We co-sleep with our 9 1/2 week old daughter and its going amazingly well for all of us. My baby likes to go down for bed around 8 pm. We're not usually ready to go to bed for the night at this time. We also don't want to put her in our bed alone. We've been trying to figure out where she should sleep until the family is ready for bed. So far, we've been letting her sleep on the couch next to one of us while we unwind a bit. Does anyone have any ideas about where to let her sleep? Once she's down, she stays asleep until almost 3am, so I want to avoid moving her multiple times. There's probably a simple solution to this, but my fuzzy, new mommy brain can't think of it! Thanks!
We borrowed an arm's reach co-sleeper and everyone is happy! Thanks!
There's a really good contraption called Arm's reach cosleeper:
http://www.armsreach.com/shop-3/the-original-1/
They are expensive, but maybe you can find a used one on Craigslist or eBay. We had one and it was great. Good luck!
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Also, there's good information about co-sleeping safely at:
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/7/T070600.asp
How wonderful that you co-sleep! I co-slept with my son in our bed too. At that young age because he seemed so tiny, I just literally let him sleep in my arms until I was ready to go to bed. Then I would climb into bed with him and we would gently lay down together. I'm sure this does not seem feasible to most, but it's what I preferred. He outgrew my arms SO fast and I miss it now! Once he did outgrow my arms I just put him right next to me on his swing or bouncy seat. He slept pretty heavy so that little movement from the seat to bed with me didn't wake him at all.
Have you tried letting her sleep in her crib, a swing, the car seat, a bouncy seat for those first few hours?
Our kids did all of the above. We had them in the pack-n-play in our room until they awoke and needed to be fed. Our daughter was primarily in our bed (most of the night) as she was bottle fed instead of nursed (and because I was too drained from 2 kids, a full-time job and chemo for 5 months).
At her age, she really won't be jostled too much and have difficulty falling back asleep. She's going to be going through a big growth spurt over the next few weeks, so sleep will continue to be her predominant past time.
Good luck and enjoy her!
I LOVE co-sleeping!! My daughter didn't go to bed that early, so I don't know how much help I'll be. lol We used the boppy pillow in the middle of the bed. When she started rolling over, we just removed the boppy and used pillows. I knew her sleep habits & knew that she wouldn't roll over any of them. And, since she went to bed around the same time or a little earlier than me, I just stayed with her and watched some TV. I also do like the suggestions of the side car. I've also heard of people putting their mattresses on the floor.
We co-sleep too :D LOVE IT! :D :D :D During the day my daughter sleeps in the Pack and Play downstairs. For bedtime, I put her crib right next to our bed. I had the side rail off until she started to roll. Once she started moving, I put the rail on, but I leave it down. She starts out the night in her crib. She still wakes about once to nurse and she usually stays in our bed with me after that. I used to leave her in our bed alone if I woke up in the morning before she did, but then she started crawling. So...I'll just stay in bed with her until she's ready to wake up. My 3 year old often climbs into bed with me in the morning so we get some fantastic snuggle time. :D Co-sleeping builds such an amazing bond! Don't let anyone tell you that what you're doing is unsafe or not good for your baby.
We had a bassinet that we used for this purpose. We were able to have it in the living room while we were in there. If you don't have one, since she is so small, maybe a Moses basket would work without costing too much. When my d would wake in the middle of the night, she would sleep with us.
We bought an Arms Reach co-sleeper for my son. He slept in there until about two weeks ago (he's 6 months old). I would nurse him and most times, put him back in there afterwards.
Now he's in his crib for around 1/2 the night then when he wakes to eat, I put him in bed with me.
We used to put my son down on the couch and would sit by him. You could also put her in a swing or crib. Or there are cosleepers that are firmer than your bed that you can buy and put her in that in your bed. Or even buy a moses basket and put her in that on your bed or on the floor where you are.
Good for you for co-sleeping with your daughter as that works well for your family! I would say just put her in the middle of the bed and place pillows/blankets around her as bumpers. Also the arm's reach cosleeper is nice.
Yep try the playpen, car seat, swing, bouncy chair. You can use the bed. Put her in the middle and surround her with pillows and of course keep an eye on her. I used to put my daughter in the middle sideways because the bed was longer than it was wide. Then I just surrounded her with pillows. We never had a problem. Of course making sure one side of the bed is against the wall and using a bed rail on the other will also work.
I co-slept with my daughter who is now almost 7 and am co-sleeping with my newborn. He's 4 weeks old and generally he sleeps in his carseat right now when I'm awake. I find it's just as easy and he can be wherever I am that way as well.
Hope that helps!
We pushed our bed & mattress against the wall and used a toddler bed rail on the open side...no problems...just looked in on him periodically. I bought the fisher price motion glider & it worked great! You can actually pick it up & carry it to another room w/them in it. When I didn't want to disturb him I just set it next to the bed....he was very cozy in this. My little guy actually preferred sleeping in it...he slept in it from day one all the way up until he learned how to roll over at which point we transitioned him to his crib. Congrats on your little girl!
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Couch not safe unless one of you is sitting right there. Soon she will move enough that she could scooch her face into the wrong place or fall off.
If you don't have other hazards (kids, pets), on a mat or towel on the floor might be better, or put her in a pack and play if there are curious cats etc.
Is there a particular reason you don't want to put her in your bed alone? I had one of the video monitors for my son, so I would put him in bed and turn that on so I could still watch him wherever I was. And I had a co-sleeper until he was too big for it, which made it easier to take back and forth between the living room and the bedroom, and then he was still right next to me when I went to bed. After he outgrew that, I had the soft bedrails that have straps under the mattress. Good luck to you, and I hope you continue to enjoy the co-sleeping!
You could get bed rails for your bed.
You can put the mattress on the floor.
You can buy a co-sleeper that attaches to the bed.
I'll let you know if I think of anything else:)
Thank your lucky stars she's already sleeping through the night (5 hours is considered sleeping through the night at her age). Good Luck!
