4:30 a.m. came early for this little guy. And as tired as I become some days, co-sleeping is one thing I have never regretted while they are still nursing.
I have every good intention on starting off the evenings placing them in their cribs for the night. But there are those times when they need me to nurse them back to sleep because they don’t feel well. Sometimes they just want to come snuggle up because they need the reassurance that you are still there. Whatever the reason may be, to them it is comforting to know mother is consistent and present in their life.
I have a rule of thumb in my head when it comes to humans in general: If you are tired, hungry, or sick, then you need comfort of some sort. And when you are tiny, you need your mother especially. I always welcome this season of life because it goes so fast. And what a precious time it is. 
I know there is a place for routine and structure early on with sleep training, but for the sake of time (and for the fact there are several books already written on this subject) I am only going to note the positives that I have had on co-sleeping with my children.
Here’s the short of it…
If you want to co-sleep, do it. If you want to sleep-train, do it. Just don’t do one particular thing because a book told you to. This needs to be a shared vision for your family, prayed about, and discussed with your husband.
For the positive things that have come out of co-sleeping- I find that I am able to get in bed a lot earlier if I start them out in their bed first when they are sleepy. They eventually end up in mine towards the middle of the night to nurse back to sleep almost immediately. We both sleep through the rest of the night.
I love the bonding time that we have together for the first year and a half before another little sibling comes along to share his spot with mommy. The babies wake up so happy, refreshed, and that makes the morning smoother for everyone.
Babies digest mother’s milk so well that nursing babies wake up hungry more often than a formula fed baby. Because I do not supplement at all, I have experienced my little ones waking up less in the night if we co-sleep.
And I can make a pretty good argument on how many mothers from different cultures since the beginning of time have packed their nursing babies around in slings and co-sleeping until they are well past the toddler stage. This is a bonding period of time with that child because all babies need their mother’s love and nurturing.
I love the bonding time that we have together for the first year and a half before another little sibling comes along to share his spot with mommy. The babies wake up so happy, refreshed, and that makes the morning smoother for everyone.
Babies digest mother’s milk so well that nursing babies wake up hungry more often than a formula fed baby. Because I do not supplement at all, I have experienced my little ones waking up less in the night if we co-sleep.
And I can make a pretty good argument on how many mothers from different cultures since the beginning of time have packed their nursing babies around in slings and co-sleeping until they are well past the toddler stage. This is a bonding period of time with that child because all babies need their mother’s love and nurturing.
Mothers, you have the best ability to nurture your children out of anyone else in their life. God put it in your DNA to be this person. You are created to give comfort when they need your loving touch. And you are called to be life-givers when your children need you most.
Mother. What a privilege it is to be one.
Natalie