Pros & Cons to Co-Sleeping

Co-sleeping was the one thing that I didn’t want to partake in with my newborn; well I wasn’t too keen on the idea.  I used to feel to each their own and I’m sure it could work for some people. 
Well after having a c-section and healing was up and down, Lloyd kept insisting that Sachiko sleep in the bed with us! YIKES! I was afraid I would roll on-top of her, squish her, bump her and so on, but night one went smooth.  I also forgot that I could barely move as it was because of the healing process from post-surgery. 
Lloyd also didn’t want our little one sleeping on her own as he felt her room was too cold for her, never mind the fact that he thought she was scared of sleeping alone.  Either way he had a few good points and let him leave her in the bed with us.  After a bit I loved having her there, the bed was nice and toasty on those cold mornings and was easier to tend to her when she woke up.  She used to immediately go into screaming fits when she was hungry and wouldn’t let up until her bottle or my breast were in her mouth for feeding time!
Ok so I admit it, co-sleeping is great and it was extra bonding time with our daughter but really the only one con that I could think up was where’s the daddy and mommy time????? So those odd occasions that we were able to get her into her crib we took advantage of them.  Movie in bed and lots of cuddling. 
Later, I did discover one other con… it was when I felt it was time to work on getting her in her own bed, and for all the time.  It took me a good three (3) weeks to even a month to get her sleeping thru the nights like she used to and so on.  I’m finally up to 12 hours of her getting a solid sleep, sorry to those who are still struggling with early morning feedings, but my daughter is sleeping like a toddler.  She was always a good sleeper from the start. She would wake up about every four (4) hours in the beginning, than every four to 6 hours by the time she was about four weeks old.  When she reached her 2 month mark she was already sleeping eight to 9 hours at a time and when she reached the three month mark her sleeping time jumped to 12 to 14 hours.  True bliss when you can get your infant to sleep all through the night. 
I wanted to start getting her into her own bed by around two (2) months, I figured the earlier the better it is for her in the long run.  I also happened to catch an episode of Dr. Phil, and I must say I’m not usually a fan of his show but this one I thought had some really good information regarding babies and toddlers.  Apparently, its recommended to start getting your little one in their own bed around four (4) to 6 months of age because it just gets that much harder afterwards.  One parent said her daughter was about a year old when she tried getting her into her own bed and every time she would put her to bed the child thought it was play time.  This was one struggle that I didn’t want to have to endure later down the road.  But with a little work and back to restless nights for about three (3) to 4 weeks wasn’t too bad and was worth it.  She’s sleeping very successfully on her own for 12 to 14 hours at night and this has allowed to start to catch up, assuming I don’t get caught up in my mommy-time!
The best way that I found to get your baby to stay in their own bed all night was to keep them in their room.  I would cradle her to sleep in her room and when she would wake up I changed her diaper and feed her a bottle in her room.  She would never leave her room at night, so if I had to make a bottle I would lay her back in her crib until I came back with it.  I think this also helped her to be more independent and more patient, she’s also gotten better with self-soothing herself.  I’m very proud of my accomplishment with her and I’m sure if she understood a bit more she would be too! What worked for you? or are you still working on the transition?

Labour and hospital time!

My contractions jumped so quickly, from one (1) hour apart to 15 minutes to eight (8) minutes and so on.  So my contractions, that I remember, started at seven (7) P.M. and I was at the hospital for 1:30 A.M.
The nurse hooked me up to their machines, gave me a clicker/button to use for when the baby made movement, and blood was drawn as well as the I.V was put in.  The machine was having a hard time reading the baby’s heartbeat and I felt no movement from her either.  The doctor moved me to a birthing room maybe a half hour later to monitor the baby a bit more closely. 
They set me up for an epidural, which is so painful.  The anaesthesiologist gave me the first needle to numb the area for the epidural, but in my humble opinion, it didn’t do anything for the pain that that needle caused me!  WOW! it felt like the needle was being wiggled into my spine and than I felt a very cold serum enter into my spine and ALL of the pain from the needle and the labour disappeared! Sorry I can’t even lie about it…
Shortly after, my doctor was having a hard time getting the babies vitals.  Every time I would have a contraction her vitals would drop, he broke my water and tried to “tease” her to get her to move around and still nothing.  Next thing I know I’m getting prepped for a caesarean.
While I was in the operating room Lloyd had to wait outside until they were ready, I am so happy that he was able to be there to support me and be by my side.  The doctors were in and doing their job and all of a sudden we hear a “Whoa”, all the nurses and doctors were in a sense shocked at what they saw…
Short panic on my end in my mind – is my baby ok?!?! But next thing I know I hear “its a girl!” come from over the curtain and a small wince from babes.  Everything was ok! The whoa was because the umbilical cord was in a true knot and the doctor showed us from over the curtain. Wow! This what was causing the babies vitals to drop every time I had a contraction, and I was so thankful for the steps that the doctor took to take care of me and most importantly my beautiful baby girl!
The doctors were doing a quick clean up of the baby and testing her Apgar Score and they called Lloyd over to see her and to take pictures.  He brought her over to me and all I could say to myself was oh my God she’s a mini-me and absolutely perfect!
It was official, we were parents of a perfect and healthy baby girl – 6lbs 11oz 20 inches long.  I didn’t even think about myself and the upcoming recovery, all I could think about was my new family, the overwhelming feeling for becoming a mother for the first time.  Welcome baby Sachiko (her names means happy child in Japanese and she was named after her great-grandma).
I was so grateful for the actions that my doctor took to make sure that both me and my baby were healthy, and of course to my loving husband for never leaving my side and being the man that I fell in love with.  I can’t forget my little munchie boo; am so grateful to have her in my life and from that point on ward I couldn’t imagine my life any differently! She is the perfect addition to our family and am excited to watch her grow!
This is one job that is the hardest job I have ever had but it is absolutely the most rewarding job that I will never want to give up.  My life is that much more complete with her here!