Singing Mummy

11 July 2018

11.40am

Earlier I was in the pantry, preparing milk for my son. While my son was wailing and crying which I interpreted as "hurry up, mummy! Hungry!"

In came a mother with her new-born. I called her Mummy A. She smiled to us while I returned her smile. I continued my attention to the milk preparation.

"You should join Malaysian Idol."

A dramatic pose of someone performing during a singing competition

Startled, I turned to her.

"You have a good voice. I always hear you sing."

With slight embarrassment, I explained that it was for my son. That he was traumatised by the hospital experience. I wished for him to feel joyful and positive in spite of his environment.

"Who likes to stay in the hospital? Even I find it's affecting me. There are also no radio and TV here. When I hear your voice, I feel good!"

She inquired the time frame that I had my baby since marriage. I shared that I got married in 2016 and was pregnant by 2017.

"That is fast! I took 9 years before I have my baby. Naturally conceived."

I replied hat it was the same for me. That at my age, needed to be fast. I explained to her that I was 45 years old when I naturally conceived my son. That it was a blessing to conceive at my age.

Mummy A then declared that she was no longer a normal person. She is a mother now. That she needed to be positive and to be a good role model for her baby. 

Although she did admit that it was challenging at times to keep waking up every two hours to feed her baby. Sometimes she had less patience as she had yet to get used to this new sleeping pattern.

I agreed that it was indeed challenging. I informed her that I meditated and pray as a way to destress. I encouraged her to rely on prayers as a way to balance her life.

Before our encounter at the pantry, I met up with another mother who shared with me not so pleasant news. I called her Mummy Di.

Mummy Di came with her family and her baby daughter, they entered into my room. They are a family from Terrengganu. Our babies have the same health condition. Her baby has ascites, fluids in the stomach. Their hospital referred them to this hospital.

She was being discharged from hospital, she just dropped by to say goodbye. I gave her daughter an elephant doll. Whenever I happened to notice her baby daughter, she seemed to give me a shy and sweet smile. This always melted my heart. So I decided to make her an elephant doll. I made it out from socks. It is a hobby of mine.

Made this doll for Mummy Di's baby

Made this doll for another baby in the hospital.

During our conversation, she shared that there was one BA baby who died. Five months old. My heart stopped. As this was a reminder to me of my son's risky health condition. 

I inquired, "How? What caused the death?"

"Fluids in the brain."

This time, both of us paused, reflecting on our babies.

I broke the silence with, "Let's pray to God to bless our babies."

She smiled. Before she left, she wanted us to maintain our contact. We exchanged numbers.

After she left, I turned to my son. I wanted to observe every part of my son's face. Then he brought me back to reality by crying, "Mummy! Stop looking! I am hungry!"

Another day at the hospital. Another day of blessings. Another day of hope. 

May God bless our babies. 

Prayers for our babies