Co sleeping and Baby things
Posted by claire lochrie on Sunday, October 3, 2010
I have added a picture of a new Cocoon, called 'Springtime' to the picutre gallery. I'm not a pink person, I never buy pink for my girls, and heaven only knows they have enough of it as it is. But for all the anti pink in me, I really like this colour. It's not a sickly little girl sweet pink, all fluff and giggling gooeyness like some pinks. It's a bright, bold pink, with a bit of purple in it. It's feminine and fun, and reminds me of some beautiful spring flowers, most especially the tulips at my wedding in April. Have a look and see what you think.
The controversy of co sleeping has come up again. In response to the controversy and lack of awareness about the good things of co sleeping, and how rare it is that a baby actually gets 'rolled on', I have added a new page to the website, romantically called ' Other Baby Things'. In this I present not only my thoughts and experiences, but the research and conclusions of 2 well respected doctors.
I must admit to wondering why it frightens people so much. I find it more frightening to be away from my newborn, not being able to touch and hear them, not knowing if they are cold, hot, lonely, breathing, bored, awake or asleep. In my more dramatic internal moments flashes of concern that she was actually still there- and this was only for a day sleep, not even the whole night away from me. Reason told me that my baby being taken from our house was beyond unlikely, but I didn't know. When my baby is next to me I do know, every part of my body knows what that baby is doing. My whole body is geared up to be close to my baby. Just as my whole body is designed to grow, birth, and feed my baby so it is meant to sleep next to my baby.
I find the idea of SIDS terrifying. I also remember that SIDS used to be called cot death. Now Shakespeare tells us that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but I do think that the name we give something has some reflection and truth about it. I also have a personal idea about SIDS, it is not a comprehansive idea, it doesn't apply to every situation and I have nothing to bakc it up other than my intuition. I may loose some people here, and I certianly hope I cause no offesne, but no one thinks in my brain but me, and I'm not trying to think for anyone else either.
When hospital nursing there were times when someone was dying, and not expected to survive the shift. I would walk into the room and it would feel like the spirit had already gone but for a tiny link to the body that kept the lungs working and the heart beating, and essential systems functioning, but what made that person who they were, their presence and personality had already left this world. When my babies were brand new there were times when it felt the same. That the link between body and spirit was very small. When sleeping a babes spirit will often go between this world and the spirit world, and this is normal. But if a baby has no physical anchor to find their body easily it can be hard to get back to it. If there is no warm body next to them, touching them, bringing them back to the body; I can see that there would be times when the link between body and spirit got too thin, too stretched, and broke. There was one night when my eldest was about 3 or 4 months old (from memory the most common time for a baby to die from SIDS) and we were all going to bed and as I was putting her down, already sleeping, I knew with every fibre of my being that if I put her down and even just lay next to her she would not wake up in the morning. the rational part of my mind tried to assert itself and say that it was so unlikely, and I was being a bit dramatic and silly here. But the knowledge that she would die if I did not hold her in my arms, in my heart and in my mind and be the anchor for her was so overwhelming that I just sat on the edge of our bed and held onto her. I sat there for over an hour, never once thinking of putting her down, perpared to hold all night if needs be, and I loved her. Then all of a sudden it was ok, she was back, safe and I could put her down now and sleep the night next to her like we usually did. It was like sitting in an exam, concentrating, and so focused on whats right in front of you, and then suddenly you're finished and a hand touches you on the shoulder to say "Well done, it's all finished now." That was what it was honestly like. I will never forget that night, and the knowledge that I really did guard her and watch her through the night, just like some of the lullabyes promise. It makes me wonder how many other babies have needed the anchor of loving arms, and not gotten it becasue we are told that we will roll on top of our babies and smother them if we share a bed?
The controversy of co sleeping has come up again. In response to the controversy and lack of awareness about the good things of co sleeping, and how rare it is that a baby actually gets 'rolled on', I have added a new page to the website, romantically called ' Other Baby Things'. In this I present not only my thoughts and experiences, but the research and conclusions of 2 well respected doctors.
I must admit to wondering why it frightens people so much. I find it more frightening to be away from my newborn, not being able to touch and hear them, not knowing if they are cold, hot, lonely, breathing, bored, awake or asleep. In my more dramatic internal moments flashes of concern that she was actually still there- and this was only for a day sleep, not even the whole night away from me. Reason told me that my baby being taken from our house was beyond unlikely, but I didn't know. When my baby is next to me I do know, every part of my body knows what that baby is doing. My whole body is geared up to be close to my baby. Just as my whole body is designed to grow, birth, and feed my baby so it is meant to sleep next to my baby.
I find the idea of SIDS terrifying. I also remember that SIDS used to be called cot death. Now Shakespeare tells us that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but I do think that the name we give something has some reflection and truth about it. I also have a personal idea about SIDS, it is not a comprehansive idea, it doesn't apply to every situation and I have nothing to bakc it up other than my intuition. I may loose some people here, and I certianly hope I cause no offesne, but no one thinks in my brain but me, and I'm not trying to think for anyone else either.
When hospital nursing there were times when someone was dying, and not expected to survive the shift. I would walk into the room and it would feel like the spirit had already gone but for a tiny link to the body that kept the lungs working and the heart beating, and essential systems functioning, but what made that person who they were, their presence and personality had already left this world. When my babies were brand new there were times when it felt the same. That the link between body and spirit was very small. When sleeping a babes spirit will often go between this world and the spirit world, and this is normal. But if a baby has no physical anchor to find their body easily it can be hard to get back to it. If there is no warm body next to them, touching them, bringing them back to the body; I can see that there would be times when the link between body and spirit got too thin, too stretched, and broke. There was one night when my eldest was about 3 or 4 months old (from memory the most common time for a baby to die from SIDS) and we were all going to bed and as I was putting her down, already sleeping, I knew with every fibre of my being that if I put her down and even just lay next to her she would not wake up in the morning. the rational part of my mind tried to assert itself and say that it was so unlikely, and I was being a bit dramatic and silly here. But the knowledge that she would die if I did not hold her in my arms, in my heart and in my mind and be the anchor for her was so overwhelming that I just sat on the edge of our bed and held onto her. I sat there for over an hour, never once thinking of putting her down, perpared to hold all night if needs be, and I loved her. Then all of a sudden it was ok, she was back, safe and I could put her down now and sleep the night next to her like we usually did. It was like sitting in an exam, concentrating, and so focused on whats right in front of you, and then suddenly you're finished and a hand touches you on the shoulder to say "Well done, it's all finished now." That was what it was honestly like. I will never forget that night, and the knowledge that I really did guard her and watch her through the night, just like some of the lullabyes promise. It makes me wonder how many other babies have needed the anchor of loving arms, and not gotten it becasue we are told that we will roll on top of our babies and smother them if we share a bed?
Tags: "pink baby carriers" "co sleeping" "sids" "safe sleeping for babies"
