confinement

[hatsoff]

Did anyone see the article in todays Guardian about confinement etc? It was really good and makes points that I have always felt strongly about - how we have lost the element of rest and respect and of being waited on hand and bloody foot after childbirth. My fil nearly fell out with my sil over this. He visited about a day after her second child was born, sat on the sofa for half an hour and then said "any chance of a cup of tea". But what makes it worse is that he doesn't understand why my sil was so upset. He thought he was being entirely reasonable and that she over-reacted. I think we should stop "bouncing back" and demand the right to retire to bed for a month. at least.

Issymum, that's wonderful. You used exactly the right term: a honeymoon with your new baby.

I wouldn't want to be confined to bed, but a few weeks when I'd be waited on and not expected to do anything other than rest and get to know the baby - as well as have lots of cuddles and time with the elder child/ren - would be bliss.

with my 1st ten years ago we had a bad experience with our hospital my husband and i were 19 after discarging myself the day after the birth of dd1 we went home and i asked my mil to phone people and ask them not to come for a couple of days so i could rest hubby stayed up with bubba all night and my dad, his girlfriend, gran, grandad, 2 half sisters, sister, step brother and step sister all turned up at 9 am next morning to see bubba expecting hubby who was by this time exhausted to go running about making them all cuppas and me to do the same.

needless to say i warned all family when i was expecting dd2 that i wouldn't be letting them know she was born untill i was fully rested and felt better, bit unfortunate really but you would have thought that the women would have been more understanding and respected our wishes.