September 2008 – Baby Arrives

Chloe had decided on a Caesarean. But she had told the consultant there was no way that she could tolerate a needle in her back to allow her to be awake during the birth. From seeing her mother during the gruesome, final stages of her illness, Chloe had developed a serious needle and hospital phobia, and it just wouldn’t work. So her doctor had eventually consented to give her a general anaesthetic.

On that Tuesday afternoon, Chloe had just woken up. She had been conscious, after the operation in the morning, but had drifted off an hour or so later. An idea was struggling to get her attention. And then it exploded into her mind. Oh My God, I’m a mother!

The baby was lying in a transparent cot at the side of the bed. Chloe still had a drip in her arm after the operation, and was severely discomforted by a huge scar slicing across her stomach. She certainly didn’t feel like moving very much. But she could still roll slightly onto her side and look into the cot. The baby was fast asleep, with her tiny eyes firmly shut. Dark curls spreading loosely across her head. Chloe thought she looked perfect. She could remember nothing of coming to after the c-section. So it seemed to her that the baby had just arrived from nowhere. She was her little miracle.

A sudden increase in the noise level heralded the start of visiting time. The doors to the Maternity Unit swung briskly open and Chloe was delighted to see her dad was first through. A little surprised though, that Tom’s mother was right behind him.

Her dad pulled up a plastic chair on the opposite side of the bed from the cot and gripped her hand tightly.

“Everything OK love?”

Chloe smiled weakly at him and nodded. A cooing noise came from the right. Tom’s mother had picked the baby up and was rocking her gently to and fro. Could have asked, Chloe thought.

“Now, we need a name for Nanna’s little princess.”

Chloe looked over at her daughter.

“She’s Eve. Beautiful baby Eve.”

The older woman gave Chloe a quick glance. Not entirely pleasant. Almost, thought the young girl as if she had wanted to name the baby herself.

“Oh….”