raising a newborn now a days is tough. i never considered myself an anxious person (although tim may think differently especially when i am a passenger while he is driving). however, so many things i want to do with my newborn goes against all research and i am too much of a nervous nelly to break the rules.
landon was put in his crib the day he came home. he had no problem sleeping long stretches and going back down to sleep after feedings. when i brought nolan home, i assumed he would be the same way. i placed him in his crib the night i brought him home... but he fussed and fussed. i thought nothing of it since it was his first day home and continued to put him in his crib for the next three weeks. it took hours for him to settle and fall asleep after each night feeding. very little sleep was occurring. finally i decided to put him to sleep in a rock and play at bedtime. it was the answer to everything. he started to sleep solid four hour chunks and had no problem going back to sleep after feedings.
as weeks went on, i continued to watch nolan's sleeping habits. i constantly laid him on his back to sleep only for him to wake up five minutes later. i was concerned about a flat head with the rock and play so decided to put him on his tummy to nap during the day. he slept amazingly. this is when i realized that nolan is a tummy sleeper. i know what research says about putting babies to sleep on their tummies. it completely frightens me. landon was a back sleeper and still is to this day. he got to sleep comfortably from day one. nolan is a tummy sleeper and i can't let him sleep the way he is the most comfortable.
so as much as my mommy instinct is telling me to let my little guy sleep on his tummy, i will listen to the research. i will listen to social media. i will listen to mom groups. because i am a nervous nelly. and frightened of possible outcomes.
i am thankful for all the research, but life just isn't as simple to raise a newborn as it was 30 years ago.
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