New and lots of questions

mistd78

So I was completely oblivious to attachment parenting styles.  Until recently I hadn't heard of it, when I started researching it, I realized that DH and I have been doing this with DD (more specifically me) since she was born.  DD is 5 1/2 months and I thought I was losing my mind recently on a couple of other boards and reading what everyone was saying about feeding, sleep, time frames for everything, solid foods, nursing, formula vs bm, ALL OF IT.  Fortunately I took a step back and reminded myself that parents and babies all did just fine before the internet, before all the research, and all the opinions.  I guess what I am saying is that I started to get wrapped up in all the "shoulds".  Now that being said, I realized that my idea of parenting my baby is similar to what I could find out on attachment parenting.  I do have questions, what exactly is the definition of attachment parenting, at least on here?  How does everyone deal with sleeping issues?  DD bed shares and trying to transition into the crib is not an easy task.  She is held a lot and when she cries she is attended to, as I believe that crying is her way of communicating her needs.  So I am looking for I guess more support on some of these things.  I can elaborate more in later posts but I just wanted to find support in not following the CIO method, or sleep training, or foods, or anything like that.  BTW, DD is 5 1/2 months old. I am 35, and she is my first and very likely my only.

cpmich

You will be right at home here. The common thread is love your kids and do whatever is right for your family. People implement it however it works best for them. Welcome!

mistd78

DD is sleeping well at night and usually STTN most of the time, my biggest issue right now is that she does NOT want to transition to her crib.  I am a FTM and not sure how to do this with as little negative impact on DD (or myself for that matter).  She currently bed shares with me every night (DH works out of town for 3 weeks at a time, so it is usually just us).  Even during the day, when my mother watches her while I am at work, she refuses to go down in her crib.  Her naps are either in my mothers arms or in her swing.  Are there any thoughts on how to make this transition smoother?  I will be posting in the main page as well asking for help, as I asked in my BMB and the consensus was generally CIO, or that I should have already done it.  Anyhow, any tips?  I currently have tried reading to her, lullaby music, fan, projector mobile, sitting in the room while she is watching her mobile so she sees mommy isn't far, talking to her, letting her cry a bit (without becoming hysterical), rubbing her tummy, falling asleep nursing, or in the rocking chair, then trying to put her down, putting her down drowsy but awake (that does NOT work, lol).  I guess I am just looking for any other options...  TIA

RoryorHenry?

We tried to transition to a crib from bedsharing at around six months and it just didn't work for us. My husband and I wanted some alone time in the evenings after dd goes to sleep and as she got older and more mobile I could no longer leave her unattended in our bed.

Our solution was to get rid of the crib and put a full size mattress on the floor in her baby proofed room. We decided that a crib just wasn't a fit for us and the floor bed has been amazing. I can still nurse dd down to sleep but then I'm free to get up after she is asleep. My husband and I get to go to bed together. When she wakes up at night I go back in and comfort and or feed her. Depending on the time of night I either go back to my own bed or stay and sleep with her.

She has rolled out of bed a few times but it is only about 6 inches off the floor and we put a soft rug up next to the bed and she is completely fine when she rolls off the bed.

This has been a great solution for us.