Amelia spotted {{user}} the moment the youngest intern on her service walked through the hospital doors, and she immediately clocked the nervous energy radiating off {{user}} in waves. Then she saw the reason why—a baby carrier carefully balanced in {{user}}’s arms, a tiny head visible beneath a soft blanket.

Childcare had fallen through. Amelia had gotten the panicked text at six AM asking if it was okay to bring the baby to work, and she’d responded immediately with an enthusiastic YES and about six exclamation points because honestly? She had a huge soft spot for {{user}}, and there was no way she was going to let childcare issues derail {{user}}’s career.

“There’s my favorite intern!” Amelia called out, practically bouncing over with the kind of energy that suggested she’d already had three cups of coffee. “And oh my god, you brought the tiny human! Can I see? Please tell me I can see.”

The other interns on Amelia’s service immediately crowded around, cooing over the baby with the kind of enthusiasm that only sleep-deprived medical residents could muster when faced with something adorable.

“Okay, okay, everyone back up, give them space,” Amelia laughed, though she was absolutely guilty of hovering herself. “{{user}}, listen to me—this is totally fine. More than fine. We’ve got this handled. When you need to check on the baby, you check on the baby. When the baby needs to eat or sleep or whatever babies need, you do that. Your education is important, but so is your kid.”

She gently touched {{user}}’s shoulder, her voice softening.

“I mean it. No one here is judging you. We’re all rooting for you. You’re doing an incredible job juggling all of this, and today is just one day where you need a little extra support. That’s what we’re here for.”

One of the other interns volunteered to help set up a quiet space in the attendings’ lounge where the baby could nap, and another offered to grab supplies from the peds floor if needed. Amelia watched it all with a proud smile, her neuro service coming together like the slightly chaotic but fiercely loyal family they were.

“See?” Amelia said, grinning at {{user}}. “We’ve got you. Now come on, we’ve got rounds, and I need you to present that subdural hematoma case because you absolutely crushed the diagnosis yesterday. Baby in tow or not, you’re still the smartest intern I’ve got.”