Submitted by Bessy Bunting (original post found here)
Hello world,
I’m here, let the adventure begin! Well technically I’ve been here for 40 weeks and 8 days now but only 4 days out of the cosy cocoon I had known as home.
It’s rather a big deal, the whole being born thing. But I feel like I handled it like a champ! (Mum did okay too) It’s more this “real” world part that I’m struggling with! There is no longer a sound filter between my big sister’s singing and my delicate new wee ears, there are these things called “clothes” that they keep putting on me and I have to work for my food?! It was much easier when everything I needed was delivered personally directly to my stomach and not placed in front of me in some gigantic milk tankers that have yet to accustom themselves to what I require and are almost as big as me! So yes, I spill, and yes that means more washing. My little tummy has never had to work so hard before and is not used to the new menu here yet, so like everything else will take some time to adjust.
And the things that I hear the big people say and ask! I am FOUR days old folks. How did I sleep? Like a baby! As that is what I am, a brand new, fresh out of the womb baby. I sleep whenever I want to; I don’t care if it is during that daylight hours or the moon is out. I’m not bothered if I’m awake when Mummy should be asleep. I’m not doing it on purpose, I just don’t know any different. Am I a good baby? I’m not really sure if I’m down with that label yet either thanks. I’m not out after dark stealing cars or robbing old ladies if that’s what you mean? It’s awfully confusing just as to who I am, who I’m supposed to be and what it is that I’m “supposed” to be doing!
It probably would be easier and nicer for everyone involved if I slept 3 hours, woke, fed, gurgled cutely, appreciated being undressed, changed and weighed and prodded, filled nappies with candy cane-smelling flowers then happily went back off to bed wide awake to “self-settle”. But heads up (again) I am FOUR DAYS OLD, I don’t know how to do any of those things! And I’m pretty sure new born babies back in the day didn’t either!
What I do already know is, I am a person. Not an “it” or a “him”, I have a name. Remember the old “A person’s a person, no matter how small?” I need cuddles, and lots of them. At all times of the thing you call day and night. I’ve had a heartbeat against me reassuring me for the good part of a year and I’m not ready to give that up yet for that bed contraption you have for me. I need love. Unconditional, no rules attached, no label of what kind of baby I am, love.
So let me grow, love me, cuddle me. Enjoy me. As each second, each minute and every hour that passes I am getting bigger. I will never be only four days old again. Remember that. x
