On Co-Sleeping and Bed-Sharing

One question that has long been running in my head ever since the reality of my pregnancy sank in --- Will hubby and I share our bed with the baby, or will she sleep in her crib?  I know how malikot and heavy a sleeper I could sometimes be, and I'm super scared to accidentally roll over our Little Munchkin if she indeed sleeps beside me.  No mother could forgive herself (or the husband) if that unfortunate incident happens. =(  I have been reading about SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome), and many say that bed-sharing increases chances of it.  At the same time, I've encountered articles enumerating the benefits of bed-sharing and co-sleeping, and many friends I know swear by it.  Haaay, so ano na nga?  Too many reading materials lead to too much confusion!  Haha. =D

Because I couldn't trust my heavy sleeper self, my initial answer was NO, the baby wouldn't sleep with us.  As a matter of fact, we bought a second crib for the master's bedroom (the first one is for the baby room where yaya will take care of her if and when we're away).  We planned to share our room with munchkin, but she will not share our bed.  Then months, weeks, and days passed.  I never stopped asking my trusted mommy friends even though we had already decided.  I also didn't stop researching on the pros and cons.  Among these are the following courtesy of whattoexpect.com:

PROS:

• Co-sleeping encourages breastfeeding by making nighttime nursing more convenient 
• Helps a nursing mom get her sleep cycle in sync with her baby's
• Helps babies fall asleep more easily and go back to sleep more quickly when they wake up during the night 
• Leads to more nighttime sleep overall for babies
• Helps parents who don't see their baby much during the day regain a sense of intimacy with their child 

CONS:

• Potential risks (think SIDS).
• Less sleep for the mom.
• Less sleep for baby. The mother's super-attentive tendencies (picking baby up at the first whimper) may actually do more harm than good when it comes to getting a good night's sleep.
• Less whoopee (i.e. sexy time with the hubby)

Now at almost 36 weeks, the answer to my question has changed.  Hubby and I have decided, we will share our bed with Little Munchkin.  In my heart of hearts, the pros outweigh the cons, and I'd like to keep our baby as close to us as possible, especially since both Rolly and I are working.  We'll be away from our child for the entire day every day, why keep her away from us at night too?  To make sure we won't roll over her, we already found a solution.

We got The First Years Close and Secure Sleeper from The Baby Company for PhP 2,799.  It's specifically designed to keep the baby secure and comfy while sleeping next to the parents in bed.  It is lightweight and soft, but firm enough to prevent the baby from being rolled over.  Another nice thing about it is the night light!  :) I wouldn't have to get up to turn the lamp or the lights on.  I just have to press the button on when it's dark and I need to see or scoop up little munchkin.

So there! :) I hope my fickle mind won't change again.  Anyhow, we're still keeping the second crib in our room.  In any case, we'll be ready!  Weee, just a few more weeks to go! :)

BellyBlessed,