Thursday, March 31, 2011

Can't spoil a baby?

Before we left the hospital, the nurse told us that you can't spoil a baby .. so, hold her as much as we wanted to. This is also posted on several baby websites, printed in several baby books, and they all have one thing in common.  THEY LIE!

I do not believe this at all.  Most people I know that have babies, or have had babies, end up with the same problem.  During that first week, maybe longer, all you want to do is hold and cuddle your new baby.  There are visitors, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and they all want to hold the baby too.  Your baby never has to lay down anywhere because there seems to always be someone there to hold him/her.

So, what happens when all the visitors dwindle and the parents are so sleep deprived that they can't keep their eyes open any longer?  The baby cries and cries because he/she wants to be held.

This has been happening quite a bit lately with our little one.  She wants to be held a lot.  We can sometimes get her to be happy in a car seat, bouncy seat, or swing.  She does not like to lay down flat though.  So, she never sleeps in her bassinet, playpen, or crib.

Then, there are the pacifiers.  These can be wonderful things.  Kaitlin has become so attached to her's though, that she isn't very happy without it when she is sleepy.  I have no problem with her wanting it.  They have been proven to reduce the risk of SIDS, so I am all for it.  However, she is too little still and hasn't mastered keeping the pacifier in her mouth.

She does have a new toy that she finds most exciting!  Her grandma bought her this butterfly that lights up and plays music.  The lights project around her.  It makes little stars and moons on the wall and ceiling.  She loves this thing.  It will almost instantly calm her down if it's dark outside.  Unfortunately, she can't see the lights very well during the day.  At night, it's awesome though!!