baby after it slithered out. To think it was curled up inside of Kalia. Krista
wondered why anyone would have a second child. Going through one birth was
enough to last her a lifetime, thank you very much. And she wasn’t the one in
stirrups.
“Here, give him to me and I’ll change him,”
Kalia said, holding out her arms.
Krista handed her the baby, and Kalia hugged
him close. Her decision to have him had been so absolutely right.
Her love for this tiny being was so huge. A
baby boy. He was so adorable. Tiny fingers that didn’t even wrap all the way
around her finger. Tiny toes. The cutest little ears and a button nose. Just
the scantest amount of fine dark hair.
The pediatrician had already been in that
morning. He had given the okay for the baby to go home and had transferred the
well-baby care to Dr. MacMillan. They were just waiting on Dr. Finn.
Kalia unwrapped the blanket and focused on
changing him, fumbling a little as she fit the tiny diaper around his waist. She
set aside the little hospital gown and pulled out the pale yellow sleeper she had
brought for the trip home. Mani looked at her with sleepy eyes as she slipped
it on him and zipped it up. Wrapping him snuggly back in the blanket, she eyed
the car seat, wondering how it was going to work.
At a knock on the door, Kalia looked up.
Dr. Mikaela Finn walked in with Dr. Margo MacMillan close behind.
“Hi, Kalia, Krista.” Mikaela smiled at them
both. “Sorry I’m late.”
“Oh, I’m the one who should apologize,”
Margo said with a wince. “She was waiting for me to pick her up. I had car
trouble and had to borrow my husband’s car. It needed gas, and he had his ball hockey
gear taking up most of the back seat. And then, to top it off,” she said, her
voice escalating, “I ended up behind a green van.”
Mikaela chuckled and winked. “Don’t get her
started on green vans. I think we made up some time in Trace’s ’Vette, though,”
she said, tongue-in-cheek. “Until we got stopped for the speeding ticket.”
Margo looked sheepish. “Don’t tell Trace.
I’m always bugging him about going too slow.”
Mikaela laughed and bumped her shoulder.
“My lips are sealed.” She peered at the bundle in Kalia’s arms. “He looks
content. Are you ready to go home?”
“Yes. Not that I don’t like it here,” Kalia
said. “But I can’t wait to get home.”
“I’ve felt that way on occasion, too,”
Mikaela said with a wide smile. “Do you have any questions?”
“Not really. The pediatrician came by and
examined the baby and said he was healthy. I’m a bit sore, but I assume that’s
natural.”
“Yes. You can use an ice pack or soak in a
sitz bath to help. It should settle in a day or two. How’s the breastfeeding
going?”
“The nurse was in earlier to help me. I
don’t think my milk is in yet, but he seems to latch on well.”
“Good.” Mikaela nodded. “It may take a few
days. I’ll arrange a home visit with a nurse in the next couple of days to make
sure it’s coming along. And I’d like to see you again in the office in six
weeks for a check-up.”
Kalia nodded and stroked Mani’s cheek.
“It’s normal to feel a little overwhelmed,
Kalia,” added Margo. “You’re recovering and the baby’s settling. If you have
any concerns, give my office a call. I’d like to see him again in two weeks. We
can weigh him and make sure everything is on track.”
“Sounds good. Thanks for everything. Both
of you.”
“You’re welcome. He’s a beautiful baby.
Enjoy.” Mikaela and Margo said their good-byes and left the room.
“Okay, I guess we’re set to go,” Kalia said
to Krista, taking a deep breath.
Kalia set the sleeping baby in the car
seat, adjusted the straps to suit his tiny frame, and clicked him in securely. She
handed him to Krista and grabbed her overnight bag. “I hope he sleeps until we
get home.”
Krista brought the car around, and they
snapped and belted the car seat in place.
wondered why anyone would have a second child. Going through one birth was
enough to last her a lifetime, thank you very much. And she wasn’t the one in
stirrups.
“Here, give him to me and I’ll change him,”
Kalia said, holding out her arms.
Krista handed her the baby, and Kalia hugged
him close. Her decision to have him had been so absolutely right.
Her love for this tiny being was so huge. A
baby boy. He was so adorable. Tiny fingers that didn’t even wrap all the way
around her finger. Tiny toes. The cutest little ears and a button nose. Just
the scantest amount of fine dark hair.
The pediatrician had already been in that
morning. He had given the okay for the baby to go home and had transferred the
well-baby care to Dr. MacMillan. They were just waiting on Dr. Finn.
Kalia unwrapped the blanket and focused on
changing him, fumbling a little as she fit the tiny diaper around his waist. She
set aside the little hospital gown and pulled out the pale yellow sleeper she had
brought for the trip home. Mani looked at her with sleepy eyes as she slipped
it on him and zipped it up. Wrapping him snuggly back in the blanket, she eyed
the car seat, wondering how it was going to work.
At a knock on the door, Kalia looked up.
Dr. Mikaela Finn walked in with Dr. Margo MacMillan close behind.
“Hi, Kalia, Krista.” Mikaela smiled at them
both. “Sorry I’m late.”
“Oh, I’m the one who should apologize,”
Margo said with a wince. “She was waiting for me to pick her up. I had car
trouble and had to borrow my husband’s car. It needed gas, and he had his ball hockey
gear taking up most of the back seat. And then, to top it off,” she said, her
voice escalating, “I ended up behind a green van.”
Mikaela chuckled and winked. “Don’t get her
started on green vans. I think we made up some time in Trace’s ’Vette, though,”
she said, tongue-in-cheek. “Until we got stopped for the speeding ticket.”
Margo looked sheepish. “Don’t tell Trace.
I’m always bugging him about going too slow.”
Mikaela laughed and bumped her shoulder.
“My lips are sealed.” She peered at the bundle in Kalia’s arms. “He looks
content. Are you ready to go home?”
“Yes. Not that I don’t like it here,” Kalia
said. “But I can’t wait to get home.”
“I’ve felt that way on occasion, too,”
Mikaela said with a wide smile. “Do you have any questions?”
“Not really. The pediatrician came by and
examined the baby and said he was healthy. I’m a bit sore, but I assume that’s
natural.”
“Yes. You can use an ice pack or soak in a
sitz bath to help. It should settle in a day or two. How’s the breastfeeding
going?”
“The nurse was in earlier to help me. I
don’t think my milk is in yet, but he seems to latch on well.”
“Good.” Mikaela nodded. “It may take a few
days. I’ll arrange a home visit with a nurse in the next couple of days to make
sure it’s coming along. And I’d like to see you again in the office in six
weeks for a check-up.”
Kalia nodded and stroked Mani’s cheek.
“It’s normal to feel a little overwhelmed,
Kalia,” added Margo. “You’re recovering and the baby’s settling. If you have
any concerns, give my office a call. I’d like to see him again in two weeks. We
can weigh him and make sure everything is on track.”
“Sounds good. Thanks for everything. Both
of you.”
“You’re welcome. He’s a beautiful baby.
Enjoy.” Mikaela and Margo said their good-byes and left the room.
“Okay, I guess we’re set to go,” Kalia said
to Krista, taking a deep breath.
Kalia set the sleeping baby in the car
seat, adjusted the straps to suit his tiny frame, and clicked him in securely. She
handed him to Krista and grabbed her overnight bag. “I hope he sleeps until we
get home.”
Krista brought the car around, and they
snapped and belted the car seat in place.
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