We came, we saw, we slept.

Having baby co-sleep with me was not our decision. In fact, there was no choice in the matter. After giving birth, there was no way this little one was NOT going to be by my side. I felt this overwhelming need to have him close. When the nurse wheeled us to our post-labour room and my husband went to catch a bit of sleep and it was just the two of us, I felt compelled to take him from his little plastic box on wheels and tuck him right in my nook. He felt right. And he fit in the nook nicely. My husband and I never really gave a thought to co-sleeping. My mother had even bought us a beautiful bassinette that we fully intended on using. That first night home (and the subsequent few days) were difficult. We found that baby actually calmed down when he slept nestled into me (go figure, a newborn life wanting to be close to his mother!) ,so we didn't fight it. My husband took up camp in the spare bedroom, and baby and I enjoyed late night reality TV. We became so comfortable and at ease that I often found myself awake with one breast out of the nighttime nursing bra, looking at baby and asking, "did I do that or you?" I slept. He slept. It felt right.

Our groove continued this way without much thought. I still had people quirk an eyebrow at me when I said I slept with my baby, "but won't you roll over on him?" they would enquire. I seldom dignified that question with any real answer. Please, ask any mom if she EVER sleeps the same way after giving birth. That said, little baby began to change. He became more mobile, more demanding, and we knew the time for the crib had come.

At around 5 months old, we began the transition. I would gently nurse baby to sleep and then with as much grace and ease as I could muster, I would put him in his crib and slowly walk out of his room, quietly asking the sleeping gods for a long rest. I often hit my elbow on the door or would click the doorknob too loudly and little baby would squawk and cry. I would curse under my breath and we would start the whole process again. He still woke up to nurse, but no more than he had sleeping with me. To be honest, I missed him beside me (and now had my husband's snoring to contend with) ,but I knew deep down that this was the right thing to do. Right??? Napping became a part of our day as well and although I was still nursing him to sleep, I felt that in a month's time, that would all change with solid food. Obviously, it did not and we knew we had a bigger problem on our hands. Our next hurdle: get baby to sleep without the comfort of the boob.