保姆生子後的感悟
A longtime nanny reveals what she learned after having her own baby
一個長期保姆生子後的感悟
When I became pregnant last year, I realized my story was about to change.
去年我懷孕了，我意識到我的人生經歷即將發生改變。
Childcare has been my profession and my passion since I was a teenager. Over my years as a nanny and baby nurse in the United States and Britain, I’ve cared for dozens of kids and advised hundreds of parents. Last year, spurred on by encouragement from former clients and questions from their friends, I even published a book on the philosophy and techniques that have proven best. But until recently, I wasn’t sure I’d ever have a child of my own.
從十幾歲起，保姆就是我的職業，我熱愛這一職業。在英美兩國作爲保姆和母嬰護理的這些年，我照看了幾十個孩子，併爲數以百計的父母提供諮詢服務。去年，通過之前客戶的鼓勵，受到其朋友詢問的驅使，我還出版了一本已證實爲最佳育兒哲學與技能的書。然而，直到最近，我還不確定我將有一個自己的孩子。
More than a few parents looked at me askance when informed of my childless state. Some even asked, or wrote in anonymous comments, “How can you really know all of this if you’re not a parent?”
一些父母在得知我還沒有孩子時，總是用質疑的目光看着我。有些甚至問道，或在匿名評論中寫道，“如果你還不是母親，你是怎麼知道這些育兒知識的？”
When I became pregnant last year, I realized my story was about to change.
去年我懷孕了，我意識到我的人生經歷即將發生改變。
Everyone talks about pregnancy as having this great glow about it. My pregnancy, however, was tough. I felt guilty for not enjoying it the way I’d imagined I would — and for not being sympathetic enough to the travails of my clients in the past. I now think back on pregnant clients who preferred to stay in bed while I ran around with their toddlers. It used to mystify me, but now I realize it was necessary self-care. In fact, I wish I had done more to help them, even if it was just bringing them crackers. Exhausted and plagued with morning sickness, I myself couldn’t get out of bed some days without a handful of cheddar bunnies.
大家談起懷孕時，總是容光煥發。然而，我的孕期卻是艱難的。沒有以我想象的方式享受這一過程，過去沒有對客戶分娩的痛苦表象足夠的同情，我感到內疚。現在想想，當我帶着她們蹣跚學步的孩子到處走動時，那些準媽媽們寧願躺在牀上。過去我對她們這一行爲總是迷惑不解，現在我才意識到，這是必須的自我調養。我真希望過去能多做一些事情幫助她們，即使僅僅幫她們拿一些餅乾。每天早上醒來，筋疲力盡，嘔吐不止。有一段時間，如果不吃一些奶酪，我自己甚至難以下牀。
The challenges of pregnancy ended when, around Christmastime, I welcomed a beautiful, healthy baby girl into the world. Ella has filled my heart in a way I didn’t think was possible — it’s all-consuming.
大約聖誕節時，我迎來了美麗健康的女兒。懷孕的痛苦終於結束。
So, though my advice to parents remains the same, it’s delivered in a softer voice — for I know firsthand just how tired those parents are, and how much they all just want to do what’s right for their children.
儘管我對父母的忠告仍然未變，交流的聲音卻更加溫和，因爲，我親身經歷過，作爲父母多麼疲憊，多麼想要爲自己的孩子做正確的事。
譯文屬原創，未經允許，不得轉載。
