Thread: I don't think I can continue co-sleeping

Every night, Miranda wakes up at 2 AM, I get her back to sleep but for whatever reason, it is a very restless sleep. She babbles and scoots, coos and reflexs the whole rest of the night. I can't sleep if she is making noise, even though I know she is asleep, my mind says I won't know the difference if she does wake up, so no matter how sleepy I get, I can't sleep. She sleeps wonderfully from 9-2, it takes me an hour to fall asleep, so I am getting 4 hours of sleep a night, but this is starting to wear on me. Please no flames, but I am open to suggestions. I have a cradle side-carred to the bed, I did not buy a "cage" because I could not afford one and I wanted to co-sleep.

if neither of you are sleeping well together then it's not working. There is no shame in not cosleeping even if it isn't the status qo around these parts.

try moving the cradle a few feet from your bed to see if you both rest better. You just have to do what's best for you and your baby no matter what anyone else thinks about it. <hugs>

Honestly, I think this is a new baby thing, not a cosleeping thing. New babies make those noises, sleep loudly, etc. I know that I did not co-sleep with my older 2, but they were in a cradle in my room until they were 3 mos old or so, and yea, they disturbed my sleep. But there is just no way *I* could have slept with them being so tiny in another room. I may not have been hearing them, but I would have been worried and constantly checking on them during the night. My youngest, I actually slept better when she was a newborn and in my bed than I did with the older 2 in cradles. That is saying a lot, because she slept and still sleeps like crap.

So, no flames from me, but I did want to throw out that moving her to a different room, or even a different bed in the same room won't necessarily solve that problem. It may work for you, but it didn't for me, so I just wanted to share that. Newborn babies just sleep so different than what we are use to, it is bound to disturb our sleep, no matter where they are. And wow, I am really impressed that she sleeps such a long stretch at all at that age. None of mine have done that until they were closer to 2mos old. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Aidan was that way, once in his own space (basinet-sp) he slept really good, once in his own room in his crib he slept GREAT. It was a co-cleeping thing for us, he was very restless and needed his own space. GOOD LUCK and do whats right for your family not everyone else:hug:

Thank you mama's. Do you think it would mess her up terribly if I co-slept until 2AM, then moved her to her cradle? I honestly think I am the problem, she moves toward me at night, I think it is a vicious cycle, she coos and fusses and I leak, she smells the milk and fusses more She must be exhaused becuse when I get up and hold her in the morning, she sleeps peacefully. In fact, I generally have to wake her to eat. She is not awake often, it is starting to worry me how much this kid sleeps.

I say try it, you'll never know until you try right? Good Luck

:hug: Kari. Sounds like you've got a little night owl on your hands. I know people who've successfuly co-slept part time. Give it a shot. I hope you can get the sleep you need soon.:rub:

If it makes you feel any better I didn't start cosleeping wtih DS2 until he was 4 months old. Before that he just wouldn't stay asleep in my bed (everytime I moved an inch he woke up and started fussing) . I'm glad he turned that around LOL getting out of bed all night to nurse him was a huge PITA

you have to do what works best for your family, mama :hug: -- try her in her cradle and see how she does. some babes don't rest well unless they have their own space.

It won't mess her up, don't worry. An overly tired mama will.
Do what is best for both of you. It's nice to be selfless and think about baby's welfare only, but you have to realize that a sleepy tired mommy will not be beneficial for her either

It's fine to make your choices, it's fine to do what works. There's no perfect solution for everyone, we all have to try and see what works, it's an individual thing.
Vidura slept in his crib from day one and slept wonderfully, and he's not messed up because of it.

You are a wonderful mama and you need to find your own balance in your home

I'd move her nearby but put a fan on or something so the noise doesn't keep you awake. With me I can't rest if I hear the slightest noise

Not everyone cosleeps, and that's OK!! You and your family need to do what's best for you. I would try the part-time cosleeping and see how that goes. Good luck to you, and whatever you figure out, no one else's opinion on it matters!!! :hug:

Are you swaddling her? Makes a HUGE difference for Raeghan. I agree, you do what works!!

I have a pram in my room, about 5 feet away from the bed, and sometimes babe sleeps with/by me in bed, sometimes I lay him in there. SOmetimes I lay him in there and if he is really restless but sleeping I go snooze on the couch to get some uninterupted. When he sleeps in his pram, even is he makes little noises I am not so bothered because I can spread out in my bed, cover my ears just enough to block it out a bit and fall asleep without worrying about him.

Just do what works - the great thing about kids is that they can quickly undo or do whatever you want them to with just a bit of work. Co-sleeping does not have to have hard and fast rules, cuddle when you want to, don't when you don't.

oh yeah, mine like to be swaddled too, his little hands will wake him up alot. He is just now getting to the point where he will sleep well with looser coverings and not flail about.