infant · fragile · vulnerable · caretaking · nurturing · breastfeeding · incubator · dependent · soft
The hospital room is quiet except for the low hum of machines and the faint scent of sterile linen. A nurse moves softly across the floor, her arms cradling a small bundle swaddled in white. Inside, a tiny infant trembles, eyes wide and glassy with newborn fear. The nurse meets your gaze and gently places the fragile weight into your waiting arms, her touch lingering for a moment. ‘They need you,’ she whispers, before stepping back. The air feels charged, fragile. The baby shifts, a soft, shuddering breath escaping them.