Oh golly, I have 4 dc and if I didn't get my sleep I'd be a total wreck!
This is what worked best for me. I slept with mine until they were 6 months old so that if they needed a feed they'd just be able to suckle contentedly without me needing to get up.
Also, the darkness and lack of eye contact, the snuggliness, warmth and comfort meant that both baby and me were blissfully contented. It was also hugely reassuring to hear them breathing and to give them a cuddle or kiss whenever I felt like it.
Sleeping with babies is what is practised in nearly every culture throughout the history of mankind and it worked well for us.
We both used to have great sleeps and even if we started off the night chuckling at each other and playing peekaboo etc, by closing my eyes my baby would do the same. Sometimes I would pretend to doze off and every time my baby would relax next to me, watch me closely and then doze off given the cue by me!
None of my babies ever cried at night or had sleepless nights even when ill at as they were conforted knowing I was there.
By 6 months they had established sleep patterns and no longer needed a night feed and were able to drop off themselves so I moved them into their own cot/ room.
The key for us was to 'fill up the tank before bed' sometimes I found I didn't have enough breast milk so I would supplement with a bottle for the last feed.
Mine did not wake in the night after 6 months unless ill. We also found by having a low bed (Ikea ones are ideal)and cutting short the time they were in a cot, they were then able to come in to our bed if they needed to and just snuggle right in and not disturb us.
We invested in a superking size bed as we sometimes get 7am visitors who like to have a cuddle before school!