Motherhood, a high privilege reserved for biological females, is as much a journey as a destination and, as such, requires a trustworthy roadmap.

When moms my age first got pregnant, we had a roadmap; we were in the midst of the Babywise movement. To be a good mom, you had to make baby sleep, eat, and play on a strict schedule; this presumably established order and kept the little bundle from controlling your life. Of course, this also entailed letting babies "cry it out" after bedtime; savvy moms needed to resist the naughty temptation to pick up a screaming infant during the Babywise "sleeping" hours.

Most of my friends followed the Babywise teachings carefully, and it seemed like the system had its merits. They went to trendy restaurants with a sitter at home, confident that come what may, little Madison would have a bottle at 6:15 and be tucked away by 7:00. Oh, the freedom! Unfortunately, little Madison would also be up by 6:00 a.m., but that was okay; nap number one was scheduled for 9 a.m.