I'm looking for words of encouragement, support, and to feel like attachment parenting is worth it. I've been subject to a few weeks of "noise" of people questioning my decision to cosleep, and it's starting to make me waver/doubt myself. I know I'm doing the right thing, and I need my AP community to cheer me on!
Penguin is 6 1/2 months old. He's teething. I'm recovering from gallbladder surgery. I had to spend two weeks out at my parents' house because I couldn't lift Penguin, so I couldn't care for him when Mr C was at work. During my stay with my parents, my mom gave me an nearly unending barrage of commentary against my cosleeping. I coslept anyway, once the stitches were healed enough for it to be safe, and once I was off pain meds. They were good about bringing him in to me, and helping manage him since I couldn't lift him or move anything over 5 pounds.
Now that I'm finally home, I have to admit I'm tempted to try to just "put him down in the crib" but I'm not a fan of CIO or Ferberizing. I don't think I'm "spoiling" him by nursing him to sleep, though, I would love it if I could just put him down and have him magically fall asleep on his own. But, I'm not there yet. I've read the No Cry Sleep Solution, and the Baby Whisperer. I think once I'm healed enough to be able to move him by myself without fear of hurting myself I might try it.
Are any of you successfully cosleeping for extended time? I've bedshared almost exclusively since he was born. There have been a few weeks when I could nurse him to sleep, and then transfer him to his crib (which is up against my bed, sidecar style). But, since he started teething, moving him just seems to wake him up. He doesn't sleep through the whole night yet. He wakes up to nurse usually at 10, 2, and 4 or 6. I love nursing. I love cosleeping. I love feeling connected and attached to my son.
I have a rough time lately when he's uncomfortable, teething, kicking in his sleep, and inconsolable. I find it hard to believe that dumping him in a crib and letting him cry it out is going to resolve any of those issues (aside from the waking me up with the kicking.) Nighttime is hard because I'm home alone with him at that time. Mr. C doesn't get home until after midnight, so the putting him down is my responsibility.
Any words of support? Stories of how it is all worth it? Reassurance that I'm not crazy?
