amitymamaThe Attachment Parenting Community

Crunchymomma · 03-08-2006, 11:50 PM

My daughter (1yr), husband and I have been bed-sharing for a year
now. My dd likes to sleep cold, she's a hot body (we all are).
Therefore she sleeps in a fuzzi bunz and that's it. She sleeps in
the pack-n-play from 7:30ish till 10 or 11, then wakes up to nurse
and stays in the bed with us. (We just started the 1st portion of
sleep in the pack-n-play 3 months ago) Well, since she is nursing I
just sleep topless and in panties. I've never been one to wear
pajamas to bed (hot body, remember). So I'm just wondering when
it's not okay to sleep in just bottoms with your daughter anymore.
I have no problem with it, but I don't see her ever going to bed in
pajamas (unless I keep it chilly in my house and run up a huge
energy bill). But am I creating a something like a habit for her
that will make things harder for her later?

Also, I've heard a few times that breastfed infants/toddlers
shouldn't begin the night weaning process until 18 months because
they still need those overnight feedings for nutrition. (Funny I was
a breastfeeding counselor and this never came up LOL) Do any of you
have any good info/links regarding this?

Last one, Would it be a bad idea for me to get my dd a strap of
leather to teethe on? She in chewing on everything except the
teething toys (and I have a bunch of different styles). She really
prefers to chew on my cell phone because it's in a leather case.
Sorry if I am offending any vegetarians out there. But I seriously
gotta help her out, she was chewing on a wooden spoon for a bit, but
that doesn't do it for her anymore. Any suggestions? Sorry to slam
you with all my brain wrinkles at once. But TIA for any help or
information.

JeniLyn · 03-09-2006, 12:13 AM

I don't have many answers to you questions, but I do have an opinion about the first one, LOL!

I don't think you need to worry about sleeping topless, etc with your daughter for a very long time. I think as long as you are comfortable with that and she seems okay with it, then you are fine. I don't think most kids start to want privacy until they are over 3 (my kids certainly don't want privacy, yet--they are potty learning and are constantly running around 1/2 naked)

Not much help, but I know you'll get some more good answers!

Jeni

mamatanya · 03-09-2006, 12:36 AM

I think that if you have any reason to start wearing a top it would be in 6 months to a year when the toddler on/off bounce can start to make mamas feel touched out. I don't think that children really object to parental nudity unless the parents are nude in front of their friends or they are entering puberty. As for her wearing pj's, she'll do it when modesty with friends or siblings makes sense to her and be comfortable the rest of the time, just like you. I think that when you try to fight a childs natural tendencies you just create stress. When she starts to want pretty clothes you could get her spaghetti strap t's to sleep in.
What I recall from LLL is that night nursing stops when the nutritional needs go down because she'll prefer to sleep so it's kind of a non issue, unless it's interfering with your sleep.
I've seen some things lately about some leather being used in kids shoes being safer for them to chew on than other kinds.

Amethyst · 03-09-2006, 01:10 AM

I would not be worried at all about the topless sleeping thing. She is waaaayyy to young to learn about privacy or modesty at this point. I actually believe that mothers should never cover up in front of their daughters. I read a study that found that girls who's mothers were comfortable and open with their bodies in front of them throughout their childhood and beyond had greater self esteeem and were much more comfortable with their own bodies and less likely to develop eating disorders. The same was true for boys and dads. We do start guiding toward modesty (covering genitals) around the opposite sex between 3 and 5, but that's a long way away for your girl. Even then, why worry about her being topless if she has no breasts?

punkin · 03-09-2006, 01:24 AM

i think you are asking about her not wearing PJ's and if that will cause problems later. I dont think i'd worry about it. i imagine as she gets older some modesty will develop on its own (it has w/ my girls) and it will all work out.

i also wouldnt worry about the night weaning thing. it may work itself out. my 2nd dd started sleeping through on her own. my 3rd dd though was still nursing a lot at night at over 2 yrs old and i felt like i wasnt getting enough sleep. we just gradually worked on it and in a few weeks it was improved greatly.

and i have no idea about the leather.