Sleep, Swings, "Flat Head Syndrome," and the Time Before Seat Belts.

    Today Jordan picked up a never used "baby swing" and we both decided that of all the swaddles, "baby genius's," strollers, play seats, etc., that "a book on sleep and then a baby swing" is the first thing parents should buy.  Why?
    Because of all the things you want a baby to do, "sleep" is the most important.
    "Why?" Because babies sleep most of their lives, that is when their brains develop, when their systems relax, and good sleep promotes more sleep.
    A fussy baby, a bad sleeper, will be agitated and hard to put down.  But ahh, had Jordan bought a book on sleep before she had the babies, then she says "she would have gotten off on the right foot!" 
   Healthy Sleep, Happy Babies" is what she's been reading and following.  I don't know how it got started, but the babies began sleeping in the car seats after we took them to the doctor at 6 days old.  We noticed that when they were in the car seats they slept well.  They were still going into the crib a lot, but at 4 weeks old both the babies had broncholitis and Gigi had to go in the hospital for 2 days.  The car seats elevated them so that they didn't get congested.  But it was taken too far and the babies have been sleeping in them day and night.
   Several days ago Jordan read that car seats can cause "flat head syndrome" and that one baby had SIDS while in a car seat.
   "That's it, we have to stop these car seats and get them back in the crib" she announced.  In the crib they are on their backs, not their stomachs.
    Of course when my children were little they slept on their stomachs, and all I remember is that we put them to bed.  John, my eldest, had colic at 10 months and would wake up and try and bang his head on the floor, but that was all of the sleep drama I remember.  The children didn't have to have car seats or seat buckles, you'd put your hand out to protect them if you were stopping!!!! When John was born we exchanged our purple MG for  a Triumph convertible and I'd drive him around in a little baby holder on  the jump seat in the back.  (Of course that idea is ridiculous!)  The only book I knew about was "Dr. Spock"!  I decided to breast feed because it was easier.  I never pumped and the only instruction was that "your milk will come in around the third day."
    But back to the "swing".  Jordan got a swing today and we put Gigi in it when she was tired and had finished her bottle.  She went right to sleep without a bottle or pacifier.  Now a rockers great, we'd rock the car seats all the time, but a baby swing, it rocks them on its own power!
   Yeaaaa, we were in heaven!