Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Sleep

Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler. Need more advice on your childs development? Sign up to our Ages and Stages newsletter here.

Flip

Original poster

I can't sleep unless I co-sleep!

13 replies

RosannaBanana · 16/10/2012 20:34

I think this is a very strange problem...

I cannot sleep well unless I co-sleep with my 8 week old baby. She, on the other hand, sleeps very well, whether with me or in her moses basket (wakes once generally around 5 or 6am, is BF).

BUT if she sleeps in her moses basket I can't hear her breathing most of the time and keep waking up and checking she's ok. We co-slept for the first 7 weeks and I guess I'm just used to hearing her, even in my sleep. I know this sounds a bit OTT - she isn't even my PFB! But there were some medical worries in late pregnancy about her health and movement levels (all OK now) and I think I'm still in a state of alert somehow.

Am just wondering what others think? Should I persevere with the moses basket or just carry on co-sleeping? We co-sleep very safely BTW. DH is sleeping in the spare room which is why I thought I'd try her in the basket. Plus she is practically sleeping through... but I'm not!

Be v grateful for any thoughts/experiences. Thanks!

OP posts:

HearMyRoar · 16/10/2012 20:48

If you want to co-sleep then co-sleep! Make the most of it while you can, before you know it she will be storming round the house slamming doors and you will never get near her so you should enjoy the cuddles now imho.

For what it's worth me, dp and dd all co-sleep together and have on and off since she was born. I would have her on my side of the bed with a co-sleeper cot up against the side of the bed (though you could use a railing or put the bed against a wall) and then dp would be on the other side of me. So if the only reason your dp isn't in with you is because of the co-sleeping maybe you could find a way that would work for all of you to be together. I have also just order a huge super-king bed (now dd is getting bigger and wrigglier). :o

Olympicrock · 16/10/2012 20:49

Can you get a second hand side by side cot?

JammySplodger · 16/10/2012 20:49

Can you have the basket right next to your bed and slowly edge it away over time?

Iggly · 16/10/2012 20:49

Yes I was the same with my two. I didn't feel happier letting dd (my second) sleep alone until she was a bit older - around 5 months.

So cosleep - she's tiny!

IWipeArses · 16/10/2012 20:50

Yes, a bed-side cot is a great compromise, she's right there, you can hear her, but she's not actually in your bed, room for DH.

Original poster

RosannaBanana · 17/10/2012 11:24

Thanks all. Had her in with me again last night and I slept much better although she woke up twice - she can probably smell the milk

The moses basket is right next to my bed but is very high sided (more like a crib really) and obviously insulates noise well!

Am very keen on a co-sleeping cot - hoping one will come up on gumtree or similar soon...

OP posts:

IWipeArses · 17/10/2012 11:27

Got mine on ebay for £50, much cheaper than new and you can sell it on when you no longer need it.

Iggly · 17/10/2012 15:10

You could lash a normal cot to the side of your bed using bungee ropes, dropping the side down. Put rolled up towels between the mattress and far side of the cot to push the cot over to your bed. I did this with dd (although she still ended up in our bed as I never moved her back after feeds

SquidgersMummy · 17/10/2012 23:22

We have ikea cot - most can be assembled minus one long side - fortunately also ikea bed so mattresses line up (foam piece and cot bumper wedged in far side gap - there's a guy an eBay that makes coach built pram mattresses that can send mattress foam cut to any size needed) my DD wriggles over if she wants me and she's close enough that I can hear her - also I have an Angelcare movement monitor (£40 ish) as I was going insane re times she is in bed before us. Have it on all the time. Find it v reassuring.

sweetkitty · 17/10/2012 23:25

Totally agree about the bedside cot, we got one with DD2 and DS is just about to come out it (might even get it on eBay) they are fab

NuzzleandScratch · 18/10/2012 21:52

Absolutely second the recommendation of the Angelcare monitor, definitely helps me sleep more easily!

osterleymama · 18/10/2012 21:56

I was the same, when we moved him into his own room around 11 months I would wake up three of four times and GP and check on him. Now he's two and he toddles into our room and climbs into our bed at around 3am every night! I still love the morning cuddles we get.

SuiGeneris · 18/10/2012 22:08

OP, thanks for posting: I thought I was the only one in this situation (DS is 6 months and not PFB).

I'd say cosleep if you want to and enjoy it while you can, as they grow so fast at this age. As for the Angelcare, it's great, we used it a lot with DS1 and almost never for DS2 as he has never spent the night in his cot anyway...

Flip