It was when the paediatrician appeared with an Evian-branded tape measure around his neck that I began to suspect the presence of baby marketing. After that, a glance around the room at the clinic where my wife was staying for a few days - after giving birth to our son two floors down - convinced me: if there was another diaper brand than Pampers, you certainly wouldn't know it from the evidence here. «Maybe it's because they're the best», I suggested. Géraldine looked at me scornfully: «You of all people should know that babies mean business. I bet this clinic has never paid for a single diaper - just so people like you think Pampers are the best. »
Having said that, we bought another pack of Pampers when we returned from the clinic, about an hour ago. Then I went to the pharmacy and bought some powdered milk, a bottle and various cleaning products. The bill came to 80 euros. For a person who measures only 52 centimetres, Gustave has expensive tastes (his pyjamas come from Petit Bateau). The big discovery of the afternoon, however, was that Gustave likes electro music. A friend of mine had told me that his daughter always fell asleep to the trip hop beats of Viennese duo Kruder & Dorfmeister. He sent me a CD to test the theory. Sure enough, two tracks in, Gustave slid softly into slumber land. The music industry is missing a marketing opportunity.
