You mean some babies actually SLEEP in their cribs?

Since a lot of what I plan to post is full of statistics, research, etc I thought it'd be nice to post something completely free of anything other than my personal experience. So here goes.

A little background is needed first. My parents are (now retired) military. They met, got married, and both got out. Then, alas, my mother found out in December 1988 she was knocked up. My dad, who was doing such glamorous work as driving beer trucks, re-enlisted and within two weeks was shipped to Korea for a year. My mom moved back home with her parents, so that she wouldn't be alone. My dad, who got a month's leave, made it home the morning of August 17th and went straight to the hospital, where my mom was in labor with me. Later that day, I arrived, almost 3 weeks early but perfectly healthy.

I might add my mother is exceptionally paranoid, especially with her children. When I was 7, she called the police when I was gone at the playground an hour longer than I was supposed to be. SIDS was her biggest fear. My dad spent his month home spending the whole night rocking me. When he left, my mother knew me sleeping in my crib would probably give her a nervous breakdown. So, right into bed with her I went. Despite doctors, friends, everyone else telling her that she was out of her mind, she was convinced that I wouldn't stop breathing because she was next to me, reminding me to breathe. Lo and behold, turns out today that is proven true.

As the months went on, she'd try to put me in my crib, but neither of us would have it. The crib was simply used for the occasional nap. When my dad came home, when I was 7 months old, in the bed I stayed. My mom was jealous because now I just liked to snuggle with him. So in the middle I went. Both of my parents LOVED having a family bed. We all slept our best. Finally, when I was four I moved into my own bed. I was starting school and only a few months away from a new baby sister, so it seemed a good time. When my sister was born, there was many a night I'd sneak in and all four of us would be snuggling, but I mostly slept in my room.

When I was 5 and my sister was 1, she had a series of seizures and spent quite a bit of time in the hospital. It was traumatizing for me, so I went back into my parent's bed with whichever parent wasn't spending the night in the hospital. A few months later when everyone was home and my sister was healthy, I was back in my own room full time, short of the occasional bad dream or when I was sick.

Both of my parents will adamantly tell you that our family closeness is because of co-sleeping. Now I am 19 and my sister is 15. Us girls and my mom still pile in bed and watch tv and talk. When I have a bad dream, I run straight up to my sister's room so I'm not alone. I was an exceptionally independent child, and have never questioned my parent's love. I've always been extremely secure. To this day, it still seems odd and unnatural for babies to sleep in different rooms in cribs. Why the push for independence? They're babies! I can't fathom the thought of not co-sleeping when I have kids someday. I still have that 5 year old mentality..."What do you mean mommy, some babies sleep in cribs? Why don't they sleep with their parents?" I'm not saying any of this to bash crib sleepers, but when something that's not mainstream is how you were raised, it's hard to understand.