Solar power

chase  ·  Sun, Aug 23, 2015

At her first post-partum checkup with Michelle (our midwife), Milo appeared to have a tinge of jaundice. No big deal, Michelle said: just take her out in the sun twice a day and flip her like a burger, five minutes on each side.

Because we all begin life accustomed to the darkness of the womb, I wasn’t sure how she’d take it, but she absolutely loves it. With Milo cradled in my arms, I walked out onto our narrow back porch and leaned on the railing, tilting her just enough to expose most of her body while shielding her eyes. Almost immediately, her fidgeting subsided, her limbs hung limply at her sides, and her frantic breathing slowed to a steady, even rhythm. Even when I rolled her or the cold San Francisco wind perked up, she would tense only for a moment and then quickly relax again.

I’ve always felt recharged by the sun. When I’m at work, getting a little sunshine on my skin is my version of taking a coffee break; especially in meetings, I often perch like a cat on the ledge by the window. I’m glad Milo feels the same way.