Speaking of Miss Bonnie, I am so glad she is "here" as in born safely and part of our family. Having her HERE as in staying in my hospital room? Not so much.
The maternity ward at the hospital has changed since Natalie was born here 3+ years ago. Gone are the days of sharing a room with a stranger (YAY!) but also gone is the nursery (BOO!!!) Moms and babies now share a room 24/7. A spouse or other alternative caregiver may stay in the room as well. If you don't have someone who can stay with you (as I don't tonight since we didn't have someone to stay with the biggies at my house) then too bad, you are on your own, Mommy.
I have to say, this kind of sucks. Not because it ruins the "vacation" aspect of being in the hospital although it does (I haven't read any of the books I bought and the closest I came to a spa treatment was having the tape ripped off my nether regions when they removed my bandages post-op) but because it is pretty impossible to rest and recover when you are at the beck and call of a newborn. No matter how you gave birth, it's physically and mentally taxing. You need time to heal and regain your strength. A good night's sleep goes a long way towards helping a person feel human again. Sadly, a good night's sleep is not possible with a tiny person screaming at you for much of the night.
Thank goodness Tom was here with me the first night as I was still catheterized and there was no way I could leap up when Bonnie cried. 2 nights later, it still takes me a few minutes and a good deal of pain to roll onto my side and out of bed when she calls for me. I'm exhausted and starting to believe in guardian angels -- it's the only way I can explain how I haven't dropped this child as I've dosed off countless times with her in my arms. She is starting to latch well but probably not well enough to dangle from my breast indefinitely should I lose the battle against sleep and let my arms go limp as she is nursing. Scary, scary thought.
I understand the concept of rooming in and how it promotes bonding but I argue that quantity of time spent together is not the best indicator or promoter of a bond. After all, Jack and I are thick as thieves and he spent his first MONTH in the nursery, not with me. The only way Natalie and I could be bonded any tighter would involve super glue yet I sent her to the nursery for the first two nights after her birth. A first-time mother might think she has to be with her child 24/7 but this third timer knows that rest is a key ingredient in making a healthy, happy mother and that absence does make the heart grow fonder. That being said, anyone want to hold a fed, cleaned newborn for a couple of hours so I can rest before heading home to Tobinville later today? This Mommy is wiped out and really could use a recharge before resuming her normal duties along with her new ones.
4 comments:
You are singing my tune sister! With Sam, I had a very long labor and difficult delivery, but as a first time mom, I felt I needed to room with her 24/7. Until the nurses told me otherwise and told me that I needed to rest and they would take her to the nursery. With Lu and Jack I only stayed in the hospital one night, but I sent them both to the nursery for the night. Mommy can't go home and function with the older ones with no sleep.
My hospital still has roommates, which sucks. There singletons are for pediatrics and as a mother who needed one of those rooms for a child, I appreciate it now. But here I was jealous of your cool tvs - but not if they turn themselves on.
I would gladly come watch Bonnie for a litlte bit if I were just a little bit closer. I hope you get some much needed rest before going home.
would you think me crazy if I told you I'm jealous ?? I LOVED the whole birthing experience, c-sections and all ..
The only diff.. my hospital would keep baby in the nursery as much as I wanted.. which really wasn't that often.. the 1st time she came to eat I'd simply keep her over night.
Congrats to you and your family again.. You truly are blessed..
I was really disappointed when I found out the hospital I delivered Ian in didn't have a nursery. It makes it so much harder to recover and function.
I was lucky that I was allowed to go home after 24 hours - where I was able to rest and have daddy take over nursery duty as needed.
Congratulations on your beautiful baby girl. Hope you are both home very soon.
Mariah loves when I retell the story of how, on our first night rooming-in together, I feel asleep with her in tucked in my right arm and woke up, looked down and discovered her feet where her head should have been. Let's all say a collective "thank you" to the safety rail on the side of those hospital beds. :)
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