Babies and Nursing

 Working in nursing has shown me an interesting phenomenon--nurses have no shame.  Especially when it comes to be the body.  Several of my co-workers are pregnant or have had babies in the past month (and I have been told I can't have a baby for 5 years--another post for another time but kind of funny for me, knowing our family plan:)).  Because of all the pregnancies recently, we have a lot of professors and students coming in with unsolicited advice.

One co-worker was due last Saturday, meaning everyone who walks in now immediately asks about the state of her baby/ body.  It's funny--she practically counts the amount of times people say "have you had that baby yet?" per day.  Because most pregnant women deliver the baby and are back at work the next day.  Even funnier, though, is the nursing instinct to treat each person they interact with as a patient.  Many of those nurses in our office have given suggestions that would typically make a person blush in an everyday setting.  Not these women and men.  They are proud to talk about how to stimulate labor (pun intended) as well as what will happen during labor and other seemingly incredibly private things right in the middle of our co-ed office.  Yes, my office has been transformed from a quiet haven to a bodily function conversation hub. The good news? I'm learning a lot for future use.

Speaking of my office, I currently have no "official" office.  Remember that overdue coworker? Well, I am taking her office once the Cherub of Joy appears.  I was in the office of another co-worker who returned from maternity leave, so now I am in the hallway with a beanie lap desk and my laptop.  That's maybe an exaggeration.  I'm actually in the entryway at a table students typically use.  I have a giant post-it on the wall telling everyone it's my "office" as well as a name plate propped against a giant fake bone (remember, I work in the nursing school).  So, it's not exactly conducive to meeting with students but it will get the job done (literally) until my co-worker has her baby.

Speaking of which, I've heard a few ways to speed that process up...:)