When I help others I help myself

We rise by lifting others.

~ Robert Ingersoll

I wasn’t ready to become a grandma.

It is very labour intensive to get a newborn, who doubles its birth weight in six months, off to the right start.

Breast milk is the perfect food for a baby. It changes in composition based on the growth and developmental needs of the infant. With the right coaching and encouragement, and if the mother is optimally nourished, no other source of food or drink is needed for those first six months.

Nursing moms need a lot of support and nourishment to cope with the stress of having their sleep constantly interrupted. Helping the mom is the best way to help the baby thrive. With enough help and support, most moms can overcome the obstacles to nursing.

I have always intended to provide as much support as needed in raising our grandchildren.

But, I had grand things to do before that happened, or so I thought.

The universe had a different plan for me

Nine months after her wedding our daughter (Erica) and son-in-law delivered a beautiful, healthy baby girl. What a blessing!

I’d often said that knowing what I know now, Erica, would not have suffered from “colic” and neither would any of our grandchildren.

Little did I know!

On a positive note, Erica managed to pull off an ideal home birth. Although, I too aspired to have a minimally invasive birthing experience, after 34 hours of labour, attempts with forceps and other invasive procedures, sadly I had to have a cesarean.

I assumed that because my daughter had not been naturally inoculated with birth canal flora, her suffering was related to an unnatural and traumatic birth experience.

I have now learned that there are other reasons for inconsolable crying.

The Period of PURPLE Crying

At a loss to explain her own daughter’s fussiness, Erica came across The Period of PURPLE Crying, the work of Dr. Ronald G. Barr, a developmental pediatrician and world expert on infant crying.

Dr. Barr states that:

… it is confusing and concerning to be told your baby "has colic" because it sounds like it is an illness or a condition that is abnormal. When the baby is given medication to treat symptoms of colic, it reinforces the idea that there is something wrong with the baby, when in fact, the baby is going through a very normal developmental phase. That is why we prefer to refer to this time as the Period of PURPLE Crying. This is not because the baby turns purple while crying. The acronym is a meaningful and memorable way to describe what parents and their babies are going through.

The Period of PURPLE Crying begins at about 2 weeks of age and continues until about 3-4 months of age. There are other common characteristics of this phase, or period, which are better described by the acronym PURPLE. All babies go through this period. It is during this time that some babies can cry a lot and some far less, but they all go through it.

Awareness helps create change

I find this information very empowering and encourage sharing widely.

Some new parents continue to be led to believe that their fussy baby is ill when what the baby is going through is completely normal. No medication is needed.

Tender loving care and support for the parents are the only prescriptions recommended.

When we help others, we help ourselves

No one has ever become poor by giving.

~ Anne Frank

By giving my granddaughter and her mommy the gift of time and attention, I have become the beneficiary.

The initial fussiness, which has tapered off at four months, had me moving, rocking, dancing, bouncing and lifting more, improving my physical strength and fitness.

My ability to multitask and prioritize improved.

But, more importantly, I have learned to just be, not do.

Watching the baby playfully smile and coo heals all that ails one.