I'm Going to Feel Like a Horrible Mother

I'm currently taking a psychology class about child maltreatment and abuse. I'm barely into the class and it's already extremely interesting to me. I love being a psychology major, especially when that means I get to learn about babies!

Today we had a guest lecturer that talked about North Carolina's recent initiative to reduce cases of Shaken Baby Syndrome. The program is called "PURPLE" and seeks to educate mothers, fathers, and care givers about what to expect when they have a baby in terms of crying and coping with crying.

Did you know that babies, normal & healthy babies, often cry 4 hours every day? And they sleep for about 16 hours every day, on average. That means for every hour a baby is awake they could be crying for half of it.

Whaaat?

In my mind, babies are supposed to be cute and cuddly and only cry for a minute or two until they're satiated by a clean diaper and milk.

Nope. Apparently not.

So why am I tell you this, friend? Well because frankly if I was a new mom and didn't have this information I would feel like I was the worst mother on the planet. I would feel like a failure. I would frankly not be shocked if I struggled with postpartum depression if my baby was inconsolably crying for hours on end. I also say this because it's not just something new moms need to be privy to but to males (who are, in the majority of cases, perpetrators of Shaken Baby Syndrome) and child care givers (who are more likely than mothers to commit the crime) who care for and live with children.

Crying is normal though. Hours of crying is normal. Healthy, even.

The PURPLE initiative seeks to console parents with this information, telling them that the crying of a normal, healthy baby is...

Persistent

Unexpected

Resistant to soothing

Painful expression

Long lasting

Clustered in the Evening

So, mamas & future mamas, take heart - you're not a failure! Daddies & future daddies, might wanna buy some earplugs, prepare to help out, and get the number of a good massage therapist (for you & your baby mama). For real.

Monday Musings: Lots of Red, Lots of Food, & Feeling Like a Creeper

Our essence captured while trying to make sense of a professor's handwriting on Miles' final paper.
I promise this was not staged.

This was the weekend we've all been waiting for - graduation! Miles is now officially a graduate of NC State! Woohoo! (Kinda.) Apparently being a graduate of a major university translates into needing to get a job and not having a stable place to live - but, hey, we're goin' with it. Bring on the job interviews!

I think I'm going to have to go on a 74 day fast after this weekend. Miles' family being in town meant lots of good food (thanks, Tim & Wendy!). My belly greatly appreciated it. My hips not so much.

Being out and about committing gluttony and shopping and whatnot meant I had ample bits of humanity with which to watch and analyze. The hands down best facet of this population was the babies. I befriended a 3-year-old little boy named Brick (can't decide if I love or loathe this name) at a Japanese steakhouse. We "took pictures" with our pagers from the restaurant of one another. It was adorable. Pretty sure his mom thought I was a creeper. I continued my alerting baby behavior by playing peak-a-boo with a little girl in TJ Maxx. Pretty sure her dad thought I was a creeper. I never know how to justify myself in situations like that. I think I need a necklace/forehead tattoo/demarcation that states my non-creepy, whole-hearted love for babies. Suggestions?