Babywearing

[roseability]

At the moment I am pretty much carrying my 11 day old baby girl in a sling constantly and co sleeping/breastfeeding. I am loving it, she is settled and I am bonding much better than I did with DS (3.2) who I kept trying to put down. With DS I got so stressed trying to put him down to sleep and ended up with PND and a very fractious baby. I have a wonderful bond with DS now but didn't want to repeat those early days.

However I still worry that I am never going to be able to put my daughter down! That sonehow I am making a rod for my own back. She is only 11 days old but what are other mum's experiences who have done baby wearing and co sleeping? I don't want to change things now as I am loving it but do they become more independent of their own accord? Or will I face months of trying to get her to sleep in her own bed in the future (plan to co sleep fpr 6 months-ish)

I wouldn't worry about the rod thing- she's only 11 days old- enjoy it!
You can worry about weaning her off all that(as I am now) when she's about a year or two old and can understand what's going on. Independance is a gradual progression that cannot be forced.

Independence

I have a very independant little girl who is now 2 1/2 and sleeps in her own double bed and goes to sleep on her own after a story and a kiss.

I co-slept with her until she was 18 months and am currently doing the same with dd2 who is 9 weeks.

I easily got her into her own bed - as initially we made a fuss about buying it and putting it together. Then I slept with her in it for a few nights and then would jump into bed with her in the night if ever she called out.

Getting her to sleep on her own - I found a bit harder. We had a long chat and a few days preparation about being a 'big girl' and going to sleep on her own like the little girl next door (who is 6 and my dd idolises). It took a few nights of putting her back into bed but really wasn't a big deal.

Just enjoy it - I believe that independance comes naturally and making sure that your child feels secure and loved will only help her to go on that road.

Enjoy it and enjoy being a mellow mum.

My dd is 10 months and we are still co-sleeping as we are happy with it - we started properly co-sleeping at 4 months as she was a terrible sleeper, so it works well for us.

I wore her more or less constantly till 6 months or so (for housework and stuff as well as getting around - she was a velcro baby and it was the best way of getting stuff done).

For a while she seemed clingier than other babies her age but now she can crawl she is off all over the place, not clingy at all. So, I don't have personal experience of weaning from co-sleeping yet, but certainly I think they outgrow the need to be carried all the time of their own accord.

My dd2 is 10 months old now and for the first three months was always carried in a sling, sleeping on my lap or co-sleeping with me. After the first three months she started being happy being put down more and gradually has moved to now sleeping in her own cot for naps and all night as well. She is a confident and happy little baby and has certainly not become clingy for having had her needs for closeness met when little.

I echo what others have said, enjoy this time and the closeness of your baby. It won't come again.

I'm with the others here. I have a 3.5 year old daughter and 20 month son and did the carrying, co-sleeping, breastfeeding etc. with them both. They are extremely good-natured and independent and, as others have experienced, have never been clingy. You will be happier with a contented baby, I'm sure you'll get good sleep (especially if breastfeeding) and it's so much easier to spend time with an older toddler with a little baby peacefully in a sling.

My DD goes to sleep in my bed - by herself - then I move her into her own room where she spends the rest of the night. She is a great sleeper and never disturbs us. My DS won't co-sleep at all now, will only go to sleep in his cot!

Slings are brilliant things and I still carry my boy in my 'ergo' carrier now. It's fantastic if you're somewhere you'd rather not let a mad toddler loose and has the same calming effects as on a tiny baby: I think of mine as a humane 'strait-jacket' for my son!

In my experience, the people who tell you you'll make a rod for you back are those who've done things quite differently.

All the best!

I think they shout whenever you do it, so you may as well do it when you want to rather than when you feel you ought to .