Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Co-sleeping...

So I've been really busy working my way through the adoption education DVDs and pamphlets our agency requires. There is one thing that is highly recommended by our agency, and that is co-sleeping with the new baby.
So Adam & I are thinking about this...Simone, as any of you who were there when we brought her home know, was (and really still is) an extremely easy baby. In China, well that was a different story-she grieved terribly- but once we got home, and I brought her to her room and showed her the crib, and her toys and clothes and stuffed animals, well she let out a big sigh and visibly relaxed. And after that she was soooo easy! She was happy and loving to us, ate whatever we fed her, gave up the bottle with no fuss, was potty trained before 2, she was just an easy baby! And as for sleeping, we put a futon in her nursery figuring one of us would be in there with her, but she wanted nothing to do with it. She went to the crib the first night & slept through till morning, and did the same every night after!

It was only when we moved to TN that she started to sleep with me when Adam was out of town, and now she has somehow wormed her way in on weekend nights too. But we (ok, really I) don't mind, its really kinda nice. I started thinking that yes, I could get used to co-sleeping, especially if it helps with the bonding & attachment.


That is until last night- or should I say, early this morning! Simone had a bad dream and was talking/crying in her sleep, so I went in to check on her and up she popped with a big "Mama!". I brought her back to our room and then tried to fit in bed with her, Daddy, Ollie & Emma. No room. Ollie would not move a muscle, and all 16 pounds of him was taking up at least 1/2 the bed, and Emma wasn't helping matters. So being the nice person I am I didn't make the family, dogs included, move, I went to the spare bedroom - the really cold and not so cozy spare bed, I'd like to add for the record. Well, my darling little one wanted to sleep with me, so I trudged back in for her, and then for the forgotten stuffed animal, and then for the spare blanket, and by the time I'd gotten in the bed I was wide awake. Go figure, me awake in the early morn...and to top it off, chatterbox next to me was obviously wide awake too. Then in come the dogs, you know the ones so cozy in my bed that I actually moved rooms so they could sleep! Then Emma's nose was too cold and wet on Simone's legs under the cover, so as I am contorting my body to allow every one to be comfy, I re-think this whole "co-sleeping" load of rubbish! I want my own bed and my own covers and to be able to sleep! (I get a tad cranky when I'm woken in the middle of the night) Finally Simone drifts off to sleep, the dogs (aka my portable heaters) get cozied up and I'm finally drifting myself, and I think again, as I hear my sweet baby breathing softly next to me,
Yes, I could get used to co-sleeping, especially if it helps with the bonding & attachment...
J

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