The lengths I go to….

….to keep a sleeping baby, asleep.

* I hear the familiar sound of baby stirring in the crib. I hurriedly tip toe down the hallway, swinging open the bedroom door (it creaks if you try to do it slowly). Crouching down I approach the bassinet. She’s wiggling, eyes slightly open, mouth open, tongue darting in and out tasting the air for binky or boob. I find the binky, keeping everything but my hand and arm out of sight. Feeling my way to her wet little mouth I pop the binkie in, still barely peeking over the mattress edge. She begins to suck, wiggles stop. She drifts back to sleep. Till the binky falls out again of course.

* She is contentedly nursing. It is nap time and she is falling asleep at the breast. She continues to suck and I carefully cradle her as I stand. Slowly moving, swaying back and forth as I do, I make my way down the hall and into her room.
I lean over her bassinet, gently laying her down, still attached to me. I am in a painful position. She still sucking, all my weight on the edge of the bassinet, as I remove my arms from beneath her. I stay there a moment, let her take a few more sucks and then break the suction. She continues sucking on her lip for a moment. She does not stir. Success!!