back to work 5 days after c-section

[Gorionine]

She IS back at work today!

It was comfirmed in the French news this morning (RTL Radio) that she was indeed due back to work this afternoon.

Anyone thinking that it is not really serving the cause of women (asside from not being a very good idea medically) or am I out of order? I am not quite sure what she is trying to achieve as her reasons is not likely to be "because she needs the money" which I could probably undertand better, although it would still sadden me thad she'd have to.

Ok, so her choice is her choice, but I DO feel sorry for that little baby not getting to spend much time with its mother. And I personally think she's bonkers.

What really pisses me off is the tone of the media coverage. The Daily Telegraph yesterday had a huge photo of her front page, looking tres chic, and that combined with the blurb seemed to suggest "come along women of Britain, this is how it can be done, look! She's even had her hair done! Tiny babies are no barrier to a coiffed appearance."

No consideration of the baby, no consideration of her surgery, no suggestion that her return might not be a straightforward choice, that her job may be in jeapordy, just a hey! Look at her! Superwoman! And some lewd speculation.

But France is the country where you get make-up artists on the hospital wards, free post-natal physio. If you have a C Section you don't get put in the monstrous surgical stockings like here but in pretty ones with lacy tops instead of those surgical monstrosities CS patients get here. RD is simply part of a long tradition.

I f I had had my first,and probably only,baby at 43 I can assure you that no matter how 'important' my job,I would not be parted from my baby at a few days old.
Those days will never return.
Is she really so vital to the naytional interest t hat she has to do this?

Sorry..National of course

I'd hate to be that woman's poor child . Could you feel any more rejected than to have your mother piss off back to work after just 5 days in your company?

Nutter.

I looked immaculate 5 days after having DS1 but that is because I had terrible PND. Was trying to fool the world and myself that "I'm fine, everything is fine". HVs and GPs are trained to look for women looking "too good to be true" because it can be a symptom of PND.

Oh, wow, I really hope she doesn't have PND, that would be awful.

I was on a high after dd1 and dd2's births, and did far too much. It was only weeks/months later that I became exhausted and couldn't cope very well. I wonder if that will happen to this minister?

With ds I'd learnt my lesson and stayed in bed for the week after giving birth. If you don't rest straight after the birth, you won't get another chance.

It's a difficult one, I think. OTOH it's her choice (and we can't expect that every choice made by every woman will be for the greater benefit of the sisterhood); OTOH she has chosen to be a public figure, with all the 'role model' implications of that, and her very public choice will make it harder for other women to take full maternity leave.

I do think she's a very odd woman with an unusual psychological make-up. Combine this with her extreme right-wingery and her fear that she's about to lose her job and you have the explanation, I reckon.

Yes, I was wondering the same, belgo. The more I read about her, the more I feel sorry for her. Apparently she's an attention-seeking control freak and so some people think that's partly what's driven her back to work.

How is it that some people are hailing this as a triumph of feminism? Has feminism really become so superficial?

X-posts, policywonk! I'd never want to be in her sorry position. (Wouldn't want to be her poor, aching post c-section body, either!)

Since she won't tell who the daddy is... maybe it's the only way she can get to see him.. eh... someone at work... married (she did say that she has a 'complicated' personal life). Not 'The Big Boss' surely?

Didn't Celia say to her - on walking past the Sarkozy bedroom - 'You would have liked to be in that bed, wouldn't you?' (or something like that)

They sound like a pair of scary bitches...

C'est la vie

Definately more interesting that out politics. I mean, Edwina Curry and John Major - I still can't get over that one.

I had my first dd at 41 having been a total career-oriented person up to that point, and so can really empathise with RD. I checked my emails in the first three days and didn't want anyone at work to know I was still in hospital (as obviously I was going to be one of those superwomen who got on with their lives as if nothing has happened).

But of course something really really amazing has happened - you've got more responsibility than ever before, you've brought a new life into the world and you are now a mum. Is it surprising that some people react by being in denial - my life won't change etc .

For me, realisation eventually hit, and when I "let myself go" and started to wallow in the most wonderful emotional experience of my life I realised I had turned a corner....

I hope that her psychological state is being considered. The first couple of weeks after the birth I was on a total high - had I been allowed into the office I could have brought the company down (and/or ruined my career) as I suddenly felt amazingly optimistic and very powerful - imagine if you were in a situation of real power like RD, how would you resist?

Am expecting another baby now (will be 43 and not nearly as glamourous as RD obviously), and have much more realistic (I hope) attitude to the post-birth experience - a bit like Belgo.

I also expect to be off work for longer before baby is born as all a lot less pressured (thanks to 9 months of maternity leave etc) and desire to spend time with dd. However, am also much more realistic about impact on my career - partly because I've already been "written off" after having first baby!

I really hope that RD is not going to regret her decision, that her career does not suffer and that her baby is happy - we are all different!

Haha, GM! The most reliable gossip says it's the Big Boss's brother!

It just seems to be turning a woman into some sort of baby-making vessel. Grow the baby, pop it out and a few days later back to work as if nothing has happened.

Mozhe would be proud.

Mummyontherun, what a thoughtful post. And well done and congrats on having 2 bambinos post 40 .

I'm not bothered about the baby bonding aspect but i jave had had two c-sections and no way would I have wanted to be back at work in five days.

The body doesnt heal that fast especially as you get older (I was in my 40s too)

Noooooo. Really?

So the french newspapers haven't been publishing sneaky pics of the baby with a 'spot the father' competition? That's what they'd do here. Or sneak nappies out of the bin to do a DNA test.

Must stop watching Tricia...

Georgie, pass the bleach please, I need to remove horrific images from my mind.

Hehehehehe.

Iotascat - I wonder if she still has the stitches in?

I love happy endings mummyontherun

Don't they use dissolvable ones? I suppose she must still have them in - you can't heal that fast can you?

Maybe she didn't really have a baby but adopted one and it's just a hugh con (another Tricia moment).

TCF - what do you do with the bleach?? My sister does threaten to pull her eyes out.