“As I checked into the hospital in labor with my daughter this past March, a preemie who had just been born rolled past me. His tiny body was hooked up to dozens of wires and he was closely followed by a team of concerned doctors. A flood of overwhelming emotion poured over me and I felt like I was having a panic attack. The panic stayed with me and I didn’t know why.
The morning we were going home with our new baby, I finally realized what triggered the panic. Three years earlier in that same hospital I gave birth to my son Brendan under emergency circumstances. Born 2 months premature, he had a rocky 6 week stay in the NICU and we came close to losing him. Since then, I had been so completely involved in doctor’s appointments, therapy sessions and advocating for him in every possible way, I had completely forgotten myself. With the exception of the day we almost lost him, I hadn’t shed a tear, had a conversation or done anything to recover emotionally. Between giving birth and seeing the preemie wheeled to the NICU, my body couldn’t hold it in anymore.
I spent the next few hours speaking to different doctors, including the neonatologist who saved Brendan’s life. I sobbed, laughed and just let it all out. The cloud of panic lifted and I felt ready to bring my beautiful baby girl home. From that moment, I understood the importance of self-care. I returned to the gym, reconnected with my husband and built a support group of moms with similar experiences. As mothers, we are the greatest caregivers in the world, yet we often don’t take care of ourselves until life forces us to.
Today’s guest author is Liza of www.sagespoonfuls.com, providing ideas, info and inspiration about making the healthiest babyfood possible.
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