Today as I was putting her down for a nap, I was thinking about attachment parenting.
When she would go down at night or for naps as a baby she was rocked or slept in our arms. Finally a little bit before she was one year old she didn't want to be rocked anymore. We'd just put her in bed and she'd sleep on her own.
We recently went on a trip and since getting back she won't go down on her own anymore. She wants one of us to lie down with her. So we do.
Some people may say that this is too much. That she should cry it out until she goes to sleep.
The thing is, we never let her cry it out. When she cries, we respond. She is picked up, hugged, kissed, rocked, etc.
Why do we do this? Because she's still little and needs us.
Someone recently said something about not holding their little one all the time. That he needs to learn to self soothe. That she won't hold him all that time because that's what he wants. Well, of course that's what he wants!!! Babies love to be held.
My thing is, when your little one is out of the house (at college or has a new family) will you sit on the couch and think, "If only I held her less". "If only I rocked her less." "If only I loved on her less."
When my sweet girl leaves our home, I want to remember rocking her, loving her, lying in bed snuggling with her, dancing around with her, her in my arms with her sweet head on me.
I don't want to remember her screaming her head off while I ignore her and tend to myself. Me time died when she was born. It isn't about me anymore.
So I guess the message of this post is there is never too much love for a little one. You can't hold them too much or kiss them too much or hug them too much.
I know in 16 or some years I will look back with loving and fond memories of the time I shared with her.
Daddy and baby bedsharing
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