There is a lot of controversy when it comes to the topic of co-sleeping. Some people are for it and some are against it. At the end of the day you should do what works best for you. Never let any other mother, parent, family member, article or book have any influence on what you’re doing.
When I was pregnant I was getting so much unwarranted advice from family and even strangers about co-sleeping. Everyone always had something negative to say about it, so of course I was afraid to co-sleep with my baby from listening to other peoples ridiculous opinions.
While pregnant with my daughter I was worried about EVERYTHING and the negativity behind co-sleeping just added to my worrying and anxiety.
You always want the best for your baby and when you’re pregnant you’re vulnerable and feel like you should seek the advice of others. Listening to everyone’s opinions and concerns swayed me to say we would never co-sleep.
Well…..Guess what????
We co-sleep with our daughter sometimes and it has been the best thing for our family.
The first few months after my daughter was born she slept in her bassinet in our room most nights. There were some nights when she just wouldn’t go to sleep unless she was in the bed with us, but those nights were very few.
Around 5 months when she started teething, the sleeping through the night ended. She would wake up 2 times a night and sometimes more. I became a pacifier for her had in the middle of the night and it was rough.
Waking up 2-3 times a night to nurse her and try to get her back to to sleep was exhausting. As soon as she would fall asleep I would try and put her back in her bassinet and as soon as I put her down she instantly woke up.
One night, after she woke up in her bassinet, I nursed her back to sleep and laid her next to me. That night she slept through the night and I was able to get a good nights rest. I woke up the next morning not feeling like a mombie and I actually felt rested. It was amazing to be able to have her sleep with us and be able to sleep through the night.
When she stopped teething for a bit, she went back to sleeping in her bassinet through the night. But I knew that once the teething started again she would need me to soothe her and we would be back to co-sleeping.
I talked to my husband about her sleeping with us and he was all for it. He wanted us to do whatever we felt was best for our child regardless of what anyone else had to say about it. When you are tired and the only one that can comfort and soothe your baby, you’re going to do what you need to do so that everyone can get rest.
I love waking up next to her and seeing how peaceful, comfortable and happy she is. It has been much easier on both of us when it comes to nursing at night and it’s been very comforting and nurturing for her and she falls asleep faster.
I have had people give their opinions about co-sleeping being a bad habit and honestly I’ve heard it so much it goes right over my head.
We are doing what is best for us and that is what everyone should do when it comes to taking care of your baby. Don’t let societal pressures affect or control what you are doing for YOUR child.
Whether you decide to co-sleep or have your baby in a crib or bassinet, you know what’s best for your baby and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
What are your thoughts on co-sleeping?
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