Visitors

In the UK, at my local hospital anyway, the conditions in the post partum ward might well resemble battery egg farms, but there is follow up care. I've had two visits from community midwives this week. And there are more to come, just to make sure mum and baby are doing OK.

This morning one removed my c-section sutures, which was not as bad as I'd been fearing. And she told me to keep the nasty open wound I've developed (where the dressing was attached, nothing to to do with the c-section incision itself, apparently I'm allergic to the plaster they use) exposed to the air.

Great idea. Except my inlaws were on their way and I didn't fancy having my skirt hoiked up around my waist for all and sundry to see. It was bad enough I had to go breast feed in the other room.

Controversy

Now, I personally have very little shame, but I have some. I'm not ready to breast feed in public yet because, well, I'm not yet skilled enough to be discreet. But I've already had the tits out for the lad in front of hospital staff, inmates and visitors, health visitors, friends and a friend of the ViL's family (who happens to be a pediatric nurse). She had some great breastfeeding tips and really boosted my confidence. But she had another tip, too. She suggested that while my in-laws were visiting that I go to another room to feed the baby - as it was not everyone's cup of tea. This is a woman who had just had her hand on my breast and who has probably seen hundreds if not thousands of nursing nipples over the years.

And I also believe that a woman ought to be able to breastfeed in public without fear or criticism.

But while my in-laws were here, I took the baby away to feed him in the other room.

And you know, it was great. I've never had an excuse to just walk away from my in-laws mid-flow for 30 minutes at a time. I need to be a little more strategic about it though. For example, every time they go on about the wind farm they've been protesting against for years.