Why I have loved co-sleeping with our child.

When I saw this article detailing an anti-co-sleeping campaign in Wisconsin my jaw dropped. Really?? Babies sleeping next to butcher knives?? This is the picture they are painting of a child sleeping in bed with the people that created him or her? Of course all families have different sleeping arrangements, what works for some may not work for others, but this attack on co-sleeping is just wrong, malicious, and deconstructive. In light of this recent campaign, I've decided to list a few of the numerous reason why sleeping with our child was the one of the best and most natural choices we've made as parents thus far.


1. We never had to buy a crib.
2. We never had to buy a port-a-crib. Traveling has always been a breeze; at a hotel, in a tent, visiting  family; we all can curl up anywhere!
3. In the infancy months, Graham and I will both attest to the fact that we probably got MORE sleep than we ever had before!
4. Night time feedings were (and still are) easy and smooth. I, literally, just lift my shirt up and continue sleeping.
5. He transitioned into his own bed (a mattress on the floor, first in our room, then in his own) extremely easily. He loves his room. And when he wakes up in the middle of the night he easily finds his way into our room. (Definitely easier because of living in a small apartment.) 
6. As an infant, we never had to "go get him" when he cried because he was always right there. Therefore, we rarely, if ever, had nighttime crying keeping us up.
7. We still have our "adult time" at night from the time he goes down (in his own bed) until we go to bed.
8. Makes going diaper free at night time all the more easy. If he wakes in the middle of the night, I just plop him on the potty which sits right next to the bed. During the day it stays in the bathroom. 

9. We get to cuddle with this little person we created.

10. We get to wake up next to this amazing little person smiling, singing, talking, kissing. The mornings have always been our most precious time of day.

11. The feel of his little hands gently rubbing my arm, the sound of his breathing...or snoring when he's stuffy, his tossing and turning, his whimpers when he's having a nightmare, his sleep talking. I love it all, and it's all been priceless.

12. And.... it makes for some great photo ops.