Now the wait is over

They say if you want to know what it means to wait ask a pregnant woman. How true!

A baby's arrival is perhaps the happiest moment in life albeit preceeded by a waiting period and a mixture of emotions Some of the emotions are hormone induced and others are just life's realities kicking in as you begin wrapping your mind round this overwhelming experience.

Every mother will agree that those first moments after delivering the baby make up for the long wait. Never would the sound of a human cry sound so great whilst bringing so much pleasure nor the sight of 'gunk' all over a newborn be so lovely to behold. Those are indeed precious moments and even though your strength is gone, the word 'labour' now has a real meaning, somehow from within you a sigh is let out ~the waiting is over how wonderful!

If for you, completing the wait is tinged with sadness because mum, infant or both are not doing well or due to any other difficulty, remember that there are people who have had similar experiences and organisations that are ready to help you so by all means contact them. More information about support groups can be found online or by asking your Health Practitioner.

If however, all is well with mum and child, hearty congratulations to you and a warm welcome to the newborn. A new phase begins here and I call it ' the cycle'. For the mum it will be: tiredness - sleeplessness - tiredness - sleeplessness and for the baby it will be: eat - poop - cry - eat - poop - cry (with a little bit of sleep to spice things up).

You will need all the help you can get so do not hesitate to accept offers from friends and family and just incase no one offers to help, don't be ashamed to ask.

TIP: Find time to relax and do something for yourself daily even if it is just for 10minutes. Your child will appreciate and prefer a rested you.

*article first written in June 2005.