The first cuddle.
It’s a moment most mothers remember. Long, fleeting, loud, peaceful.
The mottled skin. The sticky hair. The papery nails. The huffy breaths.
Lyndsey’s baby, Ward, arrived three and a half months early. When he was four days old and just 680 grams, she got to hold him for the first time.
Her husband made this video for her birthday. Watching Ward grow from being a crumpled little tissue to a thriving baby boy who laughs, rolls and eats a cake lathered in icing is such a beautiful tribute to their son – but most of all, to Lyndsey.
Take a look.
I can only understand a teeny tiny fragment of Lyndsey’s life.
My son was born six weeks premature. With every breath, his lungs sucked so far inwards it was like he had the hiccups. He sounded like an old cat. We’d peer at him through the windows of the humidy crib like he was the world’s most fascinating exhibit. Just watching. Waiting. And then he’d sneeze and we’d startle, looking at him, looking at each other, looking for a nurse. And then nothing. More watching. More waiting.
And a day later, we got that first cuddle.
The nurse passed me a tangle of tubes and bandages. Inside, somewhere, was my new baby.
And there it is. The moment. A moment mixed with ‘oh my God I don’t want to break him’ and ‘this is a big deal’. But most of all, I remember the unfamiliarity. With each other. With the world. And the beginning of something beautiful.
Sometimes I forget about that cuddle. But today – after watching Lyndsey’s video – I felt it. I remembered. And that was magical.
Can you describe the first time you help your baby?
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Top Comments
As someone whose son was born 12 weeks premature, I didn't get to hold him until he was 2 weeks old, after asking each and every day, and even then it was only for about 5 minutes. I remember how delicate he was, the nurses telling me not to stroke his arms or back, but to hold him firmly, so as not to overstimulate him. I remember the long road from his 2lb 4oz size at birth, with preemie diapers that came up to his little armpits, to the nearly 6lb baby he was when he came home, 12 weeks later, and 4 days past what was his due date.
So many memories...and such deep gratitude everyday to the wonderful NICU nurses and doctors who devote their lives to 'bringing home' these beautiful babies. Just watched the video with my husband...it's almost 14 years since we had our experience, our first baby born at 27 weeks, and 2 lbs (980grams)...our son is turning 14 next month, and now attends a selective high school for gifted students, and is a beautiful, loving and caring boy. You think you've overcome the intense stress and angst of this experience, but watching this video, we both cried...it's still so near the surface after all. We are so blessed to have our miracle babies :-)