Do you let your baby sleep in bed with you?

Jessica - posted on 07/29/2011

that's kinda what I do with Summer. for naps she sleeps in her crib cause she's too big for a bassinet and there's no room in our bedroom for her crib so we put it in the living room where she's always watched over during naps. it will be different when we get a bigger place

Laura - posted on 07/29/2011

Both my kids co slept up until 4 months old. Between 4 and 5 months, I gradually moved them into a cot, starting with their day time naps in the cot, and eventually they started to go down at night time. To be honest, I haven't had too many problems getting them to go from co sleeping to sleeping alone in a cot. It's not a fluke because it worked twice at different times XD My son still wakes for a feed during the night, and does end up in bed with us about 4am, but from 7.30/8pm till then, he sleeps in his cot. I'd say you want to get them into their own bed fairly early so they don't start getting really clingy and not be able to sleep without you. But it's a personal choice, do what you feel is right.

Patricia - posted on 07/28/2011

I let my son sleep with me from biirth - he is now 6 months. I can't think of any other situation. I see nothing wrong with it and plan to let him sleep alone after he is a year. It is easier when he is breast feeding and he sleeps sounder when I am with him.

Clare - posted on 07/27/2011

my son has been sleeping on his own since birth but when I went back to work I Kinda felt guilty so when he would cry I put him in bed with my hubby and I but not always

Nicole - posted on 07/26/2011

My son goes in his crib to start but wakes up around 3 am and I bring him to bed with me. He sleeps much better and I do too. I figure eventually he will end up sleeping all night in his crib but for now, it's best to get sleep where we can :)

Bex - posted on 07/26/2011

I definitely sleep better because of it. I can't imagine having to totally wake up whenever she needed food throughout the night! Sleep is kinda magical when you co-sleep - enough to feel rested, but light enough to know their every move. It makes an incredible bond even stronger.

Jessica - posted on 07/26/2011

both my kids co slept Summer is still with us but still breastfeeding too it's just easier. it can be hard to break but I feel I get more rest not having to get outta bed to get her.

Candice - posted on 07/26/2011

I think its perfectly fine to have ur lil baby sleep in ur bed with u. It allows them to feel that extra comfort thats just soo soothing and heathy especially a new born. Of course at some point the child needs to sleep in their own bed/crid. Id say make that transition when u feel comfortable & ready to.. My daughter slept in the bed next to me every night till she was 3 months. When she was born she had acid reflux so I was scared to have her sleep in her crib. but after a few months it went away. It was like she didnt even notice the difference. On occasion she'll sleep in the bed with me,like on nights she has trouble going to sleep cause she wants to stay up all night. Lol. & since im nursing her I bring her into the bed with me for her early morning feeding after my husband goes to work. Personally, I enjoy the time she sleeps next to me. If I were u I wouldnt worry about it, just enjoy it. They grow so fast. Just go with thr flow. Try a night or 2 in the crib then bring him in the bed with u the next night then back to the crib the next and so on. Till hes comortable with it. Oh and if his crib is in a different room as urs try putting a shirt purhaps one that u wore that day in the crib next to him. Ur scent can comfort him as well. Good luck :*)

Sarrah - posted on 07/24/2011

I personally won't allow that as it's making the child think they can get their way. So I'd avoid it unless they are in pain or something.

Chantal - posted on 07/23/2011

My daughter sleeps in bed with me as long as you take all the precautions it perfectly safe and most babies prefer it bc they feel safer next to you

Bex - posted on 07/20/2011

Hey Caryn, I totally get what you're saying, but I can also see why it became a problem, as it was something you introduced later on in her life, and also around the crucial time where you were about to introduce a new baby into the mix - so no wonder she's found it so hard for her to let go! It was once we realised we were expecting again, that we decided that was the time to nip it in the bud, and it really was as easy as simply moving her cot to her own bedroom, and she had a couple of nights of moaning about it for 5 minutes, but after that we never looked back.

things work differently for everyone, but I just wouldn't wanna say 'AVOID' like that, especially based on your experiences, which were somewhat rather different to the OP's, as hers is regarding a newborn, and as I previously said, it can a be a lovely thing, which can continue for as long or as short a time as you all want it to.

With regard to your daughter, I would suggest just going crazy on telling her that big girls use their own beds, and maybe take her out shopping for a new duvet cover or nice cushion etc, or wall stickers are a great incentive - just make her feel really special about sleeping in her own bed, and ensure her that in the mornings she can still come in for a quick cuddle but that your bed is just not big enough for 3 BIG people!! Good luck.

Caryn - posted on 07/20/2011

Definitely avoid if you can. Every baby is different. We never let my first daughter (4.5 yrs now) sleep in our bed when she was younger, but in the last few months of my pregnancy with our second we started letting her sleep in our room. It's now been a hassle to get our territory back. We're working on it and there are still tears sometimes, but we're getting there. The 6 month old sleeps fine on her own in the crib. We moved big sister in her room so "no one is sleeping alone!" Common complaint from the 4 year old. Keep trying and let your gal cry a bit. She just may be having a hard time self soothing.

Bex - posted on 07/17/2011

Hey, I'm a mother of a 2 and a half year old and 6 month old.

My first would just not sleep unless she was in our bed! I'd never thought about co-sleeping, it just used to be the olnly way to sleep well for all of us. In her basket or crib she would make a crazy breathing sound, and the second se was on our mattress she seemed to have a sensor and would sleep perfectly! I also breastfed so it was a lot easier for that. We just took our cues from her, and she only finally slept in her own bed the whole way through the night ,once we put her in her own room at about 17months, and I guess the temptation to feed was reduced as she couldn't sense my smell or something.

With our second, she sleeps better now in her crib, tho I still tend to let her sleep next to me after the middle of the night feed, as she sleeps sounder that way.

It's entirely up to you, but I would say from my experience it made it no harder to get her into her own bed when the time was right, it mostly depends on how flexible you can be. And once we got her in her room there was no going back.

I'm so pleased we did it that way, it brought such a closeness, I was so aware of her being there even when I was asleep, and it really helped to get the feeding off to a good start in the early days.

It's not recommended if yo smoke, have been drinking, or taken any medication that may make you drowsy, I always sleep on my side facing baby, and with my arm around as an extra precaution, and obviously, make sure there are no gaps in the bedding for baby to fall through (put a pillow next to the wall packed in tight for extra security) and also make sure that baby isn't too hot with your duvet, but we've been pretty comfortable doing it with our 2 daughters. I tend to tr yand keep her on my side than in between my partner and me, just so there's less risk that way, but I really do think it's a wonderful way to start life, snuggled in bed with the person who loves you more than life, every need seen to as and when it arises.

If it's a solution for you, and you enjoy it, then let you and your baby decide how best to sleep.

xxx

Connie - posted on 07/17/2011

Have you tried a bassinet in your room? That way she's near you but isn't necessarily in bed with you? I think that's what helped with our transition to his crib. Is there any particular issue with her being in her crib? Like she's crying all the time?

Co-sleeping works for some people, but remember that at this age, you're setting routines that'll be harder to break when they're older. You have to consider whether or not having her there interferes with your time with your significant other and everyone's sleep. For me, personally, he has slept in his own space, except for the early hours in the morning, when I bring him into bed with me to nurse. It's nice to have my bed as adult space.

Billie - posted on 07/17/2011

My daughter is 6 months old and she only sleeps in my bed lately due to teething pain or else neither of us would get sleep. On a normal night Personally I think it's bad to just let them sleep in your bed on a regular basis because it's hell getting them out! You need to find a way to keep them in bed in a way that works for both of you. I just got lucky because if my daughter isn't in pain she prefers her crib.



I also wanted to add that it's not the same experience for everyone, some people may have no problems transitioning their kids into their own rooms from co-sleeping, but in my own experience, my brother's wife co-slept with their first child and he was in their room until he was 5yrs old.....would you rather try to get them in their own room now? Or risk never getting them out of your room?