Lora, 39, freelance journalist, father Miha, 50, freelance photographer
mother to Arlo.
lora
"My pregnancy was risky and the delivery was hard. If I think how it would be to be to live in a country with a less kind system, well... I've been home now for 3 weeks, and in no way can I imagine going back to work in 6 weeks. Pulling you away from your baby, so you will have to worry where you'll put your baby in between, is just barbaric."
lora
"There should be some civil standard in the society, which enables women and men to be mothers and fathers. The system has to enable different types of women, not only to experience pregnancy, but to live the role of a mother."
"Even though I consider myself a feminist, I think feminism has done quite a bit of damage to motherhood and to children."
"There's plenty of research that suggests how important a mother’s presence is in the first year for a child’s security, even though I believe that to be common sense."
manca
"It is true what they say: one little creature can bring about important changes. You may not understand it and maybe it sounds selfish, but I believe children have this power to bring out the best in parents. If that's one of the reasons to have children, it's a very good one: to make yourself a better person."
manca
"It's amazing to see men handling the extreme situations of birth so brilliantly. I mean women experience pregnancy for 9 months and in a way you feel sorry that the father, your partner, cannot feel the kick of the baby in the belly, how he turns, or his hiccups. It's not natural for him. He has to create a bond with a child and my partner has really surprised me by how he handled this kind of situation."
manca
"Maternal instinct is one fascinating instinct that you don't realize until you give birth. A bond is created with your partner that never was present before. In a way, the bond doesn't have necessary to do with the new experiences of parenthood or family life. It's a bond that is connected to the birth process and how my partner has dealt with it. It's important to see that in extreme situations you can count on this person 100%."
manca
"Slovenia is a very kind country to families. It’s not just because it's small and manageable, but the aspect of community still plays an important role. Our whole country is like a small-town community. It’s important to have a close community. You don’t realize until pregnancy and parenthood the importance of having friends, family, and doctors nearby."
manca
"To have a family network is very important. Family and relatives have the possibility to play a role in the life of a child. If you live in a big country, it's probably different. Grandparents often see their grandchildren only over holidays. In these cases, I can't imagine developing a very deep relationship with their grandparents."
manca
"There is this big fear for the mother and father to make sure we can provide enough for the family. Our main concern is to enable the child to have healthy food, so you're not forced to eat some 'galofaks', or chemically processed foods. All you want is some dignity in life: being able to pay the bills and eat quality foods, and to be free from industrial poison."
manca
"During the whole pregnancy you can pass on basic insurance that costs around 14 Euros per month. It is so important that we still have this affordable health insurance."