Co-sleeping and life

[Strike1]

Like many people I have driffted into co-sleeping with DS2 as he's a bad sleeper and it saves me time breast feeding at night. But this is where the problem lies. I enjoy it and it is lovely for me and dh to wake to a grinning baby in the morning (even if it is 6.30) But he wakes every 2 hours some nights and suckles back to sleep. He is 6.5 months now and I have an event coming up in May where I need to be away over night. What do I do? I do also miss certain elements of sleeping with just my dh...like occasional excessive wine drinking and Is it possible to wean off night feeds without moving him back to his cot (He does start nights in there, I just give in around 11/12 and bring him in with us)? Or would it be easier to make a complete break? I'm one for an easy sleep filled life....suggestions needed

I think you already know the answer to your question... doing a little bit would only confuse him, he needs clear boundries and to learn that he never gets into your bed... it will take a while, but stick to your guns and the three of you will start to benefit from unbroken sleep... OD on cuddles during the day.

You might like to read Deborah Jackson's "Three in a Bed" for co-sleeping advice.

How were you planning to feed him when you're away? Can he not sleep with your DH and have a bottle of expressed milk?

You can always sneak out for a spot of . Teenagers seem to be quite inventive in that department, after all. As for the excessive wine-drinking - how about 6.30am with a massive hangover .

For a happy easy sleep-filled life co-sleeping does it for me, every time. I like not having bags under my eyes.

I know I have to be strong if I want him out of our bed, but I'm not very good at that and I can feel the time ticking to going away. He is bad at taking the bottle, expressed or formula. We are persevering with formula and a training cup. I guess dh will just have to sweat it out while I'm away. It's a shame we can't have it both ways, as I'm all for attachment parenting, but wonder how you tandem that with the occasional lifestyle moment. I don't mean wild nights out, but I have 2 weddings, and a hen night this year and I can't see how people manage!

Having co-slept for the first 8 months or so of DS's life and been completely sleep deprived and drained by his waking every hour or 2 I have to say for him it had to be a complete break. It took us a long time to get him settled into a routine in his cot (we started at 7 months and it took until around 9 months before our efforts started reaping rewards) but it is the best thing I could have done IMO.

I loved the closeness of co-sleeping but for sanity and sleep my son had to move to a cot.

I always chuckle (bitterly perhaps) when I read co-sleeping mothers going on about how great it is to get a full night's sleep! My son was waking me every hour on the hour by the end (but that's because he's a wriggler by nature).

Good luck!

Strike1 your DH may find that it's not as much of a problem with you not there. My DD 7m will insist on bf if I'm there & often feed to sleep, but will happily drink from a cup & go to sleep with a snuggly for DH.

Thanks. I agree, my ds1 settled into a good sleep pattern after I went away to a hen weekend when he was 8 months. It ended up being the beginning of the end of breast feeding for me, but I think that might be my limit this time anyway. I might try night weaning over the next few weeks, then leave the boys to it and hopefully return to a sleeping through baby!! I know they'll muddle through, but I wouldn't feel right not fretting about it first. Then we'll tackle getting him back into his cot. We're on holiday at our family (DH's) place in France right now and the bed is huge so I've been feeding him to sleep and leaving him in our bed. At home he usually starts in the cot. I think we'll have to start a new system when we get home. But it's all about feeling your way with each dc isn't it.