Mommy Lessons

While visiting family for Christmas, we were blessed to meet 7 week old Izzy (the newest addition to our clan) for the first time. We all cooed and gooed and passed her back and forth. Until she started crying really hard. "Uh oh. That's not a good cry," declared her mommy and mom and grandma sprang into action. The baby was constipated and had been for a few days. They had tried everything they knew and nothing was working. All of us adults ran around making phone calls and giving useless advice. It was finally decided to give the baby some corn syrup in her bottle. And we waited...while she struggled and cried and curled around her cramping tummy. I could tell it was weighing on this brand-new mommy's heart and she finally put her head down on the table. Wanting to encourage her I said, "You can do this. You are an intelligent woman...you are a strong woman...and you can do this." And she did. Baby Izzy finally "went" and all the world rejoiced! A new mom had grown just a bit, and learned something new...a little corn syrup works wonders.
Less than 24 hours later, my advice rang back in my own ears as I rubbed my "baby" girl's back as she heaved over the toilet for the 10th time in as many hours. She was getting weak and had nothing left to throw up, but it just wouldn't stop. I had tried all the tricks I knew...to no avail. I comforted her as best I could, but I felt helpless. My parents and I prayed, coaxed ice chips and crackers down her, and called everyone we knew who worked in the medical profession. Finally, after 12 hours, we reached a friend who was a nurse. She told us to try to get our hands on some Dramamine...that it had the same ingredient as the prescription drug used to curb nausea. My mom flew to the convenience store while I wiped Hillary's face with a cold cloth. I don't know if it was the medicine or just that the virus had run it's course, but she finally stopped throwing up and went to sleep. This veteran mother-of-two had grown just a bit, and learned something new...Dramamine helps nausea-not just motion sickness.
No matter how old our children get, we will always wonder if we're doing the right thing at the right time. We will often feel scared, tired, and overwhelmed. But we will do our best. We will lean on our support network of friends and family. And we will grow and learn.