Disco-Baby fell out of bed… ooops.  Ok it was my fault.  Hubby got up from the nap and said that Disco-Baby is up too but amusing himself.  I should have known better, he was half out of the bed the other day while I was getting dressed; but that time I had left him near the end.  Oh, and no he didn't fall off the side, see I was thinking about getting a side rail.  He fell off the foot of the bed.  He is fine, he fell on the pile of quilts.  There is a quilt folded up as a dog bed, laundry, and then another quilt folded in half over all that where I have slept for a half hour here and there during the night because I am very cranky when it is hot.

See part of me still believed in the "Continuum Concept", you would think I would have learned when after 3 months of carrying my baby (not usually in a carrier, but just in arms) one night, after nights and nights of screaming around 7pm.  I put him down, in his crib in a darkened room.  And he stopped crying (after a few minutes) and fell asleep.  Often I find what he needs is quiet.  If we are out somewhere where everyone is fussing over and starts act cranky I will put him down somewhere safe away from the action for 15-30 minutes.  He doesn't often sleep; he coos, he plays with his hands and feet, and he watches (not people, but light through a window or whatever).

Now, I will admit, that attachment parenting probably didn't work too well because I would just sit with the baby.  I found it too hard to do anything with him in my arms.  Too awkward, I was too worried about hurting him, dropping him, etc, etc.  Also I was tired, desperately tired and breastfeeding did not go well and took up much of my time (oh and pumping, because I was using a nipple shield).  So I guess I wasn't truly following "the method".

(Also, as an aside I find the suggestion that moms use slings almost exclusively, to protect the babies spine ridiculous.  Mom's spine is just as important and for 3 months post partum relaxin is still affecting her joints.  To carry the weight of a baby on one shoulder is bad, really bad.  Wraps are great.  They support the weight on both shoulder, allow for many positions.  However they are hot and kind of awkward)

Ok, back to my point.  The continuum concept states that children won't fall into pits or pools or otherwise hurts themselves.  So I thought, surely Disco-Baby will not *actually* fall off the bed.  Maybe Disco-Baby is too young and should still be "in arms".  Maybe by putting him down I have taught him not to trust his instincts.  Maybe the whole Continuum Concept is a crock of, well you know.  However, it just makes sense to me it says that puppies and kittens don't fall into pools or off cliffs.  But then I realize that puppies and kittens *do* fall into toilets, and although they do not drown, they sometimes can not get out.  Also my mom used to have to rescue the family of wild cats (mom and kittens) from the dumpster all the time.  They would jump in but be unable to get out if the garbage were below a certain level.

So now what to do about Disco-Baby?  I am sure he is not going to go anywhere while I am in bed with him, but a) lately he wants to nap alone (except today when he will not nap AT ALL) and b) I don't want to sleep as much as he does. 

I could put him in his crib but there is no AC in the nursery and it is too hot. 

I could put the side back on the sidecar crib and he could sleep in there.  But frankly at night with the three of us we need the extra space provided by the side car and it isn't often the baby who is sleeping in the crib.  (It's me ok, or at least half of me.)  The second crib will not fit in the bedroom. 

I could maybe put the second crib mattress on the floor but then it would also be a dog bed.  Disco baby could nap on the mattress on the floor.  (I lock the dog out of the room when baby is asleep alone, because he is used to jumping on the bed whenever the other neighbour dogs so he can see out the window.

I could buy/beg/borrow/build a foot board for the bed.  But then I would have to climb over it every time I get into and out of bed.  Which is frequently, and first thing in the morning I barely have the strength to get myself out of bed with the baby in my arms as it is.  (Yes, I would make sure there is no gap for the baby to get stuck, 'k?)

I could put the second AC unit in the nursery.  However we can barely avoid electric as it is. And I am not sure how well it would work.  I mean this week he wants to fall asleep on his own, but next week when it isn't a million degrees… who knows?

We could put the mattress on the floor without the box spring and try to get the crib mattress on the same level so we don't loose space, or try to get another regular mattress (like a double or queen).  Hubby however doesn't seem sold on this idea.  He didn't even really like the old futon we had, said it was too low to the ground.

So fellow co-sleepers what do you think?  (And if you think co-sleeping is dangerous because the adults will roll over and crush the baby I will be happy to debate you sometime.)