Chapter 48: Concerns of a New Mother

A few days had passed since Ashley had given birth to her baby boy, and she was still basking in the joy of motherhood. She had named him Ethan, and he was perfect in every way. As she sat in her room, cradling Ethan in her arms, she noticed that Karen seemed troubled. Theo had brought Ethan to her earlier, and now Karen was sitting beside her, looking worried. "What's wrong?" Ashley asked, noticing the concern etched on Karen's face. Karen hesitated before speaking. "It's Ethan. He's not feeding. And he's not wetting his diaper like he should." Ashley's heart skipped a beat as she looked at Ethan, who was sleeping peacefully in her arms. She had noticed that he seemed a bit lethargic earlier, but she had attributed it to sleep. "How long has it been?" Ashley asked, a sense of unease creeping into her voice. "About six hours since he last fed," Karen replied. "And his diaper has been dry for almost eight hours." Ashley's anxiety spiked as she looked at Ethan. What was wrong with him? She had been feeding him fine, hadn't she? She had been so careful to follow the doctor's instructions. Theo, who had been quietly observing the scene, spoke up. "We need to take him to the doctor. This isn't normal." Ashley nodded, feeling a sense of panic rising up inside her. She had been so scared of something happening to Ethan, and now it seemed like her worst fears were coming true. As they quickly got Ethan dressed and ready to go, Ashley couldn't help but wonder what was wrong with her baby. Was he sick? Was he injured? The not knowing was almost too much to bear. The drive to the doctor's office was a blur for Ashley. She was too busy worrying about Ethan to notice anything else. When they arrived, the doctor quickly assessed Ethan's condition and ordered some tests. The waiting was agonizing for Ashley. She paced back and forth in the waiting room, her mind racing with worst-case scenarios. What if Ethan was seriously ill? What if he needed surgery? Finally, the doctor came out to speak with them. "Ethan has a bit of a dehydration issue," she said. "But don't worry, it's easily treatable. We'll just need to get him on some IV fluids and he'll be good as new." Ashley breathed a sigh of relief as the doctor smiled reassuringly at her. She was grateful that it wasn't something more serious, but she couldn't shake off the feeling of worry that had settled in her heart. She was determined to do everything she could to keep Ethan safe and healthy.