Italy takes it's pregnant ladies very seriously. At least southern Italy does. As we waddle around, people actually move out of the way for us, or at least make some room on the sidewalk. This is a VERY BIG DEAL. In some stores, we have front of the line privileges. In stores where we do not get our own line, if observant cashiers see our bellies, they come to get us out of our place five people back to usher us to the front of a line (this actually happened to me at Ikea). In other places where head of the line privileges are allowed but there is no signage (like the post office), it's quite legitimate to walk up to the clerks and ask to go next (post office lines here are not like what I'm used to in States, as I've blogged about previously - one hour waits are typically the minimum, not the maximum, sometimes in sweltering, closed in rooms with no fans running). Family run stores in which prices are a little on the loose side give you huge discounts on your purchase...or don't charge you at all - for example, on a 100 degree day when your face is beet red and your clothes are wet with sweat, and you walk into a coffee bar to desperately request a large bottle of water. Strangers smile at you all the time. At the airport security line, you get ushered to the priority lane and may even be offered head of the line privileges in that priority line that only has three people ahead of you. In restaurants, you get extra food (at no charge) because you are "eating for two." When getting on the inner tube at the water park's Lazy River, the tube guy who has been throwing tubes at people suddenly stops his gathering of tubes to gently hold your tube for you while you lumber into it. Illegal parking attendants who are charging you to park in a public, free parking spot (and you DO pay him - he is watching your car to prevent break-ins) break into large smiles, offer their congratulations, and gently lay a hand on your belly to try to feel the baby move (I should note here that I really don't care at all when strangers touch my belly - they really just can't help themselves, and it's an expression of their joy at the life I am carrying, so I think it's sweet). Your eighty six year old landlady forces you to lay down on the sofa while she does heavy labor in the yard.
Each one of these things, I have experienced. I am not a very good pregnant lady. I don't really enjoy it all that much, and I often wonder why I can't just have an egg to watch over for awhile. And while I get the whole miracle of life idea as a concept, in actuality, the fact that there is an actual, miniature human being, with working organs and even fingernails, inside of me just seems, at times, a little creepy. But there are two things I enjoy very much. One is feeling Baby Girl kick. Which is an odd dichotomy from my "creepy" comment, but I don't have to make sense. The second favorite is the feeling of specialness the Italians give me anytime I leave my house. I like being pregnant in Italy.
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ReplyDeleteI am relocating to North Italy to be with my hubby who's Italian and found a job back home. I wonder if they are as nice? Will find out. Freaking out that I'll be the only pregnant woman in the village. Haven't seen a single baby there in six years. Anyadvice how I could get ante natal care in English? My Italian is still poor. Moving to Gorizia, 38, first baby, edd 18.03.13
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful. I love northern Italy! I've heard that there is something of a baby "crisis" here b/c people just aren't having as many children anymore. Don't know how true it is. I do know that I get quizzed a lot on why I don't have any children, especially after Italians find out I've been married for 16 years. Being an "older" mom (I'm 39) does seem to be much more of an anomaly here than in the U.S. Regardless, Italians LOVE babies so much - being the only pregnant woman in the village could work out very well for you!
DeleteFor care, unfortunately, I don't know much about getting care in English as we have American doctors that work for the military on our base. We see those for medical. If you are looking for ante natal care in the form of babysitting, then I don't think you'll have any problems, even with a small language barrier. It's amazing how well you'll find you can communicate with limited Italian, and between your husband and your total immersion, you will be fluent in no time at all. I just looked up where Gorizia is - what a fabulous location! We haven't been up there, but I've heard it's just beautiful. Enjoy the adventure!
Hi, I realized I confused the meaning of ante natal care - sorry! The answer stays the same in that b/c I have access to our military base, it's not something I've had to find. However, I have had a referral for some testing out in town, and that doctor, while he said he did not speak English, did. Another friend had a baby completely out in town, and she managed to find a doctor (female). One thing that was interesting though is that her doctor, or any doctor in town she would have seen, did not have privileges at her hospital, so when she went to the hospital, her delivery doctor was guaranteed to be someone she didn't know. I don't know if that's due to this being a big city, if it's due to the doctor she picked, or if it's how Italy works. There is an option in Italy to pay for private health care for your ante natal care, and down here, it seemed to be a flat rate of 1000euros. I'm not sure what all that gets you, but it seems like a good option if funds are available. Also, the hospitals are quite different from ours...take EVERYTHING you might need to the hospital (this includes your own toilet paper, your own feminine hygiene products for post-birth, etc.). That's about the limit of my knowledge - sorry!
DeleteMaybe someone should explain to the Italians that the special care needs to extend on for several years AFTER the sweet angel is born, as well. Especially as they hit that 2-3 year mark, and you're trying to do all of your chores and errands with a rambunctios toddler in tow. :-) I am so stinking excited to meet this sweet baby!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteA friend reports to me that the special care does extend to a mother with a baby, although not things like front of the line privileges.
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