I was relaying our predicament to one of my patients last week. She couldn't believe we could survive such a heat wave with one little window unit (I survived my whole childhood in the midwest with a huge box fan sitting inches away from my bed and blowing directly at my face).
"and what about the baby, " she asked. I replied that Riesling is in a pack n play beside my bed, so she's nice and cool at night too. "God Bless you!" was her response. She was obviously surprised and thought it necessary to praise me on such an accomplishment.
I didn't really respond and our conversation continued on about the extreme heat and then on to staying properly hydrated. But later I got to thinking....God Bless me for what? Since when does having my wee little babe of only 4 month within arms reach throughout the dark of night make me a saint? I know there is a lot of controversy about co sleeping amongst moms, doctors, and whoever is making up the parenting rules out there. I know there are concerns about safety, attachment, lack of intimacy for the parents, blah, blah, blah. But, if I'm being honest, Riesling is next to my bed (and frequently in my bed) because it's easier for me. In some regards it has little to do with her. She's typically a good sleeper and only stirs around once, maybe twice, to fill her belly. When I hear that faint little whimper I lean over, scoop her up, and latch her on before she even think about opening her eyes. Easy like Sunday morning. Throw in a monitor and the 90 seconds it would take me to get to her crib in the other room and we are likely to have a full on awake baby. And getting an awake Riesling back to sleep in the middle of the night is another story entirely.
I know there are babes out there that sleep like a log the whole night through and other kiddos that do well with the crib right from the start. For me co-sleeping in one form or another just makes sense. It seems like what nature intended. Do you think there are little cubs of some sort getting dropped off at the cave, bush, or cubby hole next door to sleep so the mama can get a full nights sleep? Heck no because one little whimper and that babe is dead. Eventually our little cubs will find their independence and need mama less throughout the night, finding their way to a cozy little den of their own, decorated with a pink crib shirt and crisp floral sheets. For some babes that day may come sooner than for others. But does one way or another make us saints or better mothers?
