by Erin Weatherhogg

Created on: August 24, 2009

I am sitting at the mall on a bench, people-watching. As I observe, I notice countless people walking by with their babies in carriers with blankets draped over them. It occurs to me that I see this all the time, in all kinds of weather at all kinds of places; when the family is clearly spending time outdoors or when they're just making a quick run from the car in to the store. And I can't help but wonder: do some people do the blanket-over-the-carrier thing just because they think that's what they're "supposed" to do?

One of my mother's best friends had her son only a month before my mom had me. She remembers her friend constantly asking what she was feeding me, most of the time making some reference to "the list." For the longest time, my mom could not figure out what list her friend was talking about. Then it occurred to her that when I was about ready to begin eating solid foods, our pediatrician gave her a piece of paper that listed examples of good foods to feed babies my age. Her friend, when feeding her son, had been sticking strictly to the foods that were on that list! Apparently, she didn't realize that it was only meant to be used as a guideline, not adhered to like scripture.

Another example: I can't even begin to count the times I've seen parents fervently bouncing their screaming babies, trying deperately to soothe them when clearly they are not soothing. Think about it. If you were agitated, would you want someone rapidly bounding you up and down? Why do you think the kid's still wailing?

This kind of common sense is imperative when bringing up an infant. Another imperative factor: instinct. We're all born with some level of instinct. It's how we've managed to survive for eons. It's the reason our brains tend to crave the foods that are high in nutrients in which our bodies are deficient. It's the reason we just know when something is wrong with our kids, even if they're not in the same room, or even in the same city. It is an especially important thing to rely on when our children are babies.

Babies, unfortunately, are not born with the gift of speech. They cannot simply say to us, "Mommy, I need something to eat," or, "Daddy, I'm scared." Their only way of communicating with us is by crying and using body language. Crying, along with feeding, getting baby to sleep, and soothing, are four of the most baffling things about caring for a baby. Here's what I've learned about these things after raising two of my own:

Crying - One of the most

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