I started writing this when grandbaby #2 was due to arrive, and Ta-da, she arrived 2 weeks ago!
Up to the mid 1930s childbirth was risky for both mother and child. It was usually safest at that point in time for babies to be delivered at home by a well-trained mid-wife rather than in hospital by a doctor. Some women still elect to take that option …. My mum was a full-blooded Hakka woman, descended from a long line of strong women who allegedly gave birth in the rice fields!!
Because Felix, grandbaby #1 was a very stubborn breach baby, his mum had a caesarean delivery and she elected for another Caesarean birth. I left that discussion to the parents.
My territory is to mind Felix occasionally and cooking special recipes for Faith my daughter. She’s quite convinced that the confinement food the last time round helped in getting back into shape; so much so that she follows these recipes and cooks for her friends who have babies. A few weeks I went out and bought a basketful of traditional ingredients including dried mushrooms, goji berries, black fungus for purifying the blood, red dates for soup, lily flowers, black vinegar, lots of ginger, Chinese wine … and discovered a new product – black sesame oil.
Grandbaby #1 is also getting excited. Felix is now three and has enjoyed being the centre of attention all this time. He was disinterested in baby #2 until fairly lately. His parents started slowly introducing the idea that he could do many things that baby could not do, meaning, the baby would be no threat. The conversation would go like this “Big boys can eat chocolate (his favourite food) and babies can’t eat chocolate. Big boys can play with cars (his favourite past time) and babies ….” You get the drift.
Felix was so excited! He talked to baby via the baby telephone – his mum’s navel. The other day the parents and he went on a hospital visit, but when it was time to go home, he was visibly upset. Why would he refuse to leave? It turns out that he expected that he would be able to take a baby home from hospital that very visit!
I’d be so glad to hear about your excitement on welcoming grandbaby #2. What are your experiences on how to avoid sibling rivalry from the very start?
