Granai della Memoria

Romina is a 33-year-old working woman, born in Albania and living most of her life in Italy, determined to finish the studies she had had to put aside.

Before becoming a mother, she had an idea of an idyllic, 'natural' childbirth, and of a puerperium punctuated by guidelines and perfectly carried out tasks, successful breastfeeding; but at the moment of contractions and finally of the actual birth, she realises that in reality one cannot imagine anything, one is never really prepared for what will really happen. She had the urgency of a caesarean section from which Giulio was finally born, taken to neonatology where he spent three days, far from her. While waiting, Romina energetically pulls the milk from her breasts, despite the tiredness and discomfort of the delivery operation, she tries to pace her body to produce the precious nourishment for her son. Once she is reunited with her son, and after much effort and pain, Romina turns to the health advisory centre to adjust the attachment and thus encourage smooth breastfeeding. After several attempts she finally finds the midwives who will help her recover and breastfeed without pain. Above all, without feeling defective but understood and supported by friendly midwives, who did not consider her psychologically problematic, as had been the case in another situation.

Romina strongly emphasises that our society is very judgmental, it puts you in the position of constantly having to prove that you are a 'good mother'. and meanwhile also a good worker, which does not take into account the rhythms of caring but those of the profession. Work and family life are not reconciled as one would wish. One is judged if one is unable to breastfeed, following the 'duty' of this caring gesture encouraged by all; but for Romina it is a right, not a scientifically tested technique to be followed according to precise time slots, at the rate of a timecard stamp, but a moment in which one is building something, a game, a contact, an exchange and a pain, a passage that one goes through and of which one gradually becomes aware, so much so that she finally decided to dedicate her degree thesis to it.