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Co Sleeping

8 replies

peachy2410 · 28/10/2015 18:33

Does anyone co-sleep with their baby? I know it's not ideal and I don't want to but she will not settle in her crib and I'm so exhausted I've let her sleep on a pillow in between us as otherwise for her to sleep she has to be held!

Does anyone have any suggestions to encourage sleep in a crib/cot? She will in the day but refuses at night! I'm so tired!!

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drLu · 28/10/2015 18:40

Don't let her sleep in pillow!!!! I co-slept with all three of mine but the need to sleep on a firm base. A pillow is too soft.

I can really recommend a book called three in a bed. I put mine in a grow bag. I slept under the duvet and put them on top of it making sure they weren't near any pillows. My body formed a C around them if it makes sense. My husband always slept in a separate bed for the first 6 months but mainly because he's a big lump that sometimes squashes me let alone being aware of a baby!!!
I felt a bit anxious every time but I was just so exhausted. Having said that I can't recommend cocoonababy enough. V expensive but re-sale is brilliant. John Lewis sell them and my third would actually sleep in that. Good luck!!

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Lauraemily35 · 28/10/2015 19:27

My lo hated his Moses so had a nightmare first few weeks. Myself and partner would let baby sleep on our chests which was really scary and obviously not recommend but I was just so exhausted.
I invested in a sleepy head in the end after buying a chicco next to me which lo wouldn't sleep in either!
He sleeps okay in sleepy head - never more than a couple of hours but is a greedy chap cause being bf. But I know he is safe and you can put them on your bed and baby is safe from being rolled on.
He's still not a good sleeper at 12 weeks but have been told 3 months is the magical age they start to settle! Fingers crossed and good luck

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NerrSnerr · 28/10/2015 19:51

Co sleeping is fine but you need to look into how to do it safely. Don't let her sleep on a pillow, she needs a hard base away from all pillows and duvets. I didn't co sleep but the people I know who did put extra jumpers on at night and didn't use duvets at all so there wasn't the risk of them pulling the covers over the baby.

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peachy2410 · 28/10/2015 20:47

Thanks everyone. I usually sleep in a c shape round her but never really sleep when she's on our bed. Might try a co sleeping bed. Got a Chico next to me crib but she hates it. Thanks for suggestions

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DuchessOfWeaseltown · 28/10/2015 21:55

another one here who wore layers so no duvet and just had baby in her gro-bag on our (firm) mattress.

Dh was banished to the spare room, he is very heavy and a heavy sleeper so I wasn't comfortable with him being in the same bed.

I did the C shape thing around baby too, it just sort of happened naturally.

however I waited until she was 7 months as I had totally gone along with the official line that co-sleeping is dangerous. Was evangelical about how I was never going to do it as it was A Bad Thing, and even on those long dark nights when she was a few weeks old I was too scared to try it... which meant that on one or two occasions I dropped off while holding her as I was sitting up feeding her in bed... which is WAY more dangerous obviously.

If I ever had another child I would co-sleep much sooner. I was becoming a danger in other ways through lack of sleep (eg driving long distances on motorways after months of broken sleep - 4ish hours a night broken into 3 chunks, for months on end) and mental health suffering.

Take the advice on here, don't drink or smoke obviously.

oh and yy to ditching the pillow thing - they need to be on a firm surface.

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BuggerLumpsAnnoyed · 29/10/2015 12:51

I would say try a sleepy head on your situation. I'm planning on using one with imminent Arrival as DS1 was such a terrible sleeper. If you go on Amazon or John Lewis, the reviews are incredible. It's basically a safe way of doing what your doing

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ArriettyMatilda · 29/10/2015 13:05

Three in a bed is a great book and finally gave me the confidence to start cosleeping at about 6 weeks. We've never looked back. I always used a duvet but had it lower down. I probably wouldnt cosleep if I wasn't formula feeding as I know there are more risks attached to that. I know I slept fairly lightly in the the first few months and woke up when dd was snuffling around for milk, but I think formula fed babies tend to have deeper sleeps and therefore Mum would too.