story.
    Additionally not all the midwives are lactation trained. Every single one missed my son’s tongue tie despite me asking them to check as there’s a family history (& it’s one of the biggest issues with breastfeeding). It was only when I paid for a private lactation consultant that she spotted it straight away.
    The whole breast vs bottle argument too is very out of date as there’s never a mention of combination feeding where it’s either expressed breast milk in a bottle or formula. This can be a great option for some but it’s never mentioned. You have to pick a side.

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    Mute Be Lucky
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    Mar 11th 2024, 9:04 AM

    We where given very good advice don’t worry about the feeding just check the nappy afterwards using this you can work out if not feeding enough or to much and also looking for the signs of hunger it not just crying it lips and hands.

    I also think in this country and others as well the female body is to sexualised and this makes women feel uncomfortable un doing their top in public, which is shameful.

    We need more advertising showing breast feeding and more women to fight and be open about it.

    I live overseas where you couldn’t turn with out see babies been breastfed and no one even blinked.

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    Mute Tony Humphreys
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    Mar 11th 2024, 1:28 PM

    If breast feeding is best, then this cant be done from work, or elsewhere – the state could “…endeavour to ensure that mothers shall not be obliged by economic necessity to engage in labour to the neglect of their duties in the home.”
    This is what would help the most.

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    Mute Pat Redmond
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    Mar 11th 2024, 9:40 AM

    Expressing milk and freezing it makes it so easy to fill a bottle if required.

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    Mute Clipper Healy
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    Mar 11th 2024, 1:44 AM

    Way to round out the weekend Valerie ✌️✌️
    Pyre of wheelchairs to follow?

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    Mute Seanfhear míshásta
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    Mar 11th 2024, 12:58 PM

    We won’t hit our target so let’s change the target?

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    Mute Paddy C
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    Mar 11th 2024, 7:53 PM

    No need to worry if the government keep up they’re fabulous housing policies there’ll be no affordable way for young couples to start families let alone even worry about breastfeeding although it may be useful to people entering the country the ones already here can sod off if they want a life go to Australia or US only thing is you need 5000 in you’re account entering and have to work opposite here though

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