Saturday, April 28, 2012

Co-sleeping

Sleeping and waking up next to a baby have their own pros and cons, but mostly pros - the cons just need adjusting to.

If you are a breastfeeding mom, co-sleeping is more convenient than having your baby sleep in his or her own crib or in another room. You don't need to stand up, just roll over to where your baby is, lift up your shirt, and let your baby do his or her thing while you continue on with your sleep.

Also, you can easily soothe your baby when he or she suddenly wakes up in the middle of the night crying. Sometimes, babies just need the comfort of your embrace, gentle pats on their buns, or a few strokes on their backs to get back to sleep. Co-sleeping allowed us to be there for Caitlin as quickly as possible everytime she achieves a milestone such as teething or sitting up and she gets irritated, uncomfortable, and couldn't rest on her own.

Co-sleeping also helped my husband Jay make up for the time he was away by snuggling with Caitlin at night.

But co-sleeping is not an easy thing to do the first time. The thought of having a baby near and the possibility of crushing him or her while you sleep soundly are enough for some parents to decide against sleeping with their babies on the bed with them. You also have to adjust to a smaller space and be conscious of the movements (and sounds) you make so as not to disturb the baby in his or her sleep.

Meanwhile, those who have fairly adjusted to a sleeping baby by their side are rewarded. They could wake up in the middle of the night with the soft, gentle touch or caress of their sleeping baby on their arm, neck, or face. They could wake up in the middle of the night with a still sleeping baby slowly crawling on their tummy or in the crook of their arm and finding his or her position there.

And when the morning comes, they wake up to the sight of a beautiful and peaceful-looking baby. When you stay long enough for your baby to wake up, you are greeted with the most wonderful smell in the world. A baby's natural scent is an aphrodisiac that easily captures the hearts of his or her parents.

It's no wonder why a "baby's breath" fragrance and skin care market grew.

At times, when your baby wakes up ahead of you, you'll be surprised at the many ways that he or she makes to awaken you too such as stroking your hair, patting you, hugging you, or even leaning against you and dancing.

When Caitlin was a newborn, we had her on a bassinet placed on our bed. It was a difficult time because the bassinet took up space and created a divide between Jay and I. When Caitlin grew out of the bassinet, we placed pillows between us to shelter her from our movements and create some sort of safe zone for her. Eventually, we put her on her crib while Jay confessed to having separation anxieties. Later on, Caitlin's back on our bed again. Her choice this time. But since she's bigger, she's no longer as fragile and we can move her around to make space for us. When she started moving a lot, we no longer put a blanket around her. She doesn't like it, and there's also the danger of suffocation. When it's cold, we put her on pajamas, but she's fine even without them.

Also, to co-sleep with your baby and still be comfortable, try getting a bigger bed.


- Mommy Smiley
Waking up daddy.


Sleeping on her crib.


Sleeping on a bassinet.


Who wouldn't love waking up next to that?

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