Unless one wants to become a hermit, the new mother has to get over the hurdle that is breastfeeding in public places. Going out for a nice meal with friends or family is a good way to start, I can’t think of anywhere easier to do this than Ubud. No one is going to be freaked out by it, the Balinese adore babies and think nothing of it and the rest of the populace are tourists with children or yoga queens who wouldn’t admit it grossed them out even if it did.
The biggest difficulty is staying calm and relaxed and not getting flustered. Once you lose your cool, you fumble things and end up pinging baby on the head with your nursing bra thingy which results in tantrums all round. The key is to find somewhere that is comfortable and discreet, not because anyone is actually looking at you (I personally feel that they are and are holding up scorecards rating my efficiency) but so that you can just get on with the job and focus on baby.
Tutmak (just off Monkey Forest, in front of the football pitch) covers all the bases. Clean bathrooms, changing table and the restaurant has those low tables and cushions which are excellent as you can pop bubba on a cushion and spread all your baby junk out and around within easy reach and still get to your food. The food is quite expensive for Ubud (mains 40- 60,000) but well worth it, a good selection of Indonesian favourites and Western food (the Mezze plate is excellent) with generous portions but the real winner for the new mum is the internet lounge upstairs. Cool and breezy, it has several long sofas, big tables and comfortable chairs. It’s generally fairly empty so you can really take over, laptop here, baby there, food everywhere. I recommend the large chai tea and cinnamon roll (warmed). The staff are very friendly and don’t mind that you’re spending hours and taking up a load of space just so that you can send off a couple of emails.
Bali Cares on Hanuman (near the yoga shop) has a great selection of healthy salads and reasonably fast wifi. I go there when I want to feel virtuous and order Meg’s big bowl and then ruin it by ordering the French toast (which is served with fruit so it’s not all bad). Last time I was there a lady just popped a boob out and fed her baby in the middle of the restaurant without turning a hair. For those of us less practised there are some chairs out the back near the bathroom, it’s not the most lovely place to feed but it’s quiet and perfectly adequate. I did try feeding in the restaurant but tables are at a premium here and they all face inwards and I can’t be bothered with all that shawl- over- the shoulder nonsense, it just makes me and bubba hot and bothered, which is when the bra strap, head pinging accident occurred.
Sari Organic is another mecca for the health conscious, breast feeding mum. No internet but spectacular views over the rice paddies. Most of the tables face the view so you can turn your back on the restaurant and feed quite happily while watching the sun set. This is a favourite place, the breeze and the feeling of openness keeps you and the baby cool. If you’re eating with friends and the baby starts to shriek, step out of the restaurant into the fields and watch the ducks. The tofu, falafel sandwich and a plain lassie makes an excellent meal and will get you change from 50,000R. A pleasant walk from Jalan Raya and just far enough to work up an appetite.
Sometimes all the health food is a bit too much, all very well for bendy yoga bods but those of us eating for two need serious calories. Bali Buddha (Jl. Jembawan) provides much needed carbs, the shop sells a great selection of bakery goods, cinnamon rolls (just happen to be a favourite, o.k), coconut spelt bread and yoghurt scones are perfect for morning tea. Get there early and get them warm! Round the corner is Kue, which I’ve walked past hundreds of times thinking it was just a chocolate shop, which it is, but they also sell the best bread in Ubud. Again, get there early (around 8am, or phone in your order) and ask for the baguette or the Ciabatta (11,000R). After exhaustive research I’ve concluded that the best black rice pudding is to be had at Sura’s Warung halfway up Jalen Kajeng (11,000R) and the finest banana fritters with huge globs of palm sugar are found across the way at Bali Yoga (10,000R). If anyone has any other suggestions please contact me and I will diligently check them out.
In order to do all this running about you need some form of baby carrying device. Before I had the baby I was determined to just use a sarong like you see the Balinese women doing. I don’t know if I have the wrong kind of sarong or I’m arranging it badly but we can’t seem to get comfortable so I’ve had to buy a bit of baby gear.
I’ve got two baby carriers (extravagant I know but hear me out) one is the traditional baby pouch made by Dialogue Baby, which I bought at Bintang supermarket for 90,000R. It’s excellent for long paddy field walks and shopping as it distributes the weight evenly over both shoulders and leaves your hands free. On the downside it can get hot as the baby is pressed up against you so I don’t use mine if I’m going out later than 10am or before 4.30pm. The other is an over the shoulder sling by Bebeko which I bought for 250,000R from Bali Buddha. It’s an exciting shade of hot pink and generously padded so it’s very comfortable. As all the weight is on one shoulder I don’t use it for long walks but it is excellent in restaurants as you can lie it on a cushion and use it as a little bed. It has its’ uses around the house as well, my baby loves to be rocked to sleep and the sling is a godsend to aching arms.
If all this sounds a bit too much effort, how about a good book and a takeaway? The Pondok Library does a one month membership for 50,000R and an excellent selection of baby books, classic literature (for days when you can concentrate) and Jilly Cooper, Janet Evanovitch et al (for the days when your brain is like Swiss cheese). Pizza Bagus does a great delivery service, I’ve never got past the large calzone with mushroom, ham , artichoke and extra mozarella (40,000R) so I can’t comment on the rest of their extensive menu but I’m sure the standard is equally high. Bali Buddha also delivers and has a great selection of salad mains for 27,000R and the Heavenly Chocolate Mousse Cake (15,000) which I think makes a balanced meal.
So don’t feel like you have to stay home with your nose pressed against the window (unless you want to stay home with your nose in some chick lit and chocolate cake), walking is great exercise for the post birth body and walking to a restaurant and ordering dessert is great for the post-birth mind. There is one caveat however, at some point baby will projectile vomit on you or do a giant, yellow poo. Be brave and get out there, just take a spare T-shirt and a lot of extra nappies, as the scouts say, be prepared!
