The Saga of the Sleep Number Bed – My Side of the Pillow

Kris has given his perspective on our new bed in several posts (see part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 5.1) while I have mentioned it now and then in mine. I would like to give a bit of my perspective here. I don’t wish to rehash the entire story, only to say what I think of the bed in general.

Before we even considered a sleep number bed and before I was pregnant, I was sleeping poorly. I would wake up at least once and usually twice in the night and I often found it difficult to get back to sleep. Right after Owen was born I told Kris that I didn’t want to go through another pregnancy on that bed and he being the incredible husband that he is found a way to make my 9 months a bit more bearable.

The hassle of finding the bed, getting the bed, smelling the bed, smelling the cleaner, smelling the other cleaner and setting up the bed has been a battle he has fought with vengeance. He had my support and my help when I was able but his passion was somewhat lonely I’m afraid. I guess I have a higher tolerance for a funny smell. Granted, I was absolutely passionate about getting rid of the smoke smell but the smell of the cleaner was tolerable and I guess I just figured it would go away eventually. Sooner or later everything in a house begins to smell like it’s owner doesn’t it? The pad predicament was and is a bit of a sore spot still and there are little things we are still dealing with such as the weight of the bed. It is very light and wants to slide away from the wall leaving a gap for our pillows to fall through. Again…this is worse for Kris than it is for me as I can simply sleep farther down in the bed. He is so long that if he sleeps farther down toward the foot of the bed…he’s hanging off the bed. The pad we purchased is not as long as the bed and you can see the discrepancy even when the bed is all made up…there is a little cliff at the foot of the bed where the pad ends abruptly. I’m sure that we will find a way to fix it, possibly pieces from another pad glued to ours will help. We will also eventually buy a headboard and footboard so our sliding problem will be less of an issue. In the meantime…how are we sleeping?

I can honestly say that I love this bed! My husband did an incredible job of making me a little haven for sleep that cradles me and comforts me almost all night long. I thought that I was waking up to go to the bathroom while I slept in the other bed. Now I realize I was waking up, and only because I was awake did I realize I needed to use the bathroom. Even pregnant I wake up only once a night sometimes. I can count on laying down and going back to sleep almost every time. Yes, there are exceptions and yes, pregnancy is not over…the hardest months for sleep are the last ones but what a wonderful thing to have this bed and it’s short pad to rest in. I have not had back pain…I have been able to get to sleep so much more quickly and I feel like I have a hope for those last huge months when hips and shoulders and even sinuses were such a pain. I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:8

A big thank you to my never tiring prince of a husband who has worked so hard and so passionately for the perfect sleep. His battle rages on and his satisfaction awaits him…while I and my 25 week pregnant belly sleep comfortably by his side. Thanks Baby!