Like all mothers, when I found I was pregnant for a second time I was excited! I had done this before. Only 2 years earlier. We had actually planned this baby, though conceiving was a cinch much to my husbands dismay. I was young and healthy. I had a normal bodyweight though if anything maybe a bit skinny, there was nothing to say this child wouldn't be perfect. We brought a new house, with 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, so we all would fit nicely. I worked until I was 35 weeks, only part-time but I love what I do, and being a shift worker it was fairly easy to get care for my first son. I had friends who had children the same age as my first son and many girls at work who I could share pregnancy with. All was well in my world.
At 39 weeks gestation my waters broke and I was induced. 3 hours later I produced a beautiful little boy who was 3.1 kgs and had his fathers lovely olive skin. Harry. He was so well behaved. Like all second time mums I was scared that I was going to have a naughty toddler who was going to be fighting for my attention and a sleepless, ravenous newborn who screamed day and night. I got neither. The first fortnight took a bit of effort as we settled into a routine. Then this little baby breastfed every 3 hours and slept in between. He never cried more than a slight grizzle, and no one ever saw him awake till he was about 6 months old and he decided the world was interesting enough that he might give it his atention. He was a fussy eater when it came to solids but my toddler was also fussy. I didn't mind as this was just our world at the time. He met all his milestones, amazingly at the exact time his brother had met them. All was normal.
Then when he was 18 months old he got sick. We were away from home on holidays in Brisbane. Silly me didn't think to bring a thermometer or panadol. He felt hot, but he was still drinking and sleeping periodically, it wasn't until he wouldn't stop screaming we found a doctor in the little country town we were visiting and he had a double ear infection and tonsillitis and a temperature of over 41 degrees. Where we were staying our beds were away from the main house so we would put a baby monitor next to his bed and go and commune with other family during his sleep time. I regret that I didn't watch him and I wonder if he ever had seizures or an 'event' when he was sick and it went unnoticed. It was directly on this holiday that Harry stopped eating food and sleeping. He was never the same again.
The few words he used to say now remained mute. He became solely a milk drinker from a bottle till he was at least 2. He became disinterested in everything and everyone. The only exception was his bottle and 'wrap' which never left his side. My little man who was loving, cuddly, social, happy and oh so easy going had become my completely self absorbed child. Completely self concerned and self seeking and detached from everything around him. He became autistic.
