Bassinet and early sleeping arrangements

Maple403 · July 2014

FTM here looking for advice from veterans. I'm planning on breast feeding exclusively, if possible. I'm looking for feedback about whether we should keep baby in the room with us for the beginning in a bassinet or crib or have the baby in its own room to start with. I read a study that said that having the baby in the room resulted in both parents getting less sleep and feeling more stressed. However, if I'm going to need to breast feed every two hours it does seem more convenient to have the baby in our room. What is your experience?

April

Jay_Cee · July 2014

We had A in our room for 5 months. I EBF until she was 5.5 months when we started introducing solids. She nursed numerous times over night and daily until she was 17 months old.

We WILL NOT be keeping this baby in our room that long. They can smell your milk, so it wakes them up more at night. Once we moved her, it got better (and then worse again, but that doesn't mean it will be for everyone haha).

I'm thinking the longest we will keep this baby in our room is about 2 months. It's enough time to get a nighttime BFing schedule down, and then you can get settled in the nursery and hopefully get more sleep for everyone.

psychobutthead · July 2014

when I had my daughter I had to share a room with her and she slept in her crib. With this baby I bought a packnplay with a bassinet and it will sleep in mine and DHs room until I feel ok to let it sleep in its own. if you plan on bf it might be easier to keep baby in your room.

amt0312 · July 2014

A lot of people plan for cribs and flat surfaces but in my experience, as soon as you get home, you'll realize your baby won't sleep flat. We ended up putting DD in the swing next to the bed/couch and then we got a Rock N Play sleeper when she was 3 weeks old and she slept there until we could get her to sleep flat at 4 months.

Our pediatrician actually recommended the baby sleep in the same room as us for the first 1-2 months and then transition her to her own sleeping space. Co-sleeping (sharing a room, not bed sharing) has actually been shown to reduce SIDS so, by all means, keep the baby next to you.

daciadanae · July 2014

I kept my son in a bassinet next to my bed, but he was only 5 lbs, so he seemed REALLY tiny for a crib. And it was nice having him next to me for the times I woke up irrationally thinking he wasn't breathing, haha. We transitioned him to a crib when he was about 6 or 7 months old. The transition took about a week or so, but my DH and I slept SO much better when we had our own room back. I'm thinking I"ll probably go straight to crib with baby#2

Jay_Cee · July 2014

amt0312 said:

A lot of people plan for cribs and flat surfaces but in my experience, as soon as you get home, you'll realize your baby won't sleep flat. We ended up putting DD in the swing next to the bed/couch and then we got a Rock N Play sleeper when she was 3 weeks old and she slept there until we could get her to sleep flat at 4 months.

Our pediatrician actually recommended the baby sleep in the same room as us for the first 1-2 months and then transition her to her own sleeping space. Co-sleeping (sharing a room, not bed sharing) has actually been shown to reduce SIDS so, by all means, keep the baby next to you.

My kid slept flat.

I think it depends on the baby. But it definitely reduces SIDS risk, I think up to 6 months even! But don't quote me on that. It's for sure easier at first and a good thing to cosleep at first. I totally recommend it! Just not as long as we did, haha.

ordinary1 · July 2014

At first A slept in a bassinet in our room. She didn't like it and we started co-sleeping. Co-sleeping (bed sharing) has been proven to reduce SIDS and has many other benefits, as well. However, it isn't for everyone. This time, I'm not sure what we will do. It will depend on what baby is like.

thegoodpotato · July 2014

My first spent the first three nights in a laundry basket on my night stand, but slept in her crib after that.

My second slept in a little Fisher-Price chair/cradle thing on the floor next to the bed for about three weeks.

I prefer to go straight to crib because you don't have to deal with the transition later.

ETA: babies are definitely noisy at night, and every little snort and snuffle will wake you up....

mandamoochie · July 2014

I used a pack n play in our room for 6 weeka and transitioned to the crib then. He always slept well on his back tho.. swaddle him up and he was out. I had to actually wake him up ever two hours to feed him until he got back to birth weight.

Basically newborn stage is a free for all and you will try anything and everything until that baby will sleep consistently. You just need to do what works for you and the baby.

Ps - the co-sleeping in the same room to reduce sids is true. They learn proper breathing patterns by listening and mimicking you (and SO if they are there)

magsame · July 2014

I'm a FTM and we plan to get a pack and play with bassinet and keep the baby in our room for the first few months. That is the plan anyways. My mom did it with me and my sisters and I think its pretty normal to keep them in your room for a few months. Easier to wake up every 5 seconds to make sure they are still breathing! Which I'm sure I'll be paranoid enough and do!

michelle142 · July 2014

C slept in a PNP in our room until he was about 9 weeks old, then we moved him to his crib.

I worked great because we EBF and it was convenient. However, I think for my own sanity, this LO will start in their own room from the get go.

Of course I said the same about DS too. I was just so sore when we got home from the hospital that it hurt to get out of bed, so it just happened to work out better that he was in our room.

So really I have no idea what will actually happen.

ordinary1 · July 2014

Please don't limit co-sleeping reducing SIDS to room sharing. Bed sharing reduces SIDS too and is just as safe as room sharing when done correctly.

kittyj25 · July 2014

My daughter was in our room until 8 months. We had no issue with it. I had a cradle and rocking chair in my room and will do that again.

MLSprague · July 2014

ChickenOnSunday said:

Newborns are noisy but it didn't wake me. LO slept in a bassinet for 4 months in our bedroom. DH had to smack me to wake up. I was sleeping so deeply that I didn't even remember we had a kid.

I say give it a try and it doesn't work you kick the kid out.

DH might be doing that to me too!! lol He can't believe how soundly I sleep and is hoping that when we have the baby, I might not sleep so soundly.

MLSprague · July 2014

DH wants to have the baby sleep in our room to start and then we move baby to their crib. We thought about getting a bassinet, but I have been looking at getting a pack 'n play that has a bassinet. This way we can save on money. I didn't know about the SIDS. That's good information. Thank you!!

crash916 · July 2014

We had DD in her pnp with bassinet attachment until she wouldn't fit. Then we moved her to the top level of the pnp. Finally around 8 months we transitioned her to the crib in our room. She room shared with us until she was 10 months old.
I EBF and it was so much easier having her close. She's never been a great sleeper, but it's slowly getting better.
The transition to the crib was easier than the transition from swaddling to not.

kismetjess · July 2014

I didn't think I would have DD in the room with me as long as I did...But she was waking up every 2 hours and nursing for 45 minutes at a time. Eventually I started side-lying and often times we would both fall asleep (safely) in our bed. When I would wake up, I'd move her back to her rock n play. If it wasn't for side-lying...I would never of slept a wink.

We moved her to her crib at 6 months.

mommy510 · July 2014

How close is your room to the nursery? With DS1, his room was right next to ours and the walls were paper thin. I could hear him every time he made a peep, so I had him sleep in his crib from the first night he came home. This really helped DH sleep better. We had a bassinet in our room that he used during the day when I was resting.
We kept DS2 in our room until he slept through the night because we only had 2 bedrooms and I didn't want to mess up DS1's sleeping schedule.
This time, the nursery is farther away from our room, so I'm at least going to wait 6-8 weeks before moving baby to the nursery.

maltwin1 · July 2014

We wanted to have our newborn make as few transitions as possible, so he came home to his nursery and stayed there. He slept great there and I had no problem hearing him. We got a video monitor to keep an eye on him and a very comfy glider in his nursery and it worked great for everyone.

DS was a VERY noisy sleeper and I think I would have been up all night checking every time he snorted or made a noise. This way I wasn't bugging him and when he was sleeping peacefully and I was too. When he did wake up I could get him changed and fed without bothering hubby.

rawor · July 2014

If you plan on exclusively breast feeding I would keep the baby in your room, seriously there's no better convenience than being able to whip out you boob and you can both go back to sleep peacefully. And if the baby is close to your bed you don't even have to get up!

riverbed · July 2014

DS slept in a mini co-sleeper in our room for the first 6 weeks, except some naps in his crib.

As for sleeping flat, we also had to put him on an incline, he had pyloric stenosis and had surgery at 10 days old. In the PICU the bed was inclined. So when we got him home we put the co-sleeper on books at the top end, and then put blankets 2 (I think) rolled into a "U" shape UNDER the bassinet sheet. It made him more snug, and prevented him from ending up at the bottom of the bassinet due to the incline. The nurses at the PICU recommended it. It worked so well that when we moved him to the crib we did the same thing. Just used a bigger (A&A dream blanket) rolled into a "U" to make a larger one.

Anyway, my point being, instead of going out and buying another piece of baby stuff, we were able to make what we had work.

But have anyof you seen the Halo Swivel Bassinet? I would have loved to have had it the first time. I hated having to crawl into my bed from the bottom.

https://halobassinest.com/

Oem617 · July 2014

My plan with DS was to have him in his crib right from the start. I think that lastest one night, and then he was in the RNP for 2 months in our room. I was worried about the transion but it went very smooth. I say you do what makes you comfortable. That might take a few nights/weeks to figure it out. Every baby is different and I'm hoping this baby is a better sleeper than DS.

krispy83 · July 2014

DS was in a RNP in our room until he was 6 months. I EBF and he nursed at least 2x a night until that point so it was sooooooo much easier to have him right next to me. DH is a heavy sleeper so it didn't disrupt his sleep much and I was on leave until he was 6 months old, so it wasn't a problem. Plus he was a preemie which put him at an increased risk for SIDS and I was paranoid. We'll probably keep this one in the RNP in our room for about the same amount of time.

Laurnawin · July 2014

DD slept in my room, first in the newborn napper of the pack n play and then the bassinet part until she was about 6 months old. She had pretty bad reflux, so it gave me peace of mind to be right there in case something happened. She also woke up any time her pacifier fell out, so I could lean over and put it back in before she really woke up. I'm not sure what we'll do with this baby. I'm afraid DD will be jealous that she has to sleep in her room but the baby will be sleeping with mommy and daddy.

maryxc1 · July 2014

DS slept in our room in a PnP for the first two weeks. After that he was always in his crib. We didn't want to have to deal with the transition later.

sosullivan26 · July 2014

I kept my daughter in a bassinet beside our bed for 6 months (I hadn't originally planned for it to last that long). It made breast feeding at night convenient, and she started sleeping for 5-6 hours a night at 2.5 months. I also kept her close because I knew I would sleep easier being able to hear her throughout the night. After that we transitioned her to a crib in her own room and kept her on a steady sleeping schedule and thankfully she adapted wonderfully. With this baby I plan to do the same thing, since I will be breast feeding again!

Nlavender13 · July 2014

It was nice to have DS in our room. When you get up every few hrs it was easy to just grab him, feed him in bed, put him back and fall right to sleep again. When we had him in his room and I had to get up and go in there every time it would take me a good 30 min to get back to sleep. Once you are up and moving around so much it is much harder to fall back to sleep.

mishka29 · July 2014

We had a small pnp for dd to sleep in beside the bed. That didn't fly. Had a swing, bouncer, rock n play sleeper....nope, nope and nope. She would only sleep if touching someone. So bed sharing it was for three months. Funny since I swore I would never do it. lol.

We'll have to wait and see what #2 has planned for us!

BeckyP005 · July 2014

@mishka29‌ chuckling at the "I swore I would never do it"!! My plan is crib day one. Can't wait to see what I really do when the time comes

SNail312` · July 2014

Just a clarification: I've worked as an infant/toddler teacher for almost 3 years now and am rediculously trained on SIDS prevention. Sleeping in the same room does in fact prevent SIDS but co-sleeping in the same bed INCREASES the risk dramatically. The baby can easily become suffocated by pillows, blankets and even our soft mattresses. That's why baby mattresses are are firm even compared to toddler ones. Obviously there are co-sleepers that are made to be put in bed with you, these have baby safe mattresses and protect the baby from anything coming near his/her face. Such terrible things can happen from direct co-sleeping- please ask a doctor to get legitimate information before you choose to do this.

PSA rant over- thanks guys

ems0523 · July 2014

DS was in our room for the first 3 weeks in a cradle and none of us could get a good nights sleep. We transitioned him to his crib at 3 weeks and he slept like a champ. I personally had anticipated him being in there longer but it didn't work out. I'd suggest having a gameplan but not feeling bad if you deviate when the situation is actually upon you.

christenld · July 2014

The baby is going to have to sleep in our room for a bit. We're getting an apartment in October, but it's only going to be two bedroom (one is for my SO's son). Hopefully we can move into a larger one after a year...

mays1028 · July 2014

I had my daughter in the room with us till 6 months she was in a bassinet for a few months. This time I am going to get a Co - sleeper I think it would be awesome and easier on me and it doubles as a bassinet that stands alone if you want it to. It was suggested to me by another mother before I wish I would have had one the first time around. I didn't find it made it more stressful on us, it actually made me feel better to have the baby right there in arms or a few steps reach after we put her in the crib and easier for feedings!

mays1028 · July 2014

Sorry wanted to remove this don't know how

mays1028 · July 2014

SNail312` said:
Just a clarification: I've worked as an infant/toddler teacher for almost 3 years now and am rediculously trained on SIDS prevention. Sleeping in the same room does in fact prevent SIDS but co-sleeping in the same bed INCREASES the risk dramatically. The baby can easily become suffocated by pillows, blankets and even our soft mattresses. That's why baby mattresses are are firm even compared to toddler ones. Obviously there are co-sleepers that are made to be put in bed with you, these have baby safe mattresses and protect the baby from anything coming near his/her face. Such terrible things can happen from direct co-sleeping- please ask a doctor to get legitimate information before you choose to do this.

PSA rant over- thanks guys

Agree agree! I am going with a co sleeper this time around the bassinet alone didn't work well with the rough delivery. I was so paranoid about falling asleep with her I swear I lost more sleep!

hummingbird813 · July 2014

Not sure if this was covered but what about the whole not having a blanket in the crib until the baby is 1 year old? Do you just use a sleep sac? Just trying to figure out a plan. FTM here

mandamerlot · July 2014

I had intended on having my LO in our room for much longer than she was, but she slept much better in her own room in her crib swaddled. We used a
Snuza and video monitor so I felt assured that she would be okay.

mays1028 · July 2014

@hummingbird813‌ I had a blanket on my daughter but made sure to tuck it around her well and it was a small blanket knitted with holes so she could breathe regardless. I am also a light sleeper so I woke up a lot and checked her a lot. I also used the foot jammies put on socks and a onesie underneath when I didn't do the blanket that worked perfect.

ordinary1 · July 2014

I educated myself of bed sharing. It is a safe option IF done RESPONSIBLY.

Allie429 · July 2014

We had a rock and play in our room until my daughter was almost 4 months. It was easier to get up to feed her and although we had to switch to formula, I slept better knowing she was in our room. We will do the same for this baby but the length will depend on my luck with breastfeeding.

mandamoochie · July 2014

My ds is 1 and still uses his sleep sac... that might be the hardest transition of all. We did not use a sleep sac when we swaddled obviously tho.

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