When babies are born, parents are given all sorts of instructions regarding what not to do with babies. The list of instructions is endless and detailed to the point that you can't possibly remember everything you aren't supposed to do. In our exactly five months of parenthood, we have found that some things that are worth breaking the rules:
1. Rule: Never sleep with your infant in your bed.
We agree that you shouldn't sleep all night with an infant in the bed with you, as you do run the risk of rolling over on top of them (especially Brian who sleeps so soundly that his roommate in college threw Nerf balls at him in the morning when he wouldn't hear his own alarm!). However, we are big proponents that after the 18th straight night of getting up several times during the night, and when just 30 more minutes of snooze time in the early morning hours would do you wonders, placing your baby in your arms in bed while you lightly nap for a few more minutes is acceptable. You don't risk rolling over them, as your own arms prevent that, and the reward of even just five more minutes of sleep is totally worth it. Plus, they think it is snuggy time and lay there happily.
2. Rule: No sugar or sweets before the age of one.
Okay, so this one technically was broken on our behalf at the hospital when she got a little sucrose here and there from the time she was a day old baby. Then, she continued to get sugar almost daily to ease her pain and distract her from all the needles pokes and painful tests she was enduring. We don't think most parents would need to break this rule (or want to...why let them know that there is something better out there so soon!), but we are fans of repeatedly breaking this rule for Lexi. In fact, when faced with severe eating issues, we actually suggested placing sugar in the breast milk to see if the sweetened taste made a difference. Although we wish this solution solved her eating issues, we were kind of glad to see that maybe she doesn't have such a big sweet tooth from all the early sugar after all. We haven't abandoned sugars and sweets, though, as sweet vanilla flavored Elecare is our next experiment to try to get her to eat.
3. Rule: Don't leave babies unattended.
Almost every baby gear item warns parents not to leave a baby unattended. We're not saying leave the baby alone in the house and run to the store, or leave a baby on the changing table as Brian has had to learn. However, we do feel it is better to leave Lexi strapped in her swing or bouncy seat in the family room as opposed to holding her while opening the hot oven or taking her to places like the bathroom. In these instances, we encourage you to ignore the warnings within reason and go with your instinct.
4. Rule: Ensure no bumpers line babies' cribs.
The whole bumper thing, in my opinion, is a big marketing ploy. New moms excitedly pick out their baby bedding for their nursery. As soon as they have it all painted, decorated, and the cute bumpers are affixed to the edge of the crib, they turn on a Today show special on baby safety to find warnings against using bumpers or quilts. So, why does every bedding set include these? If this is the case, it should include a bed skirt, 14 sheets for the middle of the night accidents, and curtains instead. Given all of us have already purchased these, though, let's unite together and leave on the bumpers for the first couple months. What babies are going to roll to the edge of the crib and suffocate themselves as their first movements in life? Seriously, I say when they start to show signs of actually moving, then you remove them. Until then, proudly show them off with your nursery.
5. Rule: For children with hip displacia, don't put them on their hips.
In theory this is a great rule, as you don't want to risk further damage to already unstable hips. However, the reality is much different, so we have been forced to break this rule constantly. Lexi has learned to roll onto her side, and when she sleeps, she often works her way into this position. As a mother trying to catch any little bit of sleep, or actually get some of my work done, I'm not about to wake my sleeping child just because she happens to roll on her side. A little time on them is just going to have to be okay.
What do you do when your child's immunity system is too fragile to take her to the crowded malls to meet Santa during her very first holiday season? You bring Santa Clause to her!! Thanks to the brilliant idea and wonderful planning by fellow NICU parents Todd and Carrie, Lexi got to meet Santa Clause this afternoon. They invited about a half dozen other babies who spent time in the St John's NICU this summer and fall to their house to give them the opportunity to meet Santa Clause for the first time. Hanging around other children generally is off limits for NICU babies who need to be quarantined for the winter months. However, provided NICU babies follow their marching orders once they go home, doctors say they can hang out with other NICU babies since all have avoided this exposure.
We're pretty sure Lexi doesn't comprehend the logic surrounding which kids she can and cannot be around. However, she sure seemed to understand just how cuddly Santa's lap can be, as she seemed to enjoy the experience all three times she sat on Santa's lap. Now that doesn't mean Santa Clause got a free pass in hanging out with her this afternoon. As you can see in the picture, even Santa Clause had to be studied thoroughly before Lexi decided she was comfortable with the whole arrangement!
