My First Night with My Newborn Daughter

One of the things that I remember so well was my first night with my newly born daughter. I had to deliver her by emergency cesarean section and was very sore, but that did not stop me from mothering her.

During the day my daughter was born friends and family stopped to see us. They offered congratulations, complimented my daughter on how beautiful she was and the offered advice. They told me "Send her off to the nursery tonight; you need to get some rest after surgery." I smiled and nodded, but I knew I wouldn't do that.

My daughter, my Hannah, I had waiting months upon months to meet her and be her mommy. No matter what pain I was in, or how tired I was, I knew I would not send that babe off to the nursery. I wanted to be with her.

I remember it being a lonely night - after all it was my first time in the hospital and my husband went home for the night. Each time my daughter would cry, I'd hobble out of bed and pick her up. I nursed her and rocked her in the rocking chair all night. I remember that newborn smell and I held her close. I think I must have given her one hundred kisses that night and I talked to her. I distinctly remember myself telling Hannah that I was knew at this motherhood thing and she'd have to be patient with me. My daughter and I really bonded that night and it made me really feel like a mom.

I'll never forget the first night I spent taking care of my daughter. On that night the lack of sleep didn't matter, nor did the pain - I just wanted to be with her. Of course a few days later, the lack of sleep did set in - but that is a different story for another time!