I put Sweet Pea in the church nursery for the first time Sunday.

My philosophy on this has always been that I keep my babies with me until they become a distraction to others.

We go to the worship service first and then we go to our small group afterwards.

Worship starts at 9am, which is also Sweet Pea’s naptime. Up until a few weeks ago, Sweet Pea would usually just sleep through everything in her car seat. I would then feed her at 11am while we were in our small group.

But then, Sweet Pea stopped sleeping well in her car seat. She became a distraction mostly to me because I was worried about her not sleeping (and as a result getting overstimulated) and I wasn’t really able to pay attention to what my attention should have been on: the sermon!

I was a little hesitant to try the nursery with her because of her overstimulation issues and stomach issues. I just feel that I am her Mama and I know her best and the best place for her is with me – at all times.

My good friend is the church nursery coordinator and she mentioned that there were only two babies on the roll for Sweet Pea’s class. When I heard that, I figured I could go ahead and try leaving her in the nursery since she would be only one of two babies.

I figured if I took Sweet Pea’s portable sound machine to the nursery she might would sleep in her car seat.

We got there Sunday and I swaddled Sweet Pea in the miracle blanket and put her in the car seat with the sound machine plugged in nearby.

I explained about Sweet Pea’s overstimulation issues and said I would come back to feed her myself.

And then I left.

Of course, that Sunday I still didn’t hardly pay attention because my mind was constantly thinking about Sweet Pea! I just kept picturing her overstimulated and screaming her little head off. But I had a beeper and they promised to beep me to come get her if she cried at all.

I thought about running back there to check on her between the service and small group, but I said, No, she is fine. They would have beeped me if she is having a hard time!

I sat through small group again with my mind constantly on my little Sweet Pea.

At 11:20 I rushed to the nursery to feed Sweet Pea and found her sitting, happy as a little June bug, on the nursery worker’s lap. She was one of two babies and every thing was calm and quiet.

Sweet Pea had taken a short nap (short nap is better than no nap!!) and the nursery worker said she had been happy the whole time!

YAY!!! I was so relieved to know I CAN leave her and she will do just fine (as long as everyone is aware of her overstimulation issues and keeps things calm for her, which they did).

Sweet Pea came home from church and took a 3-hour nap and was her usual happy self the rest of the day too.

- Elaine