Co-Sleeping? You Could WIN! Two Posts In One Day, And A Giveaway!

You KNOW I'm crazy about Co-Sleeping and The Family Bed!


And so are the people at the Co-Sleeping Survey, "Promoting safe co-sleeping, family bed safety, and night-time parenting". They are looking for YOUR stories of sleeping in a Family Bed, and you could WIN! The seven prospective winners will have their story included in the book, "Are you Co-Sleeping? Me, Too!". The top essayist will win the Dr. approved bed-sharing aid, The Humanity Family Sleeper, a U.S. $200.00 value! 


Read on, for details:

 "Entries need to be received by March 23rd 2010.  Winners will be chosen and announced by April 1st. The grand prize will be delivered to the winning entrant before April 20th.  Contestants need to log their entries at   the Co-Sleeping Essay Entry form HERE.

 More about the survey and it's creation...

 Modern society has worked tirelessly at isolating, ostracizing, and condemning bed-sharing families.  That very negativity created the fuel source, and  parents who had been hurt stood up for themselves.  By logging in at 
www.co-sleepingsurvey.com these families created a number that can not be refuted.  In the process, men and women alike left strong comments that painted a very clear picture...We love bed-sharing!  Those comments were compiled and the “you are not alone” book emerged. The book has been completed but, true to it's "participant created nature", we wanted to offer you and your readers  the opportunity to be included!  The book, “Are You Co-sleeping? Me Too!” is not another doctor written, scientifically scrubbed, manual of  “how to” or “why to”.  Significantly, it’s a community of peers who relayed from the heart their very personal experience.  We all know that a friend’s kind voice resonates a very powerful message.  Through this book, parents who are currently experiencing, or have experienced negativity about their bed-sharing will easily be able to find community and acceptance.  So, in the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi, many voices will be heard in unison!



Essay guidelines…
Essays (250 words or less) should focus on the writer’s personal experience with one of the following topics.  Bloggers are also invited to enter their own essays.  There are no international boundaries, all countries are invited to enter.  Prizes will be shipped for free (essays need to be in English).

Essays should be on ONE of the following topics:

1.    Oppression or negativity they received (Mother-in-law, parents, media, doctors, general society).
2.    How bed-sharing enriched their parenting experience.
3.    How bed-sharing helped breastfeeding (extended duration, adverse physical limitations, etc.).
4.    How they got better sleep.
5.    A Dad’s perspective, written by a Dad.
6.    How it saved their child’s life.
7.    How they intended to use a crib, and chose not to.

The 7 winning essays will be included in the book (the blog name associated with the entry will be listed as well).  "Are You Co-Sleeping? Me Too!" will be ready for delivery before April 10th!"



I know that my readers are also great writers (judging by your hilarious and wonderful comments!) so get writing, and you may win something useful and family bed-friendly for yourself or a loved one. 

Comments

Islandgirl said…
Cool Nan...now your blog has giveaways! (Noticed the award date is all fools' day though)
Right now I am struggling with the co-sleeping issue. I love my son but I also love my bed for myself(blanket grabbing husband excepted).

I am toooo tired to do anything these days but nurse him (the baby!) in bed till we both fall asleep - unlike my younger days with my other two kids when I stayed awake till they fell asleep by sheer force of will.

The problem is I am deathly afraid of SIDS and wake up with a start scared that we've smothered him in the night. When this happens I feel relief that he is ok and promptly try to return him to HIS bed.

Ryan (who sleeps wonderfully and peacefully between us) has now figured out that if he goes 'weh' for more than one minute Mummy will invariably pick him up and bring him back into her bed and the cycle of snuggle,doze, startle, return and 'weh' starts all over again.

This morning I woke up from a night of cat napping (because he was between us) with a very stiff neck and shoulders and not feeling rested at all. Ryan woke up with a big grin on his face.

Looking forward to hearing from others on their experiences and ways to make co-sleeping safer.
i am the diva said…
one thing i don't understand is how to do you engage in the love time when co-sleeping??
Nan Sheppard said…
Laura, You temporarily move the baby! Or, try out all of the other rooms in the house... The kitchen... the shower... the coffee table...

Sharon (islandgirl!) don't smoke, don't drink heavily, and keep heavy blankets away from Baby. Do some research, and if you're still not sure, just pop him back into his crib whenever you wake up! But once you get used to co-sleeping and can relax, it's so restful and easy!
Anonymous said…
I laugh because I am always happier sleeping alone!
Miranda said…
Sharon, put Ryan up high in the bed, move your pillows apart and put him right up at the top of the bed between your heads as you are not likely to smother him with your head or a blanket way up there.

Cosleeping and nursing is killing me these days. A good night she wakes 3 times. A bad night is 6 times so that's like every hour, and she is one year old! I'm stiff and tired every morning.

Bunty told me tonight give her a bottle of water and put her in her crib! Nan what do you make of that?
Nan Sheppard said…
Miranda... The Sam method: I stopped nursing him in bed. I nursed him last thing in the rocking chair, and we went to sleep, me wearing a bra and TWO tops. Sounds funny, but he was, and still is, a boob guy. I explained to him that the boobies were too tired at night time, and we put them to sleep: "night night boobies!"

He bawled the first night, sitting up in bed beside me. (Offered him water, but he refused.) I just snuggled him and yawned. Second night, not so bad. After that, bliss! Kept the last night feed and first morning feed for a few more months, it was nice.