Mamas, remember that when your baby is born, he has literally spent his entire life curled up with you. For nine months, he’s never been apart from you, even for a second. He could feel the warmth of your body and hear your heartbeat constantly, without ever the tiniest hint of a break.

Imagine how lonely it must be for him, then, to be separated from you when he’s newly-born. He knows nothing about how the world works; only that Mama means safety and security. It takes time for him to learn how to be “by himself,” apart from you.

Put yourself in his shoes; would you want that process to be abrupt and harsh, or gentle and gradual?

People who give mamas advice, I’m not quite sure how to say this without coming across wrong, but it’s REALLY important, so I’m just going to come out and say it:

DO NOT STIFLE A MAMA’S INSTINCTS.

Well-Meaning, but Bad Advice

Having asked for some input about a sort-of-but-not-really related question when my now-preschooler was tiny, I had other mothers telling me my baby shouldn’t be waking up at night, that she shouldn’t be hungry.

Folks, my baby is hungry. If she’s hungry, she needs to eat. Period.

Now, I’m a pretty thick-skinned mama, and this is baby #5, so I’m okay with sticking to my guns.  But if I weren’t…listening to well-meaning but poorly-informed others telling me my baby can’t or shouldn’t be hungry could result in her starving.

That’s a big deal.

Trust a Mother’s Instincts

This is not really about my baby, or my parenting, or Shoshannah waking up at night.

This is about the fact that mamas need to be encouraged to trust their instincts, not to squash them.

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If you believe your baby is hungry, or thirsty, or lonely, or afraid, or whatever, give him what he needs. And everyone else, don’t try to convince mamas to doubt themselves.