Lick or suck! Error!
I feel so repulsed; I can't find the exact words to construct my narration right now. How can I describe this grim image? And this kind of thing happens every day.
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Fine, I know every mother or father loves their babies. But should the expression of one's affection be the trump card to the kissing of those tender lips?
In some cases you find the tender mouths and tongues of these innocent babies being licked. Aaaaaaaaaaaaagh! Disgusting!
Nii Friday and I were in church for the first time on Sunday. As is the practice, mothers with babies ranging from a day old to six months are made to sit at the back; older ones must be sent to Sunday School. There are skilled teachers who handled them.
Knowing how some of our members could behave, all in the name of love for one's baby, I wore gloves on Nii's hands so no one could transfer any germs. You know how some people play with babies' fingers don't you?
I ever had an experience with Naa Atswei--- the first day I took her to church, I kept vigil that same night, changing her diapers at least twice every hour --- diarrhoea. So I wanted to take precaution. No playing around this time around.
I didn't want any germ-filled palms and fingers to rub belly-ache-inducing catalysts on his hands and then eventually to his mouth. Nii looked like a miniature boxer, but my move was worth it in every way. It was!
We sat directly behind a young couple whose baby could pass for four months. Ooooh she was such an adorable cute gift whose colour theme was pink: pink hair band, pink lace dress, pink sock and white and pink shoes; a very plump baby.
She was so playful and looked peaceful. Every little while, her father would take her from her mother, throw her a few inches off his thighs and cuddle her, play with her cheeks, perk her lips, kiss her passionately, and place her over his shoulder for a while.
Occasionally, he would allow to place her fingers in his mouth, and then back into hers. Then her mother would do same, kiss her, lick her drooling lips, and run her fingers through the parted paths of her braided curly hair.
At a point I saw her licking her baby's tongue when she stuck it out. Sickening! This public show of affection continued till at a time when the baby started to cry. I think she was hungry.
Her father held her, to enable the mother prepare some formulae in a bottle. The father, in a bid to pacify the baby who was now yelling, placed his lips firmly on that of the baby, and began to shake his head.
In the process, the baby's head shook too. I just couldn't comprehend why the duo were subjecting the blameless “sweetie” to such easy bacteria transmission.
I wouldn’t have complained about her father's mouth-to-mouth resuscitation if the man had no cold sores on his lips. Yes, he had a group of small small blisters on his lip and around his mouth.
The skin around those regions were red, swollen and sore. As he kissed his “darling”, I only wished the blisters wouldn’t break to spew fluid into the baby’s mouth. I almost placed my hands on my head in awe of the unsightly exposure. Agh.
Tears filled my eyes as I clutched firmly, my few weeks old Nii Friday. Saliva sharing made easy in a baby. Kai!!!
I pitied the child whose name I heard them mention as Beryl. Couldn't her parents just hug, cuddle or at most perk her on the cheek? Why did this sweet Beryl have to go through this?
Why were they licking and sucking the baby’s mouth as though it were a filled ice-cream cone … or … or Poki ice cream? Or was the baby’s mouth a lollipop?
The man’s vigorous licking really sent me thinking – could his wife be kiss-starving him? The whole thing was so difficult to comprehend. Their misdeed reminded me of how in Japan, a craze stirred up for eyeball licking; a supposed expression of intimacy.
How? And this “expression” was causing styes, conjunctivitis, ruptures to the cornea, ocular chlamydia and in extreme cases, blindness. What at all do humans want in the name of fondness?
Had not the man and wife heard of mouth herpes or periodontal diseases? Were they ignorant of what the content of saliva could be? What would their reaction be if a stranger did same to their baby? Would you complain? Poor baby.
I once read an article which said, “A kiss a day really can keep the doctor away." The article mentions the health benefits of kissing: reduction of blood pressure; stops menstrual cramps and headache, amplifies our happy hormones, burns calories, and even boosts one’s self esteem.
It goes on to say kissing is a barometer for sexual compatibility and as well, can give one a facelift. The article mentioned quite a number of benefits but the one that wowed me was the fact that kissing fights cavities (what the Gas call “agboku”-hahahaaaa). How? Eh? How?
It says kissing stimulates saliva flow, which washes out the mouth and helps remove the cavity-causing food particles that accumulate after eating. Saliva's mineral ions can even promote repair of small lesions in tooth enamel.
So kissing in itself may not be bad after all. But when it comes to babies, error error error!