Visits

A consideration which we have for Coraline just now is one regarding visitors. I thought I would share this as it's something we are thinking about in our world with her at the moment, in advance of her heart operation in November or December. Babies' immune systems apparently are low in the first three months, and can be lower in babies with Down's Syndrome. The hospital has said to have some visitors by all means, but not too many due to risk of infection, and also so as not to over stimulate Coraline. "If she gets ill, she would get iller", the cardiologist told us. 

So we thought about this and usually we would love to meet friends, and would adore friends to meet her and sit with her. And she seems like such a robust and calm character. Yet we know she has her operation coming up and there will be six weeks' recovery afterwards. After much thought, we have said that we will love, love, love for everyone to meet Coraline in the new year. In the meantime we would just have visits from her family (who herald from England, Holland, Ireland and Australia) and her godmother. As we could not say yes to one friend but not others. This way she still meets people and has interaction and is opened up to all the wondrous people we know in stages. I will also have the odd meet up and walk with a friend or two from local antenatal classes over the next couple of months with her. It is a tricky one but our gut instinct was to do this, and we know the time will fly. I keep asking Kevin if it's right to wait. He often says if you make a decision, just make it, and really believe in it once you have. We cannot wait for everyone to meet her in the new year.