Possible foreshadowing? (*SPOILERS from 3/23/00*)

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Anybody else notice the reoccuring breast feeding theme throughout tonight's episode? First Carol had just finished pumping. There was also the baby's death due to toxins from the mother's milk, Malucci drinking Carol's breast milk, and finally Carol saying how the twins are always content after she's nursed them (which she had just done). Is this possible foreshadowing to...what? Or just something they decided to throw in?

-- Leigh (WillnGraceNYC@yahoo.com), March 24, 2000

Answers

Yup, I am really wondering what all will be involved in her leaving. Obviously she feels she needs more time for her babies to be brought up the way she wants (i.e. breast feeding, etc.), and that should be the main reason, but then what? She can't just stop working. Can she find a job where she can work less hours? Doug HAS to come back into the picture sometime soon, she needs his help and he is the only answer I can think of. Anyone else? (Leigh, I'm sure you agree!)

-- Elaine (mrsclooney78@hotmail.com), March 24, 2000.

As a serious Lactivist, myself and the other women on the breastfeeding support listserv are pleased as punch to see so many references on breastfeeding in this episode!! Hurray for ER!

-- Danette (bjpind@televar.com), March 24, 2000.

I also was totally wondering if her girls are going to end up in the ER for some reason. . . as a matter of fact, when the mother was asked "what's your baby's name?" I half expected her to answer "Oh, I'm just her nanny, her mother works here. . . "

And doesn't it seem like her breasts should be huge? I know mine were and I was only making enough for one. . .

-- joy (joygirl01@yahoo.com), March 24, 2000.


Maybe this is foreshadowing a growing sense of maternal feeling in Carol, like a desire to be in a situation where she can just be home with the babies more. Perhaps she can't support her family working part time on her own, but if she's married to a pediatrician... I also agree that nursing is a great metaphor for this sense in her character. It's a huge commitment, reccommended by the AAP to go on for a year, so the fact that she's still so in favor of nursing shows a deep desire to do the very best for the babies.

The scene where Malucci had the milk on his cereal was hysterical.

-- nancy (ntc72@mailcity.com), March 24, 2000.


I thought the scene with Malucci was hilarious also. I mean, he is so dumb! Human breast milk tastes nothing like cow's milk or so I've heard. He would have known, right?

-- Janie (lealuna76@aol.com), March 24, 2000.


While I personally didn't want to breastfeed my children, I thought it was a good subject to bring up and well handled during 3/23 show. And it showed a reason why Carol might start to have second thoughts about working so much. I'd much rather her leave the show to go with Doug or go into another health care area or because she wanted to be home with her babies, than leave because of a nervous breakdown or something. Much more realistic.

BUT..... There's no way any supervisor would've allowed that many calls from a nanny at work AND especially in a busy ER. If this woman is a certified nanny, then she would've had to take classes and training for how to handle different situations with babies. Maybe because it was Mark attending and he had so much more on his mind to deal with that he didn't bother cautioning Carol on her many phone calls.

-- AmyE (roamyn@aol.com), March 24, 2000.


I thought the same thing too! But the scene with Malucci was HILARIOUS!!!! I fell off my couch I was laughing so hard! I love it when they do suddle humor! It goes great with his character.

-- Stephanie (Looney425@aol.com), March 24, 2000.

Mark may have allowed those phone calls because more than Carol's boss, he's her friend. He is very clued into her entire situation, and may have made an allowance with those phone calls -- one of the girls is named after his mother, after all!! He may even be the girls' godfather.

-- Leigh (WillnGraceNYC@yahoo.com), March 24, 2000.

I liked the scene w/Malucci eating the cereal, too. As to the comment above about the milk tasting different - My cousin is a new father who has recently tasted what his wife is "serving" and he describes it as tasting just like "Cap'n Crunch Milk" - you know - how the milk tastes after you've eaten all the cereal and have to drink what is left in the bowl. Maybe TPTB have tasted the "goods" as well and that's why they made "Cap'n Crunch" Malucci's snack of choice.

-- Linda (l.brown@mindspring.com), March 24, 2000.

I also must agree that the scene with Doc Malucci was hilarious. It took me about three seconds to realize what had happened. I was watching it with one of my friends over the phone, we both paused and suddenly started cracking up. Malucci is great, as was Carol's reaction. :)

-- Christine (Lilsbgem01@aol.com), March 24, 2000.


Was I the only one annoyed with the "baseball bat" treatment last night? Gee, so is Carol nursing? Struggling with her twins/nanny? They have neglected to mention any of the above forever now and all of a sudden they are going to devote half the episode to it?

Sorry! Just really was buggin' me! I know some of you are huge Carol fans. Please don't jump down my throat! It's not Carol I have a problem with. It's the writers!!! Breastfeeding and the pressures of working while raising kids are great issues to address. Just not 44 times in one epi! Thanks for letting me vent!

-- Kim (cktestas@juno.com), March 24, 2000.


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