I remember it well. I was a brand new shiny mommy mess. The thought of landing the dreaded Shaken Baby Syndrome may have finally pushed me to the syringe. Or it could have been the knees buckling at 4am resulting in a nose-dive interception with the change table. The fear I fought at the idea of putting anything foreign into my stressed and sweaty infant was intense – And medicine? I was no Doctor!
These days, as I am happily inserting the beautiful medicine into the mouths of my children, I too am being healed. If you’re a new mommy reading this, at ease ladies. You too will head to Shoppers Drug Mart just a moment before midnight. Although I am sincerely pulling for you to NEVER have to.
My youngest is almost 18 months and I can fully admit that I’ve graduated to using medication as a preventative tool. If they’re badly teething and it’s bedtime, well then ‘here you go darlin’. ‘Hope to see you in the morning and not a moment sooner…’ Funny story (or not), but ‘Tempra’ just may have been one of Gia’s first words. Sometimes… cough, cough, if I have a function and my child is a bit off … Enough said maybe? This is Mother Truth not Bad Mother.
A new reader gave me the idea for this post and I thought it was fantastic. Like most of my posts, it is meant for us to feel good about our choices although they are all too often hesitated. The decision to turn to medicine is made only after having tried desperately to help the child that our sincere embrace or numerous diversions may have failed. Our mothering arms are the most comforting and familiar place for our kids and when we cannot seem to conquer the fight, we have drugs. Good ones. Provided of course that calcium intake is significantly higher than liquid love, I think we’re good.
We are Doctors … Dr. Moms.
Mother Truth 
I usually enjoy your posts, but this one bothered me a little bit. Drugs are just that -drugs – and our children’s tiny bodies absorb so many of the toxins that come along with them, I hope you mean you do this only sparingly. I say this not to judge, but because I knew several mothers who gave their infants and toddlers benadryl every single evening to ensure a solid night’s sleep – at that rate, those poor kids’ livers and/or kidneys won’t last them out of their teens. I don’t think this is what you meant in the post, but I did feel like it was important to clarify that there is a difference from giving a baby in agony some relief from teething and drugging your child into sleep when they’re just a little fussy. Happy mothering to all!
I absolutely thrive on the fire that burns within a mom. This blog is born from it. Truth is we all mother differently although hopefully while sober with the best of intentions. I fear that my attempt at comedy may have caused this truth to be foggy for you but thank you for stating what I pray is the obvious. Mommy Benadryl is not my fellow cast member! I actually sit waiting on the day where a natural remedy is adequately tested so that we may depend on something less chemical. Thanks so much for reading and if I may steal a line from you… Happy Mothering to you!
I wanted to thank you for posting this truth. I am a person and a mother that doesn’t turn to medicine as a first choice, but when someone is in pain is it fair to let them suffer through it? Unforunately, my child is one of those babies that needs medicine, whether it is for his severe acid reflux or for the 3 teeth that are painfully making their way through his gums. I strongly agree that we as parents should not medicate our child unless there is a reason. I guess when it comes down to it the Pharmacy Tech in me, who just happens to work at a Pediatric hospital, believes more in a medicine that has been through trials and tests and approved by government standards than a so called natural remedy that does not go through the same testing. I refuse to feel guilty for giving my child medication, but i also refuse to medicate my child to solve my problems. Thanks and happy mothering as well!