Much happier with co-sleeping - but will DD ever sleep alone if I do?

[tenacityflux]

My DD is 9 weeks old and after a very manic start I have found that her constant need to feed all night is only do-able if we co-sleep but I am being told by HV's and all that if I do, she'll never learn to sleep on her own and will be in our bed until she's 5 - I do want her to go to her own bed but am hoping that when she weans off full time breast milk I can also wean her off co-sleeping as a whole deal. At the moment she sleeps in her crib from 7/8-ish till 11 dream feed, and if she falls asleep goes back to her bed till 2.30/3 and then we co sleep until 8 am - this helps me get some sleep and I am coping better with her now, any thoughts/advice would be great. I have finally got onto all BF after a difficult start and don't want anything to interrupt that after all our hard work!

happily co-slept with DD2 until recently- she's now 10 months.

She suddenly became restless in bed with me and when put in her cot relaxed more and began to sleep for longer periods again.

When the baby's a bit older you will have this wonderful moment when you don't have to get up to warm a bottle, but can just lie in bed first thing breastfeeding. It's a great start to the day.

I cannot believe your HV told you that bag of tripe. we co-slept with DD until she was 8 months old, then I noticed she really wanted her own space and was beginning to sleep for longer, so no night feeds. I put her in a bedside cot, which lasted for 2 months and then she was happy to go in her cot with sides up. Occasionally after this if she was teething or unwell she'd co-sleep but now at 19 months she won't sleep at all in our bed at all. She would rather come and bounce on us and clonk me over the head with a book that she wants to be read to her.
I believe it makes the baby confident about sleeping - with the knowledge that their parents are around them so they are secure. I'm not saying it works for everyone but DD loves her own cot now and I actually miss her snuggling up to me at night
Follow your heart - not your HV.