When it was time to start creating a "nursery" I was at a totally loss. We didn't have any baby furniture and upon shopping around we realized it was roughly two to three times the prices you would pay in the States. We told ourselves we'd take it slow, no need to rush, but we of course would need a crib. Had I still lived in Florida I would have scored something off Craigslist or even from a yard sale- buying second hand is my first preference for most things. There was a small market for these options here in Jamaica but again these people most likely paid Jamaican prices for their items therefore were looking to recoup a lot more relative to what it would resell for elsewhere.
I happened to be discussing with a good friend one day my crib worries and woes. She said very matter of fact, "just use a mattress on the floor." I thought, "what the hell does she mean put my baby on the floor?" I had never thought of, heard of or read anywhere about not using a crib. The only alternate sleeping plan I was toying with was co-sleeping. My girlfriend then preceded to enlighten me on The Montessori Floor bed which basically is using a crib sized mattress or even a twin placed on the floor for your baby. She told me how a friend of hers did it- she was thinking about doing it as well and maybe it would work for us too. I was completely energized by this new method I had never heard of and at the same time still amazed that babies could sleep in places other than cribs. I read many blogs, Montessori sites and spoke with a few close mama friends. I brought the idea to Alex still so unsure if this would be for us. He had the same reaction as me and as most do; won't the baby roll off? We toyed with this idea for months prior to our birth and decided to give it a shot. What's the worst that could happen? We could always choose to buy a crib should these efforts not work out for us.
Well I can happily say we have just hit one year of sleeping with the floor bed style (twin sized mattress) and couldn't be happier! Here are a few insights and realizations we have had over this year.
Sunny has gained a sense of safety, security and comfort in her own space. A lot of times children may feel this just in there own crib space but she has this for her entire room. The room is completely child proof. Everything is at her level; there are no dressers, pictures, shelving that are out of her reach. When she is in her space it is truly accessible for her.
From having this accessibility I feel she has learned a sense of independence and also decision making skills. For instance, when she wakes up, she chooses to either stay in bed maybe cuddle with a stuffed animal or she can get up and grab a book or a toy. This independence has become a very strong part of her natural play and personality. I feel this just skyrocketed the speed of development mentally and emotionally.
I'd say the most convenient aspect as well as parental bonding part of this is that you too can fit in the bed with your child. The idea of co-sleeping was extremely attractive to us but we were hesitant to let go of our bedroom space. We really wanted to reserve a space just for us and the nourishment of our relationship. So this arrangement took care of that! It has made us all so much closer and our daughter gains so much one on one time from each of us as well. It also creates the opportunity for you to slow down, be in the moment and rest with your child which is so important for everyone's well-being. Take a nap together, read books, feed your child in a restful position, and snuggle up. If your child is cluster feeding, sick, teething or just in a needy stage it has just felt so simple and easy to lie down together and most of the time I find it soothes, heals and comforts quickly.
Our favorite outcome of this entire method is that she doesn't start her day or awake from a nap crying. She doesn't have to cry out for us. She is capable of getting herself up and changing her situation. Even prior to her being mobile she didn't cry out even though she couldn't move. We would hear her just cooing and kicking around upon waking. Now that she is very active and accustomed to her routines she simply comes to her door and knocks when she is ready to come out. That, to us, is just the coolest, most fun part.
So - sounds easy right? :)
To be honest, it really can be and it's all in the approach as with most situations in life and parenting. Upon initial research I found myself getting caught up in all the blogs, questions, and pros/cons which made it feel overwhelming and obsessive. Once we finally decided to give it a go after much debate, we couldn't imagine doing it any other way. Rather than trying to answer all the what if's and how to's, we decided we would put ourselves into the situation without expectations. We would do our best knowing we could always choose another method should it not be the best for our child or us as parents.
Did she ever fall out of the bed you ask?? Of course she did but she was completely fine. The mattress is roughly 6 inches from the floor. We set up the room accordingly with a nice rug and used cushions in the early phases of rolling and beginning crawling. Matter of fact, she just fell off the bed last night. We heard her and saw her on the monitor. Just as we were getting up to head into her bedroom to console her from falling off the bed in mid sleep, she simply crawled right back up on her bed and went right back to sleep. We were amazed! Alex looked at me and said "this was the best idea you have ever had". If feels good to have a child that is learning to be self sufficient in areas within their control and sure feels good to rest well as parents.
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| Sunny's first tumble off her bed |
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| Minutes after her roll...no lasting trauma ;) Happy girl!! |
Here are a few information sites I used....and I can always answer any questions too! :)
http://mariamontessori.com/mm/?p=921
http://montessorihomes.blogspot.com/p/sleeping_08.html
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| Cuddles all together |
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| Nap time with Daddy |
xoxo
Keep shinin'
