I have this special thing I do once or twice a week.
I mean, really special.
I get to volunteer in the newborn nursery at the hospital, you guys.
I do some important but boring stuff, like re-stock diapers and run blood down to the lab, but do you know what I mostly do? I mostly swaddle babies and rock them, feed them a bottle if they’re not nursing, give them their very first baths on planet Earth.
When I first started, I would look around like, What? Are they seriously going to let me do this? But now, I just find it the most absorbing thing. It’s like a mediative practice, honestly, being with each baby in each moment. It may well be the most present I am with anything all week.
Oh, also?
I wear scrubs, which is kind of fun and very funny…
Baby, who are you
inside swaddle, under hat?
Skin, hair, breath, cry, heart.
This is so beautiful. I love you, Liz. xx
Oh, Amy. xoxoxo
Oh, wow. I’m not sure they’d let me in there. I’m not sure I’D let me in there. Newborns are so… new! And their heads! Aren’t even done!
I wouldn’t trust me to do that kind of work.
But, I’m glad that you do.
Ha ha — you’re funny!!
I was a little nervous myself when I started — it’s been awhile since I had my own!
Tanita made me laugh. This is beautiful, Liz — both the poem and the work.
Ha ha — me too!
I’m with Tanita — I like the idea of it, but probably not a good idea to put me in there. If I could just sit in a rocker and have bundles placed in my arms, maybe. But I’d probably fall asleep first!!
Thank you for planting these early seeds of love. I truly believe they’ll last a lifetime.
I hope you’re right. Some of these babies are starting off a little behind the curve, with 14-year-old mothers or positive drug tests. All I can do is love them in the moment….