My husband and I share a bed with our 2 toddlers. It's strengthened our relationship as a couple.

• My husband and our two kids all sleep in a family bed.
• We consciously chose this, and snuggle, talk, and connect together before falling asleep.

"So, you're not having sex anymore?" is probably the most common question I've heard in the past four years.

My reply is always the same: "We have two kids, don't we?"

Long before we expected our daughter, my husband and I knew we wanted to raise our children differently than most do. Choosing a family bed was a no-brainer as part of our attachment parenting style.

Our sex life has changed

And yes, one of the things that changed is our sex life — but against all odds, it became better. But, I admit, we had to learn to put effort into it because the family bed isn't where it happens spontaneously.

We had to learn to make time for our physical pleasure consciously. And while you're not dependent on a bed for an exciting love life, we decided to rearrange rooms and create one for us.

In that room, we not only get intimate. We also cuddle, talk, and spend conscious time with each other, even if we simply watch a movie we both choose and snuggle under the blanket together. If you're a parent, you know this can be challenging in everyday life.

We also realized that we make more physical contact during the day. We kiss and hug each other more often than when we were only with the two of us. I tie this to the fact that we used to sleep in a spoon all night long, and our bodies miss the contact.

We read to our kids and cuddle in our family bed

One of the things I love the most about our family bed is that it became the place where we consciously communicate with our kids right before they sleep. It's where we cuddle, read, listen to guided meditations for children, talk about our day and how we feel, and express gratitude.

And at night, whenever one of them wakes up or has a bad dream, I only have to lay my hand on their chest and say, "Mommy is here; you are safe." It calms them down immediately, and they fall asleep again.

We found that our children are confident; they feel safe, heard, and seen. We all sleep well, are relaxed, and feel lots of love and connection. Plus, I breastfed for 30 months and didn't have to get up once at night.

Other parents have judged us

Though, of course, some things that used to annoy me were the conversations and prejudices of other parents, even family and friends, who have different parenting styles.

I used to try to explain the feeling of love, connection, and gratitude you experience when those tiny little humans you created sleep right next to you. I used to try to convince others of the benefits of a family bed and assured them they wouldn't share a bed with their parents when they were 18.

But I stopped because it's exhausting, and honestly, I want others to accept my decisions, so I must take theirs, too.