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Hamlet has, inexplicably, become interested in the story, "The Princess and the Pea." The first time Rain Dog read it to him, I laughed out loud at the part where the princess tells the queen that she just couldn't get comfortable. "I must be a princess," I told him. "There's pee in our bed a lot, too!"

Potty humor aside, I have to say that pee accidents are still not enough to make us swear off cosleeping. We've been doing it since Hamlet was a baby. All told, pee spots seem a small cost compared to what we could be dealing with.

Cosleeping got us through the newborn months with a minimum of lost sleep. Given a choice between rolling over to "dream" nurse, and physically getting out of bed to respond to a crying baby--who would by then be too upset to eat--or even an alarm clock, this one seemed a no-brainer. Besides, they learned the difference between night and day real fast!

Cosleeping cuts down on nightmare trauma. One of the boys wakes in fear? We're right there to snuggle. Likewise if they wake up cold.

Cosleeping helps sick babies. For me, a baby monitor cannot pick up labored breathing to the same extent cosleeping can. Totally in tune with my kids, I often wake up before they do. I can roll Boris on his tummy to relieve congestion in these pre-decongestant months, and I do believe that cosleeping then slashes his risk of SIDS. Besides, we found with both boys that their breathing was actually less labored when they were with us. Indeed, it seems that cosleeping regulated their immature systems.

Cosleeping promotes a bond through the most trying times. When Hamlet had reflux, he cried most of the day. Nighttime was our peaceful nursing time together. Now that he's a preschooler just learning how to handle himself, cosleeping soothes and reminds us both that there is more to our relationship than loggerheads. Waking up to his sweet smiling face, rather than a memory of yesterday's trials, reminds me that a new day deserves a new start. And I can see it does the same for Hamlet's relationship with his brother. (Yes, we sleep with both boys. I'm in between, with Boris in a crib that we attached to our bedside.)

Is cosleeping for everyone? Of course not. But parents who want to do it shouldn't feel guilty about "giving in" or "spoiling" their children. We too went through bedtime battles before we gave in and let Hamlet back into our bed. He went down without a fuss, we got our evenings back, and it was clear he needed that extra level of comfort.

As with other stages of childhood, this one won't last forever. Soon, I know, Hamlet will decide that he wants his own big boy bed. So, too, may Boris--Hamlet actually did prefer to sleep alone for a year. It's all about following their cues; for now, cosleeping is a necessity for us. Even despite the pee.