6 Month old EBF Co-sleeping, please somebody tell me they've done this and it's been fine!!

[BigDogLittleDog]

We co sleep since 4 month sleep regression as I was getting more sleep this way....he now wakes every hour or so and will only re settle on the boob although I know he's not drinking anything!

My gut feeling is that he needs the reassurance at the moment and I should let him suckle when he needs to and things will get better on their own....

Anyone done this with success? Or do I need to try something else? I have tried not letting him bf when he wakes but he becomes frantic and gradually migrates towards me pulling at my t shirt! (Super cute but I'm flipping exhausted!!)

Any help or stories would be great thank you!

[EmmaLL25]

We were you! (And still are when LO ill). It gets better. What helped us was getting him to sleep for naps in cot without boob. This was preceded over months with the Pantley Pull off Method.

When his sleep started improving we went and slept in spare room and left him to it in ours - got down to 2/3 night wakings.

I'm now feeding then putting in cot rather than feeding to sleep.

It's only been in last month or so that he's developed a drowsy state, was always awake or not, IYSWIM. We can do things like sssh and pat to sleep.

We've used elements of NCSS. A lot I think comes with age.

He's been ill this week so back to co-sleeping for a few nights.

Things are massively better when he's not teething or ill. We still have to night wean though. I think that will be the final thing to lead to more consistent sleeps.

So don't worry your LO will get there and you'll be able to spot when they're ready to take a step forward. I the meantime I wouldn't worry about doing what you need to , to survive.

There's a long thread on NCSS with more info.

[EmmaLL25]

Oh, forgot to say. Things first improved when we started sending Dad in on early evening wake ups to resettle. It took lots of rocking/bouncing/sshing bit did work (when LO not ill) - eased pressure on constant feeding.

[imip]

Yes, I've done it. With dd1 she was bf about every 30 mins and needed to sleep latched on. She is now 7 yo and goes to bed on her own and sleeps through. Has done from about 15 months. It gets better .

Have done the same with dd 2, 3 and 4. Dd4 sleeps through about 50% of the time. She is 2.

Tbh, I stopped bf through the night with each of them between 10 and 15 months old. That is the key to getting decent sleep. I lay next to them, but refused to feed. Held their hand, patted anything but not bf. it's hard, but cc isn't my thing.

It gets better!

[dyslexicdespot]

We did the same with DS. He still co-sleeps and BF at almost 2.5. I am so glad that DH and I have been able to follow his lead. We will never have another child so we are very keen to be with him while he needs us!

[BigDogLittleDog]

Thanks everyone! Glad to hear the reassurance!

I've got the no cry sleep solution book but haven't read it yet, will start to read it.

Will also try putting him down once he's asleep in the day when I can, perhaps that will help.

I'm pretty sure he's teething ATM so perhaps being a bit more needy, perhaps it'll pass.....

[BigDogLittleDog]

Thank you fuck! (Snigger) that's exactly what I wanted to hear!

[Kittymalinky]

Yep, I let my DD do what she needed and when. It was exhausting while she was feeding every hour or two but she night weaned herself at about 11 months.

At 17months she now sleeps though, she has since about 12-13mo. She still cosleeps and feeds to sleep. I'm going to tackle the feeding to sleep in a few weeks as it doesn't look like she'll give it up on her own.

Let nature take it's course, it worked for us :)

[allisgood1]

Yep! Twice! And will do it a third time too! I weaned myself slowly away from my babies from 6 months (if ready). Both were put down awake by 12 months to go off to sleep and they were fine!

[Booboostoo]

I did it till 24mo with DD. None of the no cry solutions helped, CC was not an option for me so I co-slept and bfed until then. For me it was the path of least resistence, that kept us both happy and we both got the most sleep possible. I would love a child with easier sleeping patterns next time round though!!

[Binkybix]

We have DS in with us when he has a phase of not settling (suspect to do with teeth). A phase can often last several weeks. He seems to be feeling better at the moment and is back sleeping well in his cot. I didn't do much really, just tried to settle him without feeding when he seemed to be doing it for habit. I still feed to sleep if he's distressed though - I just play it by ear.

[Nareno]

Bigdog your situation is exactly the same as my set up. I think you are right to trust yr instincts. I had 8 weeks of frequent night feeds and was going potty so spent time looking up various sleep solutuins, including the no cry sleep solution which my sister swears by. But none of them felt right to me, and I sensed that my ds needed extra care at the mo ent so just carried on. Im glad to say thst this week he has finally returned to a more sane sleep pattern. I havent denied him feeds or cuddles, he just seems to have moved on a bit. I like the dr sears approach based on attachment parenting, but mainly he justsays beware of people promising sleep solutions. Although this is a tough stage, I think I the longer term your baby will feel secure as s result of your night time closeness. Btw, I have loads of sympathy for how hard it is, as we only just coming out of it. I did express and get my partner to do some nighrs and recently hes had some formular to.

[JimbosJetSet]

Yep I did the same as you with both of mine. They made a natural progression back into their own beds between 12 and 18 months. Ignore any 'making a rod for your own back' comments you may get. And although we all sleep better now we are in our own beds again, I still miss falling asleep with my nose in my son's hair and I'm so pleased we did it that way

[drivenfromdistraction]

I did this with all 3 of mine. Somewhere between 8 months (eldest) and 12 months (youngest), I started putting them down in their cots in the evening (after bath/story etc.) and then taking them into our bed when they woke up.

Gradually, at somewhere around 2 - 3, they stopped waking up. The two eldest sleep all night in their beds, and the youngest (2.8) is just beginning to - when she's not ill, which she is all the time at the moment (just started nursery).

I bf at night until 12-13 months with the older two (when I stopped bf altogether). With the youngest, I went on bf at night until about 18 months, then cut down to just bf at bedtime. Have just stopped that, and she's going to sleep very easily in her cot without it.

I think it's a balance between what your baby needs (and your instincts on that are the best guide) and what you can cope with. But, as long as you're prepared for it to take a bit of time and patience, it is not hard to switch from co-sleeping to DC sleeping in their own cots/beds.

[Emmasmummy2013]

BigDogLittleDog this is exactly the same as our situation!! I am finding I'm getting enough sleep by co-sleeping though. I get a lot of the'making a rod for your own back' comments but don't care as there is currently no other way me & dd could get enough night time sleep. What really worries me is that I also feed to sleep for naps and wonder what will happen when I go back to work . I'm very lucky in that dd will be 11 months by the time I have to go back, but the way things are now I just can't see how my MIL or the nursery will put her to sleep!! Its really stressing me!! I have just borrowed NCSS from library so I guess we will give that a go!

[JimbosJetSet]

EmmasMummy - don't get yourself stressed out about what will happen when you return to work. I spent a long time stressing about it too and it was fine (I went back to work around 11-12 months with a combination of nursery and grandparents for childcare). Your DD won't be looking to your MIL/other carers expecting to be fed by them so they will work out their own routines. My DM got mine to sleep by walking with them in the pushchair to start with. At nursery, DD was happy to be patted to sleep (and this never worked at home!) and DS slept if they put out a mat and blanket for him in the middle of the room - the general noise and chaos helped him sleep they found! But the kids are usually so knackered by the time it comes to having a nap at nursery it takes less effort to convince them to go to sleep. And the nursery staff will be experienced in getting babies to sleep! So don't waste any more time of your precious mat leave worrying about it

[TerrariaMum]

Done this with both of mine and planning on it with DC3.fwiw, DD1 is 3 now and able to put herself to bed in her own room if she feels tired. So ime the early cosleeping gave her the security she needed.

[Emmasmummy2013]

Thanks JimbosJetSet, that will be exactly our situation, hearing that really does help. Thats exactly it I don't want to spent my summer off with my lovely baby stressing over this!! I will try my best to stop :)