Precious Bundles

The Mercy Medical Center Newborn Nursery is designed so that one wall of the nursery is made up almost entirely of windows that allow a wide view of the room and all that goes on inside. This is where I care for the precious lives of the babies born at Mercy. There at those windows dads, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends of the parents watch me do the assessments and give the first bath for the little life they have been awaiting. The weight of their gaze is upon me and I am intimidated and honored to have the responsibility.

I have spent two days working in the nursery thus far. I am still slow and methodical with the myriad of assessments necessary. Knowing the parents are waiting to bond with their newborn drives me to work quickly, but since the tasks are still unfamiliar to me--I take significantly longer to complete the tasks than the experienced nurses. Aaahh! I feel like I am rushing, but I am sure to the mother the time her precious bundle is away from her breast seems interminable. It is so fun to take the infant out to the mother's room when I finish my tasks. Their understandable frustration with us for having their newborn for the past hour or two melts away and they get that soft, loving look of wonder on their faces when I place their precious bundle in their arms. What a fun job!