The B words

Mieke lies asleep next to me, snoring slightly. She's a few weeks away from her first birthday and her birth has been running like an old movie over and over in my mind. Our Doula asked me to look at her new website and I thought I should share this with you: http://birthandbreastfeeding.wordpress.com/

The other B word was one I had been sooo worried about! Breastfeeding in Saudi where it is against the law to show any part of you body, never mind the ones starting with B! It has turned out ok so far, we have a good thing going and I am not worried about it anymore. All the malls have at least bathrooms where Mieke can get a top-up, and she is also old enough to wait until the opportunity reveals itself, she doesn't need to nurse every 20 minutes anymore. The compound shopping bus generally leaves for home about 12pm, just in time for some liquid lunch and a nap. My secret weapon is a supply of peek-a-boo T shirts (www.peekamoo.com)  one of the few baby gadgets that really works for us. 

My neighbour told me the other day she saw an arab lady with her veil and abaya nursing a baby in a shop. Apparently there were several layers involved. How I wish it were easier to meet and talk to local ladies!