Make sure you read the first part of this story, It’s done! The baby’s born!
Assurez-vous d’avoir lu la partie précédente de ce récit, Ça y est, bébé est né!
Dear Baby,
These first two weeks with you have been enchanting.
My little ball of happiness, I want to hold you forever! You fill me with love. So much energy!
This week I was filled with intense emotions that I regularly burst out crying. Such powerful happiness, but also the fear that I can’t always protect you from everything, because this moment is passing (I have a teenager and measure the distance). I was also sympathising for parents who have babies that are suffering in one way or another. My need to protect you was on overdrive. But the emotion I feel most strongly is my joy for having met you, being close to you.
This week, you acted like many animals: a lion cub on a branch, masked chick from Claude Ponti, a tiny snake descending to my breast, bear (or squeaky door) growling, a kitten, goat, a grub, etc.
You have inherited nicknames, most from your dad and me: Mr. Peanut, Mr. Potato, kitten, titi, pti bichon, chouchou…
I love the funny faces you make when you stretch, which are the same ones your sister made!
The first two days you breastfed non-stop! It seems you would get 1 drop from 5 movements. But your stomach didn’t need a lot at that stage. Maybe because you already weighed 4kg, I felt you were still hungry. We decided to give you an additional 60ml bottle for the first two nights, which meant that we got 3 hours of sleep. But I have to say that during the first week, I rarely closed my eyes, and didn’t even feel tired. Just fully happy.
Then my milk productions started between the 2nd and 3rd day. The week was a dream. You breastfed enormously (ow, my breasts) and you smiled, you were relaxed. No colic. Just happiness in our nest for three.
You also met your brother and sister, we accompanied them every day. It wasn’t easy for our son, but they all fell in love with you. And we saw how they all felt a particular responsibility for you now. Transmission and/or protection. They grew up fast suddenly…
You also met my mother and your dad’s parents. Such wonderment. I even rediscovered a part of my mother, who isn’t doing well, because she shared her wonder.
We then returned home. Such emotion bringing you back, to your house. Mixing these two realities, our life before and the life we were building with you at the hospital.
Unfortunately, because I was tired, we had to manage the return of the older children immediately. Not easy, especially since school break, and separation from friends, is coming up soon…broken hearts…
We want to show them that everything hasn’t changed. In three days, because after they had 1 week of vacation each. But it was hard and a bit of a shock for me, as I just had major surgery and was still fragile, and also because we had to come back to reality. And then the teenagers’ staggered schedule…
I think we were able to deliver the message. My husband went out a couple of times with them, and I chatted with my daughter. We also prepared her camping gear together.
My baby, in your first week you learned to breathe, feel the air caress your skin, breastfeed, digest, pee and poo, communicate, cry, get dressed, take a bath, look around, see the light, you met your parents and family, you went home, and you were added to your siblings’ daily routine. Very impressive!
In one week I gave birth, was stitched up, got help for my placenta, passed out, ate, discovered my baby, gave you my breast 1 million times, didn’t sleep, welcomed visitors, took a shower with my scar, received a gift from my husband, washed myself (with beauty products), desired my husband (but not possible yet), returned home with lots of constraints and chores (but clean it was nice), I tried to walk (bad idea), and took care of the older children.
During your second week of life, all three of us discovered daily life. You are slowly getting used to changing your diaper, breastfeeding, sleeping (a bit) more at night than during the day, to cold, baths, sunlight, hugs, etc.
You smile at us more, and you open your eyes wider. I listen to your funny breathing sounds. You communicate, sometimes by growling! You say A, Mmm, and Eu, though with difficulty.
I have those natural parental worries for thousands of things during the first year in a baby’s life. I am impressed by the strength of your feet, hands and neck. I melt in your deep, intense regards. I love how you move your fingers, like an orchestra conductor. I am a mother to a little marvel, and I bathe in your rays of happiness.
To continue reading Charlotte’s story, go to Weeks 3 and 4 were full of wonderful discoveries!
Pour lire la suite du récit de Charlotte, consultez Ces semaines 3 et 4 ont été celles de plein de belles découvertes.
Charlotte
The opinions found in this article are the author’s alone.
