On the weekend
I had a sticky beak around the internet
and
happened to spot Bec from Vino's & Babycinos
bump pics.
Go and have a look - she's totally cute and the looks on her face are priceless.
She's about 34 weeks (like me)
and because
I'm an idiot really competitive and go OTT with everything,
I had a Crocodile Dundee-like
'BELLY? That's not a belly. This is a BELLY!'
moment.
Tee hee.
Anyway, in related bump type news
I had my first
appointment at the hospital
where
I pop the babies out.
It's my 5th time around
and
my file is huge.
And I found the whole experience kind of depressing and irritating.
I get that the midwives taking down your information
(for the fifth damn time - wouldn't it be easier to
just
TURN BACK A PAGE?!)
are just following procedure.
But seriously?
If you weren't depressed before you went in there,
you definitely would be afterwards!
Over 4 kids - OMG!
(Let's ignore the fact that you look completely normal, happy and you've had easy labours, natural, drug free deliveries with the other kids)
Let's scare the crap out of you with talk of hemorrhaging.
2 page questionnaire on how bad the last seven days were.
Did you cry?
(Yes, the dog ate my cheese.)
Were you tired?
(Yes, I'm 8 months pregnant)
Were you overly emotional?
(Yes, see above)
Have you been stressed in the last 12 months?
Huh?
You moved? Shock, horror!
And on, and on...
My favourites?
Who's looking after your other children while you're here?
Has your partner slapped you in the last 12 months?
(WTF?!!!)
(WTF?!!!)
Did you plan on having this many children?
The whole experience raised my blood pressure to boiling point
and made me feel like the
hospital
was assuming that this was my family.
Maybe it's because I'm cynical
and
hate hospitals
(FYI doctors and nurses - we can hear you when you're chatting in the hallways)
but
it would be nice
if just for once people assumed the
POSITIVE
instead
of always assuming the
NEGATIVE
when it comes to women and large families.
Yes, we can afford to have them. Yes, they're all with the same partner. Yes, we did want a large family.
That was more of a rant than I planned. Sorry!
9 comments:
That is just so bloody intrusive! And what would they have actually done if your answers were different? Come around & help you? Doubt it.
They're so good at belittling people, but rubbish about providing any real and practical help.
Good rant lovey!!
Your belly is big and beautiful - just like your family, really.
:-)
Love it, big bellies are beautiful and it is nice to see another big one..I thought I was the only one that got them ;) Was this the depression test thing?? Now that gets my goat...the nurses nearly sent me straight to the psyche ward after that one. Such dumb questions..
Oh that is frustrating! That's why our files should be electronic, so they can cut and paste!
Honestly by five you can pretty much just show up and run the show yourself!
BTW, love the belly shot. :)
I had those questions too. Imagine their horror when I said my children had different fathers! Shame, shame, shame.
You look beautiful, but you knew that. My 34 week belly blows yours out of the water though!
Hey Alex!
Oooh it's a close contest in the belly-off!
LOVE your belly shot and you definitely win in the boobs department!
Ignore the stupid hospital shit! You're just too cool for their old skool thinking. Big, small or in-between - every family size is just as it should be. And 5 kids is just awesome.
Bec from Vinos xxx
Your belly is bee-yew-tiful love! You look just luscious. Did you remember to tell them you left the kids in the car? And that its OK, husband has really cut down slapping you to only once a week. Honestly, with number 5 on the way, clearly you know what you are doing a deserve a pat for being confident and happy in yourself
I know these questions are horrible but they are there to protect women. They ask everyone those questions. It is a sad fact that being pregnant put women at a higher risk of being assulted or killed. Usually this relates to women who are already in an abusive relationship. As awful as it is to have to answer then when you are in a loving relationship look on it as a way to help other women who are not as lucky.
LOVE the bump though!
Bizarre questions.
I've been asked who's looking after my children question in emergency before. Must be a standard thing. No, I did not leave my then one year old home alone while I got my raging ear infection checked...
But the slapping one? Is a slapped woman likely to answer that question honestly?
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