The Journey Home

So today we brought N home from the hospital. What a day of very mixed emotions. It’s quite difficult to write this to be honest as it has been such a mixed day, but it’s such a momentous occasion I have to write something!

Getting Ready

Our hospital bag was full!
Our hospital bag was full!

It almost felt like we were moving in to the hospital with the amount of things we took! Getting everything together and packing it all back up was definitely a blue job! You can see most of the items we have packed here. It’s just noticeable how the focus shifts from purely on us and our items to primarily thinking what the baby might need (on a 20 minute journey!). Being very tired means you need a lot of patience at this time.

Getting ready to go home
Getting ready to go home

What is going on here? Why is the tall one putting my stuff away? Oi, that’s my outfit! Leave that alone!

Oh, hang on, what’s this I’m being tied to? I’m being strapped in here to some sort of seat. This is tight! Let me go! What are they doing to me!

It felt quite scary packing things up actually, as though we were going out there on our own rather than having the support network of the hospital staff (I should say at this point that the hospital staff were fantastic. St James’ hospital in Leeds were amazing and I wouldn’t hesitate going there again). On the flip side though it was incredibly exciting. We are responsible for this tiny person and now we are taking him home to introduce them to their new home. It’s another “first” in a long series of “firsts” which is incredibly exciting.

The Journey

Heading from the hospital to the car I felt like a mule! Carrying the hospital bag and my bag in the first journey, then the baby bag, bits and bobs plus the car seat plus baby in journey two. So much stuff!

Woah this is cold out here! Where has the ceiling gone? It’s all so big! What’s that? Who’s that? Where are we going?

Nervous can’t describe how I felt driving our child home for the first time. It was like being on a driving test! Not wanting to brake harshly. Being careful not to turn to sharply. Oh no, don’t accelerate too fast either! Don’t shake the baby!!! On top of that Clare having a major operation meant being extra careful too so as to minimise the risk of causing her pain (and if you have a section take a pillow with you to put between you and the seat belt for comfort).

Ah, the ceiling is back now. Bit lower than it was before though. I quite like this rocking motion, it’s quite nice and familiar.

Hang on though, where’s the tall one called Daddy and the hugging one called Mummy? Where have they gone? Why am I all alone here? Oh I can hear them, that’s fine. They keep saying N to me. No idea why.

Home Now

Getting home
Getting home

What a memorable time. Our family were so excited to see the baby we invited some of them round for when we got home. They were all so excited to meet N, it was fantastic to see them all. Obviously we took loads of photos!

 

There’s so much going on. Where are we? They keep saying “home” whatever that is.

There are so many people here, and they’re all being so kind to me giving me lots of hugs. These are my cousins apparently, they seem nice. I look forward to playing with them!

Apparently this is my room? This looks nice and cosy, with huge soft things called “Winnie the Pooh” and “Penguin”. They’re bigger than me! What the hell are they?

What Now?

It’s an odd feeling when you get home. Your adrenaline is so high all the way home, your excitement levels at bursting point and huge smiles on your face. You show the baby round and start hugging it loads. Then you make a cuppa and sit down. You then look at each other and say “what do we do now?” Well,I guess this is where the journey begins…

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