# Cure for the blues: Hold a baby! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 17, 2005, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315 "2005-05-17T22:32:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2005, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315/1 "2005-05-17T22:32:21Z")
I am holding a baby right now. And typing very slowly. My ex boss (of co-worker thread fame) gave birth two weeks ago. She came in today to turn in her paperwork for maternity leave and meet with my boss. But that’s beside the point. I was in a bad mood today. Very down, feeling sorry for myself bad mood over a myriad of things that I won’t bore you with. My ex boss came in, handed me the baby (okay, okay…I took the baby right out of her arm), and ten minutes later I was happy. It’s amazing how a newborn changes your perspective. Here is this brand new person. With beautiful curly blond hair and blue eyes that don’t really register much yet. Who can’t talk or understand a whole lot. But she has all this potential. All this life to look forward to. What could be more amazing and miraculous than that? And really. Does it matter whether or not that report gets done by the end of the day? Well, to my boss, probably yes. But what does he know? I’m such a marshmallow. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2005, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315/2 "2005-05-17T23:28:05Z")
Baby hugs are a sovereign remedy. You just can’t keep from smiling. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315/3 "2005-05-18T01:47:06Z")
When my first nephew was three weeks old I sat with him for about an hour and a half. At one point he started to cry, so I picked him up and put him on my shoulder, patted his back, and so on. You know that thing babies do, mushing their face on your should to “soften” it up, then laying their little head down and going to sleep? Awwwww! Aunt Baker was ready to melt into a big marshmallow. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315/4 "2005-05-18T01:50:19Z")
We used to argue over who could hold our babies–especially in winter–they are so open and _present_ --it warms the heart (and the rest of the body-hence the arguments-our house is cold!)…does a body good. where is the schmaltzy smile emoticon? here, he’ll do ;j ---
**Author:** ![Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stark_Raven_Mad)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315/5 "2005-05-18T02:01:31Z")
Babies are always great - when they’re not yours. I distinctly remember harboring deeply violent feelings towards my siblings, who would keep everyone up with their whining and crying, until they and I were a little older; I was regularly forced to babysit for hours at a stretch (so my responsibilities included bathing, changing, feeding, the whole shebang), and eventually the deeply violent feelings gave way to violent fantasies that, ten years later, still occasionally float across my mind. I hate babies. ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315/6 "2005-05-18T02:29:30Z")
> [@Stark Raven Mad](#): > > Babies are always great - when they’re not yours… Yeah, that’s definitely part of it. Knowing that I could just enjoy that baby being cute and sweet and not have to wake up every 2 1/2 hours with her has a lot to do with how much I love babies now. There is no WAY there will be any more babies in the **if6-Maureen** household, other than grandkids. I’m looking forward to that. Playing with the baby, spoiling the baby, sugaring the baby up…then giving it back! MUAHAHAHAHAAHAAAA. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![inkleberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f17d59/32.png) [@inkleberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/inkleberry)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315/7 "2005-05-18T04:00:02Z")
I gladly volunteer Tinkleberry for this project! You may have him for any half-hour you wish during the day! And I will potty and shower by myself. He is very sweet, and still has the new baby smell! ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315/8 "2005-05-18T12:15:57Z")
my parents recently came to visit and this time around no arguing who would hold the new baby first. Ahhh, the advantages of twins. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315/9 "2005-05-18T12:34:56Z")
> [@China Guy](#): > > my parents recently came to visit and this time around no arguing who would hold the new baby first. Ahhh, the advantages of twins. 🆒 I was going to add just that – our friend always cheered “two babies, no waiting!” ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315/10 "2005-05-18T12:35:48Z")
I have a 4 month old daughter (in addition to 6 & 3 yo boys), and when I come home from a hard day’s work, seeing her smile just melts the stress away. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Bird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Little\_Bird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Bird)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315/11 "2005-05-18T14:53:56Z")
I nannied two brothers for a summer a few years back. One was about two and a half and the other was three months at the beginning of the summer, six months at the end (funny how that works). I came back to visit them after I went back to school. Of course the older boy remembered me, but I wasn’t so sure about the little one. I went over to him in his little chair and said “Hey buddy, remember me?” His little face _lit_up\* and he _squeeled_. Yay! Baby likes me! 😃 Four years later that memory still makes me warm and fuzzy. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315/12 "2005-05-18T15:45:19Z")
The Shameless Plug Department is ready with all your baby needs: [A Baby for You to Goo Goo Over](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v180/Soileau/MomTrassieChris.jpg). And me and his brother, too. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315/13 "2005-05-18T17:11:11Z")
> [@Ellen Cherry](#): > > The Shameless Plug Department is ready with all your baby needs: [A Baby for You to Goo Goo Over](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v180/Soileau/MomTrassieChris.jpg). > > And me and his brother, too. 🙂 What a beautiful family you have! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315/14 "2005-05-18T17:22:31Z")
Very cute little ones! **inkleberry** , anytime you want to go shopping, let me know. I’ll be happy to watch tink for you. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315/15 "2005-05-18T17:32:07Z")
Babies make me nervous. What do I do if they start crying? How can I make them stop? Why won’t they tell me what’s wrong? But I get the same happy feeling of adoration and relaxation if I’m holding or hugging a cat, so I can understand. If I can cradle a cat in my arms or pat him as he purrs on my lap, I am very content at that moment, and nothing can bring me down… as long as I wash my hands immediately afterwards and don’t touch my face. ---
**Author:** ![inkleberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f17d59/32.png) [@inkleberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/inkleberry)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315/16 "2005-05-18T17:32:30Z")
> [@Maureen](#): > > Very cute little ones! > > **inkleberry** , anytime you want to go shopping, let me know. I’ll be happy to watch tink for you. Oh, you have no idea the joy you just brought to my heart. Seriously, if you live in the Bay Area and want to watch him and perhaps make a bit of $$ doing so, please email me. He is fun and snuggly and mommy needs to clean the house. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315/17 "2005-05-18T17:38:30Z")
Lovin’ the little ones. I wish someone would bottle “baby smell.” THey’d become millionaires. ---
**Author:** ![Tentacle\_Monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba9def/32.png) [@Tentacle\_Monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tentacle_Monster)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315/18 "2005-05-18T17:50:18Z")
**Ellen Cherry** : Nice picture, but… maybe the older son shouldn’t have worn a black shirt in that picture. That was a bit startling. **Kalhoun** : If I recall correctly, Parfums de Coeur has/had a scent called “Freshly Washed Baby” or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315/19 "2005-05-18T17:50:54Z")
Lovin’ the little ones. I wish someone would bottle “baby smell.” THey’d become millionaires. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315/20 "2005-05-18T17:52:21Z")
Sorry about the double post. Baby smell in a bottle? I’m there, _baby!_ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315.md?page=2)