FAQ: How do you co-sleep?

This one is a very funny question to me. As a mama who was once a co-sleeping baby/child, it seems odd when people don't understand what co-sleeping (also called family bed or bed sharing) is or how it is done. Many families do it many different ways and I have tried most them at one time or another. We found that what works best for us is this:

This is a real pic, of my real bedroom, with our real sleeping arangement. I tend to not make the bed(Gasp!). We took one side off our crib and sqeezed it between our bed and the wall. For more info on that click here. Squirrely typically sleeps in the crib (at least until she scoots herself over to me during the night). Then I sleep next to her. Bunny sleeps on the pink pillow in the middle. Papa sleeps next to the night stand. I am planning to switch Squirrely's and Bunny's places at some point. But for right now, Papa said he would prefer Squirrely to be on my side. We each have our own blanket to keep the blanket hog (aka Papa) from ending up with all the covers in the middle of the night. Also by having seperate blankets, it eliminates the chance of baby getting entangled by the bigger blankets.

After bathtime, around 7:00, we all pile into bed together. Papa reads a couple of stories, while I nurse Squirrely. Then I lay her down in the crib (unless she is fussy, then Papa snuggles her).  We turn out the light, and I nurse Bunny for a few minutes before she snuggles up to go to sleep. Once she is asleep, Papa and I usually head to the living room to hang out for a bit. Squirrely comes with us, and snoozes in her bassinet or snuggles with one of us until we go to bed around 10. I usually wake 3-4 times during the night to nurse Squirrel or take Bunny to potty. I keep a small basket at the bottom of the crib with a spare diaper, extra binky, etc. Papa rises early for work, leaving us girls to snooze til 7 or 8:00.

That is about it. This is what works for us. Some year, I hope to move Bunny and Squirrel to their own room together. But I am in no rush.

As for "Alone Time", the couch (or other places) works just fine...

If you have a question you would like me to answer, please leave it in the comments below or email me at hannahwhitewv@gmail.com with QUESTION as the subject.

Shared with~

Teach Me Tuesday
The Sunday Parenting Party
Mommy Moments
Mama Moments Mondays