Anyone co-sleep with older children?

pastalady · August 2012

We co-slept with DD from birth until 2 due mostly to extreme sleep issues. After seeing a sleep specialist we transitioned her to her crib. She finally started STTN and we had some down time in the evenings.

Two nights ago she went down like usual and woke 15 minutes later screaming. We tried everything to get her back to sleep. Must have been night terrors. Finally at 4:30 am she fell asleep on me. The thing is now she is terrified of her room. We tried putting her to sleep in it last night and the screaming started again. We chose to put her in bed with us. She STTN with us no problem. After she fell asleep we snuck downstairs to unwind.

Tonight we plan on just putting her to bed in our bed. We are moving to a new house in less than 2 months so I will help her pick out some new bedding, decor etc to get excited about her new room. But what if that doesn't work? Should I just not stress? Anyone co-sleep with a child over 3?

tlew12778 · August 2012

Mine is 3.5 and she firmly believes in the family bed. I'm just rolling with the punches TBH.

MrsSR · August 2012

DD is only two, but she is welcome in our bed as long as she needs it. I'm a firm believer of stress free parenting. Why fight and struggle at night? I love getting good sleep though, so for me, it isn't worth it. We all sleep better this way, so I'm sticking with what works.

FWIW, I slept with my mom FOREVER and I turned out normal (well, somewhat normal).

Amy&Anthony · August 2012

DS is four and is pretty much with us every night; he starts out in his own bed, and then wakes up to come find us. Its kind of funny because he will try to beat daddy to the bed ( Dh will try to take him back to his room)The only thing that bothers me is that he is not getting uninterrupted sleep. If she is having such a hard time sleeping I would deff just put her in your bed. I am personally of the belief that its easier to get a bigger bed than sleep train a baby

00jennifer00 · August 2012

My almost 4yo still gets in bed with me most nights after dh hits the couch (sleep issues of his own). My 19mo sleeps against the wall, I sleep in the middle, and ds2 sleeps on the edge (mattress and box springs on the floor, though he's never fallen off).

ncbelle · August 2012

Callum still comes to sleep with me many nights. He actually slept in his own bed all night from about 16 months until about 6 months ago (he's 3.5). I think once Eleanor got to a more "person" like point, he got a little jealous that she was sleeping with me and he wasn't.

sbartschke · August 2012

DS has never slept in a crib. We recently moved him to a matress on the floor next to our bed and it is working wonderfully. I only did this because I am nervous about having DD and DS in our bed when she arrives. On the nights he does wake up he climbs into our bed but other times he will just want to hold hands while he is laying in his bed.

Dulmaria · August 2012

I believe in stress free parenting.

If your kid is not ready to sleep on his own, then don?t make him.

As adults, we do not sleep on our own, so why make a little kid sleep in a room alone?

DH and I co-sleep (share the room, not the bed) with our almost 6 year old DD and to us, it?s best not to pressure her. Now that baby number 2 is coming, we?ll share our bed with LO and (hoping) to transition both girls into their own room in about a year or two. They?ll keep each other company.

We have stress free, nice sleep nights, and happy mornings, I don?t see how night terrors and an insecure child that feels abandoned is a better alternative.

Dulmaria · August 2012

For further info, DD and I used to bed-share, since she was born until DH and I got married (he is her SD)

When we moved to our nest, we tried to put DD into her own room (beautifully decorated with Disney princesses) but she still moved to our room and climbed on our bed.

After many nights of DD crying, waking up to get her back to her room, and sleepless nights, we decided to share our room with her ?till she?s ready.

Best decision ever.

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Anyone co-sleep with older children?

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