Advice about co-sleeping

[millie15]

Just wondering about the experience of others....
at the moment, I half and half co sleep with Niamh. She goes in her basket when she goes to sleep then when she wakes up for a feed I take her in with me, where she stays for the rest of the night, usually. Sometimes I'll put her back in her basket until later, esp. if OH is in bed with us as there's less room. At the moment, I find this works perfectly for me, I get to have a bit of freedom in the bed (OH is on the sofa weekdays - his choice) then we gewt to snuggle later. I am also reassured by having read that co-sleeping helps her regulate her breathing and temperature and that in many cultures it's totally the norm (in fact, they think we're weird putting babies in their own beds!) But...I have read and been told that if I start this now "I had better be prepared to do it for a looooong time" Ideally, I would like her to go in her own room around 6mths or so and stay there for the night. Am I confusing the poor child having her in and out of the bed? Will I struggle to get her in her own bed in her own room???

 

[beanie]

I think with co-sleeping it isn't something you do and then when baby is 6 months old just put them in their cot without any resistance. If you look at it from your babies POV they get to sleep with their favourite people and feel all safe and snuggly, then one night they are put into a bed all by themselves and expected to be happy to sleep in there.

My experience so far is that a child will want to go into their own bed, when that is depends on the child. Seren was 13 months when she started sleeping through in her own bed, I think Cally will be later. But I really do believe in the benefits of co-sleeping and I have the reassurance that they won't be in our beds at 16

I would say that some co-sleeping is better then no co-sleeping and you may be lucky and have a baby that sleeps through and is happy to go into their own cot but then again you might not be. However one book "the no cry sleep solution" by Elizabeth Pantley is a great resource and she does cover getting a baby into their own bed without them being left to cry or you getting upset.

 

[maria1976]

Ruby is now 15 months and now she is in the cot..............just! You will know when the timeis right for them to leave the bed as they just dont settle properly anymore.
I love co sleeping but then there have been moments where she has woken 10 times or more wanting to comfort feed and thought OMG i cant cope anymore!! I wouldnt worry too much for now darling co sleeping and B feeding go hand in hand and this way you are both happy

 

[BabyMagic]

If you enjoy co-sleeping just carry on doing it and ignore others!

We still co-sleep, but around 4 months I thought that I wanted to put LO to her crib. She actually went in it fine, but I wasn't able to fall asleep that well as I kept checking on her . It was actually my OH who asked LO to be brought back to bed where she's been ever since.

LO has started falling asleep in her cot lately (she used to fall asleep in our bed and stay there for a few hours on her own until we went to bed - not very safe I know ), and we've had our ups and downs. From my experience it maybe easier to move babies to cots when they are little younger.

There are gentle ways of doing the transformation. The book recommended by Beanie is fab!

 

[hennaly]

Im not a fan of co sleeping but only because i like my space, Levi does however stay in my bed after his early morning feed (6am ish) until we get up at 7am.
I did try co sleeping with one of my daughters and never again, she not only wouldnt go in her own bed but became very clingy with everything, she has grown out of it now at the age of 17

 

[charlotte_]

i did exactly what you're doing with zach. put him in his moses basket to bed then put him in with me after his night feeds. now he's in his cot, in his own room - no fuss!

 

[beanie]

I just wanted to add that another great book to read is "three in a bed" by Deborah Jackson. If you are co-sleeping it is a must