Calling all moms! Did/do you co-sleep?

[shepgirl]

Nope, never did and never would. Guess I'm from the old school too. I'm a light sleeper and get totally exhausted so I need my space. I too have witnessed children who absolutely refuse to sleep in their own beds after sleeping with the parents. I have a doctor who is absolutely against this also and when my kids were small our other doctor was against it also.
Call me selfish but when I go to bed I want and need my space.

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

We did not, of course because
our kids were both adopted.
Our eldest one, our son JO, had never before seen a bed in his entire life! In Korea everybody sleeps on the ground, on a carpet. He was terrified of his bed with bars! The only way I could make him fall asleep, was by lying on the mat together with him! It took us 3 weeks to make him accept his own bed
Our daughter didn't have any problems at all; at the orphinage she was used to sleep in beds with bars.

[sumbirdy]

Nathan started off in his own bed for the first year. Then he was forced (not by us) for 3 weeks to live with his abusive "mother" who shut him up in a dark room and let him cry himself to sleep. When he came back he had a lot of emotional problems and always wanted me in sight (since he wasn't allowed to see me for those 3 weeks) so I slept next to him. And have been doing it ever since. Wouldn't have it any other way. The way I see it is, when he's 16 he's not still going to be climbing in bed with me. lol. I co-slept with my parents and I am very independent now. It works more for some people than it does others.

[Edwina's Secretary]

I have a friend who let her son co-sleep. He is 13 and still does not like to sleep alone. He complained that they had each other so they got him a dog.

Now all four of them sleep in the one bed.

Fortunately they are small people.

[lizbud]

I have a friend who let her son co-sleep. He is 13 and still does not like to sleep alone. He complained that they had each other so they got him a dog.

Now all four of them sleep in the one bed.

Fortunately they are small people.

So funny. You are kidding, right?


Most Drs warn against sleeping with babies. My husband & I actually took
turns getting up with our kids. Usually could rock them back to sleep & lay
them back to their own beds.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I don't have children but if I did they'd be sleeping in their own bed in their own room. I'm also a very light sleeper and now my cats are waking me up throughout the night.

I know that my parents never co-slept with me or my 2 younger brothers. Sometimes during a thunderstorm I'd come into my parents bedroom because I was scared and they'd let me sleep with them just for that night or until the storm was over but that was it. I always enjoyed having my own bed and my own room.

[pomtzu]

I have a friend who let her son co-sleep. He is 13 and still does not like to sleep alone. He complained that they had each other so they got him a dog.

Now all four of them sleep in the one bed.

Fortunately they are small people.

Would I be correct in assuming that they never had any more children?? Unless of course they adopted..............

[Edwina's Secretary]

So funny. You are kidding, right?

Only a litle. This year when they visited they did use two beds. First time.

And you are right! He is an only child....

[Twisterdog]

No, not intentionally. Actually, I've never heard the term "co-sleep" until now.

My son slept in his crib until he got old enough to try to crawl out, then I got him a toddler bed. He went to bed every night in his own bed ... and woke up every morning in my bed. Sometime during the night he always came and got in bed with me. When he got a little older it stopped, he wanted to be a "big boy".

[Marigold2]

I also think mom & dad need some alone time together every night to just cuddle and reconnect. How do you manage that if a kid is in bed with you?

[sasvermont]

I appreciate everyone's choice in this matter.

If I had a child, I am sure I would allow it in bed with me from time to time, but on any given night, it would be put to bed it it's own bed and room. I have friends who have allowed their children to sleep with them - and I don't think they have done the children any favors. Not to mention that parents' not getting quailty sleep. I think everyone needs their space - kids, parents etc. Everyone!

I can remember wanting to crawl in to bed with my Mom (parent's had twin beds) and from time to time, she would allow it. I never lasted long because I wasn't comfortable! There wasn't much room!

I vote for sleeping in one's own bed!

[JenBKR]

We have done it all. Jonah began in my bed- literally on top of my chest, for months. Then, next to me and I would move him into his crib/later bed. Then, for a while, he fell asleep in his own bed, no problem. Then, he wanted to sleep in my bed, and I would lift him into his bed later. Now? Depends on how tired I am, but, he starts in my bed, sometimes with me in it, sometimes on his own. I move him to his bed still. Two nights ago, I went to his bed to sleep. He thought nothing of it when he came to find me in the am.

Whatever works for us we will keep doing.

We've gone through the same! Ty had some colic so he slept on top of my chest as well many nights. It seemed to be the only way he was comfortable. We have tried many many things to get him to sleep in his crib...we let him cry some, and it did work. Only one night of some crying, and after that he actually slept in his crib no problem for several months. We thought we had it figured out lol, until I realized that with a baby, that's not possible. Shots, high fever, and teething at the same time changed everything. We tried to let him cry again, but he just stand up in his crib and screams his head off until he makes himself sick. So no more of that.....in our bed, at least we all sleep. We are trying to do some things to transition him back to his own room, but it's slow going.

It had surprised me how controversial this issue is...people on one side say that co-sleeping is the only way to have a happy and secure child, and the other side say that if you co-sleep your child will never be independent. Personally, I can't see either side...I am somewhere in the middle (as usual ) I think it's up to each individual child. I know that in many cultures, it is odd to consider a baby having their own room.

[carole]

Yes i did it with both my children, and don't regret it one little bit, worked for us.,one child is 27 now the other 16 and half and both are fiercely independent., however i did it more with my younger child.,infact she slept between us for some years until she was about three on and off, so many said it would be so hard to finally get her into her own bed, they were proven wrong, when she was ready ,she did and never looked back, she was the same with potty training.

[catnapper]

Cameron only sleeps with us when he's sick and thats only because we wouldn't get any sleep ourselves otherwise Typically, we will lay down in his bed with him as he falls asleep. Its become the routine so much so that he won't go to sleep otherwise. Personally, I think we've created a monster by doing this.

Its easier to sleep with them in the beginning because they DO sleep well, and when they sleep, YOU can sleep. But it gets harder as they age and fight themselves over wanting to be with you and wanting their independance.

[sparks19]

yeah I'm kind of fearing when hannah gets into a big girl bed.

I will be interested to see how daycare goes on monday. they have them sleep on mats... I wonder if they will get her to stay still and go to sleep lol

if they do I will be really happy because that may make it easier for the transistion to big girl bed when the time comes.