Dear Emmett

Chapter Thirty Five - [Brantley.]

They whisked Brantley out of my arms quicker than I would have liked.

First, they had to clean him up and weigh him. He was 19 inches and 5.8 pounds, just a little small. The doctors assured Emmett and I he would grow quickly. It was called an Apgar Assessment, where they would test his heart rate, breathing, muscle tone, reflex response, and color.

While all this was doing, they helped me get cleaned up and dressed in a clean hospital gown. The sheets were even taken and replaced.

They had taken some blood from the umbilical cord before it was cut to do some tests, and less than twenty minutes after he was born he was handed back to me - clean, warm and dry. He was wrapped in a white blanket that had footballs in it and a baby blue hat on.

Brantley was perfect. He had brown hair that was thick and dark, and Emmett's dark green eyes. It was crazy the time he was born, too. 12:01 on the 1st of January. He was a New Years baby! I couldn't be more excited. When Ashley placed him into my arms, his eyes were just beginning to droop.

"I guess we'll try to breastfeed later," I said, touching his cheek gently.

"Some babies stay awake for a while after birth. I'm guessing he'll nap for just a little bit. I'll give you guys some alone time and help you nurse when the little guy wakes up."

In a flash, Ashley disappeared from the room. Rebecca and my Aunt Lauren had stepped from the room to give us privacy as well. Emmett was sitting on the bed with me, an arm around me as we looked at our son.

"You did so well," Emmett said, leaning over and kissing me on the head. "I love him, and I love you."

"I love you, too."

For the next twenty minutes, all Emmett and I did was stare at Brantley as he slept. He was so small, so new and so innocent - and I was so in love. I could stare at him all day, but just as Ashley predicted, he soon woke up.

His dark eyes blinked up slowly, and his eyes found mine. I leaned down, gently kissing his forehead. Slowly and patiently, Ashley explained the process of breastfeeding. I was new, scared and unsure of it as Emmett stood next to the bed as he supported me.

I wasn't sure it would work, mostly because I had never done it before. It wasn't very easy, but I seemed to start okay. Brantley latched on, and he began to eat.

"This is going to catch on, Charlotte. No worries," Ashley said reassuringly as I looked down at Brantley, my eyebrows furrowed. I really wanted to do well. "Don't worry, you both will do great. You just have to get used to it."

Her words made me feel a lot better. She was right - this was the very first time I'd ever breastfed a baby. It was natural not to do perfect on my first try. After a few minutes, he seemed to be eating really well.

"You're doing great."

After a little while, Ashley pointed out that it looked like he was almost done.

"How do you know that?" Emmett asked. He tilted his head, looking at Brantley with a confused expression.

"Well, his hands are open and relaxed and it appears as if his body is loose and relaxed. He's starting to look sleepy again. This is something else you'll pick up soon - knowing when Brantley is full," She said optimistically.

Next, she instructed me through burping him. That didn't take long, because shortly after I placed him gently over my shoulder he burped louder than I expected him to for a newborn baby. He then fell asleep.

"Since he's all cleaned up, fed and asleep, we will get you changed and moved to an after labor room. It's a little bit bigger, and you'll stay there until you're released, probably the day after tomorrow. It even has a pull out bed for Emmett here."