Single Parenting AsTold By Me
So there I was only thirty two years old, certainly not a teenage mother and I really thought being a first time mum at my age was really going to be a breeze.
It was more like a hurricane this tiny five pounds two ounces baby boy came flying into my world and I didn't have a clue what I was doing. He was born by c section and for the first twenty four hours I could not even hold him because I was so weak, but determined as I was to prove that I was a very capable mother to every body I got out of my sick bed on the second morning to bathe him. In my rush to get him in the bath water, and show those nurses that I was not a total idiot I stripped my son and went to put him in the water. The nurse asked me was I not going to take off the nappy, and so as not look like a real fool altogether I turned to the nurse and said sure thats his swimwear, God love my poor little boy I really think he is still traumatised to this day.
Well anyway they let me bring him home after 5 days and then the fun started. Of course daddy was nowhere to be found when the hard work began, the night feeds my gosh I remembered never feeling so tired ever, not even when I had pulled all nighters at parties. I still managed then to function properly but this little mite was really taking it out of me, and dad was in the pub most night wetting the baby's head and leaving mum to do all the hard work.
The only thing dad wanted was to show off his little boy when he was clean and did not need a nappy change. Oh I tell you dad was not doing his part at all. and then we had the visits from the district nurse every couple of weeks just to check baby's progress. I must say that first six to eight months were the hardest time for me, and God knows how young girls do it all alone - hats off to you ladies!
