Avoiding co-sleeping

[NatMoz]

My baby is 6.5 months old and in the last week keeps waking up at around 4:30am wide awake and seeking attention by babbling, making loud noises (which i definitely can't sleep through).

I feed her, give her her dummy, try and settle her but to no avail. The only thing that works is her coming into our bed where she settles and sleeps until 7am.

However the co-sleeping is a habit i really want to avoid. Is there anything else i can do? Other tips or tricks i should consider?? It's so hard to persevere in the middle of the night when all you want to do is sleep!!

What makes you think it’s a bad habit you need to avoid? Sleeping close to parents is the biological norm for babies and most babies will sleep better/more this way. I’d embrace it and enjoy the extra sleep!

Honestly if she is happy in her cot i would just leave her to see if she resettles. Turn the baby monitor volume down or close doors so you can't hear her as loudly and try and drift back off to sleep.

I think the only way to avoid co-sleeping (which i get as i feel the same) is to not do it. If she won't resettle you may have to look at a later bedtime or just suck it up and get up if you really can't sleep through her chatter

I didn't want to co-sleep long term. However there have been short term stints that just made sense. When my oldest was 10/11 months old they had a 5am wake up - unless I snuggled them in with me and we all slept until 7. Soon enough they stopped waking at 5 and I no longer needed that couple of hours of co-sleeping. We also had a tough family time when LO was 3. We did about 6 weeks of co-sleeping and then gradually transitioned back.
My advice is don't be so black and white about it, you can definitely have a preference not to co-sleep (as I do) but short term to move through short phases it can be the easiest way the whole house gets the most sleep

I think it's fine to do it short term. I was always anti co-sleeping until my 3rd baby. I had to co-sleep with her for pure survival and actually it was quite nice.

At 8 months she started sleeping slightly better and now sleeps in her own cot no problem at all. I'm glad I co-slept for the little bit I needed to, but I'm also glad it's not a long term thing.

Cosleeping isn’t bad nor is it a habit. It’s something that western society tells mothers they shouldn’t do despite it being normal and natural for babies and children to want to be close to their mother - for safety and comfort

if you don’t want to let her sleep in your bed then I’d just leave her in the cot if she’s happy and then get up when she becomes upset. They’re you’re only two options really - either let her come into your bed or leave her babbling away in her cot until she becomes unhappy and then get up

Mine is ten months, in his own room but keeps wanting to wake up at 5. Some days I need to be up at 6 or 7 for work anyway but fuck losing that last hour or so or entertaining him at that time. So I take him into bed with me and we snooze for the last bit. Surely it’s not worth stressing for a short term fix?

Co sleeping short term won't do any harm, it won't form a habit. Babies naturally want to be by their mums.

If you can't do it, just leave them in the cot and let them re settle themselves.

It sounds like a short term stage, mine did the same. I Co slept for a couple of weeks then she started till 630 again in her cot.

Good luck op!

Co-sleeping long-term will also not do any harm 🙂

To the woman who posted - I think the only harmful thing is feeling stressed or tired. These will happen if you actively refrain from co-sleeping because it sounds like your baby won’t go back to sleep if you leave her?? And you’ll just be tired and aggravated from trying to do so.

so just get her in your bed for those few hours so you can both get those extra zzz’s. It’s not harmful in any way and you’re both winning 🤷🏻‍♀️

I totally disagree that co-sleeping is not a habit. It is definitely a habit with mine - hence I still co-sleep with my 2 year old 😂 Personally I don't mind, but I can see why some people want to be avoid it.

If she's not actually unhappy in her cot I suggest leaving her to it. Yes, it's a bit disruptive to your sleep, but it's only been a week and will hopefully pass.

(Mine absolutely screams if I'm not there to snuggle her 😩)

It's not co sleeping when it's just for a couple of hours - it's just a long snuggly cuddle - enjoy it

Honestly if she is happy in her cot i would just leave her to see if she resettles. Turn the baby monitor volume down or close doors so you can't hear her as loudly and try and drift back off to sleep.

I'd probably go with this option. Or have you tried capping naps or doing a later bedtime? Might be down to a schedule issue.

If you and baby are happy, co sleeping is not a bad habit
Babies (and humans i believe) are designed to sleep in bed together

Don't let anyone tell you co sleeping is good or bad, if it suits you do it, if it doesn't then don't.
How to get there is another question though!
Ours is 2.5 now and looking at the baby monitor we'd be beaten to a pulp if he was in our bed! So we are glad he stays in his own bed.
As a tip to the OP late bedtime and also cut a big cardboard square to cover the window like a blackout. Good luck!