Cosleeping and Nursing Have Helped My Toddler and Me Find Peace During Shelter-in-Place

"You're going to spoil him." "You'll make a dependent child." "You'll never be able to get him to sleep alone." We have all heard these statements, as well as other fears and stigmas associated with cosleeping and night nursing. I've even had some of these concerns myself. I've read the books about sleep training, from cry-it-out to no-cry. I've been on discussion boards and heard testimonials from fellow mamas who have spanned the spectrum of practices. I have gotten unsolicited advice that if we cosleep he won't ever get out of my bed — but I have also known mothers who have coslept and nursed their kiddos happily until the age of 3. I have learned that much of the literature out there tends to leave out single working mothers, lower-income families with smaller homes, and cultures where sharing rooms and beds is more accepted and, often, necessary. At the end of the day, I proudly practice cosleeping and still nurse my 21-month-old son. They have become essential ways my toddler and I survive during shelter-in-place, providing comfort, bonding, and better rest for both of us in this tumultuous time.