Wired For Noise

The kids are loud, I’m just opinionated.

A Mother’s Touch

Posted on | March 1, 2008 |
Category: life, parenting
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I know that in America the general opinion among the medical community is cosleeping = bad. I think that’s bunk, and luckily I’m not alone. There are several benefits of cosleeping for both mother and babe. One of the benefits that doesn’t get the attention is deserves is that the mother becomes a “pacemaker” of sorts to her baby. An infant’s heartbeat and breathing fall inline with their mother’s, often reducing the chances of SIDS.

I immediately thought of that when I read this news story of a premature baby who doctor’s thought would never stand a chance. Left alone and cold in a standard bed the tiny baby’s heart rate  dropped, breathing slowed, and death was imminent. The mother, not wanting her baby to die cold and alone, picked up the child and cuddled her to her chest. Suddenly things perked up.

She said: “I didn’t want her to die being cold. So I lifted her out of her blanket and put her against my skin to warm her up. Her feet were so cold.

“It was the only cuddle I was going to have with her, so I wanted to remember the moment.” Then something remarkable happened. The warmth of her mother’s skin kickstarted Rachael’s heart into beating properly, which allowed her to take little breaths of her own.

All the machines and medicine and tools yet it was the warmth of her mother’s body that saved the tiny premature infant. I’m not saying that we don’t need all of the medical advances, they certainly have their place. But machines cannot replace a mother’s touch. Science has made amazing advances in caring for and treating people, but don’t forget that nature has her place too.

Miss Isbister said: “She is doing so well. When we finally brought her home, the doctors told us that she was a remarkable little girl.

“And most of all, she just loves her cuddles. She will sleep for hours, just curled into my chest.

“It was that first cuddle which saved her life - and I’m just so glad I trusted my instinct and picked her up when I did.

“Otherwise she wouldn’t be here today.”

Don’t forget to snuggle your babies close.

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Comments

One Response to “A Mother’s Touch”

  1. Lis Garrett
    March 1st, 2008 @ 6:23 pm

    Oh wow! That story left a huge lump in my throat. My youngest has slept by my side for the last 2.5 years. Of course, I’m at the point now where I’m trying to gently wean her into her own bed. What an amazing story, though!

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