Who Needs a Teddy Bear When You’ve Got a Teddy Baby?

A newborn can see clearly for about 8″, just far enough to focus intently on his mother’s face. It is almost as if the initiative to bond comes from the baby first, especially when I consider the fierce hand grip that they are born with. To ensure an infant is fed, he is born with an incredibly powerful rooting reflex. These traits help to draw out strong protective love from both parents. For me it was almost a magical transformation from an exhausted woman in labour to a glowing mother adoring her newborn.

Even when all the kids were still little, I decided to share this magic with them. It was one of the best decisions I have ever made to enable mutual respect and love to grow in our family. However, at the time, I was forced to literally watch the clock to make sure everyone would get a chance to hold their new sibling . It seems to me that the children bonded to each other because even our toddlers were given the privilege of holding the baby. With excitement twinkling in their eyes, barely containing their joy long enough to sit still while I propped up one of their little arms with a pillow, they looked extremely proud and pleased as they too held the baby.

Bedtime became something to look forward to for about three months after the birth of our newest addition. I would wrap the newborn tightly in a warm blanket and let each child cuddle up to a living and breathing teddy baby. This quiet time, to be alone with their sibling allowed warm, nurturing, love to flow between both children and it eliminated jealousy The focus was no longer just on the baby but attention focused on an older child and the baby.

As I nursed, it was easy to give the older children my mental and emotional attention by listening, talking, reading books to them, helping with homework and even playing with play dough with one hand. I can honestly say that no one resented all the time each newborn demanded because we were all part of caring for the baby. Little ones were proud to run for diapers, clothes or blankets and older kids would choose rocking or pushing a colicky baby in the buggy over washing dishes any day.

One of our family jokes concerns the day I managed to relate to five people at once! I was laying down on our bed, back to back with my husband as he read and I nursed a newborn. A toddler lay curled around my head, playing with my hair, I was fixing a knitting mistake for a seven-year old and talking to a ten year-old.

I am pretty proud of that statistic.

Is a Mother’s Life Her Own?

Is it true that once you have a child, you life is not your own?

A child’s whole world revolves around his mother for at least 3 years. In fact infants have no sense of an identity separate from their mother till after the “terrible two” are over. The bonding  between mother and baby is incredible; a baby’s cry is specifically designed to upset and jump-start  Mum into rushing to her infant. The milk let down reflex is even triggered by a cry which can be embarrassing if we dawdle.

This is not social conditioning; new mothers are startled to discover the joy, strong bonds and fierce protective instincts that spring into action the moment they hold their newborn. I had never held a baby, felt completely inadequate but the moment I cuddled my first-born I WAS a mother.

The first 20 minutes are crucial; having Dad in the birthing room and holding their new offspring is the reason fathers are more active in child rearing. I do not believe it is because 0f feminist influences. It is because fathers have bonded with their babies.

And the baby is wired to start this bonding practice. Nurses will point out to new parents that their newborn quickly turns towards the voices of their mother, father, siblings and even grandparents. Babies are focused on eyes and faces. Initially they can only see for about 8″ which is how far Mother’s face is while they nurse and are held.An infant’s rooting reflex kicks into gear moments after birth. Not only that, their instinctual hand grip is almost impossible to pry open.

This is not some anti-feminist rant. Even rabbits have an almost mystical bond with their babies. Baby bunnies put into a  water proof cage were submerged 50 feet down in a body of water yet the mother rabbit KNEW exactly when they woke up and cried out for her.

A demanding role for mothers but the sheer joy that comes with the job is incredible. There is nothing like it.

Scripture: John 12:24-26

24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.  25  He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

By dying I did find life in Him. 

S

They are People

Look back once the baby has grown and discover the seeds of the man within his tiny soul

They are all people:
in utero
newborn
infant
baby
toddler

People
Albeit little people
Still they are people

With Dignity

Not an it

Not simply an appendix to

mother's body
Not owned by the mother
Not reflections of mum's ego

Not characters

to fulfil unfulfilled dreams
and ambitions.

Children

Toddlers

Babies

unique

definite personalities and characters

Look back once they have grown
and discover the seeds of the man within the toddler

a mystery and a delight
to discover each individual personality
encourage
watch
as they grow in a
unique way

Souls cherished
by God Himself.