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

[Cookiebaker]

I started out co-sleeping but it didn't work very well for us. I had really hoped to make it work, but it just didn't. So I settled for cuddling her to sleep every nap and nighttime. And then when she was around 13-14 months, she decided that she had enough of that and wanted her crib...she would squirm and wrestle me until I put her down. So that's what we do...she goes down in her crib wide awake, and is out within 3-4 minutes usually, no fighting and no crying so that makes me very happy!

[sparks19]

I started out co-sleeping but it didn't work very well for us. I had really hoped to make it work, but it just didn't. So I settled for cuddling her to sleep every nap and nighttime. And then when she was around 13-14 months, she decided that she had enough of that and wanted her crib...she would squirm and wrestle me until I put her down. So that's what we do...she goes down in her crib wide awake, and is out within 3-4 minutes usually, no fighting and no crying so that makes me very happy!

^^^^ this is exactly what hannah did as well.

SOMETIMES.... I can still get away with cuddling her for a bit before bed... but not often lol

[prechrswife]

We did not co-sleep. Our oldest was adopted from China, and many times the children in foster care do co-sleep with their foster families. Our daughter was actually sleeping in a crib in her foster home, and that is what we continued when she came home with us. Our youngest slept in a bassinet in our room for the first few months and did occasionally end up in the bed with us part of the night when I was nursing (or later if she was having trouble sleeping). Now that she is bigger and moves around a lot in her sleep, she doesn't end up in our bed nearly as often. After the bassinet, she moved into her own crib in her room.

[Cataholic]

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.

[caseysmom]

I was like Cataholic with mine too, my youngest did love her crib and would go climb in it when she got bigger. My oldest was always more dependent, its funny they still have those traits.

[Marigold2]

Co-sleep, no never. It is a parents job to teach the child how to grow and learn to take care of themselves, hence birds pushing their babes out of the nest. We teach or children how to speak, read, eat, poop, walk, pay for college and a million and one skills inbetween, why so they can take care of themselves, that is our job. Co-sleeping is more for the parent's comfort then the childs. It's so lovely to hold them while they are sleeping however for the child to learn to be independent and self-sufficient they need their own space, their own room and time with the most important person in their lives, themselves.

[BitsyNaceyDog]

Co-sleep, no never. It is a parents job to teach the child how to grow and learn to take care of themselves, hence birds pushing their babes out of the nest. We teach or children how to speak, read, eat, poop, walk, pay for college and a million and one skills inbetween, why so they can take care of themselves, that is our job. Co-sleeping is more for the parent's comfort then the childs. It's so lovely to hold them while they are sleeping however for the child to learn to be independent and self-sufficient they need their own space, their own room and time with the most important person in their lives, themselves.

A lot of co-sleeping advocates will tell you the exact opposite is true. I'll be the first one to tell you that I believe that each child and each family is different and it's important for each family to do what is right for their family. For us that's co-sleeping, for others it's not.

[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.