Will my 3 year old be in my bed forever - and does it matter?

[BarbaraVineFan]

I'm a single mum, working full time and my DD has just turned three. When she was a baby we coslept and I think she just got used to it.

So for about a year or more now, she has been going to sleep in her bed fine, no problem at all, no crying. Story, cuddle and then I sit in her room (but not near her) until she falls asleep, which is usually only about 10-15 mins. She is usually asleep by 7.30 at the latest.

But then EVERY NIGHT at some point between 10pm and 2am she wakes crying and wants to come into my bed. To be honest, I never even try to persuade her not to - I just take her into my bed and she falls asleep again and sleeps until morning- has to wake up for nursery by 7 but at weekends can sleep until 7.30 or even 8 sometimes.

So my question is, is this a problem and should I be making more of an effort to get her to sleep in her own bed? Or should I just leave it and let her grow out of it by herself? I'm not sure whether to go through all the disruption and stress of it unless it is damaging her.

I think it is actually, I’m a fan of separate bedrooms but we don’t have enough 😆 sleeping all bunched up is sweaty, uncomfortable and suffocating.

Plus you all end up in a light sleep due to the movement/ sleep talking/getting up for a piss that the others in the bed do.

My dd slept in my bed at least some of the time, if not most, until she was 13! It kind of tailed off after that as she didn't want to be near me for a while...
Don't worry and enjoy the closeness while it lasts.

Mine moved out for good at 11 too. Had been happy to sleep in the same or separate beds as long as he was room sharing prior to this.

Not encouraging it but I slept with my DD from when she was a newborn. She's 7 now and still loves sleeping with me. If my partner is working, she will often still sleep with me. She's completely fine in her bed though and if she stays with relatives, she will easily sleep okay by herself. As long as you're okay with it, that's all that matters.

I think it depends if you are happy and comfortable. My youngest is 2 1/2 and has razor toe. She also sleeps like a star. I'm trying to move her out of my bed but she wakes up hourly. I give up around 3am. I'll persevere at Christmas time.

My 6 year old is snuggled up in my bed as we speak. I'm also a single mum, and certainly I don't mind the cuddles/ cosy child overnight. We both sleep better this way

I still co-sleep with my 2 year old on a floor bed in his room. He snuggles up to me every night and it's lovely. Going to try him alone soon as baby no.2 is coming but if he's not happy, he'll always be welcome to come in with us. When I was 10, I went through a horribly anxious stage from being allowed to watch 18 horror movies. I couldn't sleep for months and it really affected me. My mum never let me in her bed and it was such an awful feeling. So as long as you're both happy with the arrangement, keep doing it. Nothing quite like feeling safe next to your mum (or dad).