Sad at end of co-sleeping - tell me it's ok!

[jumpjockey]

DD is 6.5 months. We began with her in a sidecar cot and would bring her into bed with me at the first feed, stay there rest of night (as she wouldn't go back into the cot without yelling). She would usually wake up when we went up to bed at about 1.30-11.30, then again at 2 for a feed, again at about 4 for another, at 5ish and grizzle back and forth latching on and off the boob for a couple of hours til I gave up and got us both up. None of the feeds was particularly massive as she mostly sucked for a short while then fell asleep on the boob.

For the last couple of weeks, DH and I have been sleeping in the spare room, she's still in our room . Now she goes til about 2-3-4am, wakes up, has a big old feed, I pop her back in the cot and return to spare room, and she sleeps til about 6.30-7. Touching wood very hard here

So we've concluded that this shows she sleeps much better without us there to disturb her. We get much better sleep as well, and she isn't waking up as much. I'm a very light sleeper so even a whimper wakes me up, and it really isn't the "waking up, yelling, being ignored and back to sleep" kind of sleeping through (which is a bit of a swizz really). So on that front, all is much better.

BUT... I really miss the cuddles with her in the night, and we're trying to be attachment parents so co-sleeping is an important part of that (being there for her all the time if she needs us). Is it more important that she and we get better sleep and can function better during the day, than that she has us there throughout the night but doesn't get as good a rest?

I know it's a no brainer really, am just a bit sad at the end of a really lovely (if sleepless!) phase. Still, we've yet to move her into her own room so who knows what will happen then!

[bethdivine]

i would say much better that you all get a good night's sleep - we co-slept with DS out of neccesity - not every night and not all night, but just those when he wouldn't settle, and we're doing the same again now with DD, but if your DD is learning to self settle then that's really great esp. if you're attachment parenting, as it's important that they're happy on their own as well as with you. - You are there for her in the night if she does wake and need you, but much better that she doesn't wake - and it's not that she doesn't need you, just that she's already learnt that you would be there if she did need you, so she's content and secure enough already. well done you!

[jumpjockey]

Well that's a reassurance, hadn't thought of it that way As I said, we'll have to see what happens when she moves to the big girl's bed in her own room!