Where Oh Where Does Miss Gracie Want to Sleep??

There are many obstacles and challenges to having a newborn at home.  The largest and most popularly asked question is, how is she sleeping?  For the first few weeks when we had Gracie home we expected horrendous nights of sleep the way we did with Braden.  For whatever reason, most likely that we were veterans at this point, we never really felt miserable for days and days like we expected.  Gracie ate every three hours and slept in between.  But then she turned 6 weeks old.  She started to be more difficult to put down after nursing.  She started to be awake more.  She began to be a little more challenging than the little newborn blob that she was for the last 6 weeks.  I felt like every time I finished nursing her, I'd try and put her in her bassinet and her eyes would pop open.  What do I do?? 

I tried swaddling her.  I tried putting a blanket between her and I so I could slide her off of me.  Maybe it was the warm, sticky weather, but I swear every time I tried to put her down her head was stuck to my arm!  I tried putting her in her vibrating chair, her swing and her car seat.  I was convinced she needed her mobile so one day I insisted I make the trek up to Babies 'R Us and get her the perfect $45 mobile that could replace the one we used so much with Braden it broke.  That didn't do anything.  She wouldn't stay in her crib.  I started bouncing her on the excercise ball - sure that worked - but then I had to try and put her down.  Wide awake and screaming within 15 minutes!  What do I do?? 

One tired night I decided to try to lay Gracie next to me while I was in bed and nurse her.  Now this was a wonderful discovery.  I fell sleep, she fell asleep and we were happy.  The thing is this "co-sleeping" thing is a big scary topic because everyone talks about, "what if I roll on top of her" or Pete does.  Well I'll tell you, I'm not going to roll on top of her because truthfully I don't really sleep that well when she's there - but at least its some sort of sleep.  The next issue is - what if this becomes a habit?  As a lactation consultant put it - "she's not going to go to college still sleeping in your bed" - but I'd still very much prefer not to have a 1 year old, 2 year old or even 3 month old sleeping in my bed!  I decided I had to put my foot down and start getting her used to her crib.  I am hoping she'll like it eventually...

She's taking a great nap right now....

in my bed!