Brought to you by Children’s Panadol.
I love babies, which is probably the reason I was a nanny for 13 years. I love kids too. They’re fun. But there are times when it’s not so much fun, when the little people aren’t well, and just plain miserable and they need relief. The team at Panadol asked me to share a story of my first experience as a mum with Children’s Panadol, and for me this is it…
The moment Lacey was born and I became a mother was magic. It was a not-so-short labour {i.e. not long but not as short as Luella’s one hour birth} and a quite long second stage. It was a bit stressful for Lacey. After three hours of pushing the doctor resorted to using forceps to get her out and she arrived, screaming and sporting a huge bruise on her forehead.
We cried, because we had finally met her. The moment was overwhelming. I could feel the love. We were parents.
The day wasn’t smooth from that point forward. I lost a lot of blood, blacked out, had to have some emergency plasma replacement. In an idea world I would have been whisked up to the maternity ward {private room, of course}, had a lovely lunch, mastered breastfeeding and just enjoyed our little bundle of joy.
Instead I was hooked up to machines for a while and then wheeled up to ICU for the night, surrounded by seriously-ill women. I remember looking at my brother, crying and telling him I didn’t want to be there. I wanted to be with the other mums. It’s one of the only times in his adult life that I’ve seen him so sad.
Lacey wasn’t a happy baby on her first day in the world. There was lots of crying. Lots. I just spent the day cuddling her and trying to soothe her. Trying. By the time night rolled around and all the visitors had gone, it was just me and my new baby, in our small curtained off area. And all the other sick women around us.
It was my first day of being a mama, but I knew something wasn’t right. I had that feeling. Mama instincts I call them now. When you know, you just know. I buzzed the nurse and asked for some Children’s Panadol for the baby. I knew she had a headache from that huge bruise.
The Pediatrician came to see me, and agreed that my mama instincts were right. Children’s Panadol {the colour free baby drops 1 month – 2 years}, and she calmed down a little. Enough for us to both calmly cuddle up in bed together.
♥ ♥ ♥
For over 50 years Panadol has been the brand that parents have trusted in times of need, to relieve pain. We always have it in the cupboard for when/if we might really need it {in hopes that we don’t}. It’s gentle on little and big tummies, for children aged 1 month to 12 years and for babies under 3 months remember to seek medical advice. You can like Children’s Panadol on Facebook to keep up-to-date on their product ranges.
Children’s Panadol, as always, wants to support parents by relieving your children’s pain, so that together you can get back to the fun moments that matter. They’ve got a Hoyts 10 Ticket Movie Pack to giveaway. To be in the running, share a comment below telling me about your first day of motherhood and what you loved about it.Always read the label. Use only as directed. For the temporary relief of pain and fever. Incorrect use could be harmful. Consult your healthcare professional if symptoms persist.
Seek medical advice for children under 3 months.
Panadol is a registered trademark of the GSK group of companies.
It was a magical feeling but I remember saying to my other half when I was having my c-section and crying “I am not ready for this” and he is like well it is too late now Bel. He is now 4 yo and is the most caring, loving and gentle little boy and it is the best feeling in the world knowing I created him and into the loving little boy he is today, so proud.
Beautiful. xxx
My first day of motherhood !
My baby girl entered the world at 7pm ! After being in hospital for 3 days before due to complications , then labour proceeded for 36 hours she was here !
She was the most perfect thing I had ever put my eyes on. For 9 months I thought about what she or he may or not looked like !
A baby girl the nurse informed!
One look at this slippery screaming infant ….. Perfection is the only word that came in my head.
They wrapped her in a bunny rug and put her in my arms and I had happy tears flow down my face. This is motherhood ! This is the beginning of our life together. At that moment nothing else on the world seem to exist. Time stopped for a while ! You see all my fears left me and I knew looking at her tiny face I can do this. I was only 18 years old and that was 26 years ago and I was a mum 🙂
My mum gave birth at 17 – such a young age, but I love that she was so youthful and grew up with us. And now we’re so close too.
xxx
It all felt a bit dream like as we waited to go into theatre for a forceps delivery. I had waited all day to get her out and as midnight approached I had one thought… ‘Of course she would wait to come out on my birthday’. It made total sense though, I was the spoilt baby of the family and Poppy was just declaring how it would be from now on. I knew she would have me wrapped around her teeny tiny fingers from the moment she wrapped hers around mine. I held her in disbelief and utter joy and to this day (seven weeks on) that’s still how I hold her.
What a gift! Congratulations on your sweet baby! Did the forceps leave any marks on her?
She was a great birthday gift! She did have a few bruises and some scar tissue from the forceps but no scratches 🙂
My first day as a Mother was stupendous! My daughter was born at 5:34am and whilst they were clerking me up her Grand-Father took her outside to see her first sunrise (not sure how much she understood about the sun, but she knew she was here and she was unsafe hands. Once he brought her back to me, my husband and I did all the normal things- counted her toes, told ourselves we were super-stars for creating the MOST beautiful creature ever seen on Earth!! Since that day that made me a Mother, my daughter has been surrounded by love. There has. Not been a day in her life that she has not been told how loved, how special, how beautiful and wonderful she is. She is surrounded by love and a family who adore her. She is the best thing I ever did!! 🙂
Oh my goodness! The tears. I loved your story, and how beautiful that she went and saw her first sunrise. I love that. xxx
My son arrived 8 weeks early and bum first so it was a bit of a shock. I didn.t realise I was in labour until my waters broke when I was on my way home from work. Nearly 16 years ago so my husband and I didn.t have mobile phones but our son was born 30 minutes after I got to the hospital so he wouldn.t have made it on time anyway! My son was born at King George V Hospital so he was in the best place and did well. When my husband came into the room he saud “Where.s your bump?” I told him “He.s in the nursery”. Then we went to meet our little man.
Ha, “Where’s your bump?”
Now, tell me about bum first? Was he birthed bum first? Or do I not want to know. I take my hat off to you!
Your story is so similar to mine! My first was born via c-section but I had complications and lost a lot of blood. My darling daughter was born screaming, and didn’t stop that whole first day. She was so lovely, and we were just so glad to have her here safely. She had the cutest little button nose. I got to cuddle her for a while then my husband had her as i was in recovery for a lengthy period. I should have had a transfusion but while I was drugged up they gave me the ‘option’ to have one.. I guess I said no. All the midwives were so rude when I asked for help. They even kicked my husband out when it hit visiting hours on the dot even though I was so sick. For a first time Mum it was an incredible shock to say the least. Later on we worked out she was crying from reflux pain from word go… no wonder she was so unsettled! That feeling of having your newborn places in your arms and looking over their features and drinking in their smell is just priceless 🙂
It’s beautiful isn’t it, and overwhelming on that first time. I’m so sorry about your experience though. Midwives can be hit and miss… sometimes you get amazing ones and then sometimes you get ones that should probably be choosing another occupation. 🙁
Hi Fran. You’re the winner of this competition. Can you email your address to me? hello@fatmumslim.com.au xxx
Yay! Thank you! My little princess I’m speaking of here just turned 5 yesterday! 😀 I will say second time round my midwives were amazing 🙂
My oldest son was born with many life -threatening birth defects and was a NICU baby for ten months before was discharged. I learned quickly that we are our children’s voices, we are their strongest advocates. I also realized that “I would die for you” is not an exaggeration.
Oh my goodness, that’s a stressful start to life. I can’t even begin to imagine how heart-wrenching that was for you. xxx
It’s true, when you are a Mum you ‘just know’ when something isn’t quite right. Unfortunately I don’t have a lot of happy memories of my first day as a Mother, our twin daughter and son were born prematurely and passed away the day they were born. Their two younger brothers were also born 10 and 8 weeks early, and I spent the first few days battling with anxiety and the overwhelming love I felt for them.
Oh Lauren, I am so sorry. That’s so much to go through, and your heart will probably most likely never feel whole again.
I find the love overwhelming too, especially in those first days {I guess without the anxiety and history that you had, of course, I don’t want to take away from that}. It’s a bit of a miracle to make babies, and how beautiful and precious they are. xx
Thanks Chantelle. Making and having babies really is an incredible experience. I’m watching my 11mth old crawling around exploring the house and I’m continued to be amazed by how special he is x
I had my little big girl (my eldest but still my little girl) in the evening after a day of labour from that morning. The nurses let me feed her then took her away for a couple of hours so I could get a bit of rest. I remember waking to find her beside me in her bassinet and after having swallowed some fluid during delivery, she promptly threw up all over herself and her bed. I panicked, because it couldn’t move due to a catheter to get the things I needed to clean this tiny creature up. That was the start of my first day as a mother. The rest was a blur of feeding visitors, crying and overwhelming joy having finally met my daughter. I still panic sometimes over different things, but then realise we are getting through this together, in one piece, which is something to be celebrated. Life is certainly a whole new ball game from that moment on!
It is a new ball game! Indeed! xxx
I remember my new daughter being brought to me at 1am for a feed despite me asking to sleep the first night after a caesarean, during which I haemorrhaged. The midwife wound my bed up (to an angle of about 90 degrees) and left her with me. When I finished feeding her I buzzed for the midwife to come and put her back in her cot as I couldn’t reach it. Nobody came! I fell asleep eventually, with my 6 hour old baby on the bed with my legs either side of her, and me sitting bolt upright with my head bent back, catching flies! I slept like that for almost 2 hours, and still no one had come! I became distraught because I was in pain and planted my hand on the buzzer. They came running from everywhere and then berated me because I had made out like it was an emergency. Next morning I demanded to see the Director of Nursing who tried to tell me that they had a responsibility to try to foster independence in new mothers. Give me a break! 6 hours post major abdominal surgery and I was made to feel like I was asking too much of them! Highly memorable, but for all the wrong reasons.
🙁
The lady next to me when I had Luella was left with her baby too, and she couldn’t move. I was a bit gobsmacked but they didn’t have enough carers for the baby to stay in the nursery.
I hope it all got better for your from that day forward. x
I loved that he was finally “out”! I didn’t like the getting him out very much though! Lucky he was beautiful (and still is!)
Kim. galwayst@hotmail.com
Ha, getting them out is never as fun as we’d like it to be. That moment they’re out though = bliss!
I will never forget that day!! My son, Aston was brought into the world via cesarean as he was breach. My experience during the c-section was not great, I got a sharp headache and nausea from the anesthesia. When they pulled him out he just kept screaming, they put him on my chest but I couldn’t hold him because they had my arms spread out with tubes and needles and things in, at this point I began to cry because all I wanted to do was hold him. I remember thinking OMG he is so beautiful and perfect <3 After they had stitched me up and took me to recovery I fed him for the first time and got my first photo with him – this always brings back the memories, I just sat and stared at him for the rest of the day. I couldn't move out of bed and I wasn't supposed to move around, but I couldn't resist getting him out of his 'cot' for cuddles, it was worth the pain just to watch him sleep and feed and marvel at this tiny human being I had grown inside of me!
Awww. I know that feeling, marveling at how perfect they are. Nothing else matters, does it?
P-ainful!
A-mazing!
N-erve racking!
A-we inspiring!
D-elirious (not the drug induced type!)
O-verwhelming
L-ove!
🙂 xo
My first day of motherhood was on July 2, 2011. It was nothing like I’d imagined…and not in a good way. It was traumatic, it was emotional. It was all too surreal. I was rushed from my local hospital by ambulance to a city one 2 hours away, although with the lights flashing it took 53 minutes. I was alone, I was terrified my partner wouldn’t make it on time. He did thankfully.
My baby girl arrived 12 weeks and 1 day early. She weighed 1.11kg. She was a fighter from day one. Still is. Apart from the spilt second they held her by my face after the c section I didn’t get to see her for 19 hours as I wasn’t allowed to get out of bed and my bed wouldn’t fit in the NICU. She looked like an alien. Her skin see through and shiny but she was gorgeous. She had heart problems that’s raked in 2 days when they said it’d be weeks. She was off breathing support after 3 weeks when they said months. It was 8 days before I got my first hold for 10 minutes. It was 15 days til her dad’s first hold.
She spent 31 days in the city (I was sent home on day 5 to travel each day to be with her. She spent a further 37 days in our local NICU before coming home. She is our beautiful miracle and niw the best big sister to our second daughter.