בנשמה

Last year's Yom Hazikaron and Haatzmaut were far from the usual given the national lockdown and one of our kids needing stitches. As a sense of normalcy from the Coronavirus pandemic is returning here, there were feelings and experiences that were new for everyone. This Yom Hazikaron reminded us, as parents, how Israel does it right (as hard as it is). Back in the United States, it was peculiar that Memorial Day often is commemorated with sales at the mall, family BBQ gatherings, vacations and the like. Surely we did see social media posts of veterans and cemeteries, but for many in the United States, the impact of loss is far removed. Soldiers are not often seen wandering the streets and with service being voluntary, it is much less in your face. At least, that was our collective and personal observation growing up and continued bewilderment into adulthood. Another new this year was being able to attach the Israeli flag to our car and drive arou...

One of the detested exams in pregnancy is the gestational diabetes test. There's not much online information on how this differs in Israel from the United States, where a pre-made white lemon flavored (kind of like Sprite) or flat orange soda is given.  In Israel, a plastic regular-sized cup is distributed with a sugar powder. The woman is asked to then add about 2-3 tablespoons worth, mix and then drink it within 3 minutes (I heard prior, 5, so unclear). The nurse wanted to make sure food was eaten before the exam. As a favor, I took a little bit of my banana (in the United States this first test is sometimes done without eating). After looking into it, it's still unclear if eating is a recommendation or actually mandatory. The straw trick didn't help as much given the consistency of the solution (which is super thick) but adding a small squeeze of fresh lemon really improved the process. Overall, would grade the experience an A-.  Another interesting difference is providi...

These three search words, "coronavirus pregnancy vaccine," have been on my top Google search for the past two months. Either waiting to share bad news or reinforce the decision to get vaccinated. You see, I'm one of the 100,000+ pregnant women and counting who will #notdelay their shot. More states are now prioritizing the vaccine to pregnant women, as the risks are becoming apparent with intubation for the mother, and pre-term delivery (and some babies sadly not making it). The experience today was a bit nutty. There were 3 nurses in different rooms giving out the vaccine. A teenager, aged 16 was going for her second dose. Upon asking what the driving force was for her, it was the promise of not being put again into isolation. There also seemed to be a peer component, which was interesting. Given that our family has miraculously dodged isolation, the psychological impact is one we didn't personally have to do with. But the rationale makes complete sense.  Furthermore...

Labor and Delivery in Israel Unlike the United States (or at least in Massachusetts, where a doctor is found matching a hospital of your choice) here in Israel there's no direct affiliation (unless you see a private ob-gyn who performs delivery as well).  Hospitals here vary tremendously in size, philosophy, and amenities.  Having had two children born at Beth Israel Deaconess in Boston that was very industrial (no tubs, but private recovery room) and the third at Newton Wellesley Hospital in Newton, MA, there's a huge perk to have a tub to help ease contractions and a private room for recovery (why hospital recovery rooms are even shared now during a pandemic is mind-boggling).  Zoom tours have made it particularly easy to see what the different hospitals offer. My two priorities while researching these Israel hospitals are as follows: 1) That my spouse can stay with me overnight (whether in a private room or shared) and 2) That there be a tub option, ideally, to labor i...

The poppy seed flower has made its way into the field of Israel!  Not far from Beit Shemesh is a Tel that overlooks much of the area. Often Israelis enjoy hiking alongside these flowers and taking photographs. One child wasn't too thrilled to leave the house (by now, the weather has become hotter and they are used to being inside). We made up for it by sitting on a rock, talking about caterpillars and rattlesnakes. The younger two continued up the hill to see more of the view.  A memory resurfaced of my mother singing the song by Shoshana Damari, Kalaniyot and a specific verse spoke volumes to me: אֶת הַפְּרָחִים לִצְרוֹר הִיא תְּלַקֵּט לָהּ, וּבַשְּׁבִילִים הַמִּתְכַּסִּים בְּטַל אֶל אִמָּא הִיא נֶחְפֶּזֶת וְקוֹרֵאת לָהּ... כלניות כלניות Funny how these memories pop up here and there, reigniting the acute loss, even amongst the gleaming smiles and growth that keeps us oddly going. Funny how memories do that here and there. Especially when we least expect it, amongst wonderfu...

Israel offers women 35 and up (at advanced maternal age) an early anatomy scan at 15 weeks and another later scan, that they do at 18 or so weeks. The ultrasound technology used was extremely powerful that for the first time, ever, I was able to see a baby with its eyes open. It's also something that they check for (unclear as to why). In any case, upon asking why the country offers two anatomy scans versus just one, the answer received was (1) more opportunity for money (2) depending on your insurance, not all women receive it and (3) the more information received in advance can allow women to decide if they want to terminate the pregnancy. That said, getting an abortion in Israel seems to be different than it is in the United States, as here it requires approval from a termination committee. Whether one system is better than the other, could be up for debate.  At 16 - 18 weeks, a woman is also offered a second blood test to further measure risk of Down Syndrome. Sitting outside t...