co-sleeping - by choice or by neccessity?

[bagsundereyes]

Having taken dd1 into bed last night, being to knackered to soothe her any other way, I was wondering about co-sleeping. I know lots of people are fully signed up to this idea from the start, and love the closeness. However, I am still a bit sceptical about whether it's what I want to do. Are there any converts out there who moved from reluctant to committed co-sleepers, and what tips make this work. Also, where does dc sleep if you don't want to turn in yourself?

[Trinityrhino]

with dd2 I coslept out of neccessity to get her to sleep somehow from the age of about 14 months

with Gecko though I have been cosleeping from the start. when she was tiny she slept downstairs in her carrycot pram bit till I went up. now she is a little older (4 months) she starts the night in her cot (in our room) and then when she wakes next, which is normally after the time I am in bed anyway then she joins me in bed and stays till morning.

[MegBusset]

Bags, as you can see on SIFTW thread, we often end up with DS in bed with us - if he wakes from 4 onwards it's often not worth the battle to get him back in his crib asleep for a couple of hours. He always sleeps really well in our bed.

However, we don't want to co-sleep all night because a) bed is too small and we don't have enough room for a kingsize; and b) DH likes a beer or five, and I have a glass of wine or two every couple of nights. But I'm thinking of compromising by getting a bedside cot, that way DS can have his own space but night feedings (of which there are currently many) are much easier.

[kittypants]

we did by choice and gave up because of neccesaty.he slept better alone.so at about 13 months he went in a cot.

[Kathyis6incheshigh]

I've been co-sleeping by accident because I keep falling asleep while feeding ds in the night. It's not ideal because I am not 100% convinced about the safety in our case and I certainly don't sleep as well, but it is rather nice and snuggly. And beats getting out of bed 6 times a night.

[JodieG1]

I co-slept with all 3 and still do with ds2. He goes up before I do and just goes on the bed on top of duvet. I love it, so much easier for breastfeeding and also means a better night's sleep as you just roll over to feed and can doze. I love being that close to them as well.

[Nemo2007]

coslept for both reasons but with all of mine they have then moved into a cot by 5mths[dd2 my youngest took the longest]

[purplemonkeydishwasher]

you do what you gotta do to get some sleep (and have a happy baby)

[gillhowe]

I've co slept with DS out of necessity (was one of those things I swore I'd never do before I actually had a baby! LOL). I'd co-sleep again through choice (I'd buy a bedside cot though, haven't got one for DS and it means that there is not enough room for the three of us)