Anyone have experience with co-sleeping only at night? My 4 mo naps in his crib and starts the night off there, but usually ends up in our bed where he sleeps great as opposed to waking up every 1-2 hours...will it be hard to break him of this habit in a few months when he wakes up less at night?

Amanda - posted on 02/28/2009

I did not sleep well with my daughter I woke up to her every peep only to wake me up. Plus I stressed about rolling on her or something happening. Her life means more to me then sleep and it is hard to break I have friends who have toddlers who come in their beds and no thanks I need my sleep and they need theirs in our own beds. Try a bed in your room for them if you can't break yourself but my new daugher 7 weeks old was in a bassinet in our room til 3 weeks maybe 4 and I wasn't sleeping well and she wasn't either so i put her in her crib and she started sleeping from 10-3 and 3.30-6 or 7 so to me that told me she was more comfy in her room in her crib. Try a few nights nurse her and burp her and lay her down maybe use music or something that is continous so your not having to keep turning it on. I nurse too so this is what works twice for me.

Emily - posted on 02/27/2009

We've co-slept with all three of our girls. We move them to their own beds, then their own room once they are able to find their way back to us if they need. Currently our 3 1/2 and 2 1/2 year old are sleeping in their own beds, in their own room all night every night... except some Saturday mornings. :) Our 14 month old is in a side-carred crib, but spends 2/3rds of the night in my arms.

We love co-sleeping and have gotten so much more sleep because of it. When we find that our sleeping arrangement is no longer working (like when I was pregnant with #3 and we still had the older two in our queen size bed), we have really enjoyed the tips from Elizabeth Pantley's books, the "No-Cry Sleep Solution" and the "No-Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers & Preschoolers."

Also, I almost never co-sleep during nap times... unless I actually need a nap. Other than that, my babies usually fall asleep nursing, then stay asleep on their own for a couple hours. I'll swaddle tiny babies to keep them sleeping longer, but when they're older they've all been pretty good about sleeping 1 1/2-2 hours without me there. We don't have a full crib setup, so they just nap on my bed, or in the side-carred crib, with the door open, and they come downstairs when they wake up. (This is of course after they learn how to climb off the bed by themselves... before that, we usually do naps on a crib mattress on the floor.)

Amanda - posted on 02/26/2009

I would a little in the mid feeding with my first but I was always afraid of rolling on her and one night my husband woke me up as I had my arm over her face and that was it to the crib no matter what it isn't worth my childs life. Yes give your baby a binky, bottle, nurse, music worked for me and nursing her , or let her cry a little usually on weekends try so no one has to go to work in the morning. I read and tried you put her in her crib and give her a binky or whatever not bottle and leave her be when she cries go put it back in and walk out and keep doing that but make it longer each time before you go back takes about 1 -2 hours or less and 2-3 days before they sooth themselves back to sleep and all is well and very worth it. Think of your childs life it happens more often than you think.

Kendell - posted on 02/25/2009

Wow! I had an extremely difficult time breaking my children ( yes more than 1) of this habit. I started doing it for reasons similar to yours; it was a better sleep for baby, a better sleep for me, it was comforting, it was easy...

My baby also had reflux and was very sick, so I did whatever I could to calm her. I found it was just as hard for me to get used to sleeping alone, as them! I was so used to it that I had a hard time weaning them from my bed. I had to listen to lots of crying and temper tantrums while getting them used to THEIR bed. Obviously there are pros and cons to both sleeping with and sleeping without... I agree that they are only young once but I also want to teach my children how to comfort themselves. My baby is 22 months old and is just starting to sleep in her own room at night.. she doesn't always sleep through the night yet, cause she is not used to being on her own. But my oldest child also slept with me and I had the same problem with her. You know the saying practice makes perfect... thats what it takes. And no matter which route you choose, remember that eventually, we all get there.

Patrice - posted on 02/25/2009

i think it's totally your choice i co-slept with my daughter, it was just easier it helped me get more sleep! my daughter is 5 months and just transitioned into her crib she just started sleeping 4-5 hrs at a time and so i decided to put her in her crib. i think each baby is different

Stephanie - posted on 02/25/2009

Must be a universal baby phase...We started out with our baby in her crib until she was @ 5 months old. Then we found she was waking up 4-5 times a night and not to eat. So I brought her in bed with me to save my sanity and she slept through the whole night. So that's where we're at and she's 7 mos. old. I'm nursing, so I really don't know why I didn't co-sleep from the start. But i'm not looking forward to going back...it will be tough I'm sure

Mary - posted on 02/25/2009

We cosleep with our 1 year old it is great. I know it isn't for everyone, but it works for us. I have heard the key to transition is to start small. Put a toddler bed or crib next to yours. Then after a while move it across the room, then into the next room. Also my mom said the easiest way to transition is with number 2. She told me they didn't even co-sleep, but until there was a sibling to sleep with we still came in the bedroom.

Denilyn - posted on 02/25/2009

Yes!! That is how my 10 month old daughter is! She sleeps fine in her crib to take all of her naps and she sleeps like 4 - 5 hours in her crib at night and then she wakes up and when I put her back in her crib she wakes up every half hour! But when I leave her in bed with me she sleeps all night long!  I can't break her of it! I don't know how!!!

Martina - posted on 02/25/2009

If you don't mind that he's always there for awhile then I'm sure there's no problem. Our son used to end up in our bed at night too, and I took naps with him. I loved it most of the time, but didn't want him becoming dependent on our bed, so we put an end to it.

Good luck

Brooke - posted on 02/24/2009

Definitely have experience in co-sleeping. I did it with my daughter because my husband was deployed during her first year, it is definitely a hard habit to break even though you get the sleep you need. I did not get her to sleep in her own bed until right before her little brother was born and it was definitely difficult. There was definitely a lot of crying fits, but she eventually got the point especially after he was born, that she needed to sleep in her own bed. I would recommend not to co-sleep because it will save you the not so fun time of getting him to sleep alone.

Jessica - posted on 02/24/2009

My daughter is now 7 months old, and she sleeps perfect in her crib. She slept with me from birth, but just changing her into her crib during naps and then starting her in her own crib at night worked out perfect, it broke the cycle pretty fast.

Jenn - posted on 02/24/2009

Quoting Tessa:

Anyone have experience with co-sleeping only at night? My 4 mo naps in his crib and starts the night off there, but usually ends up in our bed where he sleeps great as opposed to waking up every 1-2 hours...will it be hard to break him of this habit in a few months when he wakes up less at night?

I have bee co-sleeping with my 4mo since birth - sometimes she starts out as well in her little bed in her room when she goes to bed before my husband and I and then I will bring her up when she is ready to feed (whenever that may be), she then stays in bed with us till morning. But most nights she is in with us the whole night. She sleeps well during the day in her bed and is a very content little girl - I am all for co-sleeping and I am not concerned about her breaking a habit that seems so natural for us. it also makes the breastfeeding at night so much easier.

If your son sleeps well in his crib to start off the night - he may just keep on sleeping when he is ready to go longer between feeds. He may just need a little comfort at night (and not a feed) and some help to be put back to sleep - you know best what your little one needs :)

Hope this helps!

Jenn

Doula, Breastfeeding Counselor & Midwifery Student

Nicole - posted on 02/24/2009

My little man started doing that at night at about 6 months - We thought it was the starting of the clinging phase but after 2 weeks of me getting no sleep and Matthew owning our bed, I tried him with a Tippee cup of Juice when he woke up. He then started settling again fine, he was just thirsty - Hve you tried that? I know this won't work for everyone, but I do hope it helps a little, Hugs Nikki & Matthew xxx

Michelle - posted on 02/24/2009

My baby come to our bed every night at 3am. then she keep sleeping til 9am.(her cot is right next to our bed) I think as long as you are happy with the arrangement, you enjoy this experience and not thinking about when i can stop doing that, then it would be the most beautiful thing that parents can offer their kids.

Caroline - posted on 02/24/2009

We have coslept with our daughter since birth, but once she was able to roll over we put her in her crib when she was alone (i.e. naps and early evening). Around 11 months, we tried putting her back into her crib after each waking in the night, but it just seemed way less restful for us all (she woke more, the in/out of bed exhausted me and woke my husband). Now at 13 months she is back in bed with us during the night at some time and stays there. But you're asking about things around 6 months... consider that babies from 8-15 months are often very restless at night. Teething, seperaton anxiety, first colds, and more can make this a real rollercoaster time of sleep. It's normal - meaning that most babies have a tough time, not that you won't hear about some sleeping blissfully for hours. So while I think you may have a tough time getting your baby to simply continue to sleep longer and longer periods through the night during the second half of his first year, I encourage you to hang in there and remember how brief this period in your child's life is. Just keep doing what helps YOUR family get the most sleep overall, and don't worry about any timelines you may have setup in your head. If baby ends up in the crib, that will be great, but if not, that is perfectly okay too.

Amanda - posted on 02/24/2009

We also co-sleep by choice...our son is 14mths old..he's comforted as sooon as i lay him between us and then i can also breastfeed thru the night....it works for us...and i think that they're only little once:)

Amanda - posted on 02/24/2009

We also co-sleep by choice...our son is 14mths old..he's comforted as sooon as i lay him between us and then i can also breastfeed thru the night....it works for us...and i think that they're only little once:)

Amanda - posted on 02/24/2009

We also co-sleep by choice...our son is 14mths old..he's comforted as sooon as i lay him between us and then i can also breastfeed thru the night....it works for us...and i think that they're only little once:)

Susanne - posted on 02/24/2009

our daughter is almost 8 months now and she won't even start the night in her crib anymore --it started about a month ago where she comes straight to our bed.  i know we need to break the habit soon but i am scared of what that is going to entail --everyone tells me to just let her cry it out in her crib...not sure i want to do that!

Jaye - posted on 02/24/2009

Tessa, I am experiencing the same problem except by child is one now and he has been sleeping with us ever since and it's definitely hard now to try and put him in the crib. He will sleep in his crib during the day as well, like when he naps, but at night, He wants mommie and daddy! I think he likes the warmth of bodies next to him but is probably the same thing as your child(just guessing). So try your hardest now or you will end up like me, Stuck with baby in bed!!!Good Luck!

Stacy - posted on 02/24/2009

Yes breaking the habit of co-sleeping is the toughest. My daughter is almost 5 and she slept with us in our bed until just last year...she still comes into our bed in the middle of the nite, but thats better than falling asleep there. She needed to learn how to put herself to sleep. Her coming into our bed now isn't that bad....we just now need to invest in a king size bed because we have now our 4 mo old too...I'm in the same boat as you. He starts in his crib, and ends up in our bed. I nurse him, so its tough at the 3 o'clock hour when he wants to nurse, its so convenient to just lay him there. But this last week, I've been putting him back into his crib in the morning so he gets used to always waking up there. (does that make any sense???) Good luck....

Kayt - posted on 02/24/2009

we co slept till my son was almost 7 mo.  and he would start in his own bed every night and then come to ours after his first nurse... we moved him officaly to his own when i stopped nursing and went to work.  He really did well with it.  but i did make sure that he had something that smelled like me, and his heart beat bear.

Hilary - posted on 02/24/2009

i was cosleeping with my 7 week old daughter until saturday night where i just couldn't take it anymore (not being fully able to sleep, sleeping on the couch, she is starting to stir more which woke me up). it was rough putting her in her bed and keeping her there but she knows now that when we go upstairs and the cd comes on (a lullabye cd) its bed/nap time. she wont even sleep downstairs anymore unless its dark. i think my daughter is sleeping better and longer in her crib than when we were cosleeping-but thats just my kid.

Jennifer - posted on 02/24/2009

My 1 year old fell into that patternat that age too. Only she did not sleep in her crib for her naps. That made the transition diffucult to get her to sleep in her crib at all. Now she does with no major problems. I would just continue to make sure she sees her crib as a place that it is ok to sleep in. not just Mommy's arms! :)

Elaine - posted on 02/24/2009

Quoting Tessa:

Anyone have experience with co-sleeping only at night? My 4 mo naps in his crib and starts the night off there, but usually ends up in our bed where he sleeps great as opposed to waking up every 1-2 hours...will it be hard to break him of this habit in a few months when he wakes up less at night?

i don't think you'll have a problem , my baby did the same and he settled into his own big cot and room no problem i just put something in with  him that had my smell on it in the cot   , i used a dressing gown and he loved the texter i just gave him the sleeve to avoid him pulling it over his face , they say something you wear while feeding they is good as it conforts them , best of luck

Jenna - posted on 02/24/2009

I co -sleep but by chioce... my 5 year old is just getting into his bedroom! It will def make a dependency for the child. maybe play the same song at bedtime everynight and sing to him... the more comfy he feels the better... I think