I recently saw this article posted on FB "Parenting: Attachment Parenting Does More Harm than Good". It was written by John Rosemond and you can view it here.
I want to make clear that I am in no way a doctor and I'm not saying that my way or what I have learned over the years is right. You have to follow your own heart when raising your own children and there are several parenting books and people that will give you advice. What I do think is wrong is that he calls attachment parenting "destructive propaganda". So I am going to write on the three subjects that he hit on...
1. Co-Sleeping
2. Baby Wearing
3. Breastfeeding
I will be splitting up this into 3-4 different segments and tell why I parent the way that I do:) Let's get to reading! First up is co-sleeping.
First Baby (Little Buddy) was a different kind of baby. Let me explain first of all he didn't sleep all night until he was 3 years old. When he was a a newborn I did try to breastfeed him and found it easier to sleep with him. He did nap in his bed, unless I napped too. We tried the bed hundreds of times. He would throw up within 15 minutes of being put in the crib. I soon figured out that he was doing this on purpose. So I would layer him and his bed. Then when he did throw up I could take off the first layer of pjs and the first layer of bedding, kiss him and listen to him scream for hours. Yes, he screamed for hours, He would scream so loud that you could hear him outside of the house. I was also scared that someone would call the police of child services because this was nightly. I finally gave in and he slept with me. We both slept better anyways.
When he was a little older I could lay down with him to get him to sleep and then leave his room. He would sleep all night for the most part. Then he began to have seizures in his sleep and my husband went to night shift so I again allowed him to sleep with me. He finally went back into his bed when I felt that he was ok and my husband's shift changed again. I believe his was five, maybe six years old.
Baby girl - I had every intention that she was NOT going to sleep with me. Yet, she hated her mattress in the bed that we had and I couldn't fix it. So she slept in a laundry basket beside me. (She also would stop breathing in her sleep, which scared me to pieces!) When she got too big for the basket I didn't have anywhere for her to go- we lived in a tiny 2 bedroom apartment - so guess where she went? Yep, in the bed with me. Still to this day she wakes up at least twice a night for something to drink. It drives me a little crazy but at least I don't have to hear her scream at night. We will hopefully be transitioning her into her own bed really soon:)
As for baby number 3 due in November. The bed will be located in my room and I pray that this baby sleeps! I pray that I am able to get him/her into their own bed and they sleep peacefully all night.
Benefits of Co-Sleeping:
•Babies go to sleep faster and stay asleep longer.
•More mothers feel better rested.
•It promotes breastfeeding and helps by making it a little easier.
•Research suggests that babies have stronger emotional relationships with their parents and with other people.
•When parents take sleep safety precautions it reduces the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
Cons of Co-Sleeping:
Many will complain, or say that there simply is not enough research to agree with all of the above benefits to co-sleeping.
I say if you are not comfortable sleeping with your baby then don't do it, because you will just complain about it:) If you are one who is a strong parent and can listen to your baby cry until they are asleep then go for it, I personally am not that strong.
I also think that this should be a decision that a husband and wife decide together. If one of you disagree then try to find a solution, such as placing a baby bed beside yours or a crib in your room. Or the baby goes in their own room:) It's up to you because you are their parent!
What's your thoughts?
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