Sleeping Solo

I have been happily co-sleeping with my baby since he was a newborn. I decided early on after bringing him, our 4th baby, home from the hospital, that if I were going to be able to function I was going to need sleep. By having P sleep with me, he could nurse as needed over night and I could get some much needed rest. Aaron and I have shared our bed with 3 of the 4 kids when they were babies. I have no regrets.

Lately P has been more difficult at night. He would rather crawl around than lay down next to me. He would rather jabber than nurse. He isn't settling in for sleep the easy way that he used to. I think this means that it is time for P to get used to sleeping in his own bed. Over the past few months, P has slept in his bed for several hours on occasion. But, he has always been sound asleep when I put him there.

Tonight, I am trying to let P put himself to sleep in his bed. If he would lay still and nurse, or let me rock him, I would gladly do it. But, he is Mr. Fidget, so I decided we would try the cry it out way. It's definitely not my style to let my babies cry it out. I hate it. I really hate it. I just want to grab them up and snuggle with them. So, I sit hear and listen to him cry. Somehow, blogging about it makes it easier. Maybe because I have something to do.

I remember when C reached the age, right around 6 months, that he was done with co-sleeping. I tried rocking him to sleep but he would fuss and arch his back. So, one night, I just laid him down in his bed, sang him a song and left the room. C laid his head down and I didn't hear another peep. He went right to sleep. Ever since that day, C has been my easiest sleeper. Even when we moved him from the crib to a toddler bed before P was born, C was so good about going to bed.

I also remember when K was right where P is tonight. She wouldn't lay still, she didn't want to nurse, she didn't want to rock. K wasn't easy like C. I had to let her cry it out. I still remember those first couple times of letting her cry herself to sleep. It was so hard. But, after a night or two of crying, she decided sleeping in her own space wasn't that bad after all.

I know that P will get the hang of sleeping solo too. I hope it's soon. Tonight he only cried for about half an hour. He's quiet in there now. But, you know something? It's not only the babies that have to adjust to this change. It's the mama too. I miss having them with me, snuggled up next to my side. They grow up so fast. So, so fast.

Before we had children, Aaron and I were never going to let our kids sleep with us. But when you actually have kids, there are a whole bunch of things that change. Both Aaron and I love to have the kids come and snuggle. We keep saying that we need to get a king size bed since several nights a week we have an extra person (or two) in bed with us. I'm glad that even though all the kids eventually go to their own beds, they still come back in and snuggle once in a while too! I know that someday they won't want to do that, but until then, we'll continue to snuggle 'em up!