Co-Sleeping, 10 month old decided this is what he wants!

[Divvy]

He was a good sleeper in his crib next to my bed till around 5 months old. The last 5 months have been terrible sleep wise with him!

Last night he just wouldnt settle back in his cot (next to mt bed) after sleeping for 3 hours. I tried letting him cry for a while, didnt work. He wanted to just be held. As this has been going on for such a long while now, I am very sleep deprived right now and just want him to sleep at night.

As soon as I pick him up, he stops crying and carries on sleeping in my arms. He never seems to wake up fully, and normaly just feed him and put him back down.

He slept in my bed last night, and slept from 2am till 7am with out wanting feeding! He was laying in the crook of my elbow on a pillow that was jammed up to side of his cot right next to the bed, so no gap.

This is not going to work though, as I need wees in the night and as dh goes work at 3am in the week, I cant leave him in the bed on his own can I?

I just want him to sleep at night! What can I do?

You could either push your bed against the wall, get a bed guard, or pull his cot up against the bed, tie it there and stuff the gaps with towels before putting a cover over it to smooth it (that's what we did). When I got up to go to the loo I'd gently shift him into the cot part, or barricade him with pillows. He'd have had to roll the entire width of the bed in 1 min to have fallen off, and being asleep it wasn't likely.

We found the same as you - ds was quite clear in his request to stay in with us and we were quite happy as it worked for everyone. It seems as though your ds has made his feelings known too! Don't worry, it's very possible to do safely in your circumstances! Just might need a little furniture jiggling that's all

But how safe is it? Are they ment to just lay there in there own part of your bed, or is it ok to cuddle them?

i have been co sleeping with ds for 7months, since birth. just dont under estimate what they can, or cannot do, in a minute, get a couple of bed guards if you plan on continuing. ds sometimes sleeps with my arm around him, other times he wants half the bed to himself!

You'll find that instinctively you'll be very aware of them even when you're asleep in the same way as you are aware of your dh and never roll on him, whack him or push him out of bed Especially at 10mths old, if your ds is uncomfortable he can rearrange himself and is strong enough to move his head if he's getting hot and needs more room. And yes, it's fine to cuddle!! I used to sleep with the duvet down to my waist, sort of three quarters on my side with ds tucked into the crook of my arm. I'd often wake with my free arm hooked over the top of him, propped up on my hand and tucked up under his back automatically. If I moved away in my sleep I'd feel a little hand creep across the bed and take a fistful of my pyjamas before settling down again.

Sometimes ds did want his own space, especially when he got a bit bigger, in which case we'd all just budge up a bit. But quite often he'd gravitate towards me again and snuggle up.

Experiment a bit, although it does sound from your peaceful night, that you might have already found a good arrangement! It does help with night waking though, ds would wake for a feed and neither of us would really wake up properly.

Good for him. He's baby of course he wants constant hugs and access to milk... Sounds similar to my little one but I relented sooner than you! We still co sleep at 16m. If I need the loo in the night I just tell DH to watch him or stick pillows around him so he can't roll out - no accidents so far. you could read 'Three in a Bed' by Deborah Jackson. If you decide to co sleep its a good idea to know something about it that way you can be confident and relaxed about your decision. It tooks me ages to realise that DS was safe in bed with me so that I could relax enough to start sleeping through myself. Good luck with whatever you decide!!

Forgot to say we removed one side of cot so once he's asleep he can go into his own bit of space, that way we have loads of room to ourselves. When he wakes for a feed he just crawls over to me. Its so lovely waking up with him every morning!!

let him sleep with you. It's obviously what he wants nd needs.

DS co-clept with me from brith till he was about 4. He'd just snuggle up to me and sleep through the night.

I was even thinking earlier, that maybe I should stop breastfeeding him, and put him on bottles, then he may not want me so much. BUT while I thought about it I started to cry at the thought!

Think I need to read up about it, like you say so I know its all ok to do.

He has gone bed for a nap now, and I am off for a nap now too, as dh is here.

Thanks all