Has anyone co-slept with a vomit monster?

[Renwein]

DS2 will be seven weeks on Sunday and is breastfed. On a good night, he goes down at 7 or 7.30 (never really been a cluster feeder, sleeps until sometime between 11 and 2, then sleeps till 4.30 or 5.30 if we're very lucky. I can't get him to go back down after 5.30. I realise this is pretty good for his age and I don't have much to complain about. I do go to bed at about 8 or 9. But I am a rubbish sleeper myself and struggle to go back to sleep after the first feed.

DS1 (nearly four) has also suddenly decided to toilet train himself at night (which is good, I know) and is noisily using the potty and has an hour or so of being awake at about 3, then sleeping in till 8.30 (whereas he used to sleep through till 6.30). So, just as I'm getting back to sleep after the first feed, DS1 is up and shouting. DH is supposed to look after him but he doesn't always wake and DS1 is loud.

Really, I would love DS2 to have an hour or so more after 5.30. I'm not really a natural co-sleeper as I sleep so badly and struggle to co-sleep even with DH (who has been in the spare room since about halfway through my pregnancy). But I tried taking DS2 into bed with me after the 5.30 waking this morning to see if it would work. He didn't sleep but he was quiet and at least I was in bed, if not sleeping. However, he is a real vomit monster and we normally elevate the end of his cot. He just seemed to throw up everywhere in my bed. I popped him on a towel and a muslin but there was still a big wet patch on top of the duvet. I tried putting a pillow under him to raise him up a bit which seemed to work but doesn't seem very safe. I normally settle him with a dummy because he can't be moved once he is asleep or he wakes up. I tried feeding him lying down instead but he got all snuffly and choky. It doesn't seem like he's made for co-sleeping. Has anyone made it work with a sicky baby?

Have taken him to the GP for reflux but the GP wouldn't prescribe anything, which I think is probably right. He is gaining lots of weight, after a slow start and, although he is grumpy during the day (doesn't want to be put down and struggles to nap in his cot), I think that's just normal 7 week old behaviour isn't it?

Feels all a bit hand to mouth at the moment with the two DSs but, hopefully, this too shall pass...

I've not slept with a vomity baby, I'M sure someone with experience will be along soon...

I wonder if you could try letting him sleep on his changing mat on the bed and putting something under the head end to elevate it? If you don't have those terry covers for the changing mat you could always use a moses basket / crib sheet instead.

I hope you find a way to get some more rest soon

Bumping for you...

when my DS had bad cold and had really runny nose that he had a very hard time to go to sleep we elevated our own bed ( since he is stil breastfed at 19 month) we placed thick books under the legs of the bed on each side of head board. or you can try to put books under your beds in the head area so it is all elevated and no need to just elevate the baby on its own. I hope this helps.

Oh yes - been there and got the t-shirt. Ds3 was a vomit monster until her was about 7 or 8 months. We coslept for the first 6 months. To be honest, we just put up with wet patches in the bed. We did lay an extra flannel type sheet across the bed horizontally at the top to soak up extra, but it always went through that layer. You get used to it and as it is only breastmilk it does not smell so bad.

I didn't co sleep with my 2 vomit monsters but if I ever had them in the bed (normally when ill) I'd put those change mats down on top of the mattress where they were lying and put them on top of that (sometimes with a thin sheet or towel in between)