Co-Sleeping

So interesting how our attitudes and beliefs evolve.

Before I had Eva, I thought that a baby should not 'control' the parent and should sleep in their own bed in their own room.

While Eva was an infant, I tried very hard to hold to that. She was up on average 5 times per night, and I would shuffle over to her room and doze while I nursed her sitting in a chair, then shuffle back to my bed, only to repeat it an hour or so later. During the days oh did we battle about her napping in her crib. Finally I gave up and then she napped beautifully in the stroller, in the car, and occasionally in my arms as I laid with her napping too. Sometime in her second year she did start napping alone in her crib, but wow could I have saved myself a lot of grief and sleep deprivation if I had just slept together with her from day one.

With Micah I always tried to start him in his own bed, but if he protested, I had no problem bringing him to bed with me. And I got to quite enjoy napping together with him. Even now he comes looking for Andrew at about midnight.

With Joshua, I prefer having him in bed with me. I like having his warm little body in my arms. I like knowing that he's breathing ok, and I like knowing that he isn't cold or tangled up in bars or bedding. I like not having to get out of bed to feed him. I like memorizing the look and feel of Infant Joshua. These times pass quickly. The kids are growing up before my eyes and it will only accelerate. Soon enough it will be hard to get a hug or a word from them. So I will treasure these times and cherish the closeness while I can.