To cuddle my baby for all naps and not have a sleep schedule

[Cookiecrumblepie]

I have a 4 month old and am snuggling her for every nap. Co-sleeping and just letting her do her thing. She doesn’t have a set sleep schedule (just rough and whenever I can se me her getting tired) and I let her nap for as long as she likes on me. Her night sleep is fine, also snuggled near me. I feel this is against so much advice but I love it! AIBU?

I mean, whatever works for you, but a lack of routine will make it impossible to plan anything or join toddler groups, swim classes etc. Eventually you're going to need to come out of the newborn haze and crack on with life. I used naptime to get shit done. You may find eventually it gets very restrictive and harder when their older to change the plan. My friend did your approach and was sleeping on the floor next to their cots then beds for the next 8 years. Not for me.

They're not their🙄

As long as you are aware of the safe sleep 7 crack on. It's perfectly normal for children to sleep next to mum and they naturally fall into a routine as they get bigger.

Contrary to what a previous poster said I actually found it more freeing. I got so stressed trying to sort a sleep schedule that I gave up. It was much better just responding to baby rather than fighting him to sleep. I would add my baby slept in the car, pram and carrier. I think it would be different if they didn't!

You were correct the first time

Nope! I did this with middle and now the baby. They sleep fine and are confident babies

If it works for you. A family I know who done this are still co-sleeping with their 7 year old, but complaining daily about having no life. I personally preferred nudging a routine from very young and it simplified everything for us. But whatever works for you. I would struggle being that restricted, but you love it so it totally is working for you.

YANBU

You may notice that a pattern emerges of naps as she gets older but maybe not.

I did contact naps with all of mine (not for every nap, they would sleep in the pram as they got older too) but I loved it as it gave me time to rest/catch up on tv too.

As long as sleep is safe and sufficient in amount, there’s really no wrong or right way to do it. What you do boils down to how predictable you want your days, how inconvenient the contact napping is etc. With my first, all naps were contact the first few months but I had to transition to a bassinet once feeding to sleep wasn’t happening and I wanted my independence during the day. He always slept well in the car so scheduling days out was actually much easier when he didn’t have a nap schedule. He had a schedule from around 3 months (which was what he had naturally fallen into). Nighttime was in the bedside crib from birth-this was much more important to me than daytime naps so I could get some sleep at night and know he was as safe as possible. I’m now doing the same with baby 2 except doing a little more napping in the day in the bassinet-having a toddler to also deal with means I need him off me some of the time.

Just be careful of her only sleeping with you. My sil did this, and whilst it was lovely when she was a baby, she couldn’t get her to sleep without holding her till she was six. She’s fine now (13) but u is t took a long time to wean her off being cuddled to sleep.

Absolutely not being unreasonable! I did this and my little one got into his own routine at about 6 months. He’s now in a cot in his own room. Don’t listen to the ‘you’re making a rod for your own back’ brigade, there’s nothing wrong with what you’re doing. It creates a secure attachment, is great for bonding and is also just generally lovely! They’re small for such a tiny time, enjoy it.

@ItsNotOkItsNotTheEnd no, it should have been "they're" (it's a contraction of "they are").

I did this with both of mine. They developed a pattern for naps by age 4-5 months and I just went with it, tweaking it gently every now and then if needed. They both slept well in their own beds from about 6 months. If it works for you, it's fine.

I’m the same with my DD and it has worked fabulously for us both.

Adults like to be in close proximity to another person to sleep, why do we expect different from children?

The correction is correct

Great to hear some other experiences! I’m mindful of the inconvenience in future but at the moment just think it’s such a floating time maybe I just go with it

At some point op you will want some ‘me time’ again - don’t feel guilty for that , baby will be fine napping in cot!

This is what I did and mine sleeps brilliantly and never needed any horrid “sleep training.” Never had any problems. It’s natural and how it’s meant to be in my opinion.

I think if its working for everyone then go for it. I agree with a previous poster that you may start to see a pattern arise. You are already watching for signs of tiredness by the sounds of it, you may start to notice a pattern and that these tend to come when baby has been awake for a particular length of time i.e. 2 or 3 hours, so you can plan things around this. Also baby may start to sleep more deeply so you can pop them down for a bit for their longer naps and see to your own needs or get a job done or whatever. There's no right or wrong, just opinions though, sounds to me like you are just following your instincts, which sounds perfect to me. If you start to feel you would like to not be 'nap trapped' for longer periods, you can start to make adjustments then. You aren't going to break your baby by cuddling her too much.

I did this, it felt totally appropriate for a four month old. And was easier!

I didn’t get my kids out of my bed til they were about about ten though! At four months that is hardly something to worry about, it is not something I intended though.

Not as long as you don't moan about things later. Personally I'd put baby down awake but sleepy so they get used to falling to sleep themselves.

Worked for me, they are independent adults now! They are tiny for such a short period

No she wasn’t. You may find eventually it gets very restrictive and harder when their older to change the plan
In this sentence, it should say ‘they are older’. ‘They’re’ is a contraction of ‘they are’

@BibbleandSqwauk

I think it's easier without a set routine, I had none of the stresses about being invited somewhere at the wrong time, never needed a travel cot, they just napped as and when

How old is your baby and when do you plan to return to work? You really don't want to be trying to manage sleep schedules when you're also working!

Do what works! They never stick to “schedules” anyway and once you’ve got a routine down something will change to mess it up anyway, it helps to not be too rigid.
My first was a cuddly napper, we spent hours in front of the telly and it was bliss. If we went out and about to groups etc baby would sleep in the sling, car or buggy, or on me when we got home or round someone’s house.