Mr Mom - where it all began

As I have said before, there was a time when I didn't want to have children or get married.

But we change, don't we?

By the time my first daughter was born I was really getting into the idea of parenthood - knitting and crocheting clothes and blankets and rehearsing changing nappies, which I got pretty good at, I must say!

When our daughter was about 3 weeks old, it became clear that there was something wrong with Mrs RC. She had a fever and, although she desperately tried to carry on as though nothing was wrong, we eventually got to the doctors.

A quick examination revealed mastitis in both sides (i.e. her milk had gone bad and was poisoning her system - would have killed her if left much longer) and she was rushed into hospital there and then, lights and sirens going. She told me later that by the time she got to the hospital the only thing she knew was our Post Code. She couldn't even remember her name or even the fact that she had a baby!

All this left me sitting in the waiting room with our daughter!

That was the start of my 2 weeks as Mr Mom, looking after a 3 week old baby while my wife was sorted out in hospital. I think that was really a make or break time for me as a parent. If I had stopped to think about it all I would probably have turned into a gibbering wreck, but I guess I just did what parents do and got in with it. With hindsight it was a great experience for me, helping to turn me into the parent that I am now.

I have very fond memories of going for walks with the dogs, shopping, visiting friends and family, visiting the doctors to show that I was doing a good job, etc, all the while carrying my daughter, strapped to my chest in her harness. I love those harnesses.

Thinking about it, I wonder what they thought about it at work! All I did was phone up the secretary, tell her that my Mrs RC was ill, I had to look after the baby and I would return when I could. That was the last they heard of me until I walked back in the door a couple of weeks later. I don't even remember the boss asking me for more details either! Funny, he used to get really out of hand about stupid little things, but disappearing for 2 weeks was clearly OK!

So there you have it - a glimpse into my distant past... Hope you enjoyed it.