Fourth Trimester

Sleeping

“As a new mom of a three-month-old, I have learned there are no hard and fast rules to parenting. What works for some, may not work for others. For example, as new parents my husband and I bought the most adorable crib bedding—like any excited mom and dad. When our son, Reece, came home we quickly found out that all the planning and preparation was good, but it didn’t prepare us for everything. For the first month, we tried repeatedly to put Reece in his crib and bassinet to sleep at night. He wanted nothing to do with either bed. His favorite place to sleep? His carseat. Yes, for three months he has slept in his carseat which we place IN his bassinet at night. Talk about feeling like a bad parent! The pediatrician says some babies like the feeling of being in the womb. The doctor says he’ll outgrow it—hopefully sooner rather than later! No harm done, just a new twist in our new journey of parenthood.”

—Leigh Searcy, Central Kentucky, mother of one son