Monday, May 09, 2011

adventures with my baby: thoughts and observations

Breastfeeding, apparently, isn’t very common here. J said that most French mothers she knows only breastfeed for the first few weeks. She also observed how much easier it is for me to feed C than these French mothers who have to organize bottles all the time. I really had the impression that the Europeans would be more advanced on this matter but alas. I guess it’s a bit like Italy where everyone just schedules their c-sections rather than waiting for a natural birth.

A major difference I noticed in Paris this time, compared with previous visits, is that people are wearing bicycle helmets – often the stylish ones but sometimes just the athletic helmets. Of course photos will follow.

They asked me if I thought it was strange that we permit children to drive at 16, vote at 18 and drink at 21. I believe everyone is allowed to do everything here at 18. I asked J when she thought people should be permitted to do things. She said that there should be no limit on drinking, that people should only be allowed to drive from age 40 to 60 (when our bodies start to fall apart but before our sight and brain begin to go), and since she is in charge, no one would need to vote anyway.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

My god, helmets, have they stopped smoking too? I think the recent resurgence of breastfeeding among certain portions of the US population is related to our general greater concern w/health.

Hey - did your mom boycott Nestle in the late 70's/80's when they were pushing formula in Africa? I didn't even know we were abstaining from anything til she came home w/a bag of Nestle Crunch bars & said it was over. Just remembered that & your mom seems a likely fellow boycotter.

Mom said...

yep. totally. and grapes too.... i still feel guilty when i eat either of those 2.

Mom said...

but i'm still seeing a lot of smoking.