Posted Sep 8, 2012 4:46pm
There was a new baby in the NICU today. I have come to learn that most babies come in full term or close to it with some small issue that resolves quickly after which they go home. Zion was one of those, and that is a wonderful thing. When I arrived his mother and dad had just arrived, she still in her hospital gown and non skid socks, and he in his requisite yellow smock. Jen, my nurse as well, was tending to them and it was time to learn how to breastfeed. She pulled the curtain and I listened to her tips. The mom’s trepidation was palpable. I sat there thinking about how overwhelming it all is in the beginning. How hard the nursing was for me too, and how unsure of everything I was. I also laughed to myself when I heard the dad quickly begin snoring loud enough to wake the dead. They had a long night, and didn’t expect to end up where they were. But I still had to laugh. Matt still to this day tells the story of my 40+ hours of labor with Colton and his focus is invariably on how incredibly unaccommodating his recliner was and how he got absolutely NO REST at all. To be a man….
This is pretty new stuff for me too, as I have said in past updates. Today, though, I was in my zone. Today I felt like a seasoned mom, and Oscar felt so much less fragile. There is still plenty of room by the way until he doesn’t feel fragile at all. That is an important point.
The main reason I think this happened today is due to the fact that Oscar is on NO OXYGEN AT ALL. Nothing, nada, niente, ingenting. I also got to dress him myself in an outfit I got for him. If he continues to do this well they will remove the last piece of tape (I really hate the tape) from his little face and we will get to behold our Oscar once and for all as he was meant to be. I am bursting with pride. I am floating on air.
Please, check out my littlest man…