Kangaroo Care

Our hospital has recently adopted a policy which states that newborns will be placed on their mothers' chests for one hour right after birth, before the first bath, before a single visitors, before anything.  This is called "Kangaroo Care."  It evidently has many mental and physical benefits for the baby (and, I would guess, the mom).  I have heard about this policy, this "Kangaroo Care" from my lactation specialist and in an article (written by my hubby!) in the newspaper.  For a month, I thought of it from the scientific/practical point of view.  I appreciated the policy, considered the benefits, and admittedly, wondered how I would keep visitors away for an hour.

Yesterday morning, though, I finally thought about it from a different perspective.  I was in the middle of getting ready for work when I suddenly envisioned that hour... that hour when our baby, our sweet Emerson, will be placed on my chest.... that hour when Jesse and I will be able to spend quiet time with the baby we have wished for, talked to, and prayed about for so long now... that hour when I will finally know if my baby is a boy or a girl and what my baby looks like...  that hour that I will keep in the front of my mind the entire time I am going through labor.  Tears rolled down my eyes.  I had to sit down for a minute and catch my breath. 

For the past few months, I have thought about bringing my baby home.  I have thought about going through labor.  I have thought about several details.  But never had I thought about that moment when all of this becomes real and we will get to meet and see and hold our baby. 

I think that will be an incredibly precious hour.