Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Cosleeping and new carriers!

The other day I got an email from a friend saying she was selling several choice baby carriers for a super-low price. (In case it has escaped your attention, I love babywearing. Carriers are now like shoes were to me in college.) We got an Ergo, which was previously cost-prohibitive; I'd never even thought of buying one. She also sold us an Ellaroo Podaegi, which Ellaroo no longer makes and is nearly impossible to find. Right now Suzi is breastfeeding in the Ergo as I blog. (Did you know you can breastfeed in an Ergo? I didn't!) If I can breastfeed Suzi hands-free I can get all kinds of things done. I could probably mow the lawn if I wanted to (but I'll leave that to Jordy).


I haven't had a chance to do much with the Podaegi, but did achieve a front carry with straps. Suzi wasn't in the mood to try a bunch of new things.


Grandma and Grandpa kept Suzi last night while Jordan and I attended Julie's class on Nighttime Parenting. The most important thing we learned was to trust our instincts. Julie told us that every behavior is undoable, but should be changed gently. So for instance, not like this. I once loved Supernanny but now that I actually have a child I'm seeing that many of her techniques wouldn't work for me. (However, I do love that she forbids parents to hit their children and that she talks to kids as though they are people.)

I feel so much better now about our nighttime situation despite ugly remarks from a few people. What I've most often heard is that cosleeping is for the good of the parents, not the baby. Heh, no. It would have been simple for us to let Suzi scream her head off and hyperventilate through the night until, finally, her spirit was broken. My maternal instinct said no. Some babies are able to sleep in a crib fairly happily; Suzi is just not one of them. She sleeps in our bed and that works for us.

7 comments:

Vicky said...

I think you should do what is best for YOUR family. I agree with trusting your gut instinct. Co-sleeping isn't for us, but my boys have no problem sleeping in their own beds.

gillian said...

I saw your comment on Mama Knows Breast blog about the Medela Freestyle pump and was curious how you were picked to fill out the survey? I'm expecting in December and plan on breastfeeding for 3months until I go back to work and would like to be able to pump at work but the pumps are so expensive! BTW..i live in SC too.

gillian said...

gratefulsoul at hotmail dot com

Jules said...

You MUST send me that podaegi picture for the babywearing site. Absolutely lovely!

Glad you enjoyed the class!

Anonymous said...

"If it makes you hhhhaaaappppyyyy, it can't be that bbbbaaaddd!" LOL...I like that song and thought it fit perfectly. I say, "More power to ya, you know whats better for your child, than anyone."

IA. said...

Same goes for us. When my baby was born, we let him sleep in his crib, but he didn't like it and we were sleepless for like six months! Then we figured we should co-sleep and we've been sleeping better since then!

Theresa said...

Good for you. Katy and Heath have always let the boys sleep with them. Toby has never liked it, but Bowen does. I think it just depends on the child. My nephew slept on a pallet in his parent's room until he was about 9. Whatever!! It's no one's business but yours! Sleep on!