“No matter how we swaddle her, she just gets out.” my coworker tells me as we walk to the conference room for a meeting.
“I’ve got just the thing. I’ll bring it tomorrow.”
That night I went home and pulled from our bin of packed away infant supplies, the miracle blanket swaddle. Of course then I did the weird thing all moms do where I smelled it and held it to my chest. The perfectly named device had seen me through navigating sleep for my two sweet babes. It was a hand-me-down from a friend that swore by it for her son. She had received it from her sister who used it for her babies as well. I had loaned it out several times by now losing count of how many infants had been in the mighty swaddler.
When you’re navigating the overwhelming sea of new parenthood, small gestures and solutions from parents who know the ropes are lifesavers. I’m not even sure it’s so much about fixing your problem as it is knowing you’re not alone. In the beginning that’s everything. That little miracle blanket (perfectly named…it is a miracle) was a pricey little thing that felt like a lifesaver in the depths of new parenthood sleepless nights. It’s now a talisman we pass on to newer babies and their exhausted parents.
Other times, hand me downs have brought us some of our greatest firsts and joys that I can remember. A bouncy jumper that elicited my daughter’s first big belly laugh. A bag of clothes that had a Minnie Mouse dress she wore at least three times a week for a full year. We’re still so grateful for every bag of clothes we get from dadlando’s thoughtful co-worker. My daughter revels each time she sees the goodies arrive, searching for her next favorite treasure. I appreciate that she sees we can be the recipients of kindness just as much as we can give it. I like that she understands that reusing things is good and that the almighty Target is not the only place that has the things we need.
As my kids grow out of ages and stages I send photo texts to friends whose kiddos are just a little younger: Do you want this? My kids loved it. Do you need this? It was so helpful. And now more than ever I appreciate the chance for a (socially-distanced) pick-up or drop-off and a chance to see my friends and those growing babies.
Life with kids is chaotic and expensive. The hand-me-down club lets us all know we’re not alone and that friends are thinking of us. There are certain hallmarks of the secret club of motherhood that I can absolutely get behind and this is one of them.
