Great Success

We made it through one night in the bedroom - sleeping in our bed! It was a great success! Clay slept from 1030pm to 230am, woke up to eat, and then slept until 0630am! He went back to sleep after that and Casey went and got him out of bed at about 730am! So, we have officially moved back into the bedroom at night! And I cannot tell you how happy we all are! We are officially "co-sleeping." Whatever that truly means - we are all just sleeping in the bed soundly!

Casey went and bought a toddler rail to put on our bed yesterday and that made a huge difference for me. I think part of the reason we haven't been sleeping in the bed is my anxiety about it. We have been told from day one not to let him sleep in the bed with us - which does make a lot of sense. BUT. And it is a major BUT. We are the only culture that does not encourage co-sleeping. Let me tell you why I think that is. (The following is loosely based on research, but mainly on my own interpretation of the research that I have read.) There is a higher incidence of SIDS in the US based on percentages. I HATE percentages. There are also more premature babies born in the US, there are more people per capita that smoke in the US, there are more low birth weight babies born in the US, and so on and so on. Those are all factors that may contribute to the higher percentage of SIDS in the US, yet the percentage of families that co-sleep is far lower in the US than anywhere else. Another contributing factor may be that parents may drink alcohol before co-sleeping, leading to a greater chance of suffocating your infant. (Really? - who would have thought.) Again, don't judge me based on this post, I am merely stating my opinion.

Having said all of that - I know, because I am a realist and educated, that I am not above SIDS. Just because Clay was not premature, we do not smoke, Clay was not a low birth weight baby, and we don't drink alcohol and go to bed, does not mean that we could not fall victim to SIDS. I am aware of this. The thought is bone chilling to me. But we are co-sleeping nonetheless. I don't tempt fate and I am not one of those people that think "it won't happen to me." I pray that is doesn't.

We take great care of Clay and would never put him in harms way. I truly believe that co-sleeping is the best choice for us and is most comfortable for him. We will continue to co-sleep until it doesn't work for us anymore or until the boys kick me out of my own bed!

Rant over.