Four years some months back. New Years time……everyone was planning to celebrate the eve… …Rajat was proposing if we all friends could have a Barbecue party at their home, Nikhil also put his proposal to have a party at his terrace.
We all were in good mood. This New year was special as a new member would join our family. Yes! I was carrying my baby that time, just completed 9 months….The expected date of delivery was around 15th January.
We decided to have our party at Rajat’s house at last, as he had better convincing capacity as well as is an expert cook, though Nikhil is also not less.
So, five days yet to go for the New year eve. I had a regular check-up on 27th December.
“Tomorrow, you get admitted, 29th December will be the D’ day!” My doctor was very clear which shocked us almost.
“But, doctor, there is no pain, no uneasiness….I thought if my baby comes in the new year! Please check if we can postpone….In fact no family member has reached yet to welcome the new member.”
“Sorry, I am on leave in the first week of January…..So, plan for 29th or 30th Dec. Just let me know.” She was firm and left no other option.
Suddenly, everything became unplanned!
We booked a ticket for Mom and Mom-in-Law immediately to travel next day to Delhi, canceled our Barbecue Party, bought a DSLR Camera, and packed the bag for hospital. A mixed feeling, lots of excitement, but fear too, all these kept me busy throughout.
Extreme winter of Delhi…..Temperature went down till zero degree at December nights of those days.
29th Morning in the operation theater, I could hear a sudden cry, a glance was enough to make me feel blessed….while the doctor showed him to me saying, “It’s a boy.” A never forgettable scene for my mind though I was extremely sleepy, and dizzy that moment.
Five days in hospitals were like never-ending for me, waiting with extreme eager for the sixth day, when I would be able to take my baby to his own home.
Warm cloth, heavy blankets, room heater, all were ready to keep him comfortable at home……changing the cloth which he kept doing wet frequently……being conscious and checking in frequent interval whole day and night if he was any how feeling uncomfortable…..Should I put diapers or not, how to cut his nails, all these became the biggest concerns of my life. To keep myself waiting to see him smiling in his deep sleep, became my favourite time pass.
People kept coming to see him….to bless him, all advised me to engage a Dhai to give him massage when he was 20 days old. I did not want to…..Yes! I did not want to let the Dhai give a hard massage to the soft body of my 'life'. My doctor also advised me not to go for a massage by a Dhai. I have seen at one of the neighbour's house, how the baby cried when he was getting professional massage. But, to obey my elders’ advice, I had to take interview of three Dhai, at last. After giving at least 100 thoughts, I decided to handover the task to the most experienced one.
She offered me a package that she would do full body massage, then make him bath and then put him in cloth and pack him with warm cloth. She instructed to buy Olive oil for her massage.
First day. Dhai massaged him, holding him tight…..without cloth in that extreme winter. My baby kept crying with full volume....... I felt like as if he was requesting me to save him from Dhai's hard hands..... She assured me that everything will be alright in few days. I could not resist myself from crying too. I felt myself helpless, but somehow, I tolerated thinking about elders’ advice.
Second day, he kept crying loud again. I kept my eyes closed, tried to keep my ears blocked somehow.
But third day. I could not control myself looking at him crying the similar way. I took him back from the Dhai in mid of the massage without thinking about anyone. I knew, I would have to listen to many touching words from the Dhai and elders… "Hamne ne bhi badi ki hai bachche....", but that moment, giving comfort to my 'new life' was more important for me.....
I searched in the internet, read the instructions for baby massage. And.... I started doing massage by myself with my own hands…….softly, gently….when he never cried, instead he slept in between, many times.
I felt sorry for the Dhai as she lost one project, felt bad of myself for not obeying my elders, but it was a great satisfaction…a bliss, incomparable to give him comfort in every possible way!!!!
