stopping co-sleeping, advice please.

[malachismum]

How do I get 2 week old to sleep in his crib next to my bed??? So far he has slept next to me in bed as its the only way he'll settle and being shattered Ive given in. Now Id like him to sleep in his crib as dp and I are on the edge of the bed and ds is like a little king with all the space. Please please any advice would be wonderful. He is waking every 1.5-2hours through the night for milk, Im bf.

[emkana]

Sorry to be blunt but I think he's only two weeks old and you're fighting a losing battle here. Why not go with it for a few more weeks?

[malachismum]

I think I knew that deep down. I cant bear to let him cry and staying up all night to settle him seems like torture, so perhaps it is the only option.
Do you know how to bf lying down? Any tips would be great as I cant seem to get the hang of it.
Thanks

[hotmama]

MM - Contact a bf counsellor - you could ask your hv for a local contact. I had a fab La Leche League counsellor who came around to my home and showed me how to feed lying down - an absolute godsend!

My dd2 is now 25 weeks so usually only feeds once during the night (last night she slept through - hurrah! ) but we both usually fall asleep when she feeds and then I wake up and put her back in her cotbed. Don't worry about falling asleep on him - your arm you lean on would be in the way!

In the early days I find swaddling helpful, and then put the dd's into sleeping bags -I found this helped them sleep in their own 'bed'. HTH

[hotmama]

I never could get the hang of bf dd1 lying down - I seem to smother her with my big norks! It can be done.

[melrose]

If you want to get him into his crib, have you tried swaddling? Worked really well for my DS, then put him in a sleeping bag when he was a bit bigger, about 4 weeks I think (think they have to be over 9lbs, but not sure. Also found that putting a warm, not hot, hot water bottle on his cot whilst I was feeding helped. It meant that he was lying back down onto a warm sheet not cold, which seemed to settle him (obviously v important you take the bottle out again before you put him in)

What I would say is go with whatever you feel comfortable with. I was pushed into putting DS in my bed by a midwife at my hospital and did it a few times but really did not want to go down the co-sleeping road. I have nothing against it but regardless of what people told me I did not settle properly to sleep as was so aware of him being there and scared of squashing him (although I knew I wouldn't)I personally found that getting up to feed him in a chair, putting him in his cot and then getting an hours sleep in my own bed with him in his worked best for me.

Good luck and it does get easier - promise!

[Callisto]

Ahhh, he is so tiny still. Let him carry on sleeping with you and ignore any stupid 'rod for own back comments'. Bfing lying down is great too.

[Quootiepie]

bedside cot? or give in and buy king size bed

[kittywits]

Oh, let him stay with you. He's so tiny and vunerable and needs the warmth and security od feeling his muumy next to him.

[Jackstini]

Swaddling does help, also when dd was this small she was in a moses basket - I took the little mattress out and lay her on this on the bed to feed then when she had finished picked the mattress up with her on it so no putting down on a cold bed to wake her up.
To feed lying down you both lay on your sides facing each other and make sure your nipple on the bottom breast is facing out. Your bottom arm will be above his head & with your top arem pull him towards you so he can latch on, you may need to hold your breast at first depending how full/heavy they are. It is a lovely way to feed once you have the hang of it good luck

[hotmama]

Jackstini - that is such a good idea to feed on the matress! I'll remember this if I have a dd3/ds!

[Jackstini]

Thinking about it only 6 months after the last one - wow you must be keen!

[beckybrastraps]

I lay on my side, with the bottom arm under my head. I used the other arm to guide the baby to my breast in the same way as I did while sitting up. Don't worry about breast size. Mine are huge and I actually found feeding much easier this way. Your midwife should be able to help you. I was shown how to feed lying down in hospital.

[malachismum]

Thanks for all the advice. I think Ill let him stay with me for a while and then try using the crib mattress to transfer him back into the crib. ill try feeding lying down tonight as I bet that would make the bed sharing sooo much easier.
Thanks again ladies.

[LaDiDaDi]

I couldn't get the hang of feeding lying down at first but once i did it made life easier .