I just came home from visiting a friend who recently gave birth to her second baby. I took the little guy off her hands, anxious to hold him, so grateful for the trust that was given me in this simple but important task.
Unconsciously, as I held the baby, I began to rock a little as I sat with him on the piano bench. It felt strange to sit still, as though gently rocking him to and fro was the best way to hold this small life in my arms.
I commented aloud to my friend when I realized what I was doing. She said that many women in cultures all over the world speak in higher tones when near a baby, too, that they do this instinctively because babies respond to those tones. I thought that was absolutely fascinating and wondered what else women do instinctively as mothers.
It’s comforting, this knowledge that there is instinct in this whole process.
