The next morning, Sarah called their pediatrician and took the first available appointment. Daniel met her at the clinic. By then, Lula seemed perfectly happy. She grabbed at the paper on the examination table and laughed when the doctor listened to her chest. “This is the baby who terrified us last night,” Daniel said. The doctor smiled. “Babies have excellent timing.”
Sarah described the crying, stiffening, and sudden clinginess. “Could something be hurting her?” she asked. The doctor checked Lula carefully. “I’m not seeing bruising, tenderness, fever, or anything neurological that worries me right now.” Daniel exhaled, visibly relieved for the first time that morning. “So this could just be a phase?” “Possibly,” the doctor said. “Separation anxiety often appears around this age. Teething can make everything worse too.”
Sarah was not convinced. “What about the way she arches her back?” The doctor paused. “Keep track of when it happens. If it becomes frequent, film it if you can.” That night, Lula woke just after midnight and made a wet choking sound. Her back lifted from the mattress for a second. Sarah switched on the lamp. Daniel sat up. “Again?” Sarah nodded. “That doesn’t look like separation anxiety to me.”