Did anyone let their baby sleep with them?

Ella - posted on 06/25/2010

My 20 month old sleeps in our family bed. We plan to follow his lead for him sleeping alone.

Candy - posted on 06/25/2010

My son was 2 before we started transitioning him to his own bed. He has his own room and we started having him nap in his bed. My wife would snuggle him at first, but eventually he just started going down for his naps alone. After that we transitioned from nursing to sleep to nursing before we went to bed. Once those two items were done it was easier to have him do to his bed in his room. It really helped that he likes his bed and his room. We also made a big deal out of him being a big boy and not a baby anymore. He is very pleased about being able to do big boy things.

Nicole - posted on 06/23/2010

We have done it with all of our children and we just gradually switched them to their own bed. It wasn't that hard for us because they were sleeping in their own beds during the day for naps, we were just too lazy to get up for the night feedings. LOL When the night feedings were no longer needed or were less frequent, we transferred them to their own beds at night, too.

Kristina - posted on 06/23/2010

let my son sleep with me until he was about a year old. It wasnt hard at all to break the co sleeping habit. I remember the first night we put him in the crib I thought for sure he was going to be up all night crying and wanting to be in bed with me. But he fell right asleep and didnt wake up a single time. He started sleeping better in his crib.

Emily - posted on 06/23/2010

Personally I don't think it's a "habit" that needs to be "broken." My first child slept with us the majority of his first 3 years, and then slept on his own when he was ready. Still bedsharing with my 9-month-old and plan to do so for a couple of years.

Jennifer - posted on 06/23/2010

both of my kids slept with me my 3 yr old still likes to cuddle but i can get mt 3 month old in his own bed.

Theresa - posted on 06/23/2010

yep and we totally lucked out. we started putting rowan in her crib at 4 months and she didn't bat an eye.
she prefers it now; if i nurse her and try to lay her down with us she flops all over until i put back in her own bed.
we've wondered if part of the initial ease was making the change before she had much memory??

Anna - posted on 06/23/2010

Yes, my son is still sleeping with us at 18 months... I love it. But he is taking up too much room these days so I have made a small bed for him right beside our big bed. I move him into it once he falls asleep and get him to take his daytime naps there. We have a futon bed - low to the ground, so to make his little bed, I just put a cot mattress on some slats of wood.

Lisa - posted on 06/23/2010

All 3 of my children (including my 11week old daughter) slept in bed with us for the first 2 months. Then I moved them to the playpen by our bed at bed time (a relaxing bath first). When they woke up to feed during the night, I would bring them back into bed with us for the rest of the night. By the 4th month they were in their own room in a crib and sleeping through the night. I strongly believe if my baby can sleep through the night, they can be in their OWN bed. After all...when do you really get to relax beside while you are sleeping?

Kimber - posted on 06/22/2010

We shared with our daughter until she was 5 and her little brother was born and how he sleeps with us:) We put her mattress on the floor first and then gradually moved her out of the room.

Tara - posted on 06/22/2010

bed sharing is great, here are the experiences I've had with bed sharing my 6 kiddos.

Oldest son:

Slept with me until 2.5 years, went into his own room by choice, we also weaned at this time, his choice again

Second son:

Chose to stop nursing at night time and didn't want to be in my bed, he wanted his bed on my floor, so at 11 months, he had a toddler bed in my room, after two months he wanted to be in with his brother and his brother wanted to share. They shared a double bed for 2 years.

Daughter Oldest:

In our bed until age 2, moved her into a single bed that was right beside our bed. Nursed her at night if she wanted to but she slept in her bed with her covers and pillow etc. on her 3rd birthday we let her pick paint for her room and then painted it and she moved in right away.

daughter Middle:

Same as older daughter

Youngest daughter

Moved into a double bed in her oldest sisters room at age 2, they snuggled together all night until she was 3 and got her own bed.

Baby boy; 7 months in bed with us, happy to have him, he'll stay in our bed for another year and a half or so and then move on.. either to sleep with one of his sisters for a few months or to his own room, we'll see how it goes.

They like their independence and eventually will make that time known. Just take it slow and enjoy this time.

Erin - posted on 06/21/2010

My 19 month old still sleeps with me and still nurses to sleep. I've been trying to break the nursing to sleep habit before i just shove him in his own bed.
However, because he's feeling safe when he goes to bed there is no crying and no moodines surrounding bed time. He gives everyone a hug good night and goes to our room himself. Personally i don't like the idea of forcing a screaming child into their own bed and letting them cry. But to-each-her-own.
I've heard alot of people say that by the time they are over two they want the independance and will go to their own bed without much fuss. My mom reports the same of me... i was proud to have my own room and never crawled back into their bed.
Every situation is different, and maybe there are reasons your child can't stay in the bed with you, but if it's only because you think 'society' will think it's odd, Don't worry! Do whatever keeps everyone comfortable and your child feeling safe.

Lynneah - posted on 06/21/2010

yeah my little guy slept with me for three months and all i did was put him in a crib and he had no problem with it!! shell realize eventually that she cant sleep with mom and dad just let her cry for a little bit shell eventually realize it, and shes old enough that you can let her cry longer then before!!

Jennifer - posted on 06/21/2010

Haven't tried to break the habit, but I've heard that it's a good idea to do so before they are 12 months if you plan on it, other wise to wait until they are two or three.

Marcy - posted on 06/21/2010

Well I guess first off in my eyes its not really a habit....although I guess habits can be good and bad right? I really think it all depends on how old your child is and if you are still nursing him/her at night. When my son turned 2ish we moved him to the pack and play next to our bed. I would nurse him to sleep and then stick him in there. He got up about4 hours later and I nursed him again and then he slept in bed with us the balance of the night. When he turned 3 we moved him in to his room, still nursed him down and he slept through the night. For the last 2 months he has decided he would rather sleep in bed with us. I am not loger nursing him to sleep (his choice) but he would rather go to sleep in our bed. Typically I fall asleep with him next to me now and then a few hours later I will get up and put him in his bed for the balance of the night. Eventually he will migrate back to his own bed..I can't say that I really tried doing anything extreme with him....but he has also never cried himself to sleep either. Good luck.

Bonnie - posted on 06/21/2010

My LO slept with us for the first two nights after pretty much refusing to sleep in his moses basket but then we moved him into it after two nights as just felt a bit more comfortable. x

Melissa - posted on 06/21/2010

The only way any of us could sleep when my son was born was to co-sleep. Around 2 months we started making sure he took naps either in his bassinet or crib...at 3 months we would put him down at night in his crib and sleep the rest of the night with him in bed once he woke up to eat. He is now 4 1/2 months and sleeps in his crib through the night.

Kristin - posted on 06/21/2010

We bed shared with out first (now 5 years and sleeping alone) until he voluntarialy tried it on his own at 2.5-ish years. He never looked back except for when ill or needing a morning snuggle. The middle child bed-shares when he feels sick. That's fine, easier to keep an eye on him anyway. Our youngest is bed-sharing with just me right now. After our move, I may try him in his bassinet again. I am all about whatever gets ALL of us the best sleep possible. I don't need alot of covers or pillows and this makes sidelying feeds so great at night. Although, I think it freaked out a couple of the nurses at the hospital a bit.

As for breaking the habit, naptime in their bed in your room can help with the transition. It also helped with ours to tell him that he just needed to start the night in his bed and if he got scared or needed us he can come get us. It's definitely easier to transition from bed-sharing to room-sharing (so-sleeping) to then moving into their own room. There may be some crying and drama, but just keep reassuring baby they are okay and check on them. Just be consistent.

Lisbeth - posted on 06/21/2010

yes my little girl bed shares with us I am planning when she is older to put her toddler bed in the same room and putting her to sleep there and slowly getting her used to it then slowly getting her used to her room.