Co-sleeping

As a parent there are the common/typical questions That you probably feel like you are always being asked, at least that's how i feel.mi think we need to make a sure with all the answers, so when anyone asks those redundant questions, you can just tell them to ready your shirt. Kind of like the shirts I have seen pregnant women wear. Like this. Considering I work in the childbirth/ lactation field, I definitely get a lot of questions from friends, family, and clients. I am very open with the fact that we use the attachment parenting style with our children. I exclusively breastfeed ( yep even at age 1 my baby is still nursing *gasp*), I cloth diaper, made my own baby food, co-sleep, baby wear, we don't spank, and try to use positive reinforcement . I say try because we do use time-out/cool off time and take away toys as part of consequences for Kailyn. The question "do you co-sleep" comes up often. When I answer questions, I emphasize that our choices we make work for our family. They may not work for someone else's.  I try to never judge or make someone feel bad if I disagree with the parenting decisions they are making. Unless you are a lazy, selfish, non-involved, abusive parent, then yes I will judge you.
The easiest answer I can give when someone asked me why I co-sleep is, it works for us. Plain and simple, and to the point. Usually I don't leave it at that because that answer doesn't always satisfy someone's question. Here are the main reasons why we choose to co-sleep.
1. It works for us
2. Breast feeding in the middle of the night is convenient.
3. I feel more secure knowing my baby is right next to me
4. Mommy gets more sleep!!!!!
5. Bonding- not just for mommy but daddy too. Daddy has the opportunity to snuggle with Colton right when he wakes us in the morning without having to get out of bed. They get to just lay together and hang out for a bit.
6. Helped mommy with the baby blues right after birth
7. Helps with my milk supply
8.  Helps with attachment
9. Saves money since we don't need to buy a crib
10. Most of all I enjoy i
I could go on and on about the benefits and joy of co-sleeping. Colton does not sleep through the night. I can say without a doubt that putting him in a crib would not solve that issue either. We don't use the crying it out technique, I respond to his needs. So until he learns to sleep through the night on his own, I wont force it to happen. As he gets older, I may use some gentle techniques to encourage sleeping thought the night, but right now I am enjoying all the time I can get with my "baby". They aren't little for long, so I try to enjoy every minute I can get. If that means waking up 2 times a night to nurse, well then that's what I am going to do. I am his mom after all, its my responsibility to make sure all his needs are met. I will have the rest of my life to sleep thought the night.
A friend shared an article on co-sleeping that I want to share with my "millions" of readers. Its a very informative article regarding the benefits of co-sleeping. It also has a link to another article that gives information on how to safely co-sleep and in turn decrease the chances of accidents . Read and enjoy!
Benefits of Co-Sleeping