So I've read all these posts about putting babies in their cribs then how well they're sleeping through the night. I still have my little guy in a Co-Sleeper right beside my bed we have our night time routine, and I first lay him down in his bed completely asleep after nursing by 9. Then he's up at midnight And I just roll over and put him in bed with me and nurse him back to sleep and that's where he stays all night long till about 6:30 in the morning when I get up. He'll usually wake up again around 3 to eat but I just switch sides and nurse him on the other side of my bed.I love sleeping with him and my husband doesn't seem to mind it so much now because he's actually much quieter as a sleeper in Our bed then in his little Co-Sleeper bassinet.
So I guess my questions are does anybody else co-sleep with their little ones still or have them in your room?
Does anybody else's baby still get up through the night like this to feed?
Do you think I'm seriously setting myself up for trouble by having him in my bed And feeding him like this?
I can't stand to listen to him cry It breaks my heart or I would try The Drowsy but awake thing but I do wish he would sleep more through the night.
Re: co-sleeping with LO
My niece is 7 months old and co-sleeps with her parents. They're all happy with the arrangement so I don't think it's going to change any time soon. I feel that if both parents are happy with whatever the sleep arrangements are, then nothing needs to change. Honestly, all the breastfeeding research I've read says to feed on demand and not worry about how often or schedules so I think you're doing everything right. That being said, as much as it kills me to listen to DD cry, I don't think reasonable sleep training of older babies is wrong. I think so much of these decisions really comes down to what feels right/comfortable/necessary for your and your family to have the best possible relationships with each other. As for drowsy but awake, I pretty much only work on that at nap time (because if it doesn't go well, it's not as horrible as bed time). I started when I'd accidentally wake her up when I transferred her after feeding her. I'm slowly starting to pull her off when she's still awake and then leave. If she gets really upset, I start the process over but she's getting better about putting herself to sleep now and rarely fusses.
Nursing to sleep is the perfect biological way to fall asleep. Makes mom and baby sleepy. My guy wakes about 3x per night to eat between 9pm and 7am. Doesn't bother me, I side lay to nurse and we both drift back off. When he's ready to sleep longer stints he will. Who am I to tell him he's not hungry? They're not out to manipulate us. I don't let my guy cry at all and I don't think you should feel like you need to. If it's working for your family then rock on. If you don't want to buy into all the sleep training hoopla your baby will be fine, you're even still a good mom.
We don't co-sleep, but we do have his crib right by our bed. Our bed is on the small side, so co-sleeping the whole night was never something we tried, for our own selfish reasons - we just wouldn't sleep well. We have tried bringing him in with us for comfort a few times, but he has never really liked sleeping on us or snuggled up to us (!), and seems to actually prefer his crib. OK, baby...fine! If you and your LO are enjoying the co-sleeping and getting more sleep as a result, you should just keep doing what you're doing IMO.
Anyway, my little guy has been waking up about every 3 hours lately as well (and really eating every time), and we don't co-sleep. So I don't think the co-sleeping is causing that. Baby probably needs the food.
I think it's fine to have LO in the bed as a pp stated that's how 1/2 the world sleeps. My LO is such a loud sleeper in his bed and sometimes only really settles down once he's in the bed with us.
I think if what you are doing works for you then you should keep it up. I too worry I might be setting her up for failure when it comes to sleeping alone but at this age I really believe she's too young to settle into permanent bad habits and we will start sleep training when both she and I feel ready, personally I'm not in any rush