The New Mother: The Wisdom of a Child

“Why won’t my baby stop crying?” Brittany, a new mother wondered as she sat with her in the crowded doctor’s office waiting room. “What am I doing wrong?”

Brittany had dressed the week-old baby in a beautiful, rainbow-colored outfit in preparation for her first, well-baby visit.

“You are such a perfect, sweet baby. Why do you make so much noise?”

Suddenly, the infant stopped crying and opened her eyes, as if she understood.

“If your grandmother was alive, she'd know what to do.” Being a single mother was not much fun when her infant constantly demanded attention, twenty-four hours a day.

“Your father should help.”

The infant took a gulp of air and looked as if she was pouting.

“Newborn babies are supposed to sleep all of the time.”

The infant sensed her mother’s agitation.

“Listen! I just fed you. You are clean and dry, so be quiet!”

The baby hollered louder than ever.

Other patients in the waiting room were becoming upset.

“Burp her!”

“Rub her back. That worked for my newborn.”

“Walk around the room with her!” another mother ordered.

“Rock her,” suggested a teenage girl who was expecting. “Read to her.”

“I’ll get a soother,” said a father who was carrying a one-year old child. He headed out of the waiting room, across the hallway and into the drugstore. Minutes later, he came back.

“Try this.”

“Thanks!”

It did not help, as the infant pushed it away.

“She is cold,” said a three-year old child, who walked over and touched her bare legs. “When I am cold, my Mommy wraps a blanket around me. I stop crying.”

Brittany took a cotton blanket out of her baby’s diaper bag.

“Wrap her up tight,” instructed the three-year old. “She needs to feel safe. I know how to take care of new babies.”

“Little man, you are smarter than I am,” said Brittany, as the baby drifted off to sleep.

“Obviously a good mother,” thought her doctor, as he examined the sleeping newborn half an hour later. “She has everything under control.”