--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: She had smiled her way through the births…" description: "\"“She had smiled her way through the births and had offered the new mothers the support and the medical care that they needed, but the moment she’d sent..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c0/jodi-picoult-45_medical-care_she-had-smiled-her-way-through-the-birth_1582111.jpg" --- # She had smiled her way through the births and had offered… ![“She had smiled her way through the births and had offered the new mothers the support and the medical care that they needed, but the moment she’d sent them on their way, cutting that last umbilical cord between hospital and home, Lacy knew she was giving them the wrong advice. Instead of easy…” quote by Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c0/jodi-picoult-45_medical-care_she-had-smiled-her-way-through-the-birth_1582111.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c0/jodi-picoult-45_medical-care_she-had-smiled-her-way-through-the-birth_1582111.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c0/jodi-picoult-45_medical-care_she-had-smiled-her-way-through-the-birth_1582111.jpg) > ““She had smiled her way through the births and had offered the new mothers the support and the medical care that they needed, but the moment she’d sent them on their way, cutting that last umbilical cord between hospital and home, Lacy knew she was giving them the wrong advice. Instead of easy platitudes like Let them eat when they want to eat and You can’t hold a baby too much, she should have been telling them the truth: This child you’ve been waiting for is not who you imagine him to be. You’re strangers now; you’ll be strangers years from now.”” [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. New mothers receive well‑meaning advice, but truth about a child’s unpredictable nature is often omitted, leading to future estrangement. **In simple terms:** Honest guidance about parenting realities. Key Takeaway Provide realistic expectations to new parents. Themes parenting truthfulness expectations relationships growth Mood empathetic thoughtful Type advice parenting When to use this quote - prenatal classes - post‑birth counseling - support groups - parenting blogs Key Concepts psychology family dynamics communication Questions to Reflect On - What truths are essential for new parents? - How can honesty be balanced with encouragement? A Different Perspective Hard truths can be painful and may discourage. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Births Offered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/births-offered-5978075/) [Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lacy-1380657/) [Lacy Knew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lacy-knew-5978074/) [Medical care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medical-care/) [New Mothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-mothers/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Umbilical cord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/umbilical-cord/) [Wrong Advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrong-advice-538206/) ## Related quotes > [“In reality, Lacy realized, this dividing line between her and Peter had been there for years. If you kept your chin up, you might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/in-reality-lacy-realized-this-dividing-line-between-her-and-peter-had/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Once, Lacy had been present at the birth of an infant that was missing half its heart. The family had known their child would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/once-lacy-had-been-present-at-the-birth-of-an-infant-that-was-missing/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [As Lacy waited for her turn to speak on Peter's behalf, she thought back to the first time she realized she could hate her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/as-lacy-waited-for-her-turn-to-speak-on-peter-s-behalf-she-thought/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [When you look into your baby’s eyes,” Lacy said softly, “you see everything you hope they can be…not everything you wish they won’t become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/when-you-look-into-your-baby-s-eyes-lacy-said-softly-you-see/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Lacy took the box she’d brought up from the basement and placed each item inside. Here was the crime scene: look at what was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/lacy-took-the-box-she-d-brought-up-from-the-basement-and-placed-each/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Lacy truly believed that when you asked a patient How do you feel?, what was wrong wasn’t nearly as important as what was right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/lacy-truly-believed-that-when-you-asked-a-patient-how-do-you-feel/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [I met with my lawyers. They gave me all the wrong advice. For a long time I refused to accept the child was mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-becker/i-met-with-my-lawyers-they-gave-me-all-the-wrong-advice-for-a-long/) [Boris Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-becker/) > [if something does go wrong, here is my advice... KEEP CALM and CARRY ON.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maira-kalman/if-something-does-go-wrong-here-is-my-advice-keep-calm-and-carry-on/) [Maira Kalman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maira-kalman/) > [Someone can have the best intentions,' Markov said, 'but offering the wrong advice, the wrong help at the wrong time, can be worse than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tonya-hurley/someone-can-have-the-best-intentions-markov-said-but-offering-the/) [Tonya Hurley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tonya-hurley/) > [“I had Benia's hands, Meryt's friendship, the feel of newborn flesh, the smiles of new mothers, a little girl who laughed in my kitchen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-diamant/i-had-benia-s-hands-meryt-s-friendship-the-feel-of-newborn-flesh-the/) [Anita Diamant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-diamant/) > [New mothers in Congress should not be forced to choose between their families and their constituents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-paulina-luna/new-mothers-in-congress-should-not-be-forced-to-choose-between-their/) [Anna Paulina Luna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-paulina-luna/) > [However, when given the chance, many people choose cocaine over love. I wouldn’t say that’s a bad choice. The endorphins released during infatuation are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-wentz/however-when-given-the-chance-many-people-choose-cocaine-over-love-i/) [Pete Wentz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-wentz/) > [What advice can we give to new mothers? Their children need to work at an interesting occupation: they should not be helped unnecessarily, nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/what-advice-can-we-give-to-new-mothers-their-children-need-to-work-at/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [You know, I don't think pregnant women or new mothers get enough credit for what it takes to physically create a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ant-anstead/you-know-i-don-t-think-pregnant-women-or-new-mothers-get-enough/) [Ant Anstead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ant-anstead/) > [The most common reason new mothers return to work sooner than they'd like to is because they can't afford to go without their salaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexa-von-tobel/the-most-common-reason-new-mothers-return-to-work-sooner-than-they-d/) [Alexa Von Tobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexa-von-tobel/) ## More by Jodi Picoult > [You get through it, you just never get over it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/you-get-through-it-you-just-never-get-over-it/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Let me guess," Eric says, "You never meant for it to happen." "Hell, yes, I did. I've wanted her since you two started dating."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/let-me-guess-eric-says-you-never-meant-for-it-to-happen-hell-yes-i/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“It’s the difference between dancing along the eggshell crust of acquaintance and diving into the messy center of a relationship.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/it-s-the-difference-between-dancing-along-the-eggshell-crust-of/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [Because hate's just the flip side of love. Like heads and tails on a dime. If you don't know what it feels like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/because-hate-s-just-the-flip-side-of-love-like-heads-and-tails-on-a/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [Some women are meant to change the world, while others are meant to hold it together. And then there are those of us who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/some-women-are-meant-to-change-the-world-while-others-are-meant-to/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [I love feeling loved. I don't love knowing that I will always come in second place. I love the fact that at least sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/i-love-feeling-loved-i-don-t-love-knowing-that-i-will-always-come-in/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Music is the language of memory”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/music-is-the-language-of-memory/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [But there is a different between mending someone who's broken and finding someone who makes you complete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/but-there-is-a-different-between-mending-someone-who-s-broken-and/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“sometimes words are not big enough to contain all the feelings you are trying to pour into them. My”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/sometimes-words-are-not-big-enough-to-contain-all-the-feelings-you/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“The age wasn't as important as the milestones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-age-wasn-t-as-important-as-the-milestones/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [The night is falling down around us. Meteors rain like fireworks, quick rips in the seam of the dark... Every second, another streak of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-night-is-falling-down-around-us-meteors-rain-like-fireworks-quick/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“When she had packed all the artifacts that made up their personal history into liquor store boxes, the house became strictly a feminine place.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/when-she-had-packed-all-the-artifacts-that-made-up-their-personal/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Maybe who we are isn't so much about what we do, but rather what we're capable of when we least expect it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/maybe-who-we-are-isn-t-so-much-about-what-we-do-but-rather-what-we-re/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Here's what I hadn't realized : the mother you haven't seen for almost 36 years isn't your mother. She is a stranger. Sharing DNA…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/here-s-what-i-hadn-t-realized-the-mother-you-haven-t-seen-for-almost/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [My brother believed in all sorts of mythical creatures: pixies, dragons, werewolves, honest men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/my-brother-believed-in-all-sorts-of-mythical-creatures-pixies-dragons/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) [Explore all 2,062 Jodi Picoult quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) ## More Medical care quotes > [“Our schools will not improve if we continue to focus only on reading and mathematics while ignoring the other studies that are essential elements…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/our-schools-will-not-improve-if-we-continue-to-focus-only-on-reading/) [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) > [“Medical care is a small contributor to health.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-mcneill/medical-care-is-a-small-contributor-to-health/) [Dwight McNeill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-mcneill/) > [Many of us are alarmed at the skyrocketing cost of medical care, including patients, who are the consumers. However, medical malpractice is not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-baca/many-of-us-are-alarmed-at-the-skyrocketing-cost-of-medical-care/) [Joe Baca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-baca/) > [Having spent years ruining the housing markets with their interference, leading to a housing meltdown that has taken the whole economy down with it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/having-spent-years-ruining-the-housing-markets-with-their/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Health coverage for regular citizens isn't mandated by the Constitution, but we're obligated to provide adequate medical care for prisoners, whatever the cost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-riley/health-coverage-for-regular-citizens-isn-t-mandated-by-the/) [Jim Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-riley/) > [Medical care for the entire country seems to me a basic right. If every other country in the West can do it, why can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-auster/medical-care-for-the-entire-country-seems-to-me-a-basic-right-if/) [Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/) > [It is very expensive to give bad medical care to poor people in a rich country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-farmer/it-is-very-expensive-to-give-bad-medical-care-to-poor-people-in-a/) [Paul Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-farmer/) > [ We got a commitment that 3 million nurses are going to be trained to better identify these signs \[of PTSD\], because, you know, when… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/we-got-a-commitment-that-3-million-nurses-are-going-to-be-trained-to/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [“records in any form I request under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act within thirty days and for a reasonable handling and processing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-rosenthal/records-in-any-form-i-request-under-the-health-insurance-portability/) [Elisabeth Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-rosenthal/) > [In the future, it's going to become more and more impossible for the economy to support how expensive medical care is and the number…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-fuhrman/in-the-future-it-s-going-to-become-more-and-more-impossible-for-the/) [Joel Fuhrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-fuhrman/) > [In Canada the cancer death rate is 16% higher than in the U.S. because of rationing of medical care. It takes an eight week…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-morris/in-canada-the-cancer-death-rate-is-16-higher-than-in-the-u-s-because/) [Dick Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-morris/) > [My dream is that every child has enough food to eat, good medical care, and the chance to go to school and even attend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/my-dream-is-that-every-child-has-enough-food-to-eat-good-medical-care/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [“From 2002 to 2008, the United States was fighting bloody wars in Afghanistan and Iraq; among active military personnel, there were an average 1,643…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/from-2002-to-2008-the-united-states-was-fighting-bloody-wars-in/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [“The next time you drive into a Walmart parking lot, pause for a second to note that this Walmart—like the more than five thousand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/the-next-time-you-drive-into-a-walmart-parking-lot-pause-for-a-second/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [There are so many groups making so much money in the medical care system that any major reorganization is going to make someone unhappy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/there-are-so-many-groups-making-so-much-money-in-the-medical-care/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) [Browse all 184 Medical care quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medical-care/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“She had smiled her way through the births and had offered the new mothers the support and the medical care that they needed, but the moment she’d sent them on their way, cutting that last umbilical cord between hospital and home, Lacy knew she was giving them the wrong advice. 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