Dr. Mom
How to explain,
The instinct that washes over me.
The doctors, they come.
The nurses – they sometimes care.
But I’m the one,
Who’s Dr Mom.
I know more, I see more.
I see when she holds her breath –
I see when her eyes become tired.
The seizures? They’re sub-clinical.
But sometimes, I see those too.
Her eyes, I watch them. Her little hands, I watch their every move.
You say I have no training – you’ve been in school for years.
But I held her inside me,
for ten long months –
I felt her every move.
There’s something about a mother with a baby –
She’s the smartest expert there is.
Trust yourself – you know your baby best.
Don’t be ashamed,
To be Dr. Mom
Sylvia Pollard is from Houston, Texas. This poem was inspired by her 2 year old daughter, Paige, who has been diagnosed with a rare genetic condition. She writes to help “process the difficult yet beautiful life as her mother, and hope to help others heal as well.”