Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Thoughts on babies

My niece and nephew are expecting their first baby right now, any minute. This baby is special for the family in that it’s the first of the next generation. I’m already a great aunt three times and another on the way, through my husband’s side, but this will be my brother’s first grandchild and thus the first for my family.

We’re all excited and can’t wait to find out what sex it is. The young couple decided they didn’t want to know, which seems to be unusual nowadays. My sister-in-law and I agree that not knowing is part of the excitement. When our children were born knowing in advance wasn’t an option. In fact I didn’t even have an ultra sound scan for either of my children and we all survived in good health. Mind you I was much younger, in my mid twenties, when I had my first baby.


Pregnant mums these days are assailed by all sorts of do’s and don’ts even down to food restrictions on what I would have and probably did, swallow happily. My body and the baby onboard told me in no uncertain terms if something wasn’t to be eaten. I couldn’t drink tea, coffee or alcohol, couldn’t stand the smell of them for the whole of one pregnancy. Instead of morning sickness I couldn’t face dinner.

Now women have to cope with all those unexpected side effects and changes as well as those imposed by health professionals and doctors. How times have changed, even for such a natural, age old process as childbirth.

6 comments:

Sandy Cody said...

You are so right, Lis. I can see both good and bad in both ways, but I think I'm glad I didn't know the options and depended on advice from my mother, aunts and grandmothers. Give that new baby a hug from me when he/she gets here.

Carolyn Brown said...

How exciting!
I have 15 grandchildren...six I got with marriage licenses rather than birth certificates but hey, it's all just paper, anyway.
Times have changed haven't they. When we had our children, it was wait and see. Now it's see and wait. LOL

Elisabeth Rose said...

And she's here!!! Gorgeous little Mila arrived at midnight last night. All well.

Sandy Cody said...

Congratulations to the whole family! Just thinking about how happy you are makes me smile.

Jayne Ormerod said...

I'm a huge fan of romantic comedy since I discovered Harlequin Duets last decade (which also happens to be last century...) I'm so glad to see Avalon Books keeping that trend alive. Nobody's Darling sounds like a fabulous read! ~ Jayne

PS...does your husband know he stars in a scene? Mine would die of embarassment if I admitted to that. He doesn't yet realize that he and my son are my inspiration for my comedic cozy adventures!

Jayne Ormerod said...

oops...sorry...that comment was supposed to go under the author interview.

But Elisabeth, I have to agree with you. Women have been birthing babies for thousands of years, and have done so successfully by listening to their bodies. Too much information out there is scaring some of these first time moms! And I waited to find out the gender of our son! I will never ever forget that moment!