Interesting article today advocating co-sleeping etc

[emkana]

www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/apr/17/family-microscope-infant-sleep-routine

Excellent news - all the things I did because it was easier for us both (DD and me) might have been the right things after all!

Same here belle - I mainly fell into co-sleeping and breastfeeding on demand because it seemed easiest!

You have no idea how much better that makes me feel...

Belle, I have a 2.3yo with no intention of leaving our bed. She has 3 cots and a bed and has never spent a night in any of them

LOL Rockbird... Every night I say to mine "Would you like to sleep in your bed?" and she says "No, I want to sleep in mummy's bed." I tell her I don't mind if she wants to sleep in her bed but apparently not. She even had the cheek to refer to my bedroom as "our" bedroom the other day. Fortunately I'm more or less single and it's not like there's a clamour of suitors desperate to share my bed!

have only read the first sentence but THANK YOU so much
Going to print it out to show DH and also my mother, to counter the endless stream of DM clippings she brings me ("CO SLEEPING A KILLER"
in tiny tiny letters near the bottom "if you are 40stone, a smoker and take twice the recommended dose of sleeping pills")
and that sort of thing

I had my daughter in bed with me for a couple of months much to my mother, friends, boyfriends disgust.

Couldnt do it any longer than that as it wouldnt be great for the old sex life.

Im please about this article as it shows that there are other ways to do things rather than follow whatever the 'norm' is. There are so many daft fads in parenting, everyone should just do whats right for them.

does anyone have access to the whole study - i'd really like to read it, but not enough to shell out for it?

My first, co-slept from 12 weeks as bf constantly at night; I was going insane, literally. He is still with us in 'our' bed at 3.5.

I have said to hubby - should he go in his own bed? and we offer him his own bed, but my hubby takes the hump, he loves him with us.

My 4 month old has slept happily in her cot by the bed with a couple of quick night feeds. So no need to co-sleep, but, we plan to move her to the family bed once she is 1 years old, as we feel it is safe then, so she does not miss out on the hours and hours of skin to skin cuddles that son has had over the years.

I don't care if or when son/daughter leave the bed through their choice, or because we kick them out - it will be when the time is right.

And, sex life does not suffer, because we have a perfectly good unused single bed in the kids room to use before we go to bed in the family bed!

Great article. there is so much pressure on us mums to get our babys in to routines - when this advocates going with the flow and letting your baby develop their own routine. I had friends offering me the GF book when I was pregnant, and in the first few weeks of having my baby I felt I was failing as not in bed by 7, up at 7, nap at 10am etc etc - and then decided to sod it and let my baby show me the way - now enjoying her so much more without feeling like I am doing things wrong. Totally agree with the last paragraph of the article.

Oh thank you for sharing this. It's what I needed to hear. DS2 comes in to our bed around 1.30 every morning and I have felt nothing but anxiety. Most friends will say that I should try 'this book' or 'this way' but it all sounds so regimental and harsh. Now I can snuggle in - in the knowledge there is some scientific evidence that I'm aloud to do this . I did this with DS1 and I have to say he is quite a secure, chilled out little fella, he still loves lots of cuddles before bed and falls asleep holding my hand. I wouldn't have it any other way. .

Oh thank you for that article! I'm onto my third child, who is 3 months old, and guess what? I'm doing the same comforting, reassuring co-sleeping, bf thing for the 3rd time running! I just couldn't go against my instinct and, afterall, I am the main carer. As for making a rod for my back, well all I can say is I'm peaceful in this knowledge (as is my DH) and I ask nothing of anyone. I raise my glass to Oliver James (almost as much as Jamie Oliver.

Hello, this is my first posting so here goes...
my daughter has slept in our bed since she was small (now 5 yr old), and to be honest it's whatever gets you all the best night's sleep.
I've had funny looks and comments from friends such as "you'll never get her to sleep on her own, she'll still be sleeping with you when she's 12" which is complete nonsense in my opinion. My sister, whose children are now 30 and 28 both slept in their parents bed whenever they wanted to and they have both grown up to be independent, content people so I think more people should do it. Of course, you should always stick to the rules ie. no drinking alcohol etc especially when your baby is small, but common sense should prevail and I think far too much pressure is put on parents with the multitude of baby books which advocate putting babies in cots from day one, no matter what. Just do whatever is best for all of you and enjoy your babies who are, in my opinion, happier for being able to cuddle up to you whenever they need to, day or night.