A Breakthrough

We had a breakthrough in our house tonight...our toddler asked that Daddy stay with him until he fell asleep INSTEAD of Mama! This has never occurred and for this bedtime battle-weary Mama it was a beautiful moment. I can see hope for a sibling for my wonderful, energetic, blessing of a first born.
For those of you who were blessed with those unusual babies who love to sleep and love their own beds, you can now go enjoy your evening as you may always do. For the rest of us with children who are less enthusiastic about sleep and being in bed by themselves, you are not alone!
We embraced the idea of co-sleeping and a family bed long before we ever talked about starting a family. So when we had our son we naturally just kept him close in our bed and strictly followed safe bed-sharing rules. (see bottom of this post) However, every Mama has their limit of breastfeeding all night long just because its there; of playtime at 3am just because they think its morning; and of waking up in a puddle of pee with your pretty much toilet trained two yr old sleeping peacefully beside you.
So into the big bed we went! A very slow and peaceful transition to his own room and bed worked nicely. However, soon came the "one more story", "a drink of water", " I have to pee...again", and " sleep here Mama". I am embarassed to say I often become frustrated very quickly at bedtime, mainly because I know how tired he is ( and how tired I am) and I really want him to be rested for the next day. Of course, he doesnt see it that way. He sees one more chance to tell me his favorite story, look at the stars on his ceiling, or try out his aim in the potty.
With all due respect to Daddy, he has offered and tried many times to take over the bedtime routine. But with inconsistant evenings for work and a Mama-lovin' little guy, it has left him gallantly trying to not feel rejected. So tonight he was a proud Daddy...good job, my hunny, you've got a new best friend!

Safe Bed-Sharing Rules!

v Push bed against one wall and place baby on the bed between mom and wall. A mesh guardrail is sufficient as well until baby is crawling.


v The best way is to simply put the mattresses on the floor

v Place baby on their back to sleep until they are able to roll over on their own

v Baby must sleep only with mom or mom and dad. Only moms have the maternal instinct to respond to their baby’s needs, dad’s do not. This is why we keep baby between mom and wall, not between mom and dad.

v Use a large bed, preferable a queen or king, or two doubles pushed together on the floor ( as long as baby cannot fall between the mattress)

v Keep bedding tightly fitted, avoiding flat sheets and heavy comforters.

v Have a separate blanket for baby

 
Do Not Co-Sleep If:




v You are under the influence of any drug, such as alcohol or pain meds, that would diminish your sensitivity to your baby’s presence

v You are extremely overweight

v You are exhausted from severe sleep deprivation

v It is not your baby. That includes immediate family member such as siblings or grandparents.

v You are breastfeeding on a soft surface such as a sofa or futon.

v You are a heavy smoker

v Avoid heavy perfumes as this can irritate baby’s airways