Dear Mama: You did what you had to do

This is a story about a Mama who trusted her instincts.

When my child was born, I felt like I had conquered the world. He was everything I had ever hoped for—so small, so perfect, so deeply loved from the very first moment. After three days in the hospital, we returned home, and I was eager to begin our life together as a family.

That day, a new home nurse from an agency came to assist us. She assured me that she was experienced with newborn care. My mother had to step out for some urgent work, and as a first-time mother, I didn’t yet know how to bathe a baby properly. Trusting the nurse’s confidence, I watched as she applied oil over my son’s delicate body, lathered him in soap, and poured water from a mug directly over him.

Something didn’t feel right. I voiced my concern, but she dismissed me. A few hours later, my newborn started having continuous loose motions. He wasn’t crying, wasn’t feeding well—and though the nurse told me not to worry, panic set in. My instincts screamed that something was wrong. Without wasting another moment, we rushed him to the hospital.

There, we met Dr. Chandrashekhar, a gentle and experienced pediatrician. He immediately admitted my baby to the ICU. Dehydration and fever had set in. I was shattered. I remember begging the doctor, “Please save him, he’s all I have.” He looked at me with steady eyes and said, “We’ll do everything we can.” His calm gave me strength when I had none left.

A few hours later, the nurses brought my baby out so I could try feeding him. He was crying, shivering—and the moment I held him in my arms, he stopped. That moment will stay with me forever.

For the next few days, my husband and I sat outside the ICU, waiting and praying. Slowly, under the doctor’s care, our baby began to recover. The day he was discharged felt like a miracle. Holding him again—now thriving and smiling—I was overwhelmed with gratitude. Gratitude for his strength. Gratitude for the medical team. Gratitude for that mother’s instinct that told me something was wrong, even when others said it was fine.

This experience changed me. It taught me how quickly joy can turn into fear, how deeply love can root itself in your soul, and how much we rely on those who care for us during our most vulnerable moments. It was a chapter of hardship and sadness, but it deepened my understanding of parental love and the true value of trust.

To every parent out there—trust your instincts. Speak up when something feels wrong. And never forget the strength you carry, even when the world feels like it’s falling apart.

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With love, always.

#DearMama