Thoughts on co-sleeping

[ladymelo]

I'm wondering people's thoughts on co-sleeping is? As in baby in same bed?

[seven201]

I think a lot of people plan not to but end up doing it like me

[ScarletForYa]

I did it.

[FaFoutis]

It is perfectly normal. Lots of people do it.

[Gileswithachainsaw]

Wasn't for me. Having looked after them all day like fuck was I having to sleep/cuddle them all night too

Cots and bedrooms all the way!! Struggle enough to sleep with special let alone squirmy radiator babies

[Gileswithachainsaw]

With dp

Good God phone...

[ladymelo]

Those that did co-sleep did you find it harder to get them to sleep in own bed when you were ready?

[Thomasisintraining]

I was able to sleep through the vast majority of my DSes multiple night wakings for about 15 months by co sleeping and breast feeding and then wake up in the morning fully refreshed to deal with his 2 older siblings with whom I did not cosleep. I believe it is how mothers and babies are designed to interact at night so mother do not get crippled by exhaustion from night waking and I believe modern parenting has got the whole co sleeping things as arseways as they got the babies sleeping on their tummies thing.

[Tumtitum]

Didn't plan to, thought I'd be terrified but did it on day 2. Then got a sleepyhead so I wouldn't be so afraid of her falling out of bed etc! We switched her to a side sleeper at 4 months as we got sick of being squished!! I loved waking up to her little head in bed with us tho :)

[Tumtitum]

Lady, DD isn't even 6 months yet but has been in her own cot (still in sleepyhead) for a few weeks now and has been fine. I'm sure it depends on the individual baby and how clingy they are etc

[Thomasisintraining]

ladymelo we always co slept with the cot as a side car. Just 3 sides of a normal cot. DH night weaned ds by doing the night wakings for a few nights and at the same time we moved him to his own bed. He was no more difficult to move than his older siblings.

[FruitCider]

I coslept with my daughter for 6 months. I moved her into a cot with the side off next to the bed, then put the side on, then inched the cot away from my bed and into her own room. Very easy transition. Now when she is unsettled I tend to get in the toddler bed with her so she settles in own bed!

[FaFoutis]

I coslept with all mine and was never sleep deprived. I think it is what we were designed to do too.
They went in their own beds when they were ready, no problem at all.

[TwoLittleBlooms]

I co-slept with my eldest (13) until she was about five, she had her own room but still came in with me. Dd2 (18 months) cot still in our room and doesn't sleep through so every night ends up in our bed. I don't mind at all, love the snuggles. I think if you are happy and baby is happy then go for it.

[JoandMax]

If you want to it's a great thing!! DS1 moved to his own cot and room by about 18 months, all of his own accord and at 8 years old is a brilliant sleeper, never ever have any issues at all.

DS2 is mostly out of our bed at 6 years old - he took a bit longer to be ready!! But from fairly early on he would go to bed on his own then come in with us when we went to bed (he always knew however quiet we were!). However he was a very poorly baby, lots of hospital stays and we really feel the closeness of being with us all night helped him feel secure and also helped bonding

[youcantakethegirloutof]

I do a combo depending how my DD is sleeping (or not!) that night! I typically put her down to sleep in her cot for the first part of the night but she often ends up in bed with us at some point in the night. I sleep better with her in the cot but when she wont sleep in that I prefer to get some sleep with her in bed with me. If she's really unsettled, ill, teething etc I kick my DP out & we just snuggle up in the bed & we both get lots more sleep!! She's only 6m so not attempted to transition to FT in cot yet but am not worried!
Have a read of The Gentle sleep book - some useful stuff about co-sleeping in that.

[OvO]

I co slept with my eldest until he was 5 and still do with my youngest who's 8.

We still like it so keep doing it. He will happily sleep in his own bed if I ask and my eldest started sleeping in his own bed with zero fuss.

I actually really like still doing it now he's older - the chats we have are lovely.

[TheOddity]

What the sleep books don't tell you is with most (especially breastfed?) babies you have two options:

1. put them in their own room and deal with multiple night wakings by going in and out, boob/bottle dangled over cot, rocking chair next to cot etc.
   
2. keep them in with you either in a cot with one side off or in your bed, so you have no personal space but you do actually get to sleep.
   
   I opted consciously for option 2 second time round. Not a particularly clingy baby but still night wakes for boob a couple of times at six months. I didn't want to get up twice a night for six months. I just roll her next to me, let her feed while I lie down half asleep, then roll her back into her cot when her little head is making me hot. Much, much better and when she is no longer waking, I will put the side on the cot and inch her out of our room!

[TheOddity]

Oh and four year old has been in his own room since just turned four.

[Daytona79]

I'm due baby no2 in 2 weeks and have a son who is 22 months, we co slept with him and would if just allowed him to stay in our bed till he was happy to move himself but due to baby no2 we decided to move his toddler bed into our room a couple of months ago. He goes to sleep fine in his toddler bed but wakes up in the night, and climbs into bed with us. We don't mind, main concern was getting him to sleep without having to sit with him all night, which we were having to do. But now he settled into his toddler bed he goes to sleep within 20 minutes so we are happy when th that.

I found co sleeping very helpful for breastfeeding him till he was 1 year old. And I will happily co sleep with new baby and still allow him in late at night, we have a super king bed and there is plenty of room.

[DowntonDiva]

Co slept for first 5 weeks as it was easier to manage the nighttime feeds (bf) and I loved being so close to DD.

Transitioned her back into her bed firstly by settling her for the evening in her bed then bringing her in at 1am. Then dropped it to the 3am feed onwards, then the 5am feed onwards. Then by 13 weeks she was in her own bed all night.

[Kriek]

I loved it. I hadn't set out to co-sleep but feeding DS was so much easier this way. He eventually moved into his own bed aged 3 with no issues. I miss the days when they are smal enough to do it. 😀

[CarlGrimesMissingEye]

I loved it. Eldest only moved out when I was hugely pregnant with her brother. Her brother has always really preferred his own space once night weaned.

That's said, eldest was back in with us last night after a bad dream. It was nice.

[Liz09]

I'm due any minute now with DC1 and don't plan to have the baby in the bed with me. I have a cot in their room, and a bassinet in our room. I know too many people who ended up sleeping with their kids in their bed until they were 3+ and that's just not for me.

On the other hand, I know people who tried co-sleeping and hated it. They said neither they nor the baby got much sleep doing it. These people seem to be in the minority among the people I know, though.

[gamerchick]

I co slept until about 6 he has his own double bed though. It just ended naturally and no problem him sleeping alone now.

[Grassgreendashhabi]

One night. Didn't sleep a wink paranoid I would roll on her or pull cover up

Night of hell

Never again