Cutest wittle parasites

While walking home a few days ago, I walked past some cherry blossom tress in bloom. I couldn't help but get excited because the arrival of these dainty flowers means spring is on its way. Of course this is very odd for it only being early February (thanks global warming!), but hey, I'll take it. All these spring-y thoughts started popping into my head, and among those thoughts my mind wondered onto the thought of new babies being born. Most commonly associated with spring time, babies are probably some of the cutest little parasites around.

Now I've never had a baby. But I know that many females will agree, that the idea of having a baby grow inside of you is scary, and well, kind of gross. Of course it is also beautiful and amazing, but the thought of something living off and inside of you has major creep-factor. It is arguably the most intimate parasitic relationship a person can experience. The profoundness if this relationship is obvious; the parasite living inside the womb was created by the host, shares its DNA and will depend on the host for the rest of it's life.

Do babies stop being a parasite when they are born? During their time in the womb they directly take nutrients from the mother in order to develop and grow. But many continue to feed off their mother's breast after birth, and depend/feed of the parents in various other ways.

This idea of babies as parasites is not groundbreaking. People all over the internet have asked this question. In this Yahoo Answers, the user asked "Are babies parasites? Do we have any respect for human life anymore? Other than our own." I'm not sure what the last part of this question is supposed to mean, but I was really surprised by how many people were VERY offended at the thought of their precious children as parasites.

"Parasite" has a bad connotation, and I feel that from being in this class, my view of a parasite has been changing. It no longer conjures up images of only evil little worms living inside the body. Why does it make people so mad to think of babies/children as a parasite?
I believe the answer could be linked to the idea of a "cuteness factor," brought up in class a few days ago during a discussion of Avatar. (Side note: that movie suuuucccked.) Cuteness is associated with sympathetic characters in Avatar, and in other movies, says the review we watched in class. And when you think about it, what is more sympathetic than a baby? They are way too cute to be a parasite!

On that Yahoo Answer mentioned above, lots of definitions were thrown around. The definition of "parasite," according to dictionary.com is:
1.)an organism that lives on or in an organism of another species, known as the host, from the body of which it obtains nutriment.
2.)a person who receives support, advantage, or the like, from another or others without giving any useful or proper return, as one who lives on the hospitality of others.
3.)(in ancient Greece) a person who received free meals in return for amusing or impudent conversation, flattering remarks, etc.

So if one defines a parasite strictly by the first definition, then no, babies can not be considered a parasite. This is because it defines a parasite as an organism that lives on or in an organism of another species. Because babies are obviously the same species as the host (mother), they would not be considered a parasite.
But the second definition I find interesting; it specifically refers to a person. It could be argued that the womb is possibly the most hospitable place we will ever inhabit. It delivers everything we need at that point in our development, nutrition, protection and warmth. And babies don't exactly give any useful or proper return, although this is where I can sliiightly relate to the crazy moms on Yahoo Answers, and could argue the thanks babies give is love (awwhhh).