One of the many excellent things about giving
birth in the kingdom of the Belgians is that it is standard practice to go to a
physiotherapist for ante and post natal classes and the physiotherapist attends
the birth.  

Yesterday I attended a class.  Usually I go to a French speaking class,
partly because I think that the physio is clearer in French but mostly because
it panders to my notions about myself.  Anyhow,
at the French speaking class itÂ’s a mixture of people who have had children
before and first timers but, for whatever reason, at the English speaking
class, they were all first timers.  Oh
how superior I felt.

Here are some reasons why.  Irish woman, due on the day of the class “is
there a birthing pool in the hospital?” 
Frankly, lady, if you want to go down this route, do you really think
that itÂ’s a good idea to ask about it for the first time on your due date?  In fact, I happen to know that the only
birthing pool in Belgium is in Ostend (please do not ask how I came by
this arcane knowledge), so it was really far, far too late for this.  Meanwhile the physio had understood “birthing
pillow” and responded that there were dozens. 
Mild confusion.

Slightly smug American lady asked the physio
“do you believe in the epidural?”.  Given
that 96% of births in Belgium are with epidurals, IÂ’m betting
that she does.  Seeing is believing.
 
Physio explained that she would come to the
hospital after the birth to do exercises and then, after a couple of weeks at
home, we should start coming back to classes. 
Finnish woman asks “why don’t we go back to classes immediately after
coming out of hospital?”.  Physio says
tactfully that this can be a tiring time. 
“But” persists the Finnish woman “we can do them at home?”  “Yes, you can do them at home”.  “But” IÂ’m thinking “you may prefer to use
that time to shower”.

Yes, I was irredeemably smug.  Boy, am I riding for a fall.

NorahSplog

on 23 September 2005 at 16:06

Oooh – pet hate alert! “do you believe in” instead of “are you in favour of”. Ngggg. 0
Sweetie(s) given    

StarCorner

on 23 September 2005 at 19:43

I think at this stage, you are more than entitled to be smug m’dear!! Best of luck for the big day … whenever it arrives! 0
Sweetie(s) given    

JoJo

on 23 September 2005 at 23:06

Absolutely agree with Star on this one – if you don’t deserve to be smug I don’t know who does. 0
Sweetie(s) given    

belgianwaffle

on 24 September 2005 at 12:53

FT, yes, excellent new age deity.
Norah, please write a blog entry on this! I’d enjoy that and I need to be humoured.
Kristen, FT is an American also, so he is entitled to be a bit sarky. Most of the Americans I know are not smug at all, no for a nation of smug souls, you need the Dutch.
Star, Jojo, thank you very much. 0
Sweetie(s) given    

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