Parenting @ Night

I like most expectant parents bought all the things baby would need to get a good night's rest. A crib, Cradle, Pack-n-Play, co-sleeper, vibrating seat, swing, ect... Imagine my surprise when my first son JD would only sleep when laying on my or my husband's chest. JD hated all things designed for baby to sleep alone. I think he used his cradle a total of 5 times, though my mom had a special order mattress for it since the cradle used to be mine and they don't make one that size anymore, and he did not sleep at all in his crib, not for one night, sorry in-laws who so lovingly purchased it.

I think part of the problem was we were new parents, totally in love with our new bundle of joy. We "spoiled him" holding him at all times because why not? what else did we have to do. He was also exclusively breastfed and once I went to work staying up to nurse was exhausting. So we did exactly what the doctor said not to do... we co-slept. We purchased the toddler bed rails for our bed and JD slept with us through the night until he was about 6 months old. Once he stopped nursing multiple times a night we would place him in his crib after his evening feeding and he would stay there until his middle of the night feeding when I brought him into bed and he nursed as I slept. In the morning I would slip out of bed and get ready for work while he snuggled his daddy. To this day, JD is 2, he falls asleep in our bed and gets transferred to his "big boy bed", the only bed he ever slept in and started sleeping in after his first birthday, where he sleeps until 5am when he joins mommy & daddy in their bed.

Now we have baby number 2, MJ. MJ is a more easy going baby. He likes the cradle and pack-n-play, we have not tried the crib yet, and will sleep in the vibrating seat. However, he is also finding a way to be sleeping, at least part of the night, in our bed. I find that for me it is easier. MJ has reflux and after he eats he needs to be upright for at least half an hour even with his mattresses inclined. Another factor is that he loves to night nurse and now with a toddler and an infant I do not get any extra sleep. This makes it hard to stay awake and nurse. MJ also seems, like his brother before him, to settle more easily when snuggled up with me in bed.

 I've read all the books on nighttime parenting, tried the cry it out method with JD and hated it, and though the Doctors say NO the more I talk to parents the more I find people are sleeping with their babies. Especially if the mothers are working full time and nursing.

What are your thoughts and views?