OUR FAMILY BED
When your baby wakes up to nurse in the middle of the night, do you hate stumbling through the dark house to find a place to nurse? Maybe you should consider a family bed as an option!
Elizabeth and Caroline snoozing in the family bed!
Before Elizabeth was born, I was sure that I'd never have my children sleeping in the bed with me.....how could anybody sleep like that? Needless to say, I changed my mind after my first child was born!
I had a beautiful nursery with a new crib, new comforter, matching dust ruffle and bumper pad, the whole nine yards all waiting for Elizabeth when she arrived home. I think she slept in it one time!
First I decided that I just couldn't have her that far away from me (across the hall!) in another room....what if she needed me? I pulled her bassinet in next to our bed and pretty much slept with one hand on her the whole time. I tried getting up to nurse in the middle of the night....but I was SO tired. (imagine, a new mother, tired! Who would have guessed?!) I soon got tired of that and started just putting her in our bed when she needed to nurse--much more convenient! I'd fall asleep, and there we'd all be in the morning....everybody well-rested and much, much happier!
Elizabeth decided that she wanted her own bed when she was about 4 1/2, and honestly I was a bit sad to see her go! Along came Caroline a few months later, and I never bothered setting up a crib. (why take up space with such a useless item?!) After Caroline was born, Elizabeth did decide to return to our bed every now and then....she couldn't let little sis get all the night-time attention, now could she?
A co-sleeping arrangement definately has worked for us. I couldn't imagine not having my baby right next to me through the night.
A great book to read if you're considering co-sleeping is "The Family Bed".
Here are several links on the topic. One that I've found particularly useful is "10 reasons for a family bed"--great to copy and give to your "skeptic" friends/family!!
NIGHTTIME NUTURING
AN EXPERT'S OPINION
10 REASONS
