# 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:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315/21 "2005-05-18T18:01:02Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > 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. Yeah, puppies do the same thing for me. I cannot resist a puppy. Nothing like soft velvety HOT puppy belly! And they love everybody. Babies – eh. But puppies? Lemme at 'em! I remember the first time I held a very young baby (two weeks old or so), and surprise of feeling her BREATHE. They had to tell me to keep her moving a little bit. At least now I know to do that. She’s 8 or 9 now. The youngest baby I’ve ever held was just under a day old. That was weird. ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315/22 "2005-05-18T19:31:59Z")
**Maureen** , you’re just too cute. I could just eat you with a spoon! _Yahoo! IM in-love smilie_ ---
**Author:** ![Cyros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@Cyros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyros)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315/23 "2005-05-18T19:53:38Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > 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? Me too. I am always amazed that anyone would let _me_ hold their baby. I have no idea what I’m doing. And I look like I’m holding a nuclear device that I’m afraid will explode at any moment. I can’t believe in September I’ll be somebody’s mother. Poor kid. ---
**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, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315/24 "2005-05-18T19:59:02Z")
What, you’ve never seen anybody hold their son’s severed head before, **Tentacle Monster**? 😉 Seriously, the photo was snapped in church, and he was in a dark blue suit for his First Communion. ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315/25 "2005-05-18T20:02:44Z")
Never been puked on, have you. 😉 In all seriousness: One of my nieces is about the most huggable creature on the planet. She just drapes herself on you and hangs there with this big, dopey smile on her face, and she’s done exactly that since about age 0.5 years. I never encountered a more affectionate child in my life, and not only does she somehow manage make it feel fresh and warmly gratifying every time, she’s never come across as cloying or cheap with her embraces. And she’s barfed all over me a number of times! I don’t think my brother knows how lucky he is. I’ve seen plenty of kids go from adorable to obnoxious upon reaching toddlerhood, but never this one. She’ll be a beautiful little angel straight through her teens, I’m guessing, and somehow retain that bably-like glow. ---
**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, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315/26 "2005-05-18T20:27:27Z")
> [@Cyros](#): > > Me too. I am always amazed that anyone would let _me_ hold their baby. I have no idea what I’m doing. And I look like I’m holding a nuclear device that I’m afraid will explode at any moment. I can’t believe in September I’ll be somebody’s mother. Poor kid. Congrats!! You’ll be great, don’t worry. It’s always easier when it’s your own. Any names yet, or are you still wrangling over “no, no, that was my boyfriend’s name in college, can’t name him THAT…”? ---
**Author:** ![Cyros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@Cyros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyros)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315/27 "2005-05-18T20:36:39Z")
> [@Maureen](#): > > Congrats!! You’ll be great, don’t worry. It’s always easier when it’s your own. Any names yet, or are you still wrangling over “no, no, that was my boyfriend’s name in college, can’t name him THAT…”? I hope you’re right! I think at this point “Nameless” is a good name 😉 We have a girl’s name in mind (although not decided on, because, well, I have trouble with decisions) but we’re struggling with a boy’s name. Hubby likes exactly one name, and I am ambivalent. Here’s hoping for a girl! ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315/28 "2005-05-18T22:02:45Z")
I once held the daughter of a friend about two hours after she was born. Awwwwwww… I’d go nuts dealing with a baby, but they are wonderful little critters regardless. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315/29 "2005-05-18T22:05:31Z")
> [@Cyros](#): > > I hope you’re right! > > I think at this point “Nameless” is a good name 😉 We have a girl’s name in mind (although not decided on, because, well, I have trouble with decisions) but we’re struggling with a boy’s name. Hubby likes exactly one name, and I am ambivalent. Here’s hoping for a girl! hmm, name for baby? i think “Untitled 1” has a nice ring to it… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2005, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315/30 "2005-05-19T03:58:17Z")
I heartily agree that nothing seems bad when you’re holding a baby – though I’m also in the “other people’s kids are great” camp. I even still go gaga over my best friend’s little boy, and he’s about to turn 4 ( :eek: ). 🙂 > [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > … as long as I wash my hands immediately afterwards and don’t touch my face. Those are often good rules of thumb for babies, too. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2005, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315/31 "2005-05-19T04:22:54Z")
> [@Scarlett67](#): > > Yeah, puppies do the same thing for me. I cannot resist a puppy. Nothing like soft velvety HOT puppy belly! And they love everybody. Babies – eh. But puppies? Lemme at 'em! Hell, yeah! I’ve been on a seratonin high for about three months now with my new puppy. Every time I look at her, I get the “awwwws!” Just typing this makes me want to go into her crate and wake her up for a cuddle. **Kalhoun** mentioned baby smell . . . for me it would be puppy breath! ---
**Author:** ![atalaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/34f0e0/32.png) [@atalaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/atalaya)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2005, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315/32 "2005-05-19T04:27:46Z")
Nothing melts the stress of grad school better than walking down the sidewalk like a penguin and singing “BananaPhone” at the top of your lungs. Of course, you get siginificantly fewer strange looks when you do this with a three year old at your side. (I babysit. A lot. I think it’s probably the main reason all my hair hasn’t turned grey yet. Damn graduate school making me look prematurely old!) ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2005, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315/33 "2005-05-19T13:52:09Z")
> [@Lissa](#): > > Hell, yeah! I’ve been on a seratonin high for about three months now with my new puppy. Every time I look at her, I get the “awwwws!” Just typing this makes me want to go into her crate and wake her up for a cuddle. > > **Kalhoun** mentioned baby smell . . . for me it would be puppy breath! Oh yeah…puppy breath and kitten smell are both fabulous! Mmmmm…chubby puppy breath! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cure-for-the-blues-hold-a-baby/304315.md?page=1)