Advice on co-sleeping

[Deolow]

Hi everyone 😊 I am a first time mom and my daughter is now almost 11 month old. She used to wake around 3 times a night and I breatfeed her back to sleep, but since she turned 9 months something changed in her sleep..she now wakes hourly and I am exhausted. Some days are just hard to cope being this sleep deprived.. I have read about a lot of moms saying that co-sleeping has helped them in similar situations such as mine.. Currently I breastfeed my baby to sleep at bedtime and then transfer her to her cot as with every night waking. Co-sleeping has sounded like a good option for me but have only heard of how unsafe it is..
Can anyone help me with some tips and advice on how to make it the safest possible for my baby if she were to sleep with me in bed?

At 9 months ds was bf several times during the night.. Started sending dh in and he slept through on the third night..
Imo making the decision to cosleep could be one that lasts years.
Have you considered the ramifications of this..
Personally def wasn't for me.

Hey,
I've given in and been cosleeping for a couple of months now. Can't get out of it now so I wish I didn't but it was the only option to get me through the day whilst my partner was at work. I needed the sleep.

We didn't feel comfortable putting her in between us as she would get squashed, so we bought a baby guard (Amazon about £20) that slots under the mattress and she sleeps on the end. I don't cover her with any sleeping bags etc as she ends up under my duvet. Hope this helps!

The Lullaby Trust has good up to date guidance on safe co-sleeping. Firm, safe mattress, pillows and covers out the way, no gaps at the sides of the bed where baby could get stuck, never in with you if you or your partner have been drinking, smoking or taken drugs, make a ‘C’ shape around baby. As you are breastfeeding, it is actually considered safer. Gentle Sleep Book and Facebook group by Sarah Ockwell Smith also has some excellent advice.

We co-slept on and off until my son was about 3. It wasn’t every night but helped hugely through periods of awful sleep with him. He now sleeps fine in his own bed.

I've been cosleeping with my 7 month DS for a few days now and I'm so glad I did. I'm finally getting some sleep and importantly he is staying asleep for longer. Like pp above said, check lullaby trust for guidance. For us it was an easy transition as DH was already sleeping in spare room for a few months as he would wake DS with noise easily. I keep all pillows and duvet completely away from DS. Read the guidance and then have a go. If it doesn't suit you, you can always revert back.

I co sleeper with my daughter who would not rest unless she was on my chest
We done this for a while and decided to try her in a bed ( she wasn’t even 1 )
This worked 😌

At 11 months there’s very little physical risk from co-sleeping (which is safe at any stage if practiced sensibly) so I wouldn’t be worried about that aspect of it all. I’m a committed co-sleeper, we had all our babies in our bed for years each and don’t regret a minute of it. Was the only way I could get any decent sleep with #1, and then we just continued it with the other two.

We co-sleep with DS, 23 months. Mostly due to circumstances because COVID meant our second bedroom got turned into an office so his cot had to go up in our room once he outgrew his crib. We have the side off the cot attached to the bed. The reality is that he takes my spot and I end up sleeping with my head in the cot and my legs diagonally across the bed 😂

Honestly though, it works for us and it means we all get some sleep. DS still wakes anything between 3-5 times a night, always has done. I'm not yet ready for the battle of putting him back into his own bed. Sleep wins for us.

Plus, cuddles through the night are the best.

I co-slept with mine and they slept very well. So did I. No waking up in the night for a feed.

Wow thank you all so much for your advice.. Truth is I really can't go on like this, will be giving co-sleeping a try.. my husband works during most days and I don't really have family nearby to give me an extra hand, some days I am so exhausted it's hard getting through everything that has to be done.. And if it doesn't work for me I can always revert back..

Thanks again for al your advice, I appreciate it so much..😊😊

I started co sleeping with my son around 11 months and it was the best decision ever!!

We have attached his cot to our king sized bed by shoving it between the wall and bed. There is a pool noodle under the sheet between the side of the cot and mattress so there are no gaps. The sheets are held on with sheet holder things you can get on Amazon.

We then have sleep guards on the side and end of the bed (full size) and we climb in and out through the gap between the bottom of the bed and the cot. There is a firm pillow on the floor in case he manages to get out of that small gap.

I have a light blanket and firm pillow, he sleeps in a sleep bag.

Honestly, I love it. I have no desire to change it - he has slept through every night (other than illness etc) from around 7-7 and I wake up every morning to sleep cuddles and kisses.

He sleeps in the cot during the day after a cuddle and a song, and at bed time he goes in there happily until I come up.

Best of luck!!