I’m officially going to open the blog to one of the most talked about controversies in motherhood, co-sleeping. Before I had my son, it was one of things I refused to do! My mom, being a pediatric nurse, had always prepared me for all of the risks involved in it. So it became one of the many I said I would NEVER do. Little did I know that it wouldn’t be true...in the slightest.
What is Co-sleeping?
Co-sleeping is when your child sleeps within close proximity to their parents. It could be in the form of bed-sharing (sleeping in the same bed), sidecar arrangement (attaching a crib to one side of the bed while the other three remain intact), different beds in one room (having a bassinet, crib, or pack-n-play within reach of parent's bed), or even having the child welcomed into the parent's bed as needed.
My Co-sleeping Journey
My journey with co-sleeping actually didn't start right off the bat. It took a little experimentation to figure out what worked out for my family during different times with my children. With my son, we did different beds in one room until he was about four months old. A big part due to that my husband is a deep sleep and we were already squished into a tiny full size bed. So he slept in his pack-n-play at the end of room until 4 months and then was transitioned to the crib in his own room. As my son got older, he is now more of a welcomed into our bed if he needs it kind of child. He mostly sleeps in his toddler bed on his own rooms till, except for on nights that he cannot sleep or is sick. As for my daughter, the story is completely different. She has just hit the seven month mark, and has never been out of our bed.
Why I Love Co-Sleeping
The choice of how a family chooses to sleep is a personal one and I would never interfere with that decision. But co-sleeping has honestly been what has worked best for me and my family. Here's why...
It feels good. Co-sleeping has honestly given me some of my fondest memories as a mom. All in the comfort of my bed, I have watched as my babies slept curled in my arms, I have woken up to their smiling faces, I have heard them say "mama" at 6am, and I have had the sweetest cuddles. To name a few. And it has all been absolutely priceless.
It feels safe. During my whole time co-sleeping, I never really had any concerns for their safety. I felt reassured knowing that I was right by their sides if something was to happen during the night. If I had to, I could respond far quicker with them lying right next to me. Which is why we allow our son in our bed during the sick nights. If he were to throw up, I could easily reach the trash can to catch and feel better knowing that he wasn't going to choke on it with me not around.
No more tears. Having my babies close to me, I was able to attend to them with subtle communication. It is an act that denotes trust, commitment, and companionship. It allows me to let my children know that I will protect them at their most vulnerable. Co-sleeping has allowed me to attend to them sooner, letting them and myself get to sleep a lot faster. And when they did cry, I knew that there was genuinely something wrong and that they needed my attention quickly.
It makes breastfeeding SO much easier. I didn't have to get up half-asleep every night, turn the lights on, and walk to get them to nurse my hungry children. Co-sleeping let me just roll over, pull my shirt down, latch them on, and then continue on with the night. We could stay in bed, nurse, and nod off without even having to think twice about it.
I feel more attached. Think about it, co-sleeping gives you an extra 8-12 hours of pure love with your baby. The time that we spend snuggled up in bed, sharing our most quiet moments, is the when I feel the closest to them.
How to Co-sleep Safely:
- Never share a bed with your child if you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, extremely exhausted, or smoke.
- Remove all soft pillows and duvets from around the baby to prevent any potential of smothering.
- Ensure that your spouse is fully aware of the baby in the bed.
- Never place the baby between you and the wall, or near a gap where the baby could fall into.
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