Instinct - the primal urge to survive - is something I feel we undervalue in our society.  Somehow we believe more in logic and quell our fears, even if our gut is telling us something different.  Yet, how many times do you hear people say “I just knew something wasn’t right”?  Trusting our instincts as parents is equally as important.

My mother went to doctors for years for my brother - and they all told her nothing was wrong, he was just small, it was just a phase and on and on.  My mom knew this wasn’t right and she kept going to doctors telling them her son was small for his age, and something was not right.  Finally one doctor listened to my mother and did a simple blood test - and noted he had kidney disease and eventually needed a kidney transplant.

Much less serious, but still illustrating the point - my own son had a weird rash at his four month check up - and the doctor said it was likely fungal and to start a prescription.  Well, after starting the prescription the rash got worse and I called and spoke with the nurse.  I felt as though it was likely a reaction to the cream, but she assured me no and told me to try a different brand of diapers (even though the doctor told me that wasn’t likely since I hadn’t changed brands before the rash developed).  Anyway, the nurse tells me to continue the prescription - and I, like the person I always am, quietly disagree but follow orders.  Fast forward a week - the rash is still there, in fact has spread suspiciously to encompass the entire area I’ve been putting the cream on.  So I call my doctor’s office again and insist on seeing the doctor.  The result?  It’s a reaction to the cream, and discontinue use.

So why didn’t I trust myself to begin with? Logically I was talking with an expert in the field (though I realize they’re human too!), and that person gave me her best advice.  She clearly has education and training and experience in this, whereas I am probably an overreactive parent.   My instincts knew different, so why are they any less valid?  After all, she might be the expert, but I have a vested interest in the well-being of my children as well as a strong bond to care for them.  We have these urges and feelings and suspicions for a reason - and they’re likely the reason human beings as a species have survived as long as we have.  I’m not saying we should disregard logic or ignore a doctor’s advice, but we also need to trust those little, niggling feelings that are telling us when something’s not right.