Plus bedsharing mattress sales, contact nap TV, and the infamous Flip 'n Switch. ๐ฎ
ONE OF THE MOST common questions I receive from parents is about what to tell your pediatrician when they ask where your baby sleeps. This isn't standard in every country, but it is here in America at every single appointment for the first couple of years.
And many parents absolutely dread going to their baby's appointments because of The Question.
There are a few ways to respond...
- Tell the truth
- Tell a vague version of the truth
- Lie
- Or don't answer at all
If you'd like to see how parents in our cosleepy community answer The Question, scroll the comments in this week's post. I hope the comments make you feel empowered, let-off-the-hook, encouraged, or whatever you need because you are not the only parent going through this.
Now let's get into this week's dispatch. Make sure you keep scrolling if you are in need of a new mattress for safer bedsharing! ๐ฎ
๐ฌ THE COMMENT SECTION
The Cosleepy Flip 'n Switch
Last week we briefly discussed the challenges of switching sides when you're bedsharing with a baby and an older sibling, since you always need to act as a barrier in-between them.
A couple moms replied and suggested the Cosleepy Flip 'n Switch. This is something I'll be explaining in my upcoming book, and I even had a 3-part illustration commissioned for it, as it's a little hard to explain.
But, essentially, when it's time for you to nurse your baby from the other side, you will flip your body so that your head is now facing in the opposite direction on the bed. Yes, your toes will now be where your head used to be!
This will allow you to nurse from the other side while remaining in-between your toddler and baby! ๐คฏ
If you want to try this, be mindful of these hazards...
- Your blanket could go over your toddler's face
- You could accidentally kick your toddler's face
Pretty genius, right? Moms who bedshare are so creative.
๐งฐ COSLEEPY TOOLBOX
Memorial Day Mattress Sales
If you need a new mattress for safer bedsharing, some of my favorite brands are having big sales today!
AVOCADO
Avocado's non-toxic mattresses are 15% off today. This is the firmest model on the market, and it's usually quite an investment. THIS is the time to buy it!
โThis model will be safe for bedsharing if you choose the "firm" option. And this one would make a great floor bed for your toddler/big kid! We have loved and slept on both of these models at our house for several years.
๐ข Waterproof protectors, bedding, and pillows are also on sale, like their 10" wedge pillow that's perfect for chest sleeping!
Tap this button to scroll through all the Avocado products in my family bedroom. (I made them their own page on my website because there are so many different products to make a cosleepy parent's life easier!)
PLANK
Plank mattresses are a whopping 30% off today!
Either this mattress or this one will be more than flat and firm enough -- they are close to perfect for bedsharing in my book.
MY GREEN MATTRESS
My Green Mattress' non-toxic mattress is 15% off today. I haven't tested it in real life, but I know that many many parents in our cosleepy community love it.
๐ฟ NAP-TRAPPED
Contact Nap TV
As you know, I am always on the hunt for the perfect contact nap TV show. I have strong feelings about this.
I'm almost done with all the seasons of the UK version of Traitors, which is the only reality show I watch. It's based on my favorite party game, and it is a delight.
If you have Peacock, give it a shot for your next contact nap! You can start on season one, of course. But season three is the best, then four -- and you don't have to go in order.
I also wanted to share the results from last week's poll about what we're reading while baby's sleeping beside/on us. ๐
Our favorite romance tropes are...
- 50% Enemies to lovers
- 29.2% Forced proximity
- 12.5% Friends to lovers
- 8.3% Fake dating
I received several emails with book recs for the group. One mom is working through all the classic lit in the house, starting with Jane Eyre. Another is reading An Academic Affair by Jodi McAlister, a romance about two English professors who embark on a fake relationship.
And another mom loves the Saffron Everleigh Mysteries series for contact naps: "Romance, mystery, botany, heroines with moxie during the 1920s." Umm, count me in!
๐ WHAT'S GOOD
Community Win of the Week
A mom I'm working with for the month of May is now getting two more hours of sleep a night! Two hours... that is life-changing for a new mom in the trenches. As you well know.
We're doing a month-long House Call together, so we're looking at all aspects of her bedsharing setup and routine. But one of her major pain points was that her 10-month-old baby had been waking up at 4 a.m. on the dot, and her mother-in-law was blaming bedsharing.
(Isn't it fascinating how bedsharing is always the problem, to outsiders?)
After implementing some changes to baby's nap schedule and bedtime over the last two weeks, he's now sleeping in until 6 a.m.! ๐
If you'd like me to help you with something bedsharing-related, big or small, see this page for the different ways I can support you! Regarding month-long House Calls, in particular -- I can only take on a few more families for June. So please don't wait to book or reply here with questions!