Yesterday V helped me with French Time by reading two stories and the children just adore her as she has a wonderful way with them. I am sure that next week they will be asking where she is. V and P changed their tickets to stay until Monday so that we can have a fun weekend together.



Last night we went to the mall to purchase a rowing machine as my physiotherapist highly recommended me getting one. I go once a week for a treatment (massage/stretching etc.) which is entitled to all women in Belgium as part of post-natal care, 18 sessions a year. Not only do women stay up to almost one week in the hospital after giving birth here (this is normal and would be extended for c-sections) a physiotherapist visits the Mom in the hospital and begins massaging and teaching her how to stretch and do exercises to not only help her back, but strengthen the stomach muscles etc.



When I think about how no one talked to me about my own post-natal care and how I only thought about my baby and how to feed him, I am saddened. Every new Mom should be pampered and it shouldn't even be called "pampering". It should be called "normal, post-natal care". Many of us suffer with bad backs after having children. We do not know the proper way, perhaps, of how to carry our babies, how to put him/her into a car seat/stroller etc. We are always bending over changing diapers, picking our babies up etc. And there are ways to do these actions better to protect our backs. My physiotherapist is teaching me all of this and it isn't too late. Along with the massages and exercises, my back is feeling better.



I made a list of things I really miss in Toronto and I still feel homesick a lot. But I am starting to make a list of things I really like here and the post-natal care would be near the top of my list! If you are suffering with a bad back now, it might be good to get some help too.