Ok, I’m a Mum, What Do I Do Next, Please….?
So there I am sprawled out on the comfort of an NHS bed, the proud mum of a bouncing, healthy 10lb chunky monkey of a baby boy. The midwives, who I might add were bloody brilliant and there is no way on this planet I could ever do their job, tidied me up, cleaned and dressed my baby boy in blue, swaddled him in sheets and left him in his crib, which I can only describe as a fish tank. Now, details from here are very hazy, which all things considered you can kind of understand why. A combination of happiness, an immense sense of love, coming down from all the pain killers I had taken (which didn’t kill any pain) and lack of sleep left me feeling a little overwhelmed. I can, however, remember the following very well, in no particular order.
- Being offered a couple of rounds of toast, which were smothered in butter (I don’t like butter) and a very milky cup of tea (I’m a tea should look like mud kind of girl), but it was the best thing I had ever eaten and drank.
- Staring at this beautiful creation that I had cooked for nine months and it staring back at me and then hearing a very big penny drop – this thing doesn’t come with an instruction manual, what do I do now? At that point the midwife dims the lights in the labour room and says “I’ll leave you to it then. Try and get some rest”. Well at that point I can feel the panic rising from my toes and what feels like six million questions bouncing around my head, that all need to be answered at once.
- Sleep….? But I can’t take my eyes off this amazing thing that’s lying there staring at me. Ok, get a grip girl and think what to do? I know – ring my mum!
If you’re wondering at this point where my other half was I had sent him home. He looked worse than I did and someone had to walk the dog, and it wasn’t going to be me.
