Dr. Laura, 

I work in a metropolitan area where people are very focused on their very important careers. There is a day orphanage (day care) in our office park and I sometimes see the children being pushed around on walks in large, industrial strollers that carry 6-9 children at once. They are made of hard plastic and look extremely uncomfortable. 

Yesterday, I was on a walk and saw one of these strollers full of helpless infants, whose parents are in nearby offices doing very important things. The baby in the front of the stroller must have only been six weeks old, not old enough to even support his head up, but he was slumped into the seat and looked miserable. I couldn't believe my eyes! How could a mother leave this tiny human in an institution that profits from bulk babysitting? I scoured the state laws and regulations to see if there was anything I could do to shed light on this, but I realized that it is completely lawful to shove a newborn baby into a day orphanage and forget about them while you are busy, busy, busy in your important career. 

Dr. Laura, my greatest desire is to be a mother. Since we married, my husband and I have been living on his salary alone and saving all of my salary to prepare for the day when I quit my job and raise our children. Our struggle with infertility makes it even more difficult to see the institutionalizing of babies. When we welcome our bundle of joy into the world, it will be a time of bonding, attentiveness, and teaching our child how to trust and connect. I know when I quit my job I will be replaced in a number of hours. There is always someone that can balance spreadsheets and attend very important meetings--but the work of a mommy is the one job I won't be giving up. Thank you for being an advocate for mothers actually mothering their children! 

Heather