POSITIVE Parenting

When leaving the Special Care and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the University Hospital of the West Indies, a nurse must carry your baby outside for you.

I believe this is done to avoid anyone stealing a child. I was quite happy to see this precaution being taken as, when I was pregnant, I had an irrational fear that I'd be given the wrong little boy after delivery. I must have watched too many Lifetime television movies! Imagine what a fool I felt when one blue-eyed and very blond-headed baby popped out!

My husband and I have two dogs. They are what I call 'high-class mongrels', due to them both being mixes of desirable breeds. Until the birth of our son, they have been my babies. Hubby Dearest was concerned that they'd be super jealous of the baby and consequently hurt him. I, on the other hand, was not worried at all. Our dogs are sweet-natured though very protective, and had been great around my friends' kids.

That being said, I took the advice of the author of What to Expect When You're Expecting and brought home one of the baby's burping cloths for them to sniff. The idea is that the dogs get used to his scent before meeting him. When we did get home, I gave them a few good pats before showing them the bundle of joy we now had with us.

Since then, these canines have shown nothing less than complete love for the baby. When he cries, they come running. When he sleeps, they lay down right outside his bedroom door. When he plays on his mat, they sit watching him. Sure, there are times when they lick his toes, which I don't mind, but I usually stop them when their tongues are headed for his mouth! In the same way that adults don't fancy 'French kissing' a dog, I'm quite sure babies aren't too keen on it themselves!

The first day back in our house with the wee fellow was quite surreal. Up to this point, I kept thinking that someone was going to come and thank us for looking after him and then take him back. All of a sudden the reality of having another person permanently living with us hit me smack in the heart. Here I was, a mother. I didn't want to ever leave my baby, or have anyone else look after him, apart from my husband. I instinctively knew what I was supposed to do with him, and all the insecurities I had had about whether I'd be a good mummy or not disappeared.

Over the next few days I began to understand what my own mother had told me about when she got home from the hospital with my eldest brother. She had gone into her house, closed the door, and realised that she would never again be able to leave without a child in arms! (Of course we grew up and moved out, but that emotional tie never dies, she says.) Anyway, this is exactly what has happened to me.

Baby goes everywhere

When I drive out of our yard, my baby is with me. Everywhere I have been over the last two months, he has travelled with me. The hairdresser, the post office, the supermarket, the pharmacy, the book store, the gas station, a friend's house, a restaurant. He is either hitched in a baby carrier or sitting in his stroller. Our little chap is tagging along, no matter what! I might have brought a baby home, but as long as I'm not willing to stay there 24 hours a day, nor is he!

emmadaltonbrown@gmail.com

Sure, there are times when our dogs lick the baby's toes, which I don't mind, but I usually stop them when their tongues are headed for his mouth!