Swaddled in Pink Hospital Sheets
Clarity Upon the Dawn
Nineteen hours of hard labor
Counting minutes, here it comes, the tiny quiver turning into pulsating agony
Rolling, throbbing, and consuming me
She arrives at three a.m., a very punctual Virgo
Nine pounds, nine ounces entered the world, leaving the mother-body planet, the body now craving rest
She enters the vibrancy of life, healthy, and is swaddled tightly, but
suddenly, the quiet is broken, and brilliant lights illuminate all corners of the room
while the doctor focuses, all hands on deck
what is happening? all attention is on me, hemorrhaging; I feel cloths and pushing
All the staff are working frantically to stop the river of blood
After, she sleeps in our hospital room, tummy full
Me -
I’m wide awake after the strenuous and treacherous night,
with an adrenaline rush,
that stuffs my brain, packs my nerves like a runaway train
**
Night begins to blend with morning light
The nurse has swaddled my new daughter into a crib beside me and
my labor-weary body rests on pink sheets,
their cotton crispness gently cradling me
My bed was tended by an expert nurse’s hands
with sheets tight and smooth,
I could pop a coin on them,
a pleasant comfort after my arduous night
Slowly, gently, I drift into a peaceful descent,
lying in the stillness of pre-dawn, transformed, listening to
raindrops plop and patter their cheerful jingle on the roof.
My body remembers being swaddled
- the nurses know; they are angels -
Comforted, I listen and inhale that rain-scented fresh breeze which
flutters the hospital curtains while I drift off to sleep.
Copyright © 7/9/2025 by Andrea O. Corwin
I am thrilled you stopped by! 😃 Please subscribe to me—it's free. (You can also enable notifications.) Click the ♡, leave a comment, and share with your friends.
A/N - this is a true experience put to poetry. The memory of the comforting sheets and rain is embedded in my mind. The italics reflect thoughts; I did not extrapolate all the gory details - I leave it to the reader's imagination.
About the Creator
Andrea Corwin
🐘Wildlife 🌳 Environment 🥋3rd° See nature through my eyes
Poetry, fiction, horror, life experiences, and author photos. Written without A.I. © Andrea O. Corwin
bigcats4ever.bsky.social
Instagram @andicorwin
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Masterful proofreading
Zero grammar & spelling mistakes
On-point and relevant
Writing reflected the title & theme
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Expert insights and opinions
Arguments were carefully researched and presented
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives
Keep reading
More stories from Andrea Corwin and writers in Poets and other communities.
Standing While Falling
Quotation from Friedrich Nietzsche "He who wrestles long with monsters should beware lest he himself become a monster. And if you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you. Man is not destroyed by suffering, but by the meaning he makes of it."
By LUCCIAN LAYTH6 days ago in Critique
Comments (17)
Hello Andrea - I just noticed that it looks like someone has copied your bio. She goes by Ruby.
'leaving the mother- body planet' the decision to put these specific words together was a smart one. They do work well in conveying how the earth is in harmony with the act of giving birth. Earth is pregnant all the time. Although the body was tired, it still appreciates the pink sheets. I love pink! This journey seemed tough, tiring but beautiful. It was creative in that the body created a life, and the event created a very realistic poem. A rhythmic one, giving our senses a taste of what it was like, and our minds tingling with the flow and beat. Women are amazing, look at what our bodies can do. Well done mama, for going through that day and coming out stronger than ever and beautiful as ever. 🤗❤️
Oh my Andrea, what a poetic capture! This is beyond words to comment on...just so 'other-wordly-yet-easily-relatable' BEAUTIFULL! My, my MY!!! Gorgeous truths.
Oh, Joy wrapped in pain, expectation and swaddled in a mother's mixture of agony and wonderment, thankful that you are both here, strong women ready to rule the world. sending hearty congrats on a lovely bundle of love. Blessings abound.
Wonderful! And I can relate...although I didn't hemorrhage - and I liked the way you handled that moment in the poem, not overplaying it, even though it was highly dramatic. Lovely. Thanks!
beautiful, andrea 💙 thank you for sharing this harrowing yet remarkable life experience. i love to know you are on the other side of it. alive, well, full of joy and love.
I’m sure it was excruciating at the time, but you made it a happy memory. Well done. Subscribed.
Oh wow. That's intense, yet beautiful written. Well done!
You just made Labour a thing of beauty, which it truly is. Beautiful, Andrea.
Wow, Andrea! Could definitely feel the moment of life hanging in the balance. So glad you and your daughter were okay!
Magnificent writing! Congratulations!
I truly admire women who don't mind going through this. I would never do this to myself, lol. But I'm glad you're okay. Sandy has written something similar too. Loved your poem!
Gosh that sounds incredibly traumatic - I’m glad both you and the baby were okay. Beautiful imagery in this. Ps - Typical difficult Virgos! (from a fellow September baby! 😉)
Wow! That was beautifully intense. And I'm with Lana, so glad you had a professional staff to promptly stop the bleeding. 🙏🏽
Wow, Andi, what an ordeal you had to go through! I also had that adrenaline rush where I couldn't sleep the night I gave birth to my son. But my labor was short and relatively easy, only about four very painful hours. I'm glad you got knowledgeable medical staff that saved you.
This is both terrifying and beautiful, Andi. And a gentle reminder of how precious and fragile life truly is.
The miracle of childbirth is a wondrous and wonderful experience the mother has even with all the pain. Your story poem is also an experience to share the happiness of a new life. Good job.