Tech for the Tiny

If you’re lucky, one of the pluses of your Third Third is grandchildren. But be forewarned: child rearing now comes with its own technological challenges in the form of new baby gizmos. For this guest blog, I’m copying here an email received from Judy, who was delighted to welcome her new granddaughter to the family (and who spent a lot of time prepping on YouTube).

“Baby girl was born 2 weeks ago Sunday night. I have watched videos on ‘how to swaddle correctly’ (There seem to be some differences of opinion!);

how to correctly insert the car seat base; how to correctly insert the car seat into the car seat base; how to correctly insert a newborn into the car seat (while screaming);

how to correctly ‘throw’ open the stroller (instead of kneeling on the hot cement in front to the hospital valet stand in white pants frantically pushing every available button); how to correctly insert the detachable car seat into the ‘easy open’ stroller; how to correctly detach the detachable car seat from the stroller (instead of breaking down in front of the nurse checking baby weights and begging for help!);

how to correctly attach and unattach all the instruments of torture to the breast pumping machine;

how to correctly attach and detach smell proof bags from a very sophisticated diaper pail (which still defeats me so when no one is looking, I just stuff the damn diapers in the garbage under the LA Times which I haven’t had time to read yet anyway!)

Who knew life with a new baby was so technically complicated? The best news is mother and baby are doing great! That’s all that counts, as we all know.”
                       — Judy