Looking back on the newborn days

The past year has flown by. I mean, really flown by. It barely seems 5 minutes since I was in hospital about to meet my brand new baby – and I know that sounds such a cliché, but it’s true. And now she is 1. Her birthday made me want to look back through all her newborn photos, and remember just how far she has come since those fraught, early days. 

She was born in something of a rush, and the first few hours were a blur, but I remember holding her against me, encouraging her to have that first feed and then expressing  milk for her when she was too tired to suck. I remember the first night in hospital, where I didn’t sleep a wink, despite being exhausted, as this little bundle was far too precious to put down in the cot and I wanted to keep her cuddled up on me forever. I remember the first time Kevin held her, and the relief that she wasn’t being taken to SCBU. 

I remember choosing her very first outfit from my hospital bag – a soft, white sleepsuit with purple edging and purple dots. I remember how I washed that sleepsuit before she was born, using Comfort Pure – perfect for caring for you and your family’s sensitive skin, every drop a tiny dose of love for this much wanted little girl. Now there’s new Comfort Pure Ultra Concentrated which gives incredible softness from a tiny dose – ideal for that sensitive newborn skin.

Then I remember taking her home – introducing her to her siblings. Giving Gemma her much longed for sister. Watching the immediate bond between Eliza and Jacob. Making Max a big brother. 

The newborn days passed by in something of a haze. You know the drill – the lack of sleep, the hormones, the feeling that you are not doing it right. But we soldiered on, caring for this precious new addition to our family. We bathed her, washing the hospital away. We made her a comfortable place to sleep (although she much preferred my arms).

We nurtured her, and in return she rewarded us with those first smiles, the first laugh, the cooing and babbling and the desire to be on the move so she could follow us around.

Yes, the newborn days were hard. There were lots of things we had to do – the endless cycle of feeding and winding, changing countless nappies, washing clothes, bathing, rocking her to sleep, taking her for walks in the pram for some fresh air and a change of scenery.

The newborn days are behind us now. We have welcomed our last baby into the world, and watched her grown from a tiny, helpless baby into a walking, chatting little girl. It makes me so proud and happy to see, but also leaves me feeling a little bit sad that my baby days are coming to an end. Here’s to becoming a midwife and sharing many more baby days with other families!

Enjoy the first few days and weeks. They might be hard, they might be challenging, but they are so, so worth it. 

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