Unreasonable demands

Today is exactly a month away until I am due. To  “celebrate” this feat I had my intake conversation with the “neonatal care” (Dutch: Kraamzorg) that every Dutch woman is entitled to.  It consist of  a minimum of 3 hours of help every day for 8 days where you are being taught all the principles of motherhood. The lady gave me a whole list of things that I need to fulfill, including their non-smoking policy. Which is an absolute must. I told her I could not guarantee such a thing as Reinout is way too  fond of his cigars. But the woman wasn’t going to give up that easily.

-    Can’t he smoke his cigars outside?
-    Good point, I replied. But have you ever seen a gentleman smoking his cigars in the garden? It’s like taking your whisky in the kitchen. It’s a no no.

She clearly had no sympathy, but I felt it had more to do with the fact that whiskey’s and cigars (and gentlemen for that matter) were novel concepts, quite out of her own experience. I promised to pass on the message and made a qualified effort to end the call.

On Wednesday I have my appointment with the midwife and I don’t think I will be able to escape that easily. Although I have the deepest respect and admiration for midwifes and hospital personnel alike, I often find them “stuck in their ways”, with little respect for individuality. Therefore, every time I’ve been to my monthly midwife appointment, I have kept the conversation to a bare minimum. Never complaining or asking questions…if you do it opens up a minefield which I don’t even want to contemplate. But my feeling is that my coming visit will be a somewhat different affair. We shall see…

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