Parenting is tough! We know, we know, that’s the understatement of the millennium. But it may occasionally be tougher for dads than for moms. Controversial opinion? Perhaps, but the bond between a mother and her child is absolutely unbreakable, so what happens when dad and baby are left home alone?
One dad, caring for his newborn son while Mom was briefly elsewhere, had the hard luck to find out for himself.
Before a baby is born, they acclimatize to the sound of their mother’s voice. When they emerge into the world, cuddling, soothing, and breastfeeding, the smells of skin and clothing all add to the cacophony of sensory signals that let baby know their mom is nearby. Familiar smells, in particular, are wonderfully comforting for babies, often more so than we realize.
Something else that any parent knows is that babies cry. A lot! But it’s very important; it is their pre-linguistic way of letting us know that they really need something, whether it’s food, a nap, a diaper change, or simply a reassuring cuddle. There are always those agonizing moments, of course, when a parent finds themselves at their wits’ end trying to figure out what it is their baby needs.
Sometimes, baby just needs momma.
This frazzled dad’s 3-month-old baby was certainly having a bit of a wild tantrum with no obvious solution. Mom was out (there’s the first clue!) so the little guy became fussy. Fussy, you say? No problem! Well, it wasn’t long before sniffles turned into full-blown wailing, and nothing Dad tried was working. He tried everything he could think of, until in his desperation he remembered a very odd tip from another desperate dad friend who had unearthed a miracle cure for inconsolable tears.
No, he wasn’t about to launch into a distracting whirlwind of household chores; he grabbed one of his wife’s dirty T-shirts and followed his friend’s instructions carefully. Step One: locate dirty T-shirt. Step Two: administer aforementioned dirty T-shirt to the nostrils of wailing baby, stand back, and observe. Did it work? Watch the video and see for yourself!
Frankly, the baby’s reaction when the T-shirt is placed beneath his nose is nothing short of amazing.
Why did it work so well, you ask? The clothes we wear absorb our personal scent, and so when a baby smells the very personal aroma of their own momma, they are comforted. This little man is an exceptional example; he even reaches up and grabs for the T-shirt to bring the comforting smell even closer to his nose. He clutches it after his dad’s hand moves away, and his sobs subside immediately.
Another success story added even more credit to the T-shirt test. “We had an infant in child care who wouldn’t drink from a bottle for the first three days she was there,” regaled another supporter. “Then we had Mom bring in the T-shirt she slept in, and the little one never had any more problems.”
Okay, moms and babies everywhere, we get it now; your bond is truly unbreakable. What a beautiful way to calm a baby, and what a heartwarming video! Be sure to share it with all of the frazzled parents you know.
