Sweet sleep

One of my favourite books is 'Baby Wisdom', by Deborah Jackson. She has a quote from John Seabrook, he says ' Co-sleeping is like the fine print at the bottem of the breastfeeding contract'. It is really hard to keep breastfeeding if your baby is in another bed. A bottle fed baby is quicker to sleep through the night. Breast milk is richest and most nourishing at night, and that is what baby wants. So they wake and feed regularily through. If they sleep in the bed with you, you both get to sleep. I don't know how often my son wakes during the night, I stick him on and back to sleep we go. He is now old enough to move his head and latch on himself. We wake up rested, and I am able to cope with my two year old. If I didn't have him in with me I would be bottle feeding him by now (he's four months).

Doctors, nurses, midwives, they tell us not to sleep with our baby. We might roll over on them , they might over heat, supffocate in the blankets. They have so many scare stories that research has shown isn't true (reference 'Baby Wisdom' again). The fact that society frowns so much on co-sleeping, shows just how unsupportive it is of breastfeeding. Most mothers, me included, feel guilty about having their baby in the bed with them, and try their best to move them to their own crib. Baby still wants breast regularily through the night, then mother thinks something is wrong because baby won't sleep at night. They blame themselves for having 'spoilt the baby'. Exhausted, anxious and frustrated, mother finally takes advice given by all and tries a bottle to settle baby at night. This works and bang, mother stops breast feeding. Then mother feels guilty for no longer breastfeeding. Ours is not a mother friendly society.

I try my best. I tell every mother I meet that my babies sleep in my bed. Not in an 'up yours', like it or lump it attitude that some co-sleepers have. I try to be more, 'it's okay, I do it too.' And guess what, all my kids moved into their own bed with no problems, they all settle really well, and sleep well during the night. Neither of the older kids try to get back into our bed, there is no issue. Its okay, get some sweet sleep and cuddle with your baby.'