One of my birthday presents arrived 4 days early! Eleanor gave birth to a great big Australian-American on June 13th. Samuel John arrived a few days late and weighed in at a mighty 8lbs 13oz. But the birth wasn't just exciting for its speed and intensity. As the OB offered my brother-in-law the scissors to cut his son's umbilical cord, Simon passed out and was rushed off for an MRI!Mom, baby and Dad are all home and well and 2-year-old Eliza is apparently enchanted with her new brother--a real, live baby doll. I got to talk to Eleanor a couple of days ago and she gushed, once again, about the wonderful Australian medical system. Even though she had a great experience with public health care last time (visiting baby nurses, sleep training sleepaway camp and all that), this time she had private insurance and got to stay at a cushy hospital-hotel with a beach view, a lactation consultant on call and 24 hour room service. I don't know anyone here in the States who was offered a 4 day stay after a normal vaginal delivery, but with the food and comfort levels in our hospitals, I don't know anyone who'd want to, either.
