{31 Days} Preparing for Baby # 3 – to co-sleep or not to co-sleep, that is the question!
Welcome to my {31 Days} series this year! We will soon be welcoming baby # 3 and I realized that there is a lot I need to do before that happens! You can find all the posts in this series here. Thank you for following along with me.
I did not set out with my first child to co-sleep. We had the crib, the pack and play, the
swing, everything that we could use to put the child down in. Little did I know that I was going to become
such an attachment parent!
swing, everything that we could use to put the child down in. Little did I know that I was going to become
such an attachment parent!
With our oldest, she slept in a bassinet for the first
several months of her life. She was
comfortable in it, I was comfortable having her near me, and my husband was
able to help me after a very difficult labor which resulted in a caesarean.
several months of her life. She was
comfortable in it, I was comfortable having her near me, and my husband was
able to help me after a very difficult labor which resulted in a caesarean.
I was nursing, and I realized pretty early on that the
easiest way for me to nurse was lying down on the bed, with her next to
me. This led to her taking naps in my
bed (often with me falling asleep with her).
easiest way for me to nurse was lying down on the bed, with her next to
me. This led to her taking naps in my
bed (often with me falling asleep with her).
As fall got closer, I started to get nervous about her being
cold in the crib (which we had moved into our room because I didn’t want her in
a separate room), so we started putting her to sleep in our bed. It became really easy to put her to sleep, and
to get her back to sleep after a night time feeding. I didn’t have to worry about getting up,
going to another room. I like to joke
that it is because I am just too lazy to do those things J
cold in the crib (which we had moved into our room because I didn’t want her in
a separate room), so we started putting her to sleep in our bed. It became really easy to put her to sleep, and
to get her back to sleep after a night time feeding. I didn’t have to worry about getting up,
going to another room. I like to joke
that it is because I am just too lazy to do those things J
Co-sleeping is such a personal choice, as is every aspect of
having a baby. There is research to say
that it is excellent for baby-mama bonding, there is research that says it is
dangerous and should never be done.
Honestly, I feel like it is more of a child by child basis.
having a baby. There is research to say
that it is excellent for baby-mama bonding, there is research that says it is
dangerous and should never be done.
Honestly, I feel like it is more of a child by child basis.
When we brought home our second child, we were all living in
a very small section of our home because we were renting out the upstairs. Because of this, we didn’t have room for a
crib, so the baby was in the bed with me from the beginning…as was the 2 year
old. Again, it is what worked for us for
the time.
a very small section of our home because we were renting out the upstairs. Because of this, we didn’t have room for a
crib, so the baby was in the bed with me from the beginning…as was the 2 year
old. Again, it is what worked for us for
the time.
This time around, I have the bassinet, I have the pack and
play, but have given the crib to my sister-in-law. After picking such a nice crib, that I loved,
I realized I am not good at the crib thing.
I think part of the issue is that I am so short, and it is not easy for
someone short to put a baby in a crib…especially as the baby gets bigger and
the mattress needs to be dropped down.
play, but have given the crib to my sister-in-law. After picking such a nice crib, that I loved,
I realized I am not good at the crib thing.
I think part of the issue is that I am so short, and it is not easy for
someone short to put a baby in a crib…especially as the baby gets bigger and
the mattress needs to be dropped down.
While I did not go into parenting with the idea that I would
ever co-sleep, for our family it has worked out really well. I’m happier with our kiddos close.
ever co-sleep, for our family it has worked out really well. I’m happier with our kiddos close.
Did you make the
decision to co-sleep? Was it something
you thought of before bringing baby home, or something you ended up doing out
of necessity?
decision to co-sleep? Was it something
you thought of before bringing baby home, or something you ended up doing out
of necessity?
Brave post. Congratulations on your new little one! We co-slept with both of our kids based on research that I did before they were born. As time went on, though, it was just easier for me to nurse in bed, rather than having to get up to fetch them. My littles are 16 months apart and we have spent many nights as a family of 4 in a bed… They are older now and sleeping happily in their bunks, often in the same one:) They take care of one another in the night now and we feel good about the balance we've struck.
Good topic! Good luck this week:)