A baby is something you carry inside you for nine months, in your arms for three years, and in your heart until the day you die.

The saying compresses a parent’s relationship to a child into three escalating forms of “carrying”: physical gestation, the early years of literal holding and care, and the lifelong emotional bond. By moving from months to years to “until the day you die,” it emphasizes how quickly the most physically demanding stages pass while the attachment endures. The line also functions as reassurance and tribute: the burdens of pregnancy and early childcare are framed as temporary, but the love and sense of responsibility become permanent. Its appeal lies in its simple arithmetic and universalizing tone, making it a popular sentiment for cards, baby books, and parenting reflections.