My mother has repeated a few times something my grandmother said: “It’s really shocking that first children come out alive on the other end.” Sometimes I feel like the only things ensuring Piper’s safety are her own tenacity and the advice of others.
Recently Piper started to be ok with hanging out in her
bouncy chair or swing. Check out the photo to the left to see how hypnotized by the lights, monkey and parrot she is (either that or she's totally mortified about what she's wearing). I asked my friends how long it’s ok to leave her in
there and not be considered a bad mom. My panel of moms responded unanimously: Forever. Or until she cries.
Whichever comes first. My friend Eileen even suggested that Piper’s time could
be maximized in the swing by avoiding all eye contact with her while she was in
there.
The very first night that we brought Piper home from the hospital Ryan and I were in a panic. Piper had never cried much in the hospital but began wailing at home without a nurse in sight. We figured the problem had to be that she was constipated – she hadn’t pooped in 48 hours. I called our pediatrician hotline to get some expert advice and it was suggested that we attempt anal stimulation on Piper to get things moving. “Should we rock, scissors, paper for this one?” Ryan asked.
Motherhood has truly been a journey of learning. For example, now that I know Piper’s different cries and patterns better, it seems more likely that the problem that dark, late night in October was probably that she was hungry.
But, we also now know that Piper really doesn’t mind all that much a well-placed Q-Tip.
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