I am not the kind of person who can get quality sleep with anyone in my bed. Heck at night Troy and I cuddle for a few minutes and then I am off to my side. My kids are not big into long cuddling either.
Thing is though it sometimes felt like the times we did nap together after a feeding were all the more special. Sometimes I would fall asleep with my kids, other times I just sat there marveling at their chest rising and falling. That little sucking thing they did while they slept.
Some of my fondest memories of each of my kid's babyhood was those moments in that closeness.
So how about you guys, what are your co sleeping/napping memories?
Pamela, my favorite story was me falling asleep and Tommy did not. My then husband comes home and he says shhhhh mommy is sleeping. Apparently the little ones like to watch you sleep as well. :)
I think by the time my older two were around five we got a king sized bed just so they could sneak in when they were scared without disrupting our sleep too much. I remember after my divorce there was an awful thunder storm, first it was Andy(9), then Genna(7). Then Christine came in who was 18 at the time. When Tommy(20) showed up I said oh hell no! He claims he was only checking on us. :) Funny thing is when they are scared they don't keep me up. I have no idea why.
I prefer to have someone in bed with me...and my 4 year old has been known to kick my hubby out of the bed so he can sleep with me - lol!! But I normally nap with my kids on the weekends if homework is not consuming me and we have time for a nap. I cherish those times.
Awe, J.!
This is the sweetest post. My daughter was born during one of our rare hot summers. We'd lay on my bed with the light spilling in through an open window. I could lay for hours, just watching the trees quake and my little daughter's chest rising up and down, up and down; mouth pursed and fingers twitching. I miss that!!
When our daughter started to not need nap times, I would have her "read" to me.. I would usually fall asleep right away and then she would pass out.
Even this summer when she was home from college, I told her I was going to take a nap and she said, "Nooo, I will misss you!" So I told her to come to my bed and read to me or she could use her laptop next to me.. Sure enough she fell asleep! 21 years old and she is still my "baby girl."
I love waking up to my face being stroked and big beautiful smiles on their faces.
@ J.: That's a very cute story, I'm sure that's happened with us too... LOL sometimes I fall asleep first.
We didn't co-sleep, but my most favorite memories are of pulling baby into bed w/us in the morning and nursing him while my husband curled up behind me a wrapped his arm around us both. I have never felt more contented...I miss it so much!
We never co-slept with our son. Co-napped maybe.
O. thing I know for sure, few things are more magical than watching your child sleep!
J.:
Before I married my first husband - i had a bad dream and crawled into bed with my mom.
I did NOT co-sleep - I co-napped - yeah - but did not co-sleep.
There were times I would go into the nursery and watch them sleeping. Loved watching them smile during their sleep and since Nicky was so scary - I spent many a night on the couch in the nursery - listening for him...
Have never co-slept with either of my kids but not because i was scared to just didnt want to end up with a child that completely relied on me in order to get to sleep. That being said I have napped with them and they each have slept in my bed a few times when they were sick and needed extra mama love. My favorite memory would have to be when i was still breastfeeding my son and we would fall asleep in the chair together, it was so peaceful just the 2 of us.
I have so many pics of my daughter sleeping, as a baby and onward (she is now 4) that it's ridiculous. It's like if I take enough pictures, I can hold onto that feeling forever. :)
i am with you - i can NOT cosleep. however, some of my favorite moments when my son was a baby was us taking a nap together, him laying on my chest. best photo ops ever :)
even now we "co-nap" - we put a movie on in my room and MOM gets a nap while my son watches his movie. great cuddles! since he's 5 he doesn't always need a "nap" anymore, so i will take what i can get. it's the best.
I don't co-sleep or co-nap (can't stand being touch when sleeping), but I do love the newborn stage when you have to hold them for 20 minutes to make sure they are in a deep sleep or else they pop awake. With both of my kids, I'd lay down in bed with them on my belly. I would sometimes doze off for a moment, and then I'd put them in their bassinet.
I loved gazing at my sleeping babe once he was finished feeding. Sometimes I would hold him for 15 minutes just staring at his peaceful little face.
Loved your sweet little story!
Take care
