Daily Life in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Day in Barra part 5

Being that one of the girlfriends I went to Barra with is expecting, we were excited to see a new maternity store opening up.

Upon closer inspection, we couldn't help but wonder who would want to wear these shoes in Rio while pregnant. 

BIG DAY

My five month long fight with the federal police ordeal to get Canadoca's passport has come to an end!!!!!

Let them have CAKE?

I would like to preface this post by saying that when the incident I am about to write about occurred, I had NO intention of writing about it. However, in the few days since it occurred, in talking with other people, it occurred to me that this is anything but an isolated incident, so I think it's worth mentioning!

Last week a well-meaning acquaintance fed Canadoca some cake when she was being held by another friend. She is not quite 6 months old now, and hadn't previously been given anything other than breastmilk. Put it this way - according to the books I'm reading (and my pediatrician) there are a few foods recommended for babies this age, and cake is not one of them. Not to mention that I am a bit anal about these things (food) despite being a pretty relaxed mom about other things, like, you know, traveling. For example, the night before, my mom and I were analyzing what would be the best foods to first introduce to Canadoca based on what her blood type is. Silly us, cake is the obvious choice.

Suffice it to say I didn't anticipate her first food being CAKE, and I had kind of looked forward to being around when she first tried solids, to see her reaction, you know... I figure I've earned that you know with all the late night feedings, giving birth, gear schlepping and gazillion loads of laundry I've done. These first are the fun parts, the mommy rewards if you will.  But no.  I also have severe (anaphylactic) allergies to nuts and shellfish, so I will be very careful when introducing certain foods to Canadoca because of the family history, baking is something I have to be extremely careful with. Anyway, the person did not mean to cause her any harm of course, as she did not see any issue with giving a five month old cake. Apparently it was par for the course for her. Got it.

I thought I was the only one who could possibly have such a bizarre incident occur, until I read Eric & Emily's post on another well-meaning South American trying to give their daughter cake, saying it couldn't hurt. Then a friend told me about how every time she goes for coffee, the barristas stuff her 14 month old full of chocolate when she turns her back to pay. You often see babies with bottles of chocolate milk, or perhaps it's milk and coffee, as in the story in Emily's post.

I get that nutrition is about personal choices and opinions and that South Americans have a different view on it than North Americans in many cases (do you really need fries, rice and pasta with your beans and meat? Not to mention no vegetables besides the beans...sugar in EVERYTHING) but I am really not okay with people feeding things to my kid without asking me first, especially when it could be putting her at risk. I also get that this is something we will have to contend with back home with people wanting to give her treats, but I didn't expect this to start before she'd even started eating. For now, cake will be officially listed as her first solid food in the baby book, no long term effects, and heck she even seemed to enjoy it. But I'll be more careful next time...  

Canadoca's Brazilian Passport

While away, Mr. DRL received an email from our agency stating that the Federal Police finally received all documentation required to begin processing Canadoca's Brazilian Passport.

FINALLY.

This is great news, and for us it has only been a 4 month process to get to this point...

I would also like to say that we seem to be the exception, not the rule, and that we had a lot of bad luck (like the carteiro losing the birth certificate and our agency being, well, pretty much useless!) and I know of several other foreigners who obtained passports for their Brazilian-born children without issue, in a very timely manner. But still my story is still worth telling, because this could happen, and when it does there is NOTHING you can do about it.

More Canadoca-wear

The Canadoca likes to flaunt her dual citizenship status by wearing articles of clothing from her two home countries. I've posted a couple of her Canada items in the past, but check out this dress:

 

It's seriously a great Rio piece...

 

She also has some cute "Gatinha Carioca" and "Ela e Carioca"  onesies - but I think the dress is the best!

Where to find it?

Parceria Carioca, which has locations in Jardim Botanico, Shopping da Gavea and Forum de Ipanema

Back in Rio

I'm currently re-acclimatizing to the "Daily Rio Life"... back in Rio after a great trip home. Canadoca met a number of our friends, three of her four sets of grandparents, one set of great-grandparents and numerous members of the extended family as well. She did a bit of a tour of Western Canada, starting in Calgary then heading into the interior of BC, Vancouver and Vancouver Island.

Traveling alone with a 4 month old was easier than one might think. She was a trooper no matter where I took her or how many new people mauled her in one day (I think the record was 45).  This kid wants to see the world.

In case you are curious, I traveled with her on a Canadian passport only, since we still do not have a Brazilian one. Initially when we started all these processes the Canadian consulate here in Rio said that we must have both passports in order to travel. However, something recently changed, and now the Brazilian officials are allowing Brazilian born children of foreign descent to travel on the passports of the parents' home country. (Confusing much!?) The airline officials raised an eyebrow but when they consulted the federal police, they said it was a-okay. I did have to have her Brazilian birth certificate along with a letter from Mr. DRL (actually, truth be told it was a court order) saying that I was allowed to leave the country with her.  Whatever works!

So now we are back, safe and sound, and ready for the next adventures... which include Uruguay, Chile, Argentina & Peru! 

Regular posts will follow... and responses to comments and emails, too. Just as soon as I get started on my laundry pile...

It's good to be back.

Update on the SHRED

About a month ago I wrote about doing the 30 Day Shred video by Jillian Michaels.

My postpartum weight loss is going a bit more slowly than I would have anticipated but I definitely recommend this video. I've lost a few inches on my waist and feel a lot stronger/tighter everywhere, and it is rewarding to do the video and see the increase in endurance. I have lost over 5 lbs, and feel my muscle tone has increased quite a bit. More of my pre-pregnancy clothing fits every week. Most importantly in my books was getting back into my Rock & Republic jeans, which I managed to do this week. I did a victory dance that scared the crap out of Canadoca when I got those babies zipped up (apparently she hadn't before seen me so crazy-excited).  I realize that after a baby some of the weight loss is just hormone related as well, and that if I keep working hard and give it some time, it will eventually come off!

I did not do the shred every day (though in the beginning I did it for about 15 days straight) then every few days after that as I did other activities. I find that the repetitive lunges and squats with the SHRED were a bit hard on my hip, which is a bit of an old problem area for me. So I rested it a bit and am now modifying a few of the exercises and adding more stretches.

A favorite website of mine for tracking weight loss, calories consumed (along with other dietary details), etc. is SPARKPEOPLE. Check it out!

Putting the the "Canad" in the Canadoca

Mr. DRL's aunt sent Canadoca a very cute little bit of Canadiana couture. I think it may have brought us luck!

If all went well, the Canadoca are currently somewhere over Brazil, flying back to Canada. And yes, she's probably about to actually be COLD for the first time in her life.

How did this turn of events come about?

No, we still do not have a Brazilian passport for her. However, there has been some sort of policy change with the Federal Police and a birth certificate and Canadian passport will suffice. Typing this is a bit tough being that my fingers are crossed that this works...

In order to see as many of the VIPs in our life, Canadoca and I are spending time in Calgary, the interior of BC, Vancouver and Vancouver Island.

I am obviously THRILLED to be going home but there are a million emotions running through my system about this trip, for many reasons.

• Firstly, it is my first time flying since the Air France crash. Losing two friends in this crash changed my outlook on flying, and really, life in general. I am also a bit nervous about flying over potential bad weather systems, given the recent incident Continental has. 
• It's Canadoca's first time on a plane and I will be alone with her! Mr. DRL is not joining us. Which means he will also not be there when his family sees Canadoca for the first time, which saddens me. I am also anticipating that almost 3 weeks without his baby girl is going to be very hard on Mr. DRL....
• I am sure that having her meet our friends and family will be soooo incredible but part of it is so sad for me too because I know how difficult the goodbyes are going to be. So I am trying to just focus on the hello's. :)
• Frustration is also an emotion I am feeling, as I am being pulled in a million different directions to satisfy everyone's need to have time with her. I hate feeling like I am hurting people, and am a pleaser, trying to accomodate people and make them happy. The way I see it, basically every moment I spend with everyone is a moment someone else does not get with her. I understand where everyone is coming from and want to give them the time they want, but some people are making this easier/more difficult on me than others. I have a lot of "expat guilt" about depriving people back home of time with my daughter since we live so far away.

Upon returning (assuming I got to leave), Mr. DRL and Canadoca and I are heading to Peru and Chile for our first family holiday. In the meantime, enjoy some regularly scheduled posts that I have been frantically pulling together while Canadoca "naps"...  and I'll be checking in from time to time to moderate comments. 

Fraldario

The malls here in Brazil have little diaper change rooms complete with staff, supplies, chairs to breastfeed in, microwaves, high chairs... it's nice! A staff member puts down a fresh cover for the change area between each baby and offers any additional help you might need. It's nice!

Here are some photos from Sao Conrado Fashion Mall:

Above: supplies provided

Below: Canadoca ready for a change

 

Baby Shoes - can't resist...

Sometimes Canadoca likes to rock the Copacabana shoes...
Bought these at Bebe Basico

Or these Brazilian originals which were a gift from Mr. DRL's secretary. They are Puket's http://www.puket.com.br
I think he thought I was a little nutty when I was so excited to open them up (I'd seen them in magazines, etc. and had been trying to find some for Canadoca). So cute!

Okay these ones are not Brazilian but they do get a lot of rave reviews... socks from trumpette. I bought a pack of 6 different colors and had to order more.

Update

So the Canadoca and I are still here in Brazil as she still does not have a Brazilian passport.

The latest?

After SIX weeks had gone by since the Federal Police launched the investigation into her birth, Mr. DRL demanded some answers as something had obviously gone wrong along the way. By the way, the hospital responded promptly and apparently satisfied the federal police's requirements. The second part of the process was for the Cartorio/Notary to provide her birth certificate. Which, apparently, they LOST.

It's okay, as we have several copies. However, if someone had simply NOTIFIED us of this when it was realized rather than waiting for us to inquire, we could have provided another copy of it weeks ago. And potentially gone home for the wedding, etc. 

Anyway. As soon as I get a passport, I'm going to Canada. Shouldn't be long now. Until then... I'm here!

Of course this is soooo frustrating at times, but it could be worse. 

I am not the only person who is having trouble getting kids out of Brazil - one of my American friends was briefly detained with her children as she tried to go home this summer (since her kids have RNE's, the officials were asking for their Brazilian passports. Which makes no sense - of course they don't have them, because they are not Brazilian.) Another acquaintance was also stopped when trying to leave with her child as she was travelling without her husband because she only had a notorized letter specifying that he was aware that she was doing this, rather than a court order....

And yet despite the many hoops we all have to jump through, the worst part is we all hear the horror stories in the news about cases such as David Goldman's, or worse this shocking case, a fellow in Austria whose child is now dead. Because apparently once a child is in Brazil, it's pretty hard to get them out, whether they belong here or not.

Pacing the Panic Room

While I was pregnant, I stumbled across this blog, Pacing the Panic Room, which seems to have started out as a beautiful art project dedicated to capturing the blogger's wife's pregnancy. Each week he took beautiful photos (he is a photographer) of his wife and wrote up a little piece about the week. Sigh... so nice! They welcomed a beautiful baby girl recently, who is now frequently showcased on the blog.

I read the blog regularly and had always meant to comment but, well, have been a bit busy lately. Yesterday however I HAD to. See, now there is a Brazil connection - the blogger and his family are featured in this month's issue of Crescer magazine here in Brazil:

More Maternity Clothes in Rio

I try to avoid shopping for anything here that I could get at home (especially things that are much cheaper there, and let's face it, most things that are available both places are cheaper at home).  So as a general but occasionally broken rule, I don't really go to Zara here. But sometimes one needs a couple of wardrobe staples, and Zara is great for that. They also have a maternity section for all of you gestantes...

No passport

So the wedding is tomorrow but we are still in Rio as we do not have Canadoca's Brazilian passport... it ended up being the cartorio that delayed the process so much.

Perfect day in the Peapod Pop Tent!

The Canadoca has earned the "oca" (from Carioca) in her name... she offically loves the beach. Even if it IS "winter"...  Last Friday we took her and our guests out to Recreio to the beach for a little sun, frescoball and R&R. Mr. DRL even took the day off!

We bought the Canadoca a little Peapod Pop Tent/Travel Bed thing that folds up super small and protects her from some elements (sun, wind, insects, etc.) while engaging in outdoor pursuits. Almost like a pack & play but much lighter and smaller (less than 5 lbs, and measures 14x14x5 - easily put in a suitcase)! Friday was the first time we used it so we weren't sure how it would go but she seemed mesmerized by the red interior and with the exception of coming out for feedings, she spent the better part of 5 hours of the afternoon in there!

Ela não esta com frio

I think I am going to make a flag that says this little slogan. Since Canadoca can't yet speak for herself and since apparently at least 5 people insist on harping on me that she is cold every time I leave the house. Yesterday it was 25 degrees and she was in the baby bjorn with me in a long sleeved shirt and pants with her feet in little booties. THREE PEOPLE stopped me in as many steps at the grocery store to tell me she was cold. One scolded me for having her near the refrigerated section in the store because it is apparently too cold for her. I'm talking full finger shaking scolding here.  If I thought that their criticisms had even the slightest amount of legitimacy I don't think I would be annoyed but it is truly ridiculous. She isn't cold. The third lady in as many steps got a very dirty look and sour response from me.

Some days I think it is definitely a good thing that I did not ever learn to properly tell people off in Portuguese.

Can you tell that it's been a year since I have been home?

Where are Canadoca's passports...

Shredding

So... Canadoca is now more than 10 weeks old, and officially weighs more pounds than I've lost since her birth. Although I realize that there is "no rush" and "it took 9 months to put on" and "it might take a year" and "breastfeeding makes you hang on to some fat" .......I'm just not a very patient girl.

So what's a new mom to do?

Well I walk a lot. Go to the gym occasionally, and Mr. DRL and I sort of swap off taking care of Canadoca.  I haven't returned to my ashtanga practice yet as our schedule is just not regulated enough yet.

11 days ago I started the "30 Day Shred" - an intense workout video that takes just 30 minutes per day. A highschool friend recently had a baby and used it to get back in shape - she was back in her pre-pregnancy clothing within 14 days of starting the shred, and only did level 1 (there are 3 levels). I've managed to do it every day for 11 days and notice a huge difference in my endurance and how my clothes are fitting (I am fitting into my size 8 pants now. Which is great except that most of my stuff is more like size 6 but hey this is progress!!!)

The video is tough but as the trainer Jillian Michaels says, if you are only going to work out for 30 minutes, you have to make every minute count.  I will do a weigh in/measurement update after day 15...

 

Canadoca's Brazilian Passport

She has her dress picked out:

but will she get to wear it? (Dress is from Fabula - a children's boutique here in Rio).

Canadoca's aunt is getting married two weeks from today somewhere in Canada. Will we and the Canadoca be there to show off her mad air guitar skills (aided by mom)? Not sure. Why? No Brazilian passport yet.

To be fair, this should have been a fairly easy process. IF we had already received our Residency Cards, which we applied for over a year ago.

I was told by other gringoes to make an appointment at Shopping Leblon at the passport office and that from there on it would be quite simple and we'd have the passport within days. Our appointment was in mid-June.

We arrived at the appointment accompanied by an agent from the company my husband's firm employs to take care of passport and visa issues. When our name was called, we were told that since we didn't have our Residence Cards yet, we could not be issued a passport at that office and rather we would have to go to the Federal Police at the International Airport. This was frustrating for two reasons: 1) Mr. DRL took the day off work for this appointment, but more importantly, 2) Our agent should have realized that this was the case since they were involved in applying for our residency cards.

The next day, we headed to the international airport. A different agent met us there and asked us what we were there for (!! I am not even going to go there.... I am just not...) and basically stood around. Mr. DRL dealt directly with the officials, who told us that our presence wasn't really required, we could have motoboyed in some forms, and that they would need to launch an investigation into our daughter's birth since we don't have our residence cards yet. We were told that this would take about 30 days. Around this time the agency also admits that there was some sort of error or mix-up on their part with our application for residency cards. Strike three.

We are now applying for permanent citizenship based on the fact that we have a Brazilian child. Which will apparently take about another year, but allows us to work here, for any company, rather than being tied to the company because it holds our visa. Nice to have flexibility for sure.

However, currently we are waiting to hear if the signatures from FOUR doctors present in the delivery room are enough to prove that Canadoca is ours. I have heard horror stories of people having to undergo DNA testing in this scenario so we are hopeful that their word will suffice (I guess I should have opted for the birth video at the hospital!). 

Clearly our agency dropped the ball. I just hope that it can be retrieved in time, so that we can attend Mr. DRL's sister's wedding, and so that he can be there when his family first sees Canadoca. (I'm going home once the passport is issued, regardless, but he is only going to go if he can attend the wedding).

Lessons learned:
1) If you are a foreigner having a child in Brazil, make EVERY effort to ensure you receive your residence card before the child is born. It will save you a lot of hassle.
2) Carefully check the reputation of any agency you entrust with these matters. This particular agency deals with many companies here and seems to do a great job with the actual workers' visas/passports, etc. but drops the ball when it comes to the dependants/families. I know another woman whose husband works for another company who was stuck in the US for WEEKS earlier this year because the same agency made mistakes with their family's visas.

The Chupera

Another massive FAIL on my part as a parent according to many of the Brazilians I encounter on my daily adventures is the lack of a CHUPERA in Canadoca's mouth. If she cries for even a moment they immediately ask if she has one, when I say no, I inevitably get a tsk tsk or the dreaded shaking of the finger in my face (because every baby's life is incomplete until they suck and chew on plastic? It's okay for babies to cry for a minute or two every once in a while...). Don't get me wrong, there are times that I would definitely love to simply stick in a plug of some sort to console Canadoca when it will be a few minutes until she can feed or be changed. BUT SHE DOESN'T LIKE IT, people!! She won't take it. It's not really an issue, as she doesn't generally cry unless there is reason to do so, and promptly stops when her needs are met. She's a great baby. All the more reason not to have her dependant on a soother.

I am thinking of purchasing one of the crazy baby soothers below to carry around and distract the Brazilians when they ask if she has one...

My Birth Experience in Brazil - Part 3: The Hospital

My doctor delivers babies at Perinatal in Laranjeiras. About a month before my due date, we went for a tour.

We did not get to see the delivery rooms, but rather were shown all varieties of suites available to us for after the birth. We ended up going with a basic one, as we weren't expecting many visitors and as long as it was a private room with somewhere for Mr. DRL to sleep (he had his own bed), we were happy!

During the tour, the woman kept telling us how much nicer the facilities at Perinatal in Barra were, it was newer, etc. I found this odd!

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Fast forward to delivery day...
My water broke at midnight on a Friday.  By 2 am we arrived at the hospital, where I was admitted, and went for an ultrasound right away. My doctor had already arrived and her team was on their way (I had three ob/gyn's + a private anaesthesiologist at all times... yes all 20 hours!). So it's important to note - you bring your own "team" into Perinatal - doctors, etc. Nurses are hospital staff, but the doctors are basically your doctor's staff. And you pay them directly and everything.

One of her assisting doctors commented on the size of my belly in Portuguese. I am not sure if she knew I understood or not! I let her know I did... haha.

All privacy ended the moment I stepped into the hospital. Mr. DRL and I were shown to our room where we could store our things and change. The nurse stayed in my room with me to ensure I got into my gown okay, and then a bunch of questions ensued (religion, all kinds of things. I have a theory that Perinatal does all sorts of surveys and sells their results to research companies... read further for more!)...

About an hour later (I was not very dilated at this point!) we were taken down to labour and delivery. I was not allowed to walk, was put on a stretcher. I found this hilarious, considering that I was bonked into walls no less than four times on the way down, and that my doctor had me pace the halls for HOURS after arriving there. But anyway.

I won't go into a ton of detail about the next several hours (20 hour long process in all), but here are some key points that I am told were unique experiences for me that I would not have experienced in North America:

- The biggest of course is the amount of personal attention. To have an entire team of doctors there solely for the birth of our baby was overwhelming. Everyone was great!
- Our pediatrician attended the birth.
- Our delivery room was quite pretty - and large, with a private bathroom with a jacuzzi tub. Unfortunately since my water had broken I was not allowed to use the jacuzzi tub!

- The entire 20 hours, I was only offered one small glass of juice, and was told I wasn't allowed anything else. Not even ice chips which you hear about all the time. Not that I wanted ice chips, mind you...
- The epidural and episiotomy are pretty standard here. If you don't want either, it will be difficult finding a doc who will go without.
- Apparently all of my doc's colleagues could not understand why I would want to still have a vaginal birth after so many hours... luckily my doc did!
- I started pushing when I was 8 cm dilated.
- When pushing, one of the three docs was by my side, putting his weight on my stomach to try and push the baby out.
- I can't describe how overwhelmingly positive everyone was, and the energy in the room when Canadoca was born was just awesome. We were all cracking jokes until about the 3rd push from the end, and despite the fact that the doctors had been there for almost an entire DAY, they were all in incredible spirits.
- My doctor and her team suggested that Mr. DRL and I put on seminars for Brazilians called "How to Behave During Childbirth" - apparently at the slightest amount of pain, most of her patients beg for a c-section. They were impressed with our patience (and I don't consider myself to be very patient...) I loved the compliments - and they continued to my post-natal appointments when the receptionist greeted me by saying: "I hear you are a warrior!" Back home a woman who had less than 24 hours labour with an epidural would never be referred to as such....
- Despite being assured many times before the delivery that I would be immediately handed my baby and given time with her, this was not the case. She was handed to the doctor for a quick exam, then I got her for about 5 minutes, then we were apart for nearly an hour. There were no complications at the time of birth or anything. If I were to do it over, I would have my husband be more insistent on this point with the doc's. But all ended well!
- The lactation consultants in the hospital were not very encouraging when it came to breastfeeding. I am told this is the opposite of how it works back home! They were very overbearing, physically, with me, and I ended up kicking them out of my room several times as I found them to be rude.  (They would come into the room, not even speak to me but rather just start manhandling me immediately. This even occurred the first time that I held my baby back in the room!) Their response to my rejection of their methods was to basically say that if I was going to have any trouble breastfeeding, I should go get a bottle (they even sent Mr. DRL to a drugstore to buy an item they wrote down - turned out to be a bottle).  This sort of goes with my point above about tolerating pain - it seems as though when confronted with the slightest amount of difficulty, the typical solution for patients here is to somehow get around it (c-section, bottle feeding, etc.) I would like to note that I didn't have any unique difficulty getting started breastfeeding, but getting a latch was certainly an adjustment - which is entirely typical! Just like anywhere in the world, we need to take charge of our own health and go into these situations as educated as possible, to make our own decisions where we can.
- I don't think I would have commented on this but for the fact that I was told that the food was so amazing at Perinatal - I didn't find this to be the case. After being in labour for 20 hours and not allowed to eat, I was brought a plate of coldcuts and some crackers. NOT KIDDING. I found this incredible considering how bad cold cuts are for a person... I didn't eat it and they commented on that, and by the day we were checking out they sent over a nutritionist to talk to me about what I would prefer they serve me (I had one meal left to have there by that point).
- After the baby was born, there were a variety of services available to us such as signage for our door, manicure/pedicure, face makeup, videos, photos, etc. etc. 
- The bathtub for Canadoca's first bath was the coolest ever:

Overall the hospital experience was great and a lot better than what we'd have back home from the sounds of things. Having privacy was so nice. Knowing that our doctor would be there every step of the way was so reassuring. Having the continuity of the same pediatrician since birth is also awesome. We would have another baby in Brazil for sure if we could!

** A note to expectant moms in Rio - if you are considering having an elective c-section in Rio, ask your doctor about Casa de Saude - Hospital Sao Jose. It is a very nice facility. **

Canadoca's Passports - Part 1 - Canadian Passport Requirements

I'll soon get into the wild goose chase tale that outlines the adventure of getting Canadoca her Brazilian passport... until then, here are the details for obtaining a Canadian Passport/citizenship for children born to Canadian Citizens in Brazil.

The Application for Canadian Citizenship can be downloaded and printed out of the CIC website: www.cic.gc.ca  form CIT0001.

Besides the application, we will:
- 02 photos (following sizes and instructions provided on the form);
- original birth certificate of the child in Portuguese;
- translation of the birth certificate by a Sworn Translator (available at www.atprio.com.br);
- original proof of Canadian citizenship (Birth Certificate or Canadian Citizenship Card) of the applicant (mother or father of the child);
- marriage certificate (not mandatory);
- original document of mother and father (passport or ID with picture and signature);
- processing fee R$140,00.

Please note that in order to apply for a Canadian Passport you need a proof of travel. No Canadian Passport will be issued without it.

For the passport the application can be downloaded and printed out of the Passport Canada website: www.passportcanada.gc.ca  form PPTC 042 (For Children under 16 years of age English).

Please note that the back of one of the pictures need to be sign by a guarantor (refer to the instructions).

Form PPTC116 will be signed at the Consulate General, as the passport will be issued with a limited validity with no extension of validity.

Passport fees:

- R$37,00 for a 24 pages passport (for applicant under 3 years)

Passports are now issued in Canada in 15 working days, when all requirements are completed. Please note that fees are paid in Reais, in cash, to the Consular Department when the application and documents are submitted.

The Consular Department opening hours to the public are: from Monday to Thursday, from 08:30hs to 12:00hs and from 14:00hs to 17:30hs and Friday from 8:30hs to 14:00hs.

Consulate General of Canada/Consulat Général du Canada
Av. Atlântica, 1130 - 5th /ième floor/étage
22021-000 - RJ - Brazil/Brésil
Tel: (55 21) 2543-3004
Fax/Télec: (55 21) 2275-2195
www.brasil.gc.ca

My note: it was of particular interest to us that our daughter will not be a Canadian Citizen for at least a year (this is how long it takes to process), and the passport she will be given now is just temporary because she needs it to travel.

My Birth Experience in Brazil - Part 2: Prenatal Care/Tests Galore!

I had a lot of tests while I was pregnant. Urine and blood tests, ultrasounds, you name it. If you are not insured, these tests do NOT come cheap. I'm talking R$2,000 each time for blood and urine tests. Ultrasounds are cheaper, ranging from $R180 - R$350 per time, depending on which tests are required. Later in the pregnancy, 3D ultrasound photos were included.  I'm told that back home you would pay something like C$300 for this alone. 

I found that my doctor was very thorough with the blood tests, I had them done about every 6 weeks or so and she discussed the results with me in detail.  In fact there wasn't much we didn't discuss. At each prenatal visit, I was there for at least an hour. My doctor is incredibly warm, and I feel the care I received was fantastic. Back home, never in a million years would a doctor greet a patient with a series of kisses and a big strong hug (and she's a tiny little woman).

My doctor relied solely on the results of the ultrasounds to predict my due date and sort of ignored the other info used to calculate due dates. Not that it really matters in the long run.  I happened to be SURE of my conception date, and according to the calculation using the conception date to predict due date, Canadoca was due on May 9th. According to the ultrasound tech, she was due on May 17th. According to my last period, May 1st. 

I didn't sweat the discrepancy because I figured the baby would come when she was ready! Besides, my doc said she'd induce me 1 week after my due date if it came to that, and I didn't want to be induced, so I thought it was fine if she went by the May 17th date. I was sure it was May 9th though and besides, it kind of split the difference between the two dates, so that was the date I had in mind and shared with others.

The ultrasounds were not totally accurate in my experience (obviously). Even in an ultrasound performed when I was first admitted to the hospital after my water broke, the technician predicted the weight of the baby to be a FULL POUND less than what she was when she was born.

Canadoca must have known since conception that her mother likes to be right, because she arrived promptly on May 9th.

Canadoca's Photo Shoot

Of course we had to have some photos done of our baby girl... here are a couple that meet my no faces on the blog criteria:

 

My Birth Experience in Brazil - Part 1: Baby Doctors and Weight Gain

I have had an enormous amount of response from expats having babies in Brazil. We will have to start a baby club or something (actually, the INC already does have one!).  Because of this interest, I will write a series on my experiences having a baby here. I will try to keep it focused on the differences between having a baby here vs. back home.

When I first suspected I was pregnant, I did some at-home tests (some ended up being faulty!) followed by a blood test (as I've written about before, it is cheaper and more reliable to get this done if you suspect you are pregnant. R$20 vs. R$35+ for an at home test) followed by a doctor's appointment as I had to hear it from someone in a white coat...

I first went to my husband's secretary's ob/gyn. I liked him at first, he was willing to do a non-c-section birth and was quite jovial. He told me I was allowed to gain 9 kilos over the course of my pregnancy (1 per month, as he put it). This was a bit scary for me right off the bat, as my mom gained well over 50 lbs in both of her pregnancies and I figured I would follow suit...  He was also quite obsessed with measuring me (my tummy) at every visit. Around. The weigh in was always a stressful part of the visit.

When I was about 4 months pregnant I started having a lot of pain in my sciatic nerve. Being pregnant, I did not want to just go to any physio/massage therapist, I wanted one that was baby-doctor-approved. So I toughed out the pain until my next appointment with my ob/gyn, assuming I'd get a referral.

Rather than refer me to a therapist, he suggested I "not walk" anywhere and REST to get rid of the pain. If you read the blog regularly you know that not only am I quite active, but walking is my main mode of transportation in Rio.  Besides, the pain was much worse after long periods of sitting, and was worst of all when I got out of bed in the morning. I wasn't convinced that rest without any therapy was going to help. Although I was frustrated that he was being so unresourceful for me, and making ridiculous recommendations, I just decided to find help with that particular issue elsewhere and to get through the appointment. I even tried cracking a joke - "I guess there won't be a weigh-in next month if I can't exercise..." to which he responded by looking at me incredulously and saying: "Just don't put it in your mouth!"

So now I was to not exercise or eat??  I should also mention that at this point in my pregnancy, I had NOT gained much weight at all. Certainly not the "1 kilo per month" that he allowed. Most of my weight gain was at the end of my pregnancy. So I was particularly offended that he was already harping on me, considering this.

Being pregnant/hormonal, thousands of miles from home, and in pain and feeling a bit helpless, I bawled like a baby immediately upon leaving his office (all the way to a Chinese restaurant where Mr. DRL and I proceeded to eat our second lunch of the day...) I think it was the only time since we've lived here that I really really really just wanted to go home.

So, about halfway through my pregnancy, I switched doctors. Best thing I ever did! I LOVE MY NEW DOCTOR here, she is fantastic. 

A word about weight gain: the standards are different here in Brazil than North America, but they are also changing in North America (to allow for less weight gain per pregnancy). I ended up being a big rebel, gaining about 15 kilos.

Nice for Moms in Rio

It sure is nice to have a new baby here - in a culture where people really put energy and effort into putting the little ones first. An example from today that I'm pretty sure would NEVER happen back home...

So I went to the Ipanema 444 mall (the one with all the great kids' stores) to make a quick exchange (sidenote: this was also NO PROBLEM at all despite no receipt, etc.) when Canadoca had a bit of a meltdown. See, she has entered the stage of not liking having a dirty diaper at ALL. Quite the progress considering two weeks ago she couldn't stand having it changed, my how we've evolved! Okay back to the story!

So there I was with my screaming child in the mall, frantically looking for a bathroom/place to change her. Couldn't find one. Decided to put some protection down on my stroller and bite the bullet and change her in there. Just then, a woman poked her head out of one of the stores (I wish I knew the name of it, it is the one that only has boy things in it!) and invited me to come into the store to change the diaper. On the display case.  Yes, we put things down, but still! Can't imagine that happening back home! She also entertained Canadoca and helped me calm her down. So awesome. I will definitey return and buy something for my nephew there soon.

Second - if you are in the neighbourhood and looking for a place to quickly nurse your baby without having to go into a restaurant or something, there is a lounge in the back of the main floor of Shopping Rio Design. Comfy leathery chairs. A bit of privacy, not much. I will soon cover the baby station in Shopping Leblon which is quite fantastic...

The Canadoca

In the delivery room, long before our little pumpkin made her big debut, one of the obstetricians (yes, one of them - I had three there at all times!) started calling the baby the "Canadoca" or Canadian Carioca.  I had of course heard of a "Canarioca" before being that there is a blog by that name... so now I have decided to refer to out little bundle by that name on the blog, rather than Baby DRL.  So now you'll know who I'm referring to..

Forgive me for not posting...

It's been quite a week.
Between my mom & sister's arrival, dealing with the Flight AF447 tragedy, attending another memorial for another friend, attending my baby shower, and a going away party for other friends, it's been intense! I mistakenly thought that I had some scheduled posts ready to rip - oops! I am also about 150 emails behind on responding, so please please do not take it personally.

More soon!

Baby DRL's Arrival & Reception in Brazil

My mom and sister arrived today from Canada to visit us and meet our new daughter. (Let's get serious, there's just one reason there's here...)

Having a baby away from home was easier than I thought. I thought it would make me incredibly homesick. It hasn't. Maybe that's because I knew my mom & sister were coming?

The expat community in Rio have been fabulous to us.  We've had dozens of meals delivered, many visits, and there is even a baby shower planned. It sure makes it easier to be away from family and old friends back home with this kind of support.  Amazing.

My husband's coworkers have also been incredibly supportive and generous. Although one thing did really surprise me - as I've written about before, since arriving over a year ago there have been VERY FEW gestures or efforts made towards social contact with us by his coworkers. Ok, fine, fair enough. But then I have a baby and all of a sudden everyone makes us a priority. We had to pretend to check out of the hospital earlier than we did to prevent a bunch of his coworkers from coming to see us there. I found this very interesting - it seems to be a cultural difference. Back home, new hospital rules restrict anyone other than the baby's parents, siblings and grandparents from visiting the hospital unless they are a "birth coach" support person. Here, it's a free for all and everyone you've ever met shows up, it seems. 

I was not exactly okay with having these people there for such intimate moments, considering that in the past they could not have even been bothered to ask me to lunch when I was new in town, but yet expected to come to the hospital to be among the first to see my new baby when we were exhausted and enjoying our own alone time. I didn't see any need for it! Yes I did have friends visit us in the hospital, but they were invited by us. And it was great to have them.

I definitely was a bit put off by this attitude by the coworkers. Even when Mr. DRL first shared the news of my pregnancy with the coworkers, a few offered tips/suggestions/to have their wife call me/get together. I was not interested. By that time I'd made my own friends and after having been completely ignored by all of these people when we were new in town I felt like - now that I'm pregnant I'm all of a sudden important? Strange.  Where were you people when I needed to find out where to buy meat? haha!

All of that aside, baby's reception has been very positive here in Brazil, be it our friends, the coworkers, strangers on the street, you name it. Although everyone does think she is a boy (she does not have pierced ears).

I will write soon about my hospital experiences! Until then, I am hanging with baby, nana & auntie...

(It's a good thing I am the only one who can feed little baby DRL otherwise for the next couple weeks I doubt I'd even get to hold her!)

DRL's Pregnancy Guide: Food - Part 3

Rio has been a wonderful place to be pregnant. Plenty of places to walk and swim, and I've been over the legal benefits and general bow-down attitude towards the "gestantes"... it's been great.

It's also been a optimum place to have a healthy pregnancy - here are a few Rio treats that have contributed to my well-being, if you are prego, pay attention.

1) ACAI. Of course. Nutrient-dense, refreshing, high in antioxidants, fiber and protein. Also, did you know that eating acai helps your body absorb omega fatty acids?

2) COCONUT WATER. Refreshing when you are dehydrated, comforting when nauseous... and incredibly beneficial if you suffer from swelling.

3) PICANHA. Let's face it, many pregnant women suffer from low iron.  Eat red meat with something rich in Vitamin C to absorb more iron.

4) YOGGI. Frozen yogurt was definitely a favorite treat...

5) FRUIT JUICES. When you can't drink anything more "fun" it sure is nice to be drinking the best juice ever (and watching it be made right in front of your eyes) - available in more flavours than you will find time to try.

Closer to the end of pregnancy I heard about the benefits of the following items:

6) PINEAPPLE and EGGPLANT. Both plentiful and delicious here, in fact I have never eaten so much eggplant as I have since living here in Rio - it is often featured as appetizers/couverts in restaurants. According to a number of sources on the internet, eating these two items can help bring on labour...

7) WATERMELON. Seems to be amazing year-round. I read recently that Halle Berry swore by eating it after she gave birth, as it helped her shed excess water retained. I mean, she was Halle Berry to start with, but I figure this is worth a shot.

DRL's Pregnancy Guide: Wardrobe - Part 2: Non-Maternity Maternity Clothes

This post could also be called why you don't need to buy many maternity clothes or making the most of your maternity wardrobe. I found most actual maternity clothes to be quite frumpy and matronly. Luckily, I realized I didn't need to wear too many of them... so before you go blow a bunch of money on maternity wear, consider what you may already have in your closet or what you can buy that you could wear afterwards. It's such a short period of your life that you will be wearing these clothes, it seems silly to spend much. Besides, I think it will be much more fun shopping for "reward clothes" afterwards than it could ever be shopping for maternity clothes...

As a sidenote - I do not work and therefore I did not need as many things as someone who has to go to work dressed a specific way every day. I lucked out with the timing of my expat-ness.

Below are examples of clothes I wore throughout my pregnancy that are NOT maternity clothes, rather REGULAR clothes (with the exception of a couple of bottoms, which I have noted).

Tops
It was pretty easy to not buy maternity tops - there were already so many appropriate things in my closet and in regular stores that worked from the beginning of pregnancy right to the end...

This top was purchased at My Place, which is in Shopping Rio Sul.
  The pirate top is just a regular tube top from Dex Brothers, bought back home.

Although these are my white maternity shorts, this top from MNG was wearable right to the end.

This top has been one of my favorites. The wrap will also be good after the pregnancy (for nursing etc - it has a built-in cover up!). These bottoms are borrowed and maternity.

Another great top from MNG and non-maternity bottoms from lululemon. I also have this one in yellow. As you can see, it lasted right until the end...

Dresses

This very-wrinkled-by-the-end-of-the-night red silk Zara dress fit until I was well into my 6th month.

The two dresses pictured above were both purchased at one of my favorite spots in Rio - Checklist.

Another item borrowed from a friend - also - leggings were a lifesaver! I just bought low-rise styles.

This knit dress got a lot of wear as well...

This blue maxi-dress is from a store called My Place in Rio Sul.

Another non-maternity favorite.

Maxi dress above was purchased from Eclectic, which is also where I bought the "skirt" below, which I wore through my pregnancy as a dress. Being that it's my non-pregnant size, I can wear it afterwards as a skirt. (I thought it was a dress when I first tried it on but then realized it was a skirt, and thought this could work well...)

As you can see, living in Rio where it is hot hot hot, dresses were my main staple of my wardrobe. I think this may be why I got away with avoiding maternity wear so easily.

Other items

Although I mostly wore bikinis throughout my pregnancy, I did enjoy this swim suit quite a bit around the 4-6 month mark, where I had a "paunch" but not a discernable "belly" yet, as it sort of distracted from that area.

Above- beach cover-ups made great tops! This one is from J.Crew (a couple of years back, now), and the skirt is from Drops here in Rio.

Finally- the can't live without it when you are pregnant item: Lululemon bottoms. Thanks to the amazing lack of actual waistband (see how wide it is? Especially the brown ones) in the bottoms, I was able to wear these ones pictured througout my entire pregnancy. I also have a few other items not pictured that I wore through most of it. As for the tops, I purchased a few one size bigger than my usual, in longer styles, and they worked for the entire duration as well.  Great activewear (definitely needed them for my yoga classes) and also for walking, lounging, etc... and in this climate, the wicking can't be beat.

So anyway! That concludes my 2-parter on the old maternity wardrobe! If nothing else, now you know a few places I like to shop in Rio... 

Don't forget your JAMMIES

I thought I had done a pretty good job of bringing everything I'd need for my baby's arrival that would be difficult to find here/expensive from North America. But I must have morphed into a mom from the second I got pregnant, as the baby has more sleepers than it will probably get the opportunity to wear, whereas I realized I was lacking in the "PJ's to bring to the hospital" department.  (i.e. camera-okay, good coverage, yet possible to nurse in).

So I went shopping. Brazilians must not be big on the pajama thing as the pickings are slim, and expensive. Being the fantastic deal finder that I am, I did finally manage to find a couple of semi-cute, reasonable things, but it was very time consuming. Most women's pajamas that I found in Rio were about R$150, which is about US$75.  Just not quite what I am used to paying, especially for something that I don't feel is good quality. 

I also have been unable to locate nursing tank tops. Oh the poor men who read this blog...

So don't forget to pack your jammies, kids! You don't want to buy any here!

DRL's Pregnancy Guide: Wardrobe - Part 1: Actual Maternity Clothes

I made it through my pregnancy buying VERY few maternity clothes. Mostly thanks to the current styles, and great friends who loaned me their maternity wardrobes. Also by being a bit innovative, and as always I hope that perhaps some of my ideas can help others, so I am sharing.

What I did buy and borrow (and recommend!)

Be Bella Bands in white and black - this is the more "lightweight" version of the bella band, which was great in a hot climate.  I wore mine with regular non-maternity clothes (you just wear your regular bottoms undone, and use the band to expand/cover the opening, big money saver!), with maternity clothes that I had trouble keeping on - just stuff that kept falling down.  I also even wore it as a tube bra a few times. Friends have said they also wear them post-partum. Cheap. Great. Versatile. Click here for info on where to buy.

Maternity/Nursing Bras
I bought mine very early in the pregnancy (and may need to buy more, in different sizes, for that reason) as I have not had luck buying regular bras in Brazil. I really like the Elle McPherson maternity collection, which is available on Freshpair.com. I also received some from a friend, among which my favorite is the original basic Bravado style.

Basic Black Dress
This item is borrowed from a friend - a basic black maternity dress (I believe this one is from the Gap).

Cute dresses
I bought this one from Target for US$15.

This maternity dress was borrowed from a friend:

Tops
I didn't purchase any maternity tops as I could easily just wear/buy flowy, long tops in bigger sizes. This one was borrowed from a friend:
 


Bottoms
A few pairs of maternity shorts were essential.  As I borrowed three pairs from friends, all I bought was one pair of white shorts. (I wore non-maternity skirts just fine).

Fun Stuff
My sister-in-law sent these shirts (I'm wearing mine as I write this, just took the photo a minute ago) from Old Navy down to us:

No Baby Yet!

Although I feel a bit different every day... which I figure could either mean I'm making progress, or that I could keep feeling that way for awhile!

Dealing with the Boss' wife

... is apparently much different here in Brazil!

A couple of years ago, I had an idea to do a book about the phenomenon of the boss' wife in small, family-owned businesses. The idea stemmed from observing the behaviour of my boss at the time's wife, and also looking at the wife of a family member's boss and a friend of the family whose husband owned and ran his own company.  In all three examples, the boss' wife was not an integral part of the day to day business activities from the staff's point of view, but felt as though they were because of their contributions in various ways. The stress of owning or running a business is rarely left at work, and often taken home. Usually they "knew too much" - notably the negatives of the staff's performances, as their husbands would vent frustrations at home.  Yet they didn't get the full perspective or both sides, as they weren't in the office on a daily basis.

In my opinion, all three women at times felt as though they did not get enough respect from their husband's staff or acknowledgment for their contributions, sacrifices or involvement. This, combined with only hearing the negatives, caused them to at times treat the staff members coldly. That said, the smart employee in any of these three organizations knew that to mess with her was worse than messing with the boss himself. Not that it stopped people. Soooo not a smart move.

That said, despite their frustrations, I don't think any of these three wives ever experienced what I did on Saturday night.

Here in Brazil, my husband is second in command in the company he works for.  So here, I find myself in the role I was so interested in before - yet from a different perspective - the boss' wife.

Before I get into it - I realize there are some significant cultural differences between women back home and women here in Brazil. I realize it is considered kosher to talk openly and directly about people's weight and looks here in Brazil, whereas back home the same conversation could be considered catty, judgemental, inappropriate and in poor taste.

I can't imagine this ever happening back home: one of my husband's employees asked me how much weight I have gained over the course of my pregnancy. I responded. Her response was that it was too much, I had gained 5 kilos more than I should have. This was in a social setting, in front of several people. Days from my due date.

Maybe it's just me, but back home, I think that most people would be wayyyy too terrified to say something like that to their boss' wife. 

As a sidenote, I have gained more than the Brazilian doctor's recommendations. However, I am still well within the North American recommendations. I realize that I am not exactly looking my best these days, and did not need reminding, especially not from a member of Mr. DRL's staff.

Portuguese post

Okay so only part of it will be in Portuguese but here is a comic Mr. DRL brought home for me yesterday (probably in hopes of getting back in the good books after working way too much).  Very cute.

Temperature Regulation

Since moving to Brazil, finding ways to regulate my temperature/the temperature in my apartment has been a bit tricky. Being from Canada we're used to setting the thermostat at a reasonable temperature for the 8 or so months of winter, cracking a window after losing a layer if it gets too warm, turning on the gas fireplace after adding a layer if it is too cold.   Easy peasy.

Here there are no thermostats for our AC units which are dispersed throughout the apartment, which we manually turn on and off, we deal with humidity, it's pretty much a crapshoot as to how long to run each one to get that perfect temperature. Not that I know what exactly that temperature is, and it would be different based on who you asked, at out place, being that I am pregnant, which has completely changed my sense of temperature (Mr. DRL froze last night under layers of covers while I was comfy under just a sheet, directly in front of the AC. His exact comment this morning was that clearly I am ready to "return to Canada and sleep outside with the bears any time now"... very funny).

One more quick point to make before I move onto the actual point of this temperature related post - something that really surprised me: cooling an apartment in Brazil = much more expensive than heating a house in Canada. Just sayin' - we have had some UGLY electrical bills. Yes, I realize having air conditioning is a privilege. But believe me this blog might have a very different "slant" if I hadn't had AC over the past few months...       

Okay so here is my point - this baby I keep talking about (who will make an appearance in a couple more weeks according to the radiologist this morning, and already weighs over 7 lbs!) will also need a regular temperature.  Not overheating or over ACing my baby is a major concern. We do have a portable dehumidifier that we plan to run in the baby's room from time to time (this has been recommended to prevent mold), and there is an AC unit in the room as well. But how will we know if it is too warm or too cool for what the baby would prefer? I was starting to really wonder... do we put a thermometer in the baby's room? How will we check it if it's dark in there? Then I find out room temperature is connected to SIDS! Yikes!

Enter this great invention - the Growbag egg and sleep system.  The egg is a digital thermometer nightlight that turns different colors in different temperatures.  If it's yellow, you are in the safe zone. It turns more blue or red if it is too cool or warm. Click here for more info.

There are also a wide variety of clothing options that keep babies cool in heat, etc. Thank goodness!

Congratulations Eric & Emily

We received a very happy email last night from Eric of Eric & Emily's Adventures - sharing the wonderful news of the birth of Eric & Emily's daughter. I know we have some readership overlap so if you haven't been on their blog in the past day or so, get over there to check out photos of their beautiful new daughter Gabriela Marina. All three are looking fantastic and by all reports doing very well.

We spent some time with Eric & Emily during our pregnancies - they came to Rio twice and stayed with us. It has been great having another international couple in Brazil to share this exciting time with. We can't wait for the babies to meet - hopefully sometime this fall. 

Unexpected Gestures

Sometimes it is the little things that mean a lot. Although there are times when cultures clash a bit and I notice the lack of little niceties, many of the ways Brazilians show manners blow our North American PC-ness out of the water and show real, authentic concern for others rather than just "manners". Here is an example.

This weekend, I went to get my nails done at a hair and asthetics place near my apartment.  I had to wait between 5 and 10 minutes to do so. I stood by the door and waited, as the only two seats were occupied by a couple in their teens. I thought NOTHING of this. When they got up to go to their appointments, I then sat down in one of the chairs. A few seconds later, the male half of the couple, who could not possibly have been older than 17, came over to me and started apologizing profusely, saying he did not previously notice me there and felt terrible for not having offered me his chair to sit in before.  Call me crazy, but I can't think of many 17-ish year old boys back home who would make such a fuss about this.  It was very sweet.

I am constantly amazed by the treatment I have been getting here while pregnant - in fact Mr. DRL has joked that we need to get ahold of a prosthetic bump for me to wear after I've given birth, as the pregnancy gives us preferred service almost everywhere.  Front of the line for cabs at the airport, seating on planes, special lines at the bank, grocery store and post office. The real clincher was last weekend when we got into Sushi Leblon within 10 minutes of arriving without a reservation (others were being quoted an hour). Apparently there is some sort of law about giving the pregnant preferential treatment. I don't really need it but I'll take it! Especially at Sushi Leblon...

Baby Stuff

I try really hard not to make this into a baby blog... being an expat in Brazil, it is necessary to buy a lot of baby stuff from back home. So I have been doing a lot of online shopping and shipping stuff to my house.

Here are some things I've found...

babycoverz.com
A friend gave me her Boppi (breast feeding pillow) and I wanted to get a washable cover for it, if such a thing existed. It sure does - I bought one in the pattern below - figured it was pretty gender neutral- along with some receiving blankets, and items for my diaper bag. The site features a wide variety of funky, fun fabrics, and a whole bunch of different products, like diaper bags, change pads, car seat covers, aprons for breastfeeding, and much more. Great gifts!

Maternity clothes from TARGET
I purchased a gorgeous dress for US $14.99. Enough said.
Freshpair.com for maternity/nursing bras (they carry the Elle McPherson line, which is really nice).

Restoration Hardware for Baby's Room
I've registered for both a girl's and boy's bedroom on Restoration Hardware. I purchased many linens for our place in Rio from RH last year and am very happy with everything. I also purchased my bassinet there already as I have not seen any bassinets or cradles in Brazil.

Another great site for baby bedding: Layla Grace.

We also registered at Babies R Us where you can get everything from Sophie the Giraffe to carseats, playpens, strollers, etc.

CLOTHES from Crazy8.com - what a great site. Really cheap, lots of sales, good quality, so many cute things, and even many unisex items! You may remember this onesie, which I loved and had to have. I also purchased a "cheeky monkey" one along with several others... that may or may not be gender neutral. The items for the "wrong gender" will just be gifts I figure!  PS EVERYONE thinks it's a boy.

Toiletries for Baby
Arbonne can be ordered online and they have a nice line of baby items.
Farm Baby by SweetGrass is another all-natural line that I just ordered a bunch of items from. Like Baby Powder :)
California Baby makes sunscreens that even my most A-type mom friends approve of :) I'm happy to say one of them has already even secured me a bottle of the stuff...

One Brazilian thing I did buy: my diaper bag - from Uncle K.

Baby pictures

I normally make it a rule not to post photos of myself or Mr. DRL on the blog but since you may not recognize us here, I'll make an exception.

I had a look at some of our baby photos this week - just curious what ours might look like - so here are a couple of each of us as little ones:

Worried? Who's Worried?

Many friends and family back home have expressed concern about us having a baby "so far from home" - who will help us? Won't it be lonely? You won't have anyone checking in on you!

Here is the reality of the situation.

I am not going to name names but there are three ladies in particular who I have met down here, all fairly new-Gramma's, who keep me in line. As in, make me go to bed. Don't allow me to lift anything in their presence. Cook a lot of good food...  Examples? Sure, I have examples.

Exhibit A) I was in Buzios for the weekend with some friends, and emailing back and forth with one of these friends who was back in the US at the time, about a few (okay a tonne of) items I had shipped to her home which she had so kindly offered to bring down (thanks again!!!).  At some point in our texts back and forth she indicated that she had calculated the time difference and it was high time I should be in bed!  It was about midnight.  (As a sidenote, I must stay up most nights to even see my husband - he gets home at like 10:30 at night! I find it very funny slash depressing to be skyping with friends and family back home and realize that most people there arrive home before Mr. DRL does - and we are 3 or 4 hours ahead of these people, depending on which timezone they are in).  The same woman asked me early on in my pregnancy if I was taking enough vitamins when I was tired one day :)

Exhibit B) I returned an email to another friend I'll call "L" at 10:25 pm a couple of weeks ago.

The response came within moments:

On 25-Mar-09, at 10:29 PM, L wrote:

What are you doing up this late? A pregnant woman needs her sleep!

Sent: Wednesday, March 25, 2009 10:34 PM
To: L
What, now you! (Harassing me about my bedtime!) haha I love it, so funny.

Minutes later, the actual topic of the email was answered, and I was left with this closing:

Go to bed!

Exhibit C) This one is the funniest and most persistent. Last week I hosted the weekly "Canasta" game.  I was asked repeatedly if I was up to it in "my condition" and I honestly wonder if people were discouraged from going in fears of putting me out, as we had a small turnout! Anyway I was quite spoiled with help and now some items are at my house which we will need next week and I emailed this woman, the next hostess (K), saying I would bring these items by her place.  Here is the response I received today (picture a very strong Southern accent, it makes it better):

From: K
Date: April 9, 2009 12:22

I can have my driver pick them up I DO NOT WANT YOU TO CARRY THEM AROUND!!!!!  Do you understand that.

I also have received the following emails from "K"

From: K
Date: March 10, 2009
You be careful walking around and watch the area you are in.  Got it!

From: K
Date: Feb 18, 2009
I will not be at the beach on Thursday, but if you go don't get to much sun!  And don't get around L,  don't want you to get the bug she has had.

I saved these emails in my baby emails folder and they totally crack me up every time.

So anyone who was worried shouldn't be - these ladies have it covered! And the concern is well-appreciated.

Parenthood Preparation

This is what I need to do:
“In bathrooms, boardrooms, buses, bagel shops, and everywhere else, we all need to imagine a little girl following us around, repeating everything we say and everything we do. Think about all of the things you want for yourself and your daughters, granddaughters, and girls everywhere- and teach them by living it yourself.”- Nell Merlino, In Stepping Out of the Line: Lessons for Women who Want it their way in life, love and work.

No, I don't know if it's a girl or a boy, but really this applies either way!

Resources for Women Having Babies Abroad

Some articles and pages:

From Expat Women - Some of the VERY basics On Having A Baby Far From Home.

Expat Moms Chronicling Raising Kids Abroad - features many of the benefits of living abroad with your kids.

The What to Expect and BabyCenter web sites are fantastic - you can connect with other moms, find out information about your baby's "evolution" as they call it here in Brazil, find names and more. They'll also send you weekly or daily updates on a variety of topics related to your pregnancy.

Podcasts - I've been listening to the Pea in the PodCast and the PregTastic podcast - both via iTunes.  They feature a variety of topics that may be applicable to what you are curious about.  PregTastic is a bit long and dragged out sometimes, as some of the women go into great detail about specific details of their pregnancies, which is helpful if you have similar issues or concerns and a bit boring at times if you don't.  The Pea in the Podcast is a bit more newsy and succinct, also features a weekly podcast with information on your specific point in the pregnancy.

If you are like us, a couple living abroad in a country where the native language is not your own, the idea of taking a birthing class in another language is more than a little intimidating.  I am willing to try to do pretty much anything else in Portuguese, but I believe that when it comes to health, it is best to have as few opportunities for misunderstanding as possible.  Where am I going with this? We opted not to take a birthing class in Portuguese.  Yes, we considered hiring a translator but thought it would make for some very long sessions that way, and let's face it, my husband's work schedule hasn't been super-accomodating.  You're wondering what my big solution is, right? I started looking for a DVD of a birthing class but found something even better and more instantaneous - a webcast! From a company called The Best Birth, on demand webcast.  When you purchase the webcast, you can immediately watch it, an unlimited number times for 90 days, from anywhere you have an internet connection. Sure, it would be nice to be able to take a class with other couples, but we saw this as the best subsititution for a birthing class while living abroad.

For a humorous take on a number of issues affecting moms - tune into the MomVersation - I first heard about it reading the Mighty Girl blog, which I love. It's pretty entertaining and these moms don't hold back! Click here for the Momversation web site.

Something different for me...

as you know... is to post a photo of myself!  But since I had so many great responses to my post asking for recommendations for a photographer for maternity photos in Rio, I thought I should post a couple to let you see how it ended up going (we are really happy with them)!

Xixi (she shee - also known as pee pee) times three

So... I wasn't going to post about any of these, er... events individually, but now that they have all happened within about a week, I think it's a sign...

STORY 1: It's no secret that a lot of public urination goes on in Rio.  During Carnaval it takes place even more.  You know, it's normal -  the drinking, the outdoors-ness. No, sorry I don't understand it.  Oh you really really just "had to go"? Yes, I am familiar with the concept being that I am now more than 30 weeks pregnant... trust me if I can hold it, so can you. Yes, I realize that there are a lack of public washrooms, but frankly, no one wants to see or smell you do it... Can you tell I saw a few too many people partaking in this over Carnavale? According to this little piece in OGlobo, the city of Rio is using 120 thousand litres of disinfectant to combat this... situation.

STORY 2: Continuing on the topic... then, at Carnaval, I was handed a little envelope as I entered the premises. After we got settled in, I checked it out.  See the photos below:
Understand the directions? It's a device for women to direct their urine (so they can pee standing up). How nice for the Sambodromo to provide us with this technology!

Back home, thanks to a girlfriend's stagette (bachelorette party) ... I am familiar with such devices.  The brand of choice is called the "Freshette" and at my friend's last celebration of singledom, which had an out in the bush theme since we were in rural BC, a freshette was purchased for her as a gift/dare.

After reviewing the Freshette website I see there are many benefits to using such devices... check it out here. 

STORY 3: This surely falls in the TMI (Too Much Information!) category and also in the completely mortifying and pretty disgusting categories... but like I said - I didn't intend to post about any of these incidents individually but now that they've all come together it does make for an interesting blog post... and also a head's up to anyone who's pregnant in Brazil.  And posts like this also make me happy that this blog is fairly anonymous ;)  Okay, so consider yourself warned.

Being pregnant, I frequently go for blood and urine testing.  I noticed that the directions for the urine testing are much more "thorough" (meaning diagrams and everything) when it comes to the pre-urine cleansing or wipe-down that is to take place, as opposed to back home where they sometimes just give you a wet nap type thing or something to use beforehand.  Ok, so no big deal.  However, last time I went for testing, when it came time for the urine test, the nurse had me lay down on the table, get into the stirrups (so that she could ensure the "pre-urine cleansing" was done properly - yikes!) and then after that MADE me pee in a cup she was holding WHILE I was still in the stirrups at the lab.  I was SURE that it was a language barrier issue at first until she showed me some MORE detailed instructions with drawings and everything. Yes, I had some major stage fright.

It should be noted that I have talked to a few people about this and NO ONE back home has ever heard of anything like this, and people here who have been pregnant in Brazil have not necessarily gone through this either, depending on which lab they used. So I'm not saying this is a procedure that is followed in every Brazilian lab, I'm just stating the facts of what happened to me!

I'm Not a Baby (Blog)

I am desperately trying to not make this a baby blog. Seriously. You have no idea how often I want to post photos and links to cute things I've bought or talk about my pregnancy.  I TRY to make baby posts just once every few days and make them Brazil-relevant. I may start a blog about babies and baby stuff... it's likely to happen actually.

This post is about why I have chosen to have my baby in Brazil, as a lot of people seem to be asking lately.

When I first discovered I was pregnant (remember, this was a big surprise!) my husband and I discussed immediately what we'd do as far as where the baby would be born.  Within minutes we were both completely set on having it here.  I realize that I might seem like a total hypocrite especially considering my September 4th entry (I was actually pregnant at the time but didn't know it...) where I questioned the safety of having kids here.

So it may seem strange that we made this decision so easily, but it's typically us. We stress about minor details as a couple at times but the big things, well, we're pretty much on the same page usually.

In no particular order, here are a list of reasons we decided to have the baby here.

• We live here, and my husband works here. If I returned to Canada to have the baby, I would have had to return for probably about 6 months.  My husband would not have been able to leave his job for this long, meaning we would have been apart. We prefer to be together and think it will be best for our new family.
• The medical system in Canada is not as wonderful as some people think it is. Here, we have access to private healthcare.  So far I have found it to be fantastic, and if you are a regular reader, you know I've had plenty of opportunities to make this evaluation...  Here are just some of the small differences I've observed already as far as the prenatal care I receive here vs. Canada:
  • Typical length of hospital stay in Canada: 24 hours. Typical length of hospital stay here: 3 days. Interesting note - everyone back home says, oh you won't want to stay that long in the hospital anyway... well that's because they are back home in a public hospital which is not very nice to stay in.  Here, in a private hospitals, the rooms are private and very nice. I have even heard that someone will at some point come around and ask if I want my nails done...
  • If I were to have the baby in Calgary, there is a chance that I could be sent to Montana at the last minute to have the baby, as this has happened in the past when there are bed shortages.  Not nice.
  • Here, I've had 3 ultrasounds and the option for 2 more which I have declined.  I will still be offered more before my due date. In Canada I would get one for sure, maybe 2, unless I had complications.
  • Here, my doctor will personally deliver my baby for sure.  In Canada, I would get whoever is on call.
  • My doctor here speaks English, I am very comfortable with her, and she prefers natural childbirth.
• We are always leery about safety but have lived here for nearly one entire year without incident.
• It is a great story for our baby to say it was born in Rio de Janeiro (frivolous reason, but true!)
• We do have a great support system here of expat friends. Many have already volunteered to babysit and even to teach me to breastfeed if necessary! Some are even trying to discredit one another in hopes of securing extra babysitting assignments.  I keep assuring them they will all get plenty of turns...
• It's actually a great lifestyle here for being pregnant (despite the extreme heat right now and humidity! Which are a bit much to take, for sure). I can walk everywhere, it's easy, there are great little juice bars everywhere, I am super active, in my yoga routine.... all good for the baby. 
• Makes for a great excuse for our friends and family to come visit again.
• If it is born here, the baby gets dual citizenship, which is pretty cool!

Passports and Babies...

At the event we attended on Thursday night, we spoke at length with a woman from the Canadian Consulate. It turns out she will be the one we need to speak with once our baby is born, about getting our baby its Canadian citizenship and passport.

We had been planning to take the little one on a vacation to Canada once it turned 3 months old (the most widely-recommended youngest-safe-to-fly-a-newborn-14-hours age I can seem to find) to meet our families. 

We assumed (why oh why would we? I know, I know) that we could initially just get our baby a Brazilian passport and a visa to enter Canada. We were wrong. We will need for the baby to already at that point carry both Brazilian and Canadian passports.  Apparently Brazil will not let the baby out without a Brazilian, and Canada will not let the baby in without a Canadian. I specifically asked about the "visa" to visit Canada with option on a Brazilian passport but was assured we'd be denied.

Once the time comes I will of course keep you all posted on how long this in fact will actually take. I am keeping my fingers crossed that our child gets to meet its family before its first birthday ;)

Feedback: I am very interested in any of your comments as always, but specifically would find comments on experiences with first long-haul travel with babies helpful, as well as any experiences anyone might have with how long this passport issue has taken in the past if you've had to do it.

Photographer, anyone?

Here I go asking for help again...
My husband and I love photography and since moving to Rio have been talking about having a "lifestyle" shoot done of the two of us, featuring some of Rio's incredibly picturesque locales. Now that I am expecting, the timing (and excuse) is perfect for doing a maternity shoot.  Now just one issue... getting a photographer.

I've done a bit of internet research but haven't found anything I'm loving yet... can anyone recommend a good portrait photographer in Rio and if so do you have a website for them so I can see some of their work?

Thanks...

A couple of baby things..

I found another maternity store - Nine9 Moda Gestante - it's in Shopping Barra Gardens and also features a few other locations throughout Brazil - check out their website.

Also in Barra, starting today and running through Sunday, is the Feira Gestante e Bebe where there are reportedly a lot of deals to be had for parents and parents-to-be. I'll be checking it out this week and let you know what I think.  Av das Americas, 1510, Barra.

Also to note - I visited both Via Parque Shopping and Barra Gardens Shopping on Sunday and both places had entertainment for little kids.

Night Out - Elton John. Part 2: The Turn for the Worse

Sooooo... last night my friend & I were leaving the Elton John concert when my night took a turn for the worse. Our husbands were hanging out back in Leblon and offered to drive down to come and pick us up but we turned them down, mostly because we didn't know the area, therefore finding a meeting place would likely be disasterous. We were FINALLY to where the cabs were, and were sweaty, exhausted, (hello swollen ankles when you are 6 months pregnant and have been standing in sandals for about 5 hours in the heat), hungry, both couldn't wait to eat and shower.

We were steps, about 10 steps in fact, away from getting into a nice air conditioned cab, and cut under an underpass to make the walk a bit quicker. Enter the pipe. I didn't see it coming. Judging by the INDENTS which will surely be awful bruises that are still indented on my shins this morning, I tripped on it at about lower to mid calf height, then proceeded to go down, landing on mostly my left knee. It was a bit of a blur and although I did not immediately feel any pain, I knew something was up with that knee. When I rolled up my pantleg, I saw the gash and what looked like my kneecap. Yep it was that deep. Yikes.

A policeman approached us and asked if I was okay but I quickly said I was fine and my friend asked him to help us get a cab, he pointed to them 10 feet away and said they're over there... ok thanks. I really realized how afraid I am of the police here last night as with both of my two encounters with them I just got the heck out as fast as possible!

We got into a cab and headed for the Sao Vicente hospital in Gavea. After many "detours" (I don't think the cabbie quite knew where he was going) we arrived, met Mr. DRL and I was immediately helped out.

Here's where it gets a bit comical...

After looking at the gash, the ER doctor said she'd have to call in a surgeon to stitch me up and it would be about 20 minutes. We all wondered why they would not have someone ready for surgery in the ER, I mean it is a hospital, right? Turns out there's no PLASTIC SURGEON on duty, just on call. That's right, I have officially had "work done" in Brazil. He had to do a little bit of reconstructive stitching on the inside of my knee (muscles) and I am also confident my scar will not be too bad considering, well, he's a plastic surgeon! And a very nice, English speaking one, I might add. Yes, he offers "other services" - if you want his info, let me know...

I asked if he could throw in extra services for some sort of package deal... no go last night.

So now I need painkillers, antibiotics, no yoga or exercise or beach or pool... sucks. I guess I will finally get caught up on some of that blogging now!

There are so many ways in which this could have been worse, I'm really grateful that:

• My knee broke my fall and therefore the baby is fine.
• Today is a holiday, since my husband and friend were in the ER with me until after 3:30 this morning.
• We were not located in too bad of a place when it happened, meaning I did not have to walk more than 10 steps to get into a car. We'd just finished walking at least a couple of km's to get out of there, it would not have been good if it had happened earlier!
• My friend was fantastic, and not grossed out, and very supportive.
• It was not worse!

I would like to comment that it must seem that my husband and I are incredibly incident and accident prone - this is our 3rd ER visit since moving to Rio, and in fact it's our 3rd since September. Back home going to hospitals just wasn't something that we ever did, but as I often say, in Rio there is seldom a dull moment...