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I'm not a fan of cosleeping but my baby is - advice?

katJudekatJude member
in Attachment Parenting

I guess bedsharing is more the issue.  My baby just doesn't sleep unless he's on me or my husband.  I don't sleep well at all because I can't really relax with my tiny baby in bed with me.  Is it too early to try and transition him to a cradle/crib that is about 4 feet from my bed?  What's the best way to transition him to sleeping NOT on me? 

My DD slept fine in her bed from her first day home so I have no experience with this.  Obviously my little boy has some needs that are met by sleeping on/with us so I want to be respectful and careful with his transitions but, on the other hand, the lack of even a few hours of decent sleep is making me lose my mind!

Thanks!! 

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Re: I'm not a fan of cosleeping but my baby is - advice?

  • goodheartedmommygoodheartedmommy member

    Can you sidecar his crib? It gives you peace of mind, while giving him closeness. In fact, you can sleep right there with him until he's used to it, and start moving away each night, and eventually put the rail back on while leaving the bed right next to yours until you're comfortable moving it across the room.

    Sleep with his crib sheet for a few nights so it smells like you and lay a heating pad down for about 15 minutes (make sure it doesn't get too hot) before you lay him down so the bed is warm. 

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  • LLB430LLB430 member
    I don't really have any advice b/c I was in the same boat.  Around 2.5 months she would finally let me lay her down, already sleeping, in the crib or co-sleeper, but not for the whole night.  We tried a snuggle nest but she wouldn'd have it.  Now she goes down in her crib at night but we co-sleep from 11 pm on.  It got easier to cosleep as she got bigger.  I have to say that both dh and I love co-sleeping now..
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  • lkstorlkstor

    this only lasted a few weeks for us - where DS really needed that tight chest-to-chest closeness.  we have continued to cosleep because that works for us, but he is usually several inches to a foot away from me.

    good luck!

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  • funchickenfunchicken member
    DD slept on us a lot for the first month or so, but we gradually moved her to her crib (in our room).  Putting her in a nice, tight swaddle helped with the transition.  We'd swaddle her and rock her until she was really sound asleep, and then we'd put her in the crib.  I think it took a few weeks for her to start sleeping longer stretches in the crib (3-4 hrs).
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  • EcoBabyEcoBaby

    I think a swaddle will help. However, I did read something recently warning against swaddles, but I don't remember where I read it.

    Have you tried a swing? That works for some babies.

    I was really nervous with co-sleeping at first, but then I started getting more confident. However, I think a happy mom is more important than co-sleeping, so you need to do whatever is best for you and your baby. I wouldn't worry too much about your baby needing to be close to you if it is causing too much sleep deprivation for you. I co-slept in the begining because that helped me get sleep. You can always wear your baby during the day and for naps if he is craving that closeness.

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  • shouldbeworkinshouldbeworkin
    Yeah, most little babies like to sleep somewhere nice and warm, like on mom or dad.  I used to nurse DD laying down, swaddle her up and put her back in her bassinet next to my bed.  Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't.  But, over the course of a few weeks, she seemed to wake less to eat and have an easier time going back to sleep in her bassinet.  Having her close by was helpful, I thought. 
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  • mrs.baummrs.baum
    It took us a few weeks to kind of "sync up" w/each other when it came to co-sleeping. When we first started I got very little sleep, but then it just started working.
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