Through the Eyes of a Newborn Child
What I remember from my earliest months
In my earliest days I would be laid down in a crib, staring at everything surrounding me. Even when I was days old I had no comprehension whatsoever of the future or past. All I knew and acknowledged was the present day. So it did not at all seem strange to me that I was in my mother’s womb a mere week before. What was solely on my mind was curiosity about my environment and the people around me.
My vision was not at all blurred at that age (I didn’t develop short-sightedness until I was 12 years old). On the contrary I was intensely curious about the people around me and all of the objects that I could see. Though it was a fair bit later when it dawned on me to get up and explore what those curiosities were.
Interestingly as a newborn child I was indeed curious as to what everything was. But there was no hypothetical reasons as to the “why” of things. All I wanted to discover were the physical properties of everything.
When it came to my family (especially my Mum) there was always a feeling of love there. Personally I believe that when a person shares our DNA a natural bond is created. Even though my biological father didn’t treat me nicely, there was still a feeling of love there regardless.
On December 23rd, 1989 (when I was twelve days old) I remember being carried by my Mum in a soft pink cotton blanket. I was placed down on the car seat for a photo. The steering wheel was in sight above me and I felt that curiosity that I mentioned above. It was the same for when I saw the large camera above me. Cameras were much larger then than they are today, and that has nothing to do with my own size difference either.
I slept a lot as a newborn child and back then I did not have dreams (they started when I was around 18 months old). Rather than being in a stroller I much preferred being carried by my Mum. While I was in the stroller I couldn’t see my Mum and wasn’t able to know that she was pushing me. Modern strollers are much better as more of them have basinets that face their parents, while the child’s at the exact age I was back then.
Up until the age of six months my Mum would carry me around in a capsule. The very last time I was in one, I was aged six months, and Mum said she doubted whether I would still fit in there (especially given that I was large for my age). Though at that time she said that I only just fit in there, but it was more difficult to put me back in there once I’d been taken out. I must also say there that I wasn’t too comfortable in my capsule by that point. So that was the time when I had no other choice than to be in the stroller. However I did not like the hood over my head. So I’d cry whenever it was placed over me. Yet luckily Mum read that well and made sure that the hood was folded up all the time.
About the Creator
Rebecca Sharrock
I'm an autistic person who is making a career from writing, public speaking and advocacy work.
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