Some time after waking up and freshening up, Darwin appeared somewhat disoriented with mixed emotions as he made his way to the room where his baby was. Earlier, when he realized that Veronica was still unconscious, Darwin had entrusted his wife to the nurse on duty so he could visit his son first.
Upon opening the door to the baby’s room, Darwin was instantly greeted by a soft, unfamiliar yet comforting scent that permeated his senses. Darwin had not been familiar with the scent of babies until now, but for some reason, upon entering the room, he felt happy and at ease. Perhaps the instincts of a father were beginning to grow within him.
“Good morning, Mr. Darwin.”
A nurse greeted him as she approached. Darwin remembered that this was the same nurse who had assisted with his wife’s delivery the day before.
“Your baby is right here,” the nurse pointed to the crib in the corner of the room where the tiny baby lay.
As Darwin approached, his heart suddenly raced for no apparent reason. As he got closer, he could see the baby’s rosy cheeks, peacefully sleeping as if not wanting to be disturbed by anyone.
“After the bath earlier, Mr. Darwin’s baby cried for a bit. Maybe he was upset because his sleep was interrupted. And the funny thing is, after getting dressed, Mr. Darwin’s son fell back asleep on his own. It seems like he knows that his mother shouldn’t be disturbed,” the nurse shared, causing Darwin’s heart to ache.
Of course, Darwin felt sad. He could vividly imagine how his son, who should have received warm embraces from his mother, was now temporarily separated from her. Right now, they were all still anxiously waiting for Veronica to wake up.
“Nurse, is it okay if my son doesn’t breastfeed right after birth? Isn’t it recommended for newborns to be breastfed as soon as possible?” Darwin asked, his face showing concern.
The nurse smiled, trying to address Darwin’s recent question.
“Mr. Darwin, there’s no need to worry. Actually, newborns can go up to 24 to 48 hours without breastfeeding. If breast milk hasn’t come in yet, the mother should still have skin-to-skin contact with the baby to make him feel comfortable. However, in Mrs. Veronica’s case, if it’s not possible, we may have to provide temporary formula milk. This action will need the parents’ approval beforehand.”
Darwin nodded, trying to understand the emergency situation currently at hand. He reluctantly agreed to have his son receive formula milk temporarily until Veronica’s condition improved.
“Do whatever is best for my son, nurse. If there’s anything, please inform me immediately.”
The nurse nodded again, then gently reached for Darwin’s sleeping son and carefully picked him up.
“Would you like to try holding him, Mr. Darwin? Babies usually recognize the scent of their parents when they’re held.”
“But, I’ve never held a baby before, Nurse. Is it okay?” Darwin asked hesitantly. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to, he was just afraid that his actions might disturb his baby.
“It’s okay, Mr. Darwin. Everyone feels that way at first. You’ll learn as you go. You’ll get used to it over time.”
The nurse then approached Darwin and slowly transferred the baby she had been holding onto Darwin’s hands. Despite looking a bit awkward, Darwin held the baby correctly. Once again, the instincts of a father seemed to be working their magic.
“Now, how does that feel, Mr. Darwin? Holding him is pretty easy, isn’t it? If you’d like, you can carry him around the room.”
Darwin’s heart raced again as he felt the warmth of the baby in his arms. The tiny creature’s slow and steady breaths had an extraordinary effect on Darwin, both pleasurable and calming.
“Nurse, would it be okay if I bring our baby to Veronica’s room for a moment? Even though she’s not awake yet, I really want to show our adorable baby to my wife.”
The nurse didn’t immediately approve. Of course, making such a crucial decision required discussing it with the responsible doctor first.
“Mr. Darwin, please wait for a moment. Let me convey and inquire with Dr. Olivia about your wish to bring your baby briefly to meet his mother in the ICU. Dr. Olivia approves it, with the condition that it shouldn’t take too long, and I must accompany you.”
Darwin nodded, allowing the nurse to go and approach Dr. Olivia, who was specifically attending to Veronica. While waiting, Darwin continued to hold his baby. Occasionally, he mustered the courage to gently stroke his chubby-cheeked son, who was peacefully asleep.
Ten minutes later, the nurse returned to the baby’s room and approached Darwin to deliver the news.
“Mr. Darwin, I apologize for the wait. I have consulted with Dr. Olivia regarding your wish to bring your baby to meet his mother in the ICU. Dr. Olivia has approved it, with the condition that it shouldn’t take too long, and I will accompany you.”
Darwin smiled with joy, grateful that his wish to reunite his son with his wife could be fulfilled.
“If you’d like, Mr. Darwin, you can continue holding your baby all the way to the ICU. When we get there, I’ll take a turn holding him.”
Darwin, with the nurse’s assistance, made his way to the ICU while still holding his baby. He entered his wife’s room, followed by the nurse on duty. As he approached Veronica, who was still peacefully asleep on the patient’s bed, Darwin softly murmured.
“Ve… Wake up, my love. You need to see our baby soon. His face is handsome and looks so much like me. You’ll regret it if you don’t wake up soon and see him.”
Darwin kept talking to Veronica, hoping that his words would be heard clearly by his wife. He also hoped that by bringing their baby with him, Veronica would wake up soon and open her eyes.
Darwin then gently held Veronica’s wrist, gave it a brief kiss, and whispered softly.
“Please wake up quickly, my love. You can’t sleep like this for too long. There are so many people waiting for you to wake up. There’s Papa Damian, my dad and mom, Kennedy, Randy, our child, and of course, me. We never get tired of waiting for you to wake up and be together as usual.”
The next moment, Darwin bowed his head, silently praying for a miracle to happen. Meanwhile, the nurse, realizing that the baby’s visit had exceeded the allotted time, politely requested Darwin’s permission to leave.
“I think it’s been long enough, sir. Let me take your baby back to the nursery.”
Darwin nodded. He understood that he had to follow the established procedures by the doctors.
“Yes, please take the baby back.”
The nurse then prepared to leave the room. Just a few seconds after she exited, Darwin, who was adjusting the blanket on Veronica, suddenly noticed movement in his wife’s body. He was sure that she had just blinked her eyes, as if someone waking up from sleep.
However, at the same moment, Darwin also saw something unusual on the monitor. Afraid that something unwanted might happen, Darwin quickly pressed the emergency button located above the bed. Within a few seconds, several nurses followed by a doctor arrived and began checking Veronica’s condition.
Darwin was asked to step outside while the medical team conducted their assessment. Inside, he continued to pray and hope for good news. He couldn’t bear the thought of anything bad happening to his wife.