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Co-sleeping contact napper

6 replies

TheShyMumX · 22/07/2025 15:05

My little one is 5 months old. He is breastfed, doesn’t have a dummy and won’t take one.
He will only sleep on me or in his bouncer for naps and bed time will only sleep on me.
No matter how deep of a sleep he’s in or how long he’s been on my chest I just cannot transfer him to either his next to me or cot - he will literally scream, not even cry!
I really don’t want to do CIO, and I’ve tried pick up put down and I can be there for literal hours. I am so torn knowing it won’t be forever so soak it up and just wanting to have a pee in peace knowing he’s sound asleep in his cot!

My back hurts, I’m not at all well rested and quite frankly I’m losing my mind and patience. I feel like a grumpy teenager slamming doors and growling about things stomping about the house with a screaming definitely not sleeping any time soon baby in my arms.
Me and DH would like another one next year but we don’t have a chance to make one let alone figure out how to do 2 baby bedtimes!
Ive tried a couple of apps but they just give me ‘sweet spots’ of when to wake/nap/sleep etc and I don’t want help knowing when he’s sleepy I know that! I need help getting him off me

please tell me you had a baby like this and if anything worked😭

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
toastwithbutter · 22/07/2025 19:10

My babies never ever slept in a cot.

for naps I fed to sleep on my bed with them side lying, removed the nip and then just sort of rolled them off me. Surrounded them in pillows, switched the baby monitor on and had it with me at all times and then I went and sat downstairs with a cuppa.

I am an absolute die hard cosleeper though and def couldn’t be bothered with a cot!

TheShyMumX · 22/07/2025 20:40

That makes me feel so much better!
I started the side lying feed to sleep naps in the hot weather because the fan was in the bedroom and he got too sweaty and stuck to me otherwise!
I’m thinking co sleeping is my only way forward. I’m just so scared of him rolling off the bed or squishing him

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HappyAsASandboy · 22/07/2025 21:29

I have four kids and as per above, I am I die hard cosleeper.

The first two of my babies were twins, who I breastfed to beyond 2 years. We coslept in a king sized bed (DH elsewhere). Contact Malling, breastfeeding; minimal crying was my aim. We were sort of one-being for the first year or more.

Baby 3 and 4 were singleton babies, but being close felt right. If in strife, bundle everyone into bed, feed the baby and put a movie on for the older ones.

If this is what feels right, make it as safe as possible and crack on with it. Making it safe looked like a bedside cot on the side the baby slept for the first 4 months or so, then a bed guard and teaching baby how to slide off the bed on tummy if they wanted to get down. A floor bed is another option, though I didn’t do that.

It is all such a small window of time. It feels endless while you’re in it, but it also passes so quickly you can’t keep up with the changes. Just know that you’ll never ever regret an afternoon watching TV while your baby contact naps. You’ll never ever regret snoozing in bed in the afternoon with a sleepy newborn or a sweaty toddler. You’ll never regret circling a pre-schooler in your arms and falling asleep together only to stagger to your own bed at 1am when you wake. You’ll also cherish the times your 10 year old climbs in to your bed for a nighttime or morning cuddle.

It is all so exhausting at the time, and having moved to the loo and back during many a breastfeed I promise I get it, yet these moments of physical contact might be the ones that you remember so nostalgically forever Flowers

TheShyMumX · 22/07/2025 22:44

Thank you so much - I really already miss him being a tiny baby
Deffo had a bad day with him today and it very much clouds things!

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toastwithbutter · 23/07/2025 10:08

@TheShyMumXcosleeping is honestly the best thing I’ve ever done. My eldest is 4 and youngest 2 and Dh and I have one each. It’s the most connecting and lovely thing ever. I can’t understand why people don’t want their babies close but most of my friends think I’m nuts. I sleep better with them next to me!

I got a nappy clip that had an alarm on it that helped me feel more comfortable when they were under one. Honestly, just go with it, you’ll never regret it, not once. It won’t be forever. And ignore the judgement you get.

toastwithbutter · 23/07/2025 10:09

@HappyAsASandboyi loved reading your post, I wish my DH would allow me to have 4 kids. It sounds wonderful

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