Questions about co-sleeping

[Doodlegoogle]

We're planning to co-sleep when baby is born in the summer and I'm investigating the options of how to do this but could do with some advice on my current plan to see if those with experience of co-sleeping think this might work.

We think we'd want a bit more space than our current bed so we thought we'd get a bedside crib to start with. Then when baby grows out of this we'll have decided whether we plan to continue or not. I'm hoping we can and ideally I'd like to co-sleep for at least a couple of years. Presumably the time she grows out of the crib is about the same time as we start to worry about her escaping so we thought we could buy an extra single mattress, move our double mattress with the single to the floor and sleep on a large family bed. Then if we have another baby after that we could probably still fit the crib (minus its legs) on the floor next to the lot though it would probably fill the whole room :)

My questions are:

What do you do when they can start to move about a bit? We're not planning to go to bed at the same time as the baby so how do you stop them from rolling out or escaping when they are crawling later? Do I need a separate cot for naps/evenings? I'm sure I've read about people who haven't even bought a cot so how do they manage?

Is my plan for a large mattress on the floor viable? Would this solve the crawling around issue or would it be unsafe or make sleep for a toddler who can run around a nice bouncy mattress too difficult? At what age would it be safe to do this - is 6 months too young for them to be left on a large mattess on their own?

Thanks!

my dd is 8mo and we started co sleeping when she was around 11/12 weeks.i wish I had of done it earlier! she was in a moses basket in the beginning and then moved her into her cot when she was 10wks. I wish I had of for the bedside bassinet/cot thing from mothercare! anyway my bed is a king size and dp doesnt live with us so room isn't much of an issue although it's just as well dp doesn't cos dd is a bed monster, haha :)

As I put her in her cot in her room when was young I have always pretty much put her down in her cot for the initial part of the night and then when she wakes up later I bring her in with me. if I do put her down in my bed then I just put pillows either side of the bed, this worked when she was younger but now she snuggles into them so I have to be careful.

As for the moving round she's not crawling just yet and cos she's still half asleep when she does wake she doesnt roll with just does more of a dramatic arm wailing!

I prob wouldn't move the mattress to the floor either as it's prob not good for your backs? Maybe get a futon instead?

I think when your dc is here you will find an arrangement that suits you and your family. experiment a bit and see what's best. hope this has helped a little!

I co slept from day one, untill she was about 3/4 months old she would sleep int he living room until I went to bed more often then not laying on me. My DD refused rather noisily at ever being in a bedside crib and would reach out for me and if she couldnt touch me would cry. So untill she was a bit bigger I slept in thick pjs/jersey tracksuit type things in the winter with thin blankets so as not to over heat DD (She was born in the autumn).

Once she became mobile I put my mattress on the floor. I would more often then not have to go to bed the same time as her until she was over 1 but essentially you can have the TV on quietly or read with a lamp once she was asleep. I put the bed back onto the divan when she was 18months. She has never ever fallen out and I wished id done it earlier. I fed her to sleep every night until this week. She is 2.5 now I started to put her to bed in her own bed once she turned 15months, she decided on this and would sleep in there for a few hours before getting back into mine. This week has had a huge change and she has started going to bed without me there at all which is amazing it came very naturally and with very little protesting from my little lady. So if people tell you youre making a rod for your own back they're right in the short term but in the long term you end of with lots of lovely memories and child who is secure enough to sleep on their own when they are ready.

You will find the right arrangement once your child arrives and youve had chance to get to know each other. You dont need to have everything mapped out right now, trial and error is the best way forward. If you have a carry cot on your pushchair you can use this as amoses basket during nap times I had a Quinny dreami and just brought a better mattress for it then the one supplied.

The things I did probably wont necessarily suit you as Im a single parent and havent got to worry about spending time with a partner in the evenings etc.

Get a bedside cot, rather than a crib. That way you can use it for naps (assuming they'll go in it and sleep ) and put it next to your bed at night time. It was an absolute godsend for us. Also when you get sick of being pushed out of your own bed, you can move them into the cot proper.