Birth Of An Anxious Mother

(As a 20 year old, with a baby in a premature unit for a month, I was only too aware of infant mortality)

My baby daughter couldn't wait

to leave the safety of my womb.

Ignoring all predicted dates,

she made her entrance far too soon.

Then whisked away when she arrived,

six weeks early, feather weight

and stolen from me she was placed

inside a box to incubate.

Fed with mother's milk expressed,

she stayed until her lungs grew strong,

but separation played a part,

an anxious mother, I was born.

Whose eyes would watch her every move,

the rise and fall of each short breath,

a frequent touch of her soft flesh,

so fearful I of infant death.

Reviews

[Julie McCarthy (juliesp..]

thankyou for sharing such a special momentous time in your life however very anxious and new and worrying for you.
so glad you shared this and all your emotions i felt it in your poem
thanks again for sharing a personal moment or moments in your life
i had 3 babies all full term and 4 miscarriages. its a time in our life we recall well. changed us all (mothers) for ever.

[Chris Shaw]

Hello Julie, yes childbirth without doubt changes us forever, especially with the first born. Learning to be a mum, takes time.

Chris

[Julie McCarthy (juliespenhere)]

yes sometimes a lifetime of mistakes
but its never too late i feel
thankyou Chris

[Chris Shaw]

I think being a very young mum isn't always helpful either :)) Age can make a huge difference. With age comes experience.

[Julie McCarthy (juliespenhere)]

ok maybe i tried my best i was an older mother but im sure made many mistakes

[Chris Shaw]

There is no text book mum. Becoming a mum in my opinion is the most difficult job you undertake. All of us would have made mistakes, on reflection.

[Julie McCarthy (juliespenhere)]

yes i agree

[DIVYA]

You write with such intensity of maternal love here, Chris. I could feel your love, your apprehension. The wait of each day, each hour, till she was strong enough to be handed over to you! Related very much to this piece...thank you for sharing.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you DIVYA. Yes I felt almost overwhelmed by the responsibility, and the fact that she was premature, heightened my anxiety. Took a while to adjust.

Chris

[DIVYA]

I am so happy for you, dear Chris.
Always a pleasure!

[Flowers of Eternity]

I love your poem it made me feel anxious all of a sudden.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you so much for your response. Yes, anxiety of a new mum.

Chris