Because you know your baby better than anyone does. Over the years, as the Internet has become more available, I’ve seen a trend where moms question themselves when it comes to baby care. The Internet is a blessing and a curse. I meet with a lot of moms who have great instincts about how to care for their baby but they have to check it out on the Internet to see if they’re right. The problem is, just when a mom starts feeling confident, she reads something which tells her everything she’s doing is wrong. So, she changes everything she’s doing, gets back on the Internet and reads the exact opposite. Feeling like she’s wrong again, her confidence about being a good mother goes down.
There are also a lot of books out there which give conflicting advice. Some tell you when your baby cries, don’t pick him up because the baby will get into a bad habit. Some tell you when you pick up your baby, she learns her needs are being met and her cry makes a difference. One book tells moms to keep the baby very still after feeding for fear any movement may upset the baby. Others tell you to rock your baby. Most moms have excellent maternal instincts and they just need to trust themselves. When I ask moms if it makes sense to them to let a crying baby be alone, they say, “No. I can’t stand it. I want to pick him up but I read I’m not supposed to.” Pick up your baby. He’ll love you for it.
Caring for your baby is mostly just common sense but for some reason, some moms forget to listen to their gut. It’s not a one size fits all. What works for you may not work for your friend. So it’s best to just take a quiet moment, away from the computer and away from the books. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and listen to your heart and gut. I promise you you’ll come up with the right answer. And because you know your baby so well, if you think something’s wrong never hesitate to call your baby’s doctor.