Photograph of mother, author and newborn taken after Theo’s birth at UCH

A photograph of the author, her mother and her eldest son, Theo, was taken the morning after his birth in May 2002 at University College Hospital in London.

The author says she loves that her mother is exquisitely dressed, wearing pearls and a suit they bought together, and the composition: three dark heads in profile with their hands aligned. She notes details of the newborn’s ear, and that his nose (she says his father’s) and lips (hers) remain visible now in his 23-year-old face.

There are quieter memories the picture cannot show: the author recalls her long-separated parents racing down the ward to meet their first grandchild, her mother arriving like the cavalry after a rough night of shouting babies, and the relief she felt then. The author describes how her mother supported the family through Theo’s first year, staying over in their spare bed, changing trains and missing meetings despite directing a research unit, and reframing early baby problems as solvable puzzles.

The author says her favourite thing in the picture is her mother’s arm around her shoulder. Her mother died 18 months later, and the author adds that she still feels that arm every day.

Key Topics

Culture, Theo, University College Hospital, London, Author's Mother, Theo's Birth