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Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Something is nagging me

It's Sarah Palin. Ever since I heard she went back to work 3 days after having a baby I've been irritated with her. Not one to believe everything I read I looked up articles written at the time she gave birth, by Alaskan newspapers that interviewed and have her quoted saying this about returning to work so quickly:

"It's a sign of the times to be able to do this," she said. "I can think of so many male candidates who watched a families grow while they were in office.

"There is no reason to believe a woman can't do it with a growing family. My baby will not be at all or in any sense neglected."

I'm irritated because I just had a baby 3 months ago and I still remember 3 days after the birth having trouble walking comfortably, definitely not able to walk far. We stopped at the mall because I decided I desperately need black sandals but didn't feel capable of walking to the other side of the mall to get a nursing bra (the day before I gave birth I walked 3 miles). I remember having trouble sitting for much longer then it took to feed the baby in the hospital. I won't even go into the additional "personal" details that a woman goes through in the week after having a baby. Suffice it to say, if you've been through it, you're shaking your head like I am.

I should also point out that prior to having a baby I was somewhat of a workaholic. I've been known to work 12 hour days consistently for long periods of time. I've traveled to Asia for weeks at a time working long hours the entire time. I've kept up a grueling pace for 7.5 years without much of a second thought. But going back to work 3 days after having a baby - not on my plate of options. I will admit I answered email on my phone throughout the first 5 days because my baby came a month early and was still in the hospital, also it's only good manners to leave fellow co-workers with some semblance of guidance and direction, but that involved lying on the couch with pain meds near by. Going to the office to meet with people and discuss policy - ridiculous.

Seeing a women act really cocky about flouncing back into the office 3 days after giving birth irritates me on so many levels but not in the sense that it was something I couldn't do but what seems like shouldn't be done. I can't explain it any further then to say I'm so irritated I don't believe it will be possible for me to vote for her.

I have nothing further to say about a woman's decision to do anything beyond this point. It's just returning to work 3 days after having a baby that really irritate me. If it were a major sort of operation, I'd have the same feeling. You have to wonder how a woman who doesn't have the common sense to take care of herself could run this country? Also, it doesn't help women reach the right to have government paid maternity leave for 3 months when the governor of Alaska decides to return to work without taking any maternity leave. Sort of makes the guy politicians wonder if she can do it what are all these other women clamoring for? While I recognize it might not be possible to take a full 3 months off while Governor, one could at string together vacation days and sick days to take a few weeks off. The least she could do is show some kind of shared sympathy for moms with young babies needing paid maternity leave. All we get is a statement about the right of woman to work equal to a man.

I'm a Republican. I'm the very voter that should be cheering her on right now. Instead I'm incredibly bothered. Now, when I look at her, I only see a smug face.

3 comments:

Grit said...

three days?!!! i didn't know that. that's incredible. surely that's not possible. where did she extract that baby from? and did it come out fed, clothed and with its own nanny?

R. Molder said...

Glad to see I'm not alone in my disbelief and bewilderment.

crazywildberry said...

I just don't see how she did it either. I was still in the hospital three days after birth. I promptly went to the pediatrician's then to the mall (I really, really needed a nursing bra) then home, pooped. That was enough of an adventure for me. Now that I am three weeks postpardum, I am finally getting a little stir crazy. Three days? Didn't she ever hear of a little things called sleep when your baby is sleeping?