Passing the test

We've become "those parents." In Wendy Mogel's parenting book, The Blessing of a Skinned Knee, she describes why she left her pediatric psychotherapy practice: It began to bother her how often she would be delivering what she thought was good news to parents--that their child's problems were within the range of normal behaviors and represented no serious psychological difficulties--and the parents would be disappointed. She realized that these parents were hoping their child would be diagnosed with an identifiable Urgent Problem, so they could receive medical help fixing it.

Yesterday Grindy passed the non-stress test given to post-dates babies with flying colors. Her heart seems to be responding just fine to her still being inside the womb, and there are no evident medical reasons to prompt her to come out.

Of course, what we most wanted to hear was that she was healthy in there, so that was a relief. But we did secretly hope that someone might say, as they did with Edith, "I don't know--the results are inconclusive. Maybe it's time to try to get her moving," and send us to the hospital. Nothing doing.

Today Grindy has another chance, at her biophysical profile. If she passes that, too, we'll be sent home to wait some more. And it will all happen in good time. But kid, your parents won't hold it against you if you don't ace this test.