I remember having my first baby and lying in the hospital with her crib next to me. A nurse came and asked if she could take the baby to the nursery for a few hours so I could sleep. I said no.

The next night, I was really tired and finally asked a nurse to take the baby. She looked worried and said, “Your baby is already in the nursery.”

My heart stopped. I looked at the empty crib beside me and panic set in. Where was my baby? Who had her?

Within seconds, alarms were raised and the staff scrambled. It turned out another nurse had mistakenly come into my room earlier and thought I had agreed. She quietly took my daughter while I was half-asleep.

For nearly an hour, my baby had been in another room, away from me, without anyone realizing the mix-up.

When they finally wheeled her back in, safe and sound, I clutched her to my chest and sobbed. I didn’t let her out of my sight again—not even for a second.

To this day, I still get chills thinking about it. That night taught me something I’ll never forget: always trust your instincts when it comes to your child.