Moms Circle, 11 August 2010

Testing Our Reflexes

Testing Our Reflexes

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Along with several new moms (new to our group, that is) and a sizable gathering of really wonderful moms and babies that were a joy to be around, we had a guest speaker today who discussed the important of infant reflexes, and their lifelong repercussions.  Myra Moyryla explained how she determines whether a specific reflex needs work in a person of any age, and how the reflexes can be integrated (at any age), in such a way that the individual gains the control and comfort that was missed at some point in their development.

As Myra described some of the typical behavior one can expect from people who missed a normal reflex development, people in our group kept piping up with, “That’s my husband, exactly!” or, “Now I know why I…”  It seemed to really make sense to a lot of people.

Myra also led us in some simple exercises to determine what reflexes of our own might need work.  She told us how, in her work with Masgutova Neuro-sensory-motor reflex integration, she has seen many people resolve lifelong issues, some quite visually dramatic, and others that may have successfully hidden their difficulties behind a social veneer but now are able to really live the easy comfort they have been pretending.

Her talk really reinforced the importance of trusting baby bodies to do the important things they need to do, and to support them in their development with bodily contact and freedom of motion so that they can experience and integrate the biologically appropriate reflexes when appropriate.  She warned that the trend of putting babies in containers endangers their smooth evolution towards comfortable, well-balanced, confident adulthood.

And on that note, we got to the babywearing:

Dana wearing 1 year old Jocelyn in a rebozo hip carry

Dana wearing 1 year old Jocelyn in a rebozo hip carry

Upright in a ring sling--exact same position as with a rebozo, but this baby is on the front (tummy to tummy) instead of on the hip as in the above photo

Upright in a ring sling--exact same position as with a rebozo, but this baby is on the front (tummy to tummy) instead of on the hip as in the above photo

Laura accomplishes a back carry!

Laura accomplishes a back carry!

Wrap Your Baby Shipping

I’m going to just blog up my shipping policy to explain myself to anyone who’s interested:

I ship the cheapest way I can, because I hate paying for shipping and think most of you probably do, too.  If I can, I fit a wrap into a flat-rate priority mail envelope (which is a fast service, as well, at 2-3 business days).  Sometimes this involves some squeezing and jamming of the wrap.  As wraps are pieces of fabric, I feel fairly comfortable doing this.  Sometimes an instructional DVD is included and I have not yet had one damaged, but I would hope that a customer would let me know right away if anything made it to them in less than intact shape so that I could replace it.

Some of the wraps cannot fit into the flat rate envelope and Priority Mail is not always the cheapest method.  Storchenwieges are much bulkier than the other wraps I sell, for example.  When this is the case, another method of shipping will be chosen.

I’ve recently added International shipping option to my website.  For now, it’s going to be $8 extra if I can fit the wrap in the flat-rate Priority Mail envelope.  If not, I will contact the customer to let them know that there will be an additional cost.

For International orders, add your desired item or items to the shopping cart and then go to the shipping page to add “International Shipping” to the cart.  Place your order and if any additional payment is necessary I will contact you to discuss it.

Let me know what you think, and whether my shipping policy meets your needs well enough!  Email me or comment here with suggestions.

Moms Circle, 28 July 2010

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We discussed how to make sure our weekly meetings were friendly to toddlers and big kids and their mothers, as well as babies.  We realized that there had been an expectation that the children stay (relatively) quiet, and remain in the part of the room with the toys, so that the mothers and babies in arms could maintain a (relatively) peaceful circle of discussion.

While this doesn’t sound outrageous, the very relationship that we encourage mothers to develop with their infants is just as valuable as the infant grows, learns to walk (and run) and talk (and yell).  Because we want to avoid situations and environments in which our children must be disciplined to act in a way that was not easy for them, this group meeting was proving disruptive of family relationships for some of the moms.

So it was important to discuss what was expected by the church that hosts our group, what was necessary to make it possible for the mothers to share experiences with each other (the function of the group), what was important to the moms as far as freedoms and safety for their children and for the babies.  By clarifying actual group expectations we could discard those we had assumed were in place that might not have been important to the group, and at the same time everyone in the group is now aware of what is expected of the kids.  That way we all know what the rules are that the group is comfortable with and can choose to be part of the group without worrying about whether our children are too disruptive.

Along the way we concluded that interruptions by toddlers, and continual gentle mothering of them throughout the meetings was valuable not only to the mother and child, but to the new moms whose infants were still in arms, and to all of the other mothers as each interaction is an example from which we can all take or leave the elements that we see working or that appeal to our parenting styles.

We discussed cloth diapers for Jennifer who is pregnant now, and discussed nighttime diapering for Amy, whose son leaks through cloth or disposables at night (luckily another mom of a boy figured out the anatomical problem and solution).

We discussed wrapping (yay!), including what position a tiny infant’s legs should be in, Shelby wanted to get her toddler wrapped up in a back wrap cross carry tied over her new baby bump.  Anna wanted instruction on a good rucksack carry.  Jennifer tried out a front cross carry (Belle was happy to accommodate).

Naomi and Anna in a Rucksack Carry

Naomi and Anna in a Rucksack Carry

Jennifer trying out a baby and a Front Cross Carry

Jennifer trying out a baby and a Front Cross Carry

Amy and Shawn in a Short Front Cross Carry

Amy and Shawn in a Short Front Cross Carry

Custom Wrap Straps

 

Rucksack Carry crossed over chest

Rucksack Carry crossed over chest

Most back carries with a wrap will have either rucksack straps (the wrap comes straight down from your shoulder and goes underneath the same arm like a backpack–or vice versa, from under one arm to over the same shoulder) or are crossed across the chest so the wrap goes from over one shoulder to under the opposite arm.

A lot of people like rucksack straps because it saves having to find a way to spread the wrap across your chest without looking funny.  A lot of people like rucksack straps because they’re cooler, and use a little less fabric.

Some people don’t like rucksack straps because they pinch, or cut off circulation, or feel like they’re going to slip off your shoulders.  It varies by individual.

If you are not comfortable with rucksack straps, do the same carry but cross over your breasts instead of doing rucksack straps.  If your wrap is long enough, you also have the option of tying Tibetan (instead of doing the cross) to pull the straps together in the center and relieve any pressure or prevent slippage.

Conversely, if you do not care for a cross in the front, you can still do your favorite, traditionally crossed, carry, but use rucksack straps instead of a cross.

Today I took advantage of the versatility of a wrap to switch from rucksack straps to crossed in front.  Belle was asleep in a short Double Hammock Carry (tied under the bum) and after a while my arms started to feel tingly, even though I am usually completely comfortable with rucksack straps.  I switched to crossed and she stayed up there for another hour.

 

Double Hammock Carry crossed over chest

Double Hammock Carry crossed over chest

Back Wrap Cross Carry with rucksack straps

Back Wrap Cross Carry with rucksack straps

Pinning Down and Wrapping Up a Wiggly Toddler

Back Wrap Cross Carry with rucksack straps

2.5 year old

first you find the middle

first you find the middle

 then you throw yourself over your kid after running around in the livingroom trying to catch him

then you throw yourself over your kid after running around in the livingroom trying to catch him

lift him by the arms

lift him by the arms

fly him up and TRY to put him on your back

fly him up and TRY to put him on your back

finally!

finally!

bend forward and spread the toddlers legs so that he wraps them around your back

bend forward and spread the toddlers legs so that he wraps them around your back

push the fabric under his bum all the way to the knees

push the fabric under his bum all the way to the knees

 pull the fabric straight forward to tighten the belt (no hes not sleeping hehe)

pull the fabric straight forward to tighten the "belt" (no he's not sleeping hehe)

squeeze one end of the wrap between your thighs. Grab the upper rim of the other and put it over your arm and shoulder and bring the wrap around the toddlers back

squeeze one end of the wrap between your thighs

Grab the upper rim of the other . . .

and put it over your arm and shoulder . . .

and put it over your arm and shoulder . . .

 

and bring the wrap around the toddlers back

and bring the wrap around the toddler's back

spread the wrap

spread the wrap

tighten well and bring the wrapend under the toddlers foot and squeeze it with your thighs

tighten well and bring the wrapend under the toddler's foot and squeeze it with your thighs

do the same thing

do the same thing

make a comfortable shoulder

make a comfortable shoulder

voila!

voila!

 

 now you can rock on!!

now you can rock on!!

3.6 meters: Shorter Wrap Options

Nursing in the Short Front Cross Carry

Nursing in the Short Front Cross Carry

I dedicated yesterday to my 3.6 meter Inka Storchenwiege.  It is one of my very favorite wrap colorways, has been used plenty and is floppy soft, and I used it in July in Florida, albeit mostly indoors.

I am something like 5’3 and 115 lbs.  The 3.6 was too short for FWCC or BWCC, but there were a lot of carries I could do.

Front carries with 3.6 Inka:

Hip carries with 3.6 Inka:

Back carries with 3.6 Inka:

  • Rucksack and Tibetan Carries
  • Back Wrap Cross Carry with rucksack straps (instead of crossed over chest)
  • Double Hammock Carry tied under bum (instead of tied in front)
Robins Hip Carry

Robins Hip Carry

Moms Circle–Vaccines

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Instead of our usual format, our moms circle invited a guest speaker today.  Doctor Holly Johantgen is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, an Acupuncture Physician and a Primary Care Physician in Clearwater Florida, as well as a mother of two young children.  She fielded questions about vaccines, and we snuck some other questions in, too, while we had her.

What I took away from her talk was that there are prevalent assumptions about vaccines that should be questioned.

  • Vaccines may not protect your child from disease.  Some people feel that getting the whooping cough vaccine will not necessarily keep your child from getting the whooping cough.  If it doesn’t work, this simplifies the whole decision-making process–so it’s worth doing your own research into the subject.
  • The benefits may not outweigh the risks.  Vaccines carry known risks, a fact well illustrated by the existence of the Vaccine Injury Compensation Trust Fund.  Each vaccine could be examined individually as to the risks, and the risks of the relevant disease should also be investigated.  If a vaccine does effectively prevent a disease, it may still have side effects or risks that are worse (or likelier) than the threat of catching the disease naturally.
  • Some vaccines may not be necessary for every individual.  Investigate each one individually to decide whether your children need to be protected from Hepatitis B, polio, chicken pox, tetanus.  Consider that some vaccines can be administered later if and when they are deemed necessary (ie when you are ready to take your child overseas or when your child steps on a dirty nail).
  • The standard recommended vaccine schedule may not be best.  Vaccinating infants does, without a doubt, compromise their otherwise (hopefully) healthy immune systems.  Many doctors recommend delayed vaccinations.  Doctor Holly recommended waiting until your child is at least two years old, but said that according to oriental medicine, a person’s body would be better able to handle vaccinations between five and seven years old.

If you are worried about a particular disease outbreak, ask whether the kids contracting the disease have been vaccinated or not.  If they are vaccinated, there is no reason to sabotage your child’s immune system at this critical time with a vaccine that does not work!

If you are unsure about vaccinations, Doctor Holly’s advice is to WAIT.  Don’t vaccinate until you are sure, because it is a decision that cannot be undone, and which has lifelong ramifications.  You can always decide to vaccinate, but once done you cannot become un-vaccinated.

If you do choose to vaccinate your children, do everything you can to support their immune health before and after the vaccines are administered.  Nutrition is the biggest contributor to your child’s health. Leading up to a vaccination, keep your child’s diet free of sugar and as packed with nutrition as you can!  You can also visit with a Doctor of Oriental Medicine for herbs or supplements that might assist your child’s body in handling the vaccine.  If you do choose to vaccinate, read ingredients, insist on thermisol-free vaccines, and record the batch number.

If you choose not to vaccinate your child, it is also important to support their immune health.  Again, nutrition is the best thing to tweak.  In fact, I could just say that if you are a parent–regardless of whether your child is vaccinated–look to a good diet to keep your children healthy!

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Cloth diaper meet-up

Tuesday the Pinellas Cloth Diaper Chatter group had a meet-up at the beach.  We love cloth diapers, but for me, everything is about baby wraps!

Amy has a new Lou Neobulle in a shorter size than her other wrap and wanted to know what carries she could do with it.  She knew she had a good rucksack going for her, but what else?  We played around and discovered that she can do an abbreviated Front Wrap Cross Carry, a Short Front Cross Carry, or a hip carry.  She did a good Hip Cross Carry, and we considered some variations of the Poppins Hip Carry and Robins Hip Carry, neither of which have I managed to get instructions for up on my site yet!  Another back carry option with a shorty is the Reinforced Rear Rebozo Rucksack.

Somehow I managed not to take any pictures of all that, but I did snap one photo of Angela in her new Silver Waves Didymos–I loved it!

 

Silver Waves Abbreviated Front Wrap Cross Carry

Silver Waves Abbreviated Front Wrap Cross Carry

Moms Circle, 14 July 2010

Today I helped Amanda and Julie get their babies on their backs in double hammock carries, and helped Dana’s cousin wrap her itty bitty up in her Moby.

Dana

In conversations we addressed topics as varying as coping with potential medical problems (and the question of trusting doctors), to boundaries in the physical relationship of parents and children (I think as a group we agree that every family must find what is comfortable for them) and how the kind of relationship we establish with our little ones will impact their future relationships.

We discussed how to get better rested when your baby is waking more often.  Dana pointed out how fleeting babyhood is, suggesting that a tired parent remember that a) this wont last forever and b) it is worth treasuring now.

We briefly touched on cloth diapering, specifically for newborns.  Since it’s my blog, I have the privilege of remembering and relating only my recommendation: for contour diapers with elasticized legs.  Cheaper than fitteds, containing of that liquid breastmilk poop, and able to fit snugly around a tiny newborn with a snappi.

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Moms Co-op

At our Moms Circle today, we decided to form a mothering co-op. We’ll start next week at my house.  Tuesday, 6 July 2010, I’m opening up my house at 9am for a playdate in which some of the moms will stay and hang out, and some moms will drop off their babies/kids and go take some “me” time.

This is our first get together.  It’s something of a trial.  We’ll see how many people show up, and how many plan to stay versus how many want to leave.  We’ll play it by ear and see how we can improve it to make it the most beneficial for each of us.

If you want to come and don’t know where I live, email, comment, or send me a message on Facebook.

In summary, come at 9am or any time later.  I have somewhere to be in the afternoon, so I’ll probably need to kick everyone out by 1pm or soon after.  That means you should be back to pick up your kids by then or they may be sold to gypsies.  Hmmm, I guess I should make everyone sign a form to that effect when they show up!

Moms’ Circle 23 June 2010

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Evelyn began our discussion today with an admonition that we are here to support each other, and not to nitpick the particulars of our parenting choices.  We are better mothers when we are emotionally (and physically) available to our children.  As the mother, we are often wholly responsible for our children all the time, without someone playing a similar role to our needs.  As a group we can provide that for each other, emotionally recharging each other.

Perhaps it was this opening suggestion, but we had rather a teary time today.  It was amazingly wonderful to get together with moms and babies and siblings, and also get to hear out the travails and hardships some of us are facing.  We have enough in common that we can share the experiences and feelings even when the circumstances are different.

The discussion touched on loss of a loved one, dealing with our emotions while raising our babies and the effects it will have on them, fear of changes and an unknowable future, communication with spouses and relationships, feelings of not contributing enough or not being appreciated, and we shared advice on teething, sleeping, and, of course, babywearing!

We glowed happily for Ainsley and Susan who missed the group today because they are home with their brand new nurslings, and we congratulated Susan’s husband and son who came by to visit.  We welcomed Michelle who drove down to our meeting from Alabama, and who we’ve missed since she moved, and marveled at her growing girl.  We were happy to see moms who haven’t made it for several weeks, and a new mom, too.  We joyfully met with the moms who make it every week and who we look forward to seeing each Wednesday.

We had to disperse rather rapidly at the end as it had gotten late and everyone had to go but no one wanted to.

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This week.

I’ve hardly been on the computer the past week.  I haven’t blogged, I’ve let my messages and emails go stale, and I couldn’t take pictures because the old ones weren’t uploaded.

I did:

  • spend the Solstice with my daughters and some friends (aged 5 and 2).  We made suns out of clay and out of tissue paper, and blew big, rainbow bubble spheres to dance around with.
  • clean my house and hide gifts for a daddy scavenger hunt.
  • have family over for a Father’s Day Party.
  • paint bookshelves, and color code our books.
  • rearrange the dining room for more crawling space.

I had a lovely, slow, non-technological kind of week.  But I missed blogging about our last mom’s meeting, and I had a lot of messages to catch up on.  The fact is that I love writing, love staying touch, and have an internet business to keep up with.  I love technology too.  The fact is, there just aren’t enough hours, so we juggle as best we can!

Babywearing is a Tool

BabywearingTool

The end is a happy, thriving child; a relaxed, loving mama; and a strong bond between them.  The means is the baby wrap.

Wrapping made mothering less stressful and more fun.  Let’s face it, this society isn’t exactly tailor made for women with children.  Sometimes it’s a pain to function with children in this society.  Wrapping made it easier.

I love wrapping, and I love helping other moms and babies get wrapped up together.  But lets be clear here, not wearing your baby is not a problem for me.  If you think I looked at you askance when you said you didn’t want to wear your baby, it’s likely because I was trying (and failing) to imagine how that would work.  I wasn’t passing judgment, just hoping it worked out!

When I promote babywearing, I am doing it because it can help moms.  I believe we all want to keep our babies happy.  This is the best and easiest way I know of doing it.  So it helps babies, too, because babies are kept happier, easier.

Strollers: a cultural quirk

“It’s not so wonderful. In Africa, we just carry our children or let them roam. They can’t sit like lumps.”

The above is my favorite quote from this article about trying to introduce this staple of modern parenthood into the mothering routine in Kenya.

In the US, we talk about babywearing enhancing the relationship between mother and baby.  In Kenya, where strollers are not the norm, they worry that the introduction of the stroller “may damage the relationship between a mother and a child.”

The shift in viewpoint produces more dramatic language that specifically calls out the stroller as a potential danger.  It’s interesting to note that even those of us who shun the device are colored enough by our culture to refer to babywearing–and not strollers–as the alternative, discussing babywearing benefits instead of stroller hazards.

“It’s just not Kenyan…For the child, the love will not be there if the child is cooped up in such an antisocial device.”  Do we really want that description labeled “American” instead?

Stuck at home?

We nurse often, but we aren’t stuck at home because we happily nurse everywhere!

We cloth diaper, but we aren’t stuck at home because wet bags make it easy to cloth diaper on the go.

We EC (elimination communication) too, but with a potty in the trunk and lots of bushes and restrooms, that’s easy too.

We homeschool, but that takes us everywhere but home.

Yes, I have a five month old baby, but I’m not stuck at home.  Thank goodness for my wrap!

  • I can go anywhere with my baby without the limitations of a stroller.
  • In the wrap we can nurse while shopping, wading, chasing, and reading books in the children’s section of the library.
  • While wrapped up, Belle doesn’t pee, so it’s easy to take her out when we are near a public restroom and let her pee before slipping her back in the wrap.
  • Wrapped up, Belle can eat and sleep on demand–so we don’t need to schedule our activities around nap time.
  • Because she’s wrapped up, I have my attention free to point out to my five year old the seahorses at the aquarium.  And you know what, Belle doesn’t have to wait until she’s tall enough to see them too!
2.5 months old, Belle nurses in the wrap while I push Ada and her friend Mia on the swings

2.5 months old, Belle nurses in the wrap while I push Ada and her friend Mia on the swings

9 June 2010 Moms Circle

Tawny and Emaline brightening up our meeting

Tawny and Emaline brightening up our meeting

In wrapping news, Lindsay got a water wrap, Julie’s going to buy Lindsay’s Christiane EllaRoo, Ainsley and Evan are deciding which Bali Baby Breeze to get, Anna bought my Earthy Rainbow Girasol, I bought Tina’s mystery organic wrap, and Tina’s going to sell her short EllaRoo and buy a Bali Baby Breeze.  Wow!

Amanda’s son’s little legs turn blue when she puts him in most any baby carrier so she and I played with the Front Wrap Cross Carry, experimenting with spreading each of the three passes of the wrap over his body AND legs so that his legs are not hanging out, and there is no part of the wrap that is crossing tightly over his calves. Momma and baby were comfy and happy in the carry, and it doesn’t seem that there should be any disturbance to his circulation, so we’ll call that one a success!  This versatility for problem solving is my favorite thing about wraparound carriers, unlike other carriers that are shaped to be worn a certain way and that’s it.

Front Wrap Cross Carry with the legs covered

Front Wrap Cross Carry with the legs covered

Anna wanted to wrap up Naomi who was sleeping on her chest in her arms.  Anna knows the Front Cross Carry but I showed her the Front Wrap Cross Carry–easier to tie on while holding your baby–and she got her new Earthy Rainbow on.  Stunning!

Newborn FWCC in Earthy Rainbow Girasol

Sleeping newborn getting wrapped up in Earthy Rainbow Girasol

I wanted to show Nancy the Front Cross Carry.  She had used the Front Wrap Cross Carry with Michelle when she was younger but now Michelle is not enjoying the wrap.  I think if Nancy does a pretied carry like the FCC, and Michelle does not have to put up patiently with the wrapping process, she might settle down happily in the wrap.  It’s an experiment that was postponed because in order to pretie our carries, we both had to put our babies down, and our babies were adamantly and affectionately attacking each other in an alarming fashion.  Every time we got started with the wraps, we had to drop them to dive for the babies!

Susan brought two traveling Ellevill wraps, which was exciting for me as I had never touched one before.  The pattern is exquisite, and I really dug the colors too: dusky rose and mossy green!  They were thin and floppy and comfy for the short time I wore them.  Annabelle fell asleep in one and I hated to take it off when it was time to leave!

rucksack in short Ellevill

rucksack in short Ellevill

Front Cross Carry in the green Ellevill

Front Cross Carry in the green Ellevill

All of that was very much in the background, however, and the bulk of the meeting was the lively discussion, reassuring moms about post partum hair loss, advising on lying down nursing techniques, recommending cloth diapers and how to try them out without a big financial commitment, discussing everything from the state of mind of a laboring woman to tiny testicles to cradle cap.

We also opined on the purpose of our group, the people we’d like to reach out to, and the difference we want to make.  Some of us are living natural mothering out on the fringe, and others are following a more mainstream course.  I think the conclusion was that we wanted to include anyone who wants to parent peacefully and with respect, and we really want to draw in new mothers and first time pregnant moms and surround them with peaceful, practical mothering practices so that they do not feel that they are caring for their new babies in a void.

As a result of this talk, I edited my page about this Moms Circle to reflect that we are not here to promote specific practices so much as to validate each woman’s innate knowledge and offer advice to support what works best for her and her baby.  I am very proud to be a part of this group and feel that we are helping a lot of moms–myself included!

Babies Must Breathe

It is true of all human babies that they must be able to breathe.  This is true in arms, in bed, in wraps, and in cars.  Always and everywhere.

Usually there is no difficulty.  But in the case of a very young infant, especially premature or weak infants, extra care is wise as the baby may not be able to move their head to get a clear breath, or to move away any obstruction.  They are entirely dependent and should ideally never be out of sight.

I love a baby wrap for keeping your baby always under your attentive eye.  What you should be looking out for is that the baby’s face is always clear–not covered by cloth or blankets or anything else; and the baby’s neck is straight–not doubled over with chin close to chest.

  • When using a cloth baby carrier, make sure it holds the baby in such a safe position and that you can see your baby’s face.
  • When putting your baby down to sleep make sure it is on a firm surface with nothing nearby that can end up covering your baby’s face.
  • When baby is being held, maintain their position so that their necks are not overly bent.
  • When baby is in a car seat, try to keep baby’s head from folding down into an unsafe position.  When possible, have an adult where they can see the baby, and do not use the car seat more often than necessary.

Any recommendation that slings and baby carriers be avoided is not necessary when parents understand how to safely care for their infants in AND OUT of carriers.  The rules for breathing are the same.   Please comment with any questions you may have about this.  I teach safe babywearing locally, and will be happy to let you know of any babywearing classes I may know of in other areas.

a few weeks old . . . face clear, head tilted upward

a few weeks old . . . face clear, head tilted upward

And Another Thing (co-sleeping)

Chances are, if you are pregnant with your first baby, you’ve daydreamed about what it’s going to be like to hold your baby, wondered what kind of personality your baby will have, even speculated about what your baby will grow up to be.  But I bet you haven’t considered whether or not you will “let your baby cry it out.”

In the milky haze of pregnancy, all my thoughts were rose-tinged baby toes, cute-as-a-button noses, and the perfect fit of baby to mother.  I wouldn’t have dreamed of sitting unhappily in the living room listening to my baby cry in the other room, and I don’t think any mother goes into it with this in mind.

You don’t have to and your baby shouldn’t have to, either.

While deciding not to co-sleep is not simultaneous with letting your baby cry, choosing to co-sleep precludes the concept most decidedly.  When your baby is with you, your baby will never have to cry for you.  It’s that simple.  It’s a very small, tremendously compelling reason to choose co-sleeping.

Perfectly at peace with her daddy...

Perfectly at peace with her daddy...