NZ Hospital

Hiya,

I am having my baby in Saudi Arabia and have been told by a couple of ladies who have had their babies over here that if you can't breastfeed straight away that they try to take the baby away and feed it formula - I really want to breastfeed and am wondering what would happen in NZ if I was having trouble breastfeeding??...also they don't keep the baby in the room with you - they only bring it to you to feed. I want the baby to stay with me the whole time...is this what happens in NZ?

its your baby and your choice - I think you need to establish with them that in your home you do things differently - are they prepared to make allowances for that? - respecting your cultural differences? It shouldn't be an issue really. Talk to the consulate or embassy for contact with other NZ woman who may have delivered in S.A.

I had my baby in another country and they respected wishes.

Kim... How is Saudi going?
I want to go there but have been advised by so many people not to. (But I am defiant so will anyway )

Thanks for you replies. When I see my Dr next I will tell her what we want to do. I haven't met my birthing team yet so will check with my Dr how I will tell them what we want to do. My room also has a pull-out couch so my husband is going to stay in the room with me and make sure our instructions are followed!

Nikki, we live on a compound so feel really safe as there are two check points (guards with guns) to get into the compound and if an Arab is coming onto the compound they check their cars more carefully. You also feel quite safe when you go out as they still cut off heads and hands for stealing etc. You just have to be careful that you don't go to places where the majority of people are Westeners.

The malls are quite bizaare as all the women are totally covered up - you can only see their eyes but all the women's clothes are like what we wear - lots of singlets, mini skirts, tight clothing which they must wear under their abbayas. Some even wear clothes and socks so that you can't see their hands or feet. We have to wear an abbaya when we go out in public and only have to cover our faces during Ramadan (which has just finished).

Thanks for that Kim. It is really interesting to hear it from the NZ perspective. I've heard Saudis describe their home country and Americans etc but hearing what it is like up to date is great.

It drives me nuts how superficial Wahhabism is. My lecturer was telling me that he was in Saudi with a "pious" Saudi man who offered him a drink, which he assumed was tea, but then the Saudi man pushed a button which brought out this flash looking bar like you see in American movies in Las Vegas. Things like that and the fact that the girls wear mini skirts under their abbayas is so funny. Ah well...

ohhhh isnt micheal jackson residing in bahrain???