Journal
When my baby first emerged in the hospital, I felt a rush of emotions. I felt a deep love and also a huge fear that I would not be equal to the task of caring for her. Therefore in the hospital I asked every one in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit all the questions I could think of as I took my turns caring for my daughter. I found out that sometimes their opinions for caring differed and contradicted.
Then my mom came, who had just been trained in SIDS, and told us everything we had to do to prevent SIDS scaring the living daylights out of us. Sometimes her opinion also contradicted the nurse's. Finally I had the realization that our baby was my husband's and my responsibility and no one elses. We had to do what worked for us and our baby.
Yes we violated and bent some of the rules. Especially when we realized our daughter was a light sleeper and she loved to be with us. We let her sleep in the sleeper in our bedroom and sometimes in our bed with us. She sleeps with us most of the time now that she is a little older. I feel that co-sleeping is good for her.
Now I have gone from feeling overwhelmed and incapable to confident, positive, and competent. I realized that people are different and what works for some does not work for all. I realize that we will make mistakes, but our baby and future children will make it, and I have committed it to God.
Admonition
Most importantly in baby safety is to know your baby and know yourself. Being aware and sensitive to your baby and his or her needs is the crux of preventing SIDS or any accidents.
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