Room-sharing rascals!

Is your wee one room sharing with you?

It is so taboo because of the tabloids to use the term co-sleeping as they all seem to take that to mean dangerous bed sharing.

Bed sharing is not in itself dangerous. Infant mammals need to feed often and historically would always be kept close to hand by their mothers, nursed often and when wanted.

The first three months of a baby's life is described by some as the 'fourth trimester' and I couldn't agree more with that description. They arrive into this world with a brain just 25% of it's final size, so many complexities to yet develop - it is all a minor miracle. So to just deliver a baby and place it on it's own in it's own room is just a huge wrench and a light years away from the warm cozy world inside mom's tum - where there is constant warmth, touch, food and sound.

My little ones are room sharing rascals - I did this with my son for the first 5 months, then he went to his own room, just yards from us. My daughter is now ten weeks old and is still rooming with us. Most nights I hold her, but some nights recently she has let me put her in the bassinet next to me.

I don't begrudge holding her, but I do sleep a lot more deeply when she is next to the bed in the bassinet. I know that her little neurons are developing a secure attachment and she knows mommy will be there for her. I like that by hearing her stir I can rouse, feed her and put her back to bed, or keep holding her and neither of us have to get fully awake!

There are only a few things that make bed sharing unsafe and they include being in-toxicated, even a couple of drinks could make you unaware of your movements, or the location of your baby. Smokers are advised not to bed share. Be aware of loose bed covers, pillows etc. If you can have a seperate baby sleeper/ bassinet by the bed that is best. Basically so that you are sharing the room, but not the sleeping surface.

A friend put the thought in my head that because we are stopping at 2 kids - this will be my last time for room sharing with my little rascal, so the question is - will I be ready to give it up when she hits 5 months old...? Ask me again in 2 months time!