“Having a baby,” Elizabeth muses, “was a little like living with a visitor from another planet.” (p. 162). What did you think of this statement? If you have children, did this sentiment ring true, in your experience?

Book Clubs Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus Discussion
1

“Having a baby,” Elizabeth muses, “was a little like living with a visitor from another planet.” (p. 162). What did you think of this statement? If you have children, did this sentiment ring true, in your experience?

2

Amen. An alien with severe communication issues. I had three children and I think they all originated on three different planets, so I had to learn a new language every time.

3

Absolutely! Newborns are born with instincts and feelings and limited ability to communicate, They know nothing of life outside the womb and have so much to learn. At first all they do is try to make sense of the world and get their needs meet. I have 3 children and 4 grandchildren and felt inadequate so often, what worked with one didn’t work with the others and just trying to help them feel comfortable and safe was often difficult but also rewarding.

1 Like
4

Having a baby is ‘like living with an alien.’ Babies have a lot to learn to become fully functioning people. No two babies or people are alike. We had 2 sons with 2 different personalities so we had to figure out what was best for each of them to thrive.