Baby Steps
Broken Promise
“Yah, it’s okay, it is just because he is more used to his mommy!” Hyeyoon consoled me as we looked to our Omma who was calming my crying son.
“But why does he only cry for her and not for me?” I broke down.
My head fell into my hands as I sat down on my couch, my noona sat next to me rubbing my back to comfort me.
“Near enough every time I hold him, he cries! I cannot seem to get him to sleep, I cannot even seem to get him to eat! Is something wrong with me? Am I a bad father?” I cried. “It was so painful to not be able to be with him and now that I can be with him, my heart breaks each time he rejects me like this.”
Tears were streaming down my face. I was looking forward to finally being able to bond fully with my son in this time of Dara’s schedules, now that I was recovered and most of my schedules were done. But every single time I went to pick him up, he just cried. He didn’t want me!
“Yahhhh, don’t think like that! This is just the beginning! It is only what? Day 3? Of just under a month? You must give him some time to adjust!” She reasoned with me. “You must also remember that he is in the process of reducing little by little from her milk. This is also important to a baby!” She went on. “Think about it, he is used to seeing Sandara-ah and you together.”
“I know, I know, but I am his father! Why doesn’t he want me? Where is that connection we are supposed to have?!” I asked, taking my head out of my hands.
“Seunghyun, you will get that connection. It takes a little time and patience. It cannot happen in a second.” My Omma said as she came over. She put her hand on my back and sat down on my left side.
“It is with years of experience that I can put babies to sleep, you think you two were not restless either?” She chuckled. “Participate more now that you can Seunghyun, and you will see how you are cured. The more time you spend with him, doing the necessary roles, at first may be hard but little by little it gets easier.” She advised.
“But he doesn’t cry without me going near him!” I protested.
“That is normal and natural, babies cry, babies eat and babies need changing. Make use of all the soft toys and the swinging chair you have for him, entertain him.” Hyeyoon pitched in. “Start with what you know, fun uncle material.”
“I guess I can do so. No, I know I can!” I nodded, wiping away my tears.
“That’s my son!” My Omma encouraged.
“You know, you should be thankful you have most of this time with him, that you have been able to be with him for most of the time. Sandara-ah must be suffering being away from him.” Hyeyoon told me. “Sure, the giving birth part is huge physical hardship for any woman but being apart from your baby is the one of the most emotional painful things. When they separated me away to put Yeonjun in the intensive care, I couldn’t function!”
Wow, I remember that. My poor Dara, she has spent each and everyday with him until a few days ago. I wonder how she was doing.
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