Am I creating a bad habit

[penguinz]

DS is 5 months, sleep has been a bit eh since he turned 3 months around the time he had 12 week jabs. He caught a bug the week after and hasn’t slept well since !

he needs settling a lot and it’s only the past week or so I’ve gotten him in our bed (safe co sleeping position) so we can get some sleep and when I do this he sleeps well?

Hes also teething, just learned to sit up and roll over so I’m just assuming he wants to be close and confit because he has a lot going on!!

but MIL and FIL essentially told me and DP off saying we shouldn’t be letting him into our bed he won’t ever get out

This isn’t true is it? I do plan on trying to get him back to his own cot for the night , he goes down in it but after a few hours gets in with us I didn’t think it was so bad he’s so young and just wants to be close

but MIL and FIL essentially told me and DP off saying we shouldn’t be letting him into our bed he won’t ever get out

This isn’t true is it?

Of course it's not true. How many adults do you know that co sleep with their parents?

Don't discuss your sleeping arrangements with your in laws, it gives them the idea their opinion is welcome.

No, give him what he needs. They’re being ridiculous, he’s a tiny baby and needs the comfort.

My advice would be to completely ignore them @penguinz

If my 18m old is anything to go by, then your DSs sleep will change dramatically a load of times over the coming months. Do what works for your family at each stage, do it all following the safe sleep guidelines - be that cots, co-sleeping or anywhere else, and all try and get as much sleep as you can 😊
I don’t personally have a co-sleeper (my DS just thinks it’s playtime if I try 😬) but there are loads of cosleeping parents on here that will give you good advice - and I don’t think any of them are still co-sleeping with their teens so I’m assuming they leave the bed at some point 😉🤣

It's not true. I've not been a great parent all round, but one thing I've very sure I'm glad we did was let our kids be with us when they needed us at night.

I don’t co sleep but Ive just spent a week in the spare bed in baby DS’s room next to his cot as he’s not been well. Wouldn’t have had it any other way. Soon as he was better I went back to my own bed. No bad habits were created!

Are they the ones up all night with your baby? If not.. I say tell them to butt out.

Can confirm teens no longer in bed 😊

Sleep associations ARE being formed at this age so be careful if you don't want to continue this trend. However, he is still very little and does need comfort. I would gently encourage him to sleep in his own bed - maybe after the teeth come through he will sleep better.

We used a Next To Me cot so i could put my hand on baby if he stirred. Then I didn't need to get up quite so much :) I do occasionally bring him into our bed, but only for an hour or two if he wakes up at 5

I co slept with my youngest from about 6 weeks until he was 2. Now he sleeps in his own bed in his own room. Yeah it was sometimes difficult but it's what got all of us the most amount of sleep

I co slept with my babies. They moved to sleeping in their own beds at 2 and it wasn't a drama.

I co slept with my first and he moved to his own bed at 3 (when I stopped BF at night) he's been fine since
I have a new born and will just follow his lead, however he punches me away when he is in my bed, so he generally sleeps in his next to me... just follow what your baby needs , every baby is different

Cosleeping is great for everyone getting some sleep, and being close can be a natural pain reliever for little uns.

I don't think it's a bad habit, and even if it were, you can replace it with a new habit/routine as/when needed. It won't last forever but may last til about 3ish if they get used to your comfort for teething etc (on and off).

@Sbena I agree with your post.

Of course you should do what you think is best for your baby but 5 months is when I started to really work on establishing good sleep habits. Sleep associations can cause problems at this age. But no, it's not bad as long as you're all happy with the arrangement!

Why do you even discuss your baby's sleeping habits with your ILs?

Ignore them, do what works for your family. So frustrating other people feel the need to comment, I’m sure you would never comment on what goes on in their bed!!
Enjoy the snuggles!

I collect and breastfed mt DD until she was just over two.

And then, after a weekend at her grandparents... she didn't. Slept in her own bed with no issue.

I found all the scare mongering about bad habits nonsense. If it works for you now then enjoy, and you’ll deal with a problem (if there ever is one) in the future.

Cosleeping isn’t a problem, cosleeping is a solution to the problem that baby won’t sleep, and I’m convinced that baby not sleeping alone is hugely down to their personality type. I have a 1 week old DS and I’m already amazed at how different his personality/temperament is to his older sister (feeding, sleeping, etc) at that age.

With DD we did a mix of cosleeping and the Next to Me cot as needed until 6 months, when she moved into her own room. DS seems content to settle in the next to me for now, but if that changes I’ll have no qualms bringing him in with me to ensure we all get some decent sleep. When DD was tiny I was worried that I’d never get her out of our bed as she wouldn’t settle anywhere else, but at nearly 2 she’s now fiercely protective of her own space and won’t settle when being cuddled at all! (Not going to lie, it makes me a bit sad until I remember how stressful I did find it!)