You came into this world like a tiny but powerful whirlwind. My contractions had been steady but mild the whole day, even at the hospital they were gentle, you seemed to be patiently waiting for just the right moment to surprise us all.
That moment came around 8:15 pm on a quiet Saturday 24th of November. There was nobody in the room, just you and me. The midwives were quietly bustling away in the other rooms, Dad had just gone to call one of them for some paracetamol for a bit of pain relief, nobody was expecting you just yet. Then out of the blue, from one minute to the next, you decided it was time.
They say nobody knows exactly how labour is triggered, it simply begins when the baby is ready. And all of a sudden, boy were you ready, and the contractions started coming with the force of a hurricane which brought me to my knees. As my waters broke I called for help, it was still just you and me, swaying in rhythm on the hospital floor. The surges were so strong I could feel you were on your way and there was no stopping you, I kept calling for somebody to come! Your Dad and the midwives rushed into the room just in the nick of time to help me up on the bed. The next few minutes were a delirious dance between you and me, with your Dad holding us both through it. A dance of the most intense pain followed by the most intense joy. A dance I hope you get to experience one day with your own partner, as there is nothing quite like it in this world, and absolutely nothing compares to the feeling of holding your baby in your arms at the end of it all…
And so you arrived, taking your first breath gasping for air a short 15 minutes later at 8:33pm, changing our lives forever.
Artifact motherhood is a collaboration of artists and mothers from around the world. Sharing stories of the joys and struggles of our journey. Our hopes and dreams for our children. With little nuggets of wisdom here and there. These are more than photographs with dates written on the back. These are the artifact we are leaving behind for children and the generations to come. Continuing the blog circle, next up is my wonderful friend Diana.
To learn more about Artifact Motherhood please visit our website.