So that's how it's done...

Molly has finally figured out breastfeeding. She had a good feed in the middle of the night and another one this morning. By now she will have had a third. They have to be rationed a little at the moment because Helen is very anaemic, but it is a huge step in the right direction and has saved her from being exposed to formula milk at this early stage.

Molly still has the canula in her arm, but the blood tests should come back sometime today, so it may be removed this evening or tomorrow. Helen is still in quite a lot of pain and has acquired a chest infection - that's the trouble with hopsitals, too many sick people around.

I was almost arrested in the ward corridor this morning when Eva Braun's uglier sister demanded to know why I had gone to the locked ward door, released the mechanism and allowed Charlotte past her heavily guarded checkpoint at the entrance. Even the patient's own children are not allowed to visit before 3pm. However, she will have to get up earlier if she is to outwit me - I had already gone onto the ward on my own first, cornered the friendliest looking nurse and charmed her into allowing Charlotte to come in. Helga (or whatever her name is) was crestfallen when the permission was duly confirmed by the nurse, she was sure she was going to have her first successful ejection of the morning. She returned to her post scowling and muttering under her breath. I couldn't resist a giggle. I think I may have climbed a few places on her hitlist. This evening should be funny when we are going to breach the maximum number of visitors rule several times over. I may have to create a disturbance in order to sneak them all in. Sleight of hand deceives the eye.

Charlotte had her first GCSE mock exam this morning - Spanish writing. She has exams for most of the next two weeks. Timing is everything in life eh ?