I am lying in bed wondering when the next feed will be. It is usually around this time so it feels almost pointless to go to sleep before he wakes. It's in these moments I dare to let my thoughts loose. The ones I have been too busy all day with my baby to listen to. It's in these moments I hold back the tears and try to push the welling grief down. I am led right next to my husband, he is sleeping, and although I could just put my hand out and touch him - he feels further away than ever. I am lying here knowing I am lonelier than ever. My baby is asleep in the adjoining room, he has a cold and I can hear his nose whistling as he sleeps soundly. In that room is my whole heart, my reason for going on, my reason for living. I have never had many friends, I came from a military family so we moved so many times friendships were fleeting and even in my adult life I have also remained nomadic! Maybe it's a learnt behaviour, not holding onto friendships be...
We were eagerly anticipating the arrival of our bundle of joy and were looking for our little ones moses basket when we stumbled across a new concept in mamas and papas; the side sleeping cots which allowed co-sleeping with safety. There were two options available in-store the Snuz Pod and the Chicco Next 2 Me. Both offer the benefits of the baby sleeping close to mum with a drop down side and larger bassinets than the moses baskets.
The Chicco Next 2 me had straps to secure the base to the bed and to me looked like a more permanent fixture - almost an extension to our bed. The zip down side could be also fastened underneath to effectively make the crib an extension to our own bed but with the security of knowing that our baby would be safer than co-sleeping, although arguably not as safe as if he was in a moses basket.
As I intended to breastfeed it was also appealing as it gave easy access to baby during night feeds and you can comfort baby from your own bed. It also has six adjustable heights so it can fit next to most beds ensuring it is safe and if you have a divan they have thought of that too with folding legs! The other the advantage is that if your baby has reflux or catches a cold you can have the head slightly higher than the feet to help your little one feel a bit more comfortable. Simply laying a hand on his chest could bring him comfort. The other thing I loved is that it was so easy to dismantle and came in a travel bag, it is so light weighing just 8kg and makes a fantastic travel cot as well.
The beauty of having a Chicco is that they are a lot larger than a moses basket and has soft padded sides . The advice is now to have baby in your room till six months and at four months old my Charlie is by no means little and would have now out grown a moses basket which would have been difficult as his full size cot would not have fitted in our room. The Chicco will certainly see Charlie through to the six month mark.
The Chicco Next 2 Me crib came in a variety of colours and styles and I opted for the circles as it went with my bedroom decor and as a permanent fixture for at least six months it was important that the cot did not dominate the room. The Chicco certainly does not and looks lovely set up next to my bed.
Apparently there are many benefits to side-sleeping:
Initially I liked the more stylish shape of the Snuz Pod with the wooden frame, and its ability to rock certainly would have come in handy. However, one of its selling points was the ability to remove the bassinet and use it round the house - something that I didn't intend to do as I had already purchased a pram with a bassinet that could be used downstairs. The Chicco had the advantage of being easily collapsable so it could be used as a travel cot too.
The Chicco Next 2 me had straps to secure the base to the bed and to me looked like a more permanent fixture - almost an extension to our bed. The zip down side could be also fastened underneath to effectively make the crib an extension to our own bed but with the security of knowing that our baby would be safer than co-sleeping, although arguably not as safe as if he was in a moses basket.
The beauty of having a Chicco is that they are a lot larger than a moses basket and has soft padded sides . The advice is now to have baby in your room till six months and at four months old my Charlie is by no means little and would have now out grown a moses basket which would have been difficult as his full size cot would not have fitted in our room. The Chicco will certainly see Charlie through to the six month mark.
The Chicco Next 2 Me crib came in a variety of colours and styles and I opted for the circles as it went with my bedroom decor and as a permanent fixture for at least six months it was important that the cot did not dominate the room. The Chicco certainly does not and looks lovely set up next to my bed.
Apparently there are many benefits to side-sleeping:
- Helps newborn adjust sleeping-awake times
- Helps make breastfeeding for mothers easier
- Reassures parents
- Makes the baby feel safe
- Strengthens the bond between parent and child
- Helps the child to grow more self-confident and sociable
- Sleeping in the same room (but not in the same bed) reduces the risk of SIDS.
So for us in the end the next 2 me function did not save us co-sleeping but as a stand alone cot it has been fantastic and as I mentioned before it is bigger than a moses basket and will last him six months or more - and for that reason alone I would recommend it.Just a little tip although Mamas and Papas have a great range of stock and quality products always shop around. We actually bought ours from John Lewis becasue they had a great price. You also have to remember to buy sheets that fit the matresses and although Chicco do there own I would recommeded shopping around as you have to change baby sheets frequently after little oopsies! I also bought The Little Green Sheep Organic Mattress Protector from BuggyBaby which is 100% waterproof.
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