MARTINSApr 22nd, 2008 - 07:33:04

The fact that the Belgian Royal family has chosen to have this birth at the Erasme Hospital in Brussels puzzles me somewhat.

Indeed, this woulds seem like a 'stamp a quality' of the Belgian Royal family to the Maternity of that hospital.

My own experience as a father is very different: I am very insatisfied with the medical service I got at the hospital, where my son Steve was seriously injured at birth (obstetrical brachial plexus) on 22/10/2007 and might be disabled, as a result, of his left arm for life (we cannot know at this point - be baby is and has been following intensive physioterapy). The doctor who performed the birth, Dr. Philippe Simon chose to perform a vaginal birth despite the age of the mother (34 and 1/2), the fact that it was her first birth ever, and the fact that the baby was known to be big.

I wonder if the Royal family got the same level of service as my family did.

Francisco MARTINS (the father)

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KarlottaMay 11th, 2008 - 20:31:04

I´m sorry to hear about the injury of your son and I understand your disappointment, but neither the age of your wife, nor the fact it was her first birth and the baby being big is a reason to rule out a vaginal birth.
AFAIK the birth of Princess Eléonore (as well as the previous births of her siblings) was performed by Geneviève Naomé, who is “just” an attending doctor at the Erasmus Hospital. Princess Mathilde has obviously chosen a different path than your family and seems to be satisfied with this, otherwise she wouldn´t have returned three times.

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EugenJul 8th, 2008 - 18:54:54

Disappointment > What a strange - heartless - word to use to describe a father's feelings at the sight of his crippled, innocent baby son.

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