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Sleep

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Original poster

Co-sleeping with toddler - Does anyone do it?

12 replies

CADS · 26/05/2006 21:48

DS (27mnths) goes to sleep in his own bed but sometimes if he cries during the night dh and I find it is easier for all of us to put him in our bed. We both enjoy sleeping with him.

We use to sleep in his room but we've moved and his new room is the size of a box. The nightwakings use to happen while he was ill. Not sure why he has been waking up crying now. It has been happening for about 3wks.

Just wondering if there is anyone out there that co-sleeps with their toddler and if so did you just leave it till they grew out of it?

Not sure if this makes any sense!

OP posts:

MamaG · 26/05/2006 21:49

My DS is 26 months and goes to sleep on his own, but usually ends up in bed with me, with DH kicked onto sofa

I will just wait until he grows out of it, its not something I planned, but I don't want the trauma of forcing him into his own bed.

FrannyandZooey · 26/05/2006 21:52

I co-sleep with my 3 year old and have done since he was born. I enjoy a lot of it but over the years have had my share of nightly disturbances.

I think he is going to just gently grow out of it, with a little help. We have this week bought him a very exciting bed so we'll see if he wants to sleep in there at least part of the night. I think from talking to other co-sleepers they mostly grow out of it between about 3 to 6 years old, or sooner if you can provide a sibling for them to sleep with :)

Posey · 26/05/2006 21:53

I think you'll find a lot of people let their toddlers stay in with them if they wake and wander in during the night. If you are all fine with it, and everyone is getting good rest then I don't think its a problem. My guess is that after he's settled (you've just moved?), he'll only come in in the morning.
Our ds gradually slept longer and longer in his own bed. Now he rarely comes in to us before morning, but will occasionally appear in the middle of the night. As long as we all have sufficient space and can sleep comfortably I just leave him in with us.

Original poster

CADS · 26/05/2006 22:14

Posey - We moved 3mnths ago and he only use to wake up when he had ear infections but hasn't had one for 6 wks so I've got know idea why he is unsettled.

FrannyandZooey - If he hasn't grown out of it in 18mtnhs then I'll put dd in with him, she'll be 2 by then.

OP posts:

blueshoes · 26/05/2006 22:15

I co-sleep with dd 2.8 years. I don't think she is ready to stop yet so will continue because it is working for both of us, I intend to put her in the same bed with her sibling later. She has got her own bed which she is very proud of but apart from playing in it, she is not at all interested in sleeping in it!

Original poster

CADS · 26/05/2006 22:16

MamaG - Unfortunately, we have a big bed so I can't kick dh out , mind you last night it was ds's snoring that kept me awake.

OP posts:

snafu · 26/05/2006 22:18

My ds is almost 3 and if he wakes in the night I'll often take him in with me. It depends on how tired I'm feeling really - sometimes I'll have the energy to get him back into his own bed, other times I'll give in

If you're happy with it, I wouldn't worry. They all go through these funny phases, until they get more interested in something else!

Mercy · 26/05/2006 22:23

Yes, but not through choice!

dd was 2.10 when ds was born and through a fair part of the pregnancy, and certainly when he was a few weeks old, she would come creeping into ou r bed in the middle of the night. She still does actually, and she was 5 last month! In fact atm she want to sleep with us even more.

It's annoying when they are restless and bash you in hte face, etc, but I reckon there must be a good reason for it so I go with the flow (generally speaking).

controlfreaky2 · 26/05/2006 22:29

not any more but ds's insist on sharing one single bed when they each have a perfectly good one...

FillyjonktheSnibbet · 26/05/2006 23:02

yeah, we cosleep with dd who is 11 months and ds who is 2.9. Both are shockingly bad sleepers, always have been, we've always co-slept from the day they were each brought home.

Um...not sure if you want to hear this but my parents also co slept with me and my brother and we both had to be bribed with quite a lot of chocolate over many many nights to get us into our own beds, at about 7/8. (I seem to vaguely recall being pretty good at sleeping, eons ago, before the kids...)

Now I love cosleeping, especially as its a way to get more sleep, IMO, but I'm also prepared for a long haul.

Anyway its that or clearing out the junk room...

martian · 26/05/2006 23:27

Dd goes off to sleep in her own bed, she's 4, then at some point in the night, usually between 3-5am she calls me and I get in with her (she has a large bed and our bed is in the lounge which is noisy and way too light) and we both sleep til morning. This only started happening when she was about 2.5, prior to that she slept alone all night with no problem. But she always woke very early. Now she sleeps in until wonderfully late hours of the morning at the weekends and it's bliss. I also sleep very well with her as I like to hear her breathing and smell her hair.

So semi co-sleeping works a treat for me!

schneebly · 26/05/2006 23:31

my 2 start out in their own beds and sneak in sometime in the night! I like it though.

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