Do you co-sleep?

MommyToAshley wrote: I'm too chicken to co-sleep, but know a lot of people that do and prefer it!

Kaitlin'smom replied: Well my vote should have been not anymore...........i did for about the first month. I was just trying to sleep! But after that I wanted her to sleep by herself, with the planning of having to go back to work I did not want to have her in the bed anymore........I have co-slept with her every now and then since then, when she has a ruff night9when she was sick), I will sleep with her in her room (she has a full size bed). Daddy is not comfortable sleeping with her...........he is afraid of smooching her.

dhoppygirl replied: Well, I answered yes, but Peyton sleeps in his own crib most of the night. He usually wakes up between 3am-6am, I get him out of his crib and bring him to our bed where I feed him and we fall asleep. We usually get up between 7-8am. It has been a very long time since Peyton has woken up for the day in his crib. He also takes naps in his crib...

Dawn

HomeIsCool replied: We have always co-sleeped and really love it! I would not do it any other way. Too hard to get up in the middle of night for me ... roll over, baby attaches, go back to sleep. Or, I have nursed without waking up before .... and babies NEVER wake up in the middle of the night .. .they just get that rooting sound or fuss a *tiny* bit (but do not wake up) and they go right back to sleep.

Works for us!

Barbara

razz05 replied: I voted yes, but I didn't co-sleep w/ my daughter. I am co-sleeping w/ Sawyer right now (he's only 2 months). I'm not a huge fan of it myself, but in the evening time he's very fussy, so in order to get him to sleep, I have to lay him on my bed and either nurse him to sleep or get real close so he feels me. Once he's asleep, I'm afraid to move him (evening time is real rough most of the time still). So... he ends up sleeping w/ us every night. I'm hoping soon he'll be sleeping thru the night soon (he only does one 4-5 hr stretch to start, then he's up every 2 hrs after that usually), and then I'll put him in his crib. The other problem is, I don't want to put him in his crib yet because it's at the other end of the house and it's right next door to big sister's room. I'm afraid he'll wake her up, and I really don't want to get up and go that far to get him every night LOL. EXCUSES EXCUSES I know LOL. My fiancee keeps telling me to get him in his own bed LOL, but I can't do it yet LOL. (we have a cradle next to the bed that he's used a handful of times, but he doesn't sleep well in it).

supermom replied: And my answer is :

Never with the first three, but I guess with the last one, I got a lot tireder <LOL> and he didn't sleep near as well as the first three. We started off just laying down together at night because that was more comfortable (to me) than holding him in my arms, and it just progressed from there. But, I wouldn't give it up for the world, and he does (occasionally) crawl down to his toddler bed at the foot of our bed (he's going to be three really soon).

Not sure what we will do now that we've got another one coming, as I know it's not recommended to let older siblings sleep with infants in the same bed, but maybe by then I won't be as "cuddly" with my bigger belly and he'll chose to move out on his own (not holding my breath though!).

+Zemirah+ replied: Not with my first 2, only a little with my third, yes all the way with babies 4, 5, 6 and I won't go back now -- it is so much more restful for all of us. I know many moms worry about rolling over onto baby or the like; I do take some small precautions so I never really have to worry about that. When co-sleeping with an infant, I place a small pillow under each arm, and lay the baby on her tummy on my chest. I also usually sleep with a pillow under my knees when I have an infant in bed with us. Using the pillows this way helps me remember not to roll in my sleep (it just reminds me and since the pillows stabilize me in one place, I almost *can't* roll accidentally). When my dd was born (baby #4), she was a mere 4'10 oz at full term (she's just a little petite thing -- perfectly healthy and rightly sized for her, but small comparatively). She slept cozily snuggled with her head in the nook of my neck and her little knees hiked up on my chest, and I roused and rolled her to my breast to nurse when she would wake for feedings. I also very often sleep with my infants without wearing a shirt and no sleeper on baby, as my youngest 3 children very quickly spike a high fever whenever they get any cold/flu/illness. I have caught those very high fevers almost immediately many times, because of the close skin-to-skin contact, and been able to get right on it (dd especially just gets the highest fevers immediately -- 104 deg a few times). I feel more in touch with my babies when co-sleeping I guess.

Kaitlin'smom replied: I have to admit, i liked sleeping with my little girl, I know I wont be able to do it when she is older. So I enjoy the naps we sometimes take together. There is nothing like having a baby sleep on your chest. I would love to sleep with her at night, but with working I just cant. I wish I could stay at home with her, at least for a few years. Heck I would not mind working from home, but my job is not one you can....oh well I just am enjoying the time I can spend with her

+Zemirah+ replied: {{{Di}}} I bet your moments with your dd are very precious if you feel you have to kinda steal them sometimes!

HomeIsCool replied:

We have just moved the toddler/preschooler either into their own bed next to ours or put them on one side of me and the baby on the other!

My two youngest ... man, all hell breaks loose when they sleep next to each ... Michael tosses and turns alot and will end up on Maggie with some part of his body ... and she gets ticked and starts to fuss and whine. So ... the rule is ... they need another body between them! :lol

Barbara

madaise replied: We cosleep and love it! My dh wasnt sure he'd like it, so we did buy a crib.. but has never been used. Still looking new in the basement!

Kaitlin'smom replied:

yes I do, and I love them!


okay I am just not getting the quote thing............still trying

madaise replied: Di, you have to have an end tag too.. you'll start it with [*quote] and end with [*/quote] (without the *)... the computer doesn't know what to do if you don't have a beginning and an end to it. They are easily confused, lol.

MommyToAshley replied: I edited the quote for you Di.

TLCDad also pointed this out... after typing your message, click on the "Close all Tags" button at the top by the Font Color option. It will close the quote for ya...hope that helps.

TLCDad replied: When replying are you clicking the "Quote" button or the "reply" button and adding the quote manually? Quoting is easier if you click the "Quote" button which does the same thing as a reply but puts the text of the msg your replying to in the quote box which you can edit as well.

CantWait replied: I liked sleeping with my first son, it made things much easier in the beginning. However he did gradually move on to his crib when he started sleeping through the night, not to mention, hubby is a very messy sleeper. He's everywhere.

When I moved away to finish school for a bit, I stayed with my grandma (the babysitter one could have), there was only one room so again, baby and I shared a bed. Seeing on how I was gone to school most of the time, it gave us some of that quality time we missed out on.

Kaitlin'smom replied: ahhh I think I got it now............we will see

mckayleesmom replied: I just had my first baby about a week and a half ago and she is a really really good baby, she is a wonderfull sleeper ( so far) so I do admit that I let her sleep with us sometimes cause I just love that moment after she breastfeeds where she just stares at you and looks around. Usually I will prop her up on a pillow and lay next to her and talk to her, and usually my husband will join us too. So I think its good for family bonding time.

MommyToAshley replied: Hi mckayleesmom!

Congrats on your baby girl! She sounds precious!

Welcome to parenting club...glad you could join us! It's nice to meet you! I am Dee Dee, a first time Mommy to Ashley. I hope you like your stay here...all the people are wonderful and helpful!

Please feel free to register, by clicking on the register button at the top (middle) of the screen then you will be able to vote in polls and put a picture of your baby girl up. I'd love to see her picture!

I'm looking forward to getting to know you better.

momofajcl replied: I'm in the "not anymore" category also. That was the only way I got any sleep when Nicholas was a few months old. He'd sleep on my chest It was so cozy and I'd do it again in a heartbeat! Once he started getting teeth at 4 months, HE prefered sleeping in his own crib. If he woke in the middle of the night and I brought him into my bed w/me after nursing him, he'd throw a fit! LOL! Oh well...it was so nice while it lasted!

Heather replied: Oh I would have loved to, but I was very very afraid of it. I am very very mobile in my sleep, my worst fear was rolling over on Alison and not knowing it. She slept right next to me in her bassinet though for a good 2.5 months.

Heather

eiramitak replied: We have always co-slept. When O was first born, we brought her into bed because it was easier to nurse and she stayed... she moved to her own room at around 3 years but knows she is welcome in our bed whenever she wants.
M is still in our bed at 26 months... we'll let her decide when she's ready to move.

booey2 replied: Hi, we did it with Matthew at about 6months when I went back to work he started to get sick all the time (being at the babysitter and exposed to the other kids and all). So inorder for me to sleep we started bringing him to bed with us. That lasted until about 2 months before Thomas was born. In September of 2001 Matthew just decided that there wouldn't be enough room in the bed for all of us and went to his own bed. I still have to go and lay with him the odd time. Thomas on the other had was in his crib from day one and is now on his own on a mattress on the floor because we had to give his crib back to the person that we borrowed it from. When Thomas gets sick I just get up with him and stay up til he goes back to sleep. I think my losing weight has given me more energy with the second baby and getting up at night doesn't bother me as much.

mummyof2boyz replied: I really only co-sleep half way through the nigh. If he wakes for a bottle, i am usually to tired to put him back in bed. So he just stays with me.

I hope I don't scare anyone but on a sad note. On Friday, I was reading the news paper and in a town over from me, there was a women who was sleeping in bed with her 2 1/2month old DD. She accidently push her baby out of bed and the baby died when in fell on a bag that was beside the bed. I feel terriable for her loss. I will pray for her and I hope ya'll will join me. There is a link to the story below if you want to read it.

Angie


http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=...id=226894&rfi=8

MommyToAshley replied: Oh, that is soo sad. I feel for the mother!!! I couldn't even imagine the guilt and sorrow she must be feeling right now!

Mommieto2Girls replied: I could never sleep with my baby I was and still am scared that I would roll over and mush her. For about the first 2 weeks home she slept in her car seat next to me on the couch (I couldn't lay in the bed it hurt to bad to lay flat, I had a c-section), then she slept in her bounce-a-net(bouncer and bassinet in one), and then finally at 6months I could let her sleep in her crib which is next to my bed ( I would have probley did that in the beginning but at our old house the room wasn't big enough).

Sammy's Mom replied: I/we do co-sleep and have recieved so much crap about it from older relatives. Sam will be 6 months in a few days and has never spent a night in his crib. He takes naps in it and loves to play with everything, but I just can't part with him yet. Daddy was worried in the beginning but now he wouldnt have it any other way. Sam has slept atleast 8 hours a night since he was 7 weeks old.

Hillbilly Housewife replied: Razz05, Kaitlin, Supermom and Mommy2Madison - your new avaters are all so precious!!!! Wow!!!!

(I hope I didn't miss anyone's change? I try to notice them all!!)

I don't *co-sleep*, according to some books, but we sort of do... in the middle of the night, when Zach wakes up and wantes to have milk, we bring him back to our bed, and we all fall asleep together. it's just easier that way.

booey2 replied:
I hear ya about the boloney from family. My side of the family was awfull about us co-sleeping. One day when we were together with the in-laws I brought it up and found out that I wasn't the only one. Both my sister-in-laws did it and 1 of the still does some times.

MommyToAshley replied: I'd like to hear what some of the newbies to this board do too.

ediep replied: no, Jason slept in a bassinet in our room for about 6 or 7 weeks, then he went to his crib.

Jacqueline_n_Alyssas_Mom replied: Okay.... the only time the girls entire my bed is when they are ill or of course can't sleep, I like them to sleep w/me when they are under the weather, because I can tell when they spike a fever, if it gets to high by their body heat. I have to say other than that NEVER! I can't stand getting kicked in the head or punched in the eyes, My girls are restless sleepers it seems

Heather replied: Okay, I know I said that I would not be able to co-sleep because I would be afraid of rolling over on Alison...well, At 11 months old we have started to co-sleep. It is the only way we will be able to get some sleep. HOWEVER, this chick is wild when she sleeps..she is in so many positions, I am still finding it hard to sleep. She is a mover...worse than me. BUT, I ahve to say that I reallly enjoy having her there. I know she loves it because she sleeps so well....so I guess we are going to have to see where it takes us Now...