Seen as the dreaded assignment of the semester, Child Development I students must bring home a RealCare baby. This baby acts like a real infant, set to cry at times based off of three days in the life of a real infant; it needs to be fed, rocked, burped, have his or her diapers changed and it sleeps.

This was what I had been looking forward to. I picked out her name, Angela Mercy, when I found out my child for the weekend would be a female. Then with a diaper bag full of three sets of clothes, a bottle, a blanket and two diapers, I set off to my weekend experiment of motherhood, one of my dreams.

Friday:

4:05 p.m. – My baby Angela woke up for the first time. I missed a call from my sister and learned from the start that I need to have my full attention on Angela, to support her head and feed her.

5:15 p.m. – As I figured out what homework I had to do this weekend, my mom called. Simultaneously, Angela needed to be fed, rocked and have a diaper change. It’s important for me to do whatever I can to help.

8:20 p.m. – While I checked my grades on Infinite Campus, Angela woke up for a feeding, rocking and diaper change. She’s very loving and her needs are similar to what they were three hours ago. Maybe she has a routine but tonight she might be fussier. I also changed Angela into her pajamas. Even though she does seem like just a doll, RealCare babies are very sensitive, and can detect temperature, head dropping, a bottle being held to their lips, rocking, burping and when clothing is changed. For a realistic effect, and because of this sensitivity, I changed her clothes each morning and at around 8 p.m. for “bedtime”. I wrapped Angela in a blanket at night as well.

Saturday:

2 a.m. – I took pictures of Angela. I can’t believe she went so long without crying. This time she needs a diaper change, feeding, burping and an additional diaper change.

4:45 a.m. – I was getting out of the shower and Angela needed a feeding and burping. My goal was to get my hair dry as fast as I can so I didn’t get water on her, which is important for a mechanical baby more than a real one.

7:45 a.m. – I was tired when I woke up from sleeping. Angela was crying and in need of feeding, burping and rocking.

9:45 a.m. – Fortunately I woke up, Angela needed her diaper changed.

10:30 a.m. – We have learned about how children learn in Child Development I. It is important to stimulate their mind. I kept stuffed animals close to Angela all weekend so she could “play”. After getting her first stuffed animal, Angela needed to be fed and burped.

11:30 a.m. – As I ate, Angela cried for a diaper change and cooed when I helped her out. She is delightful.

1:30 p.m. – I love Angela’s coos! I was reading and she needed a diaper change. Then I went downstairs to get something quickly but she started crying again for food, a burping and a rocking. She’s okay as long as I take care of her when she needs it.

4 p.m. – One of Angela’s needs tends to be accompanied by others so I need to always be prepared. This time, she needed a diaper change.

6 p.m. – Josh Goede, my boyfriend of three years in December, and I saw each other after he got home from work. When we were eating dinner, Angela needed her diaper change. After that I rocked her for a while and wasn’t sure why she was fussing.

8 p.m. – Later Josh and I were watching Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Angela needed to be fed, have her diaper changed and rocked. She quickly cheers up after her diaper is changed. It was really great to spend the evening with Josh. With him working and me having a child for the weekend, it was a good test of what being real parents will be like. Both having school work was an extra burden comparable to me working too and responsibilities such as taxes.

Sunday:

1:15 a.m. – I was really confused when I woke up. Angela needed to be fed and burped.

5:40 a.m. – It was hard to see her in the dark to get the bottle to her lips and she needed her diaper changed. I woke up again from sleeping.

9 a.m. – It’s a good thing this has became second nature because Angela needed to be fed and have her diaper changed.

10 a.m. – I was about to make coffee but Angela needed to be rocked. Again, I enjoyed her coos!

11 a.m. – Angela decided to eat because I was. She’s a hungry one. Typically her feedings take about 30 minutes each.

12:30 p.m. – I gave Angela stuffed animals again and think she’s as lovely as ever. She was hungry and needed a diaper change.

5 p.m. – Angela’s been sleeping all day, but just woke up for a diaper change while I was talking to my mom.

5:45 p.m. – Through dinner, Angela needed a diaper change and to be rocked for about half an hour. She’s still so cute.

6:45 p.m. – I was reading when Angela cried for food and a burping. It has been nice to take care of her instead of only myself.

7:35 p.m. – I’m getting better at multitasking while taking care of Angela, such as reading while rocking her. She needed to be fed, have her diaper changed and to be burped.

8 p.m. – I suppose after resting all day Angela needed a lot of care before she would fall asleep again, because she needed to be fed again.

9 p.m. – I fed, burped and rocked Angela for the final time before she fell asleep and had to be returned the next morning to my teacher.

 Monday:

7:30 a.m. – That morning, she needed to be properly installed in her car seat in my friend’s car. The proper format in all vehicles is to make sure the seat belt is secured in the car seat, and that the seat belt of the car goes around the car seat. It should be in the back seat of the car facing backwards, preferably in the middle seat. However, there was no seat belt there in this car so I put her on the side seat.

My weekend as a mother was wonderful and I was sad to see Angela go. This was the most meaningful lesson to me in Child Development I because I actually practiced taking care of a child. Most of Child Development I’s curriculum so far has focused on abstinence, contraception and dangers of sex, which is great but not if we  become parents, whether now or in the future. We need solutions to problems, not more emphasis on problems. Additionally, all preparation is great but the greatest is actually getting to practice parenting with an infant so similar to the real thing. It was a beautiful experience and I would definitely do it again.