For about three weeks now (since the gas issues began), Noah has been up anywhere from 3-6 times per night. He will NOT go back down into his crib after the initial wake, so I've been letting him sleep on me on the couch. Since we've moved in our new furniture, our couch is not as comfy for sleeping, so I've been taking Noah to bed with me after he wakes and won't go back down. He sleeps so soundly curled up next to me. He still wakes usually once more, but its working. I've always said I would never co-sleep. The idea has always scared me, but now that Noah is bigger and older, it doesn't so much. BUT, I feel like a major hypocrite. Noah still naps well in his crib (that is, if I can get him to sleep) and I will still keep working on the crib thing, but he HAS to get his sleep. I won't let him cry it out, and if I spend a night working with the crib, he won't eat for several days. It really throws him off. The GI said yesterday that Noah survives off his routine, and that is common with GERDlings. I agree. One change, and we're all doomed.

Anyways, I want to hear from mom's who co-sleep. Am I making a huge mistake? I just want my baby to be rested and feel well, and co-sleeping seems to be a gift from God at the moment. I can even get Noah to go down for naps by laying with him in his favorite position in bed, then transfering him to the crib. Oddly, though, he won't let me move him to the crib at night.

(I also wanted to apologize for not replying to too many other posts. I'm still so busy unpacking and taking care of Noah's problems. Once I have the time to sit down for a while, I'll do some hard-core catching up. This dial-up isn't helping things, either.)

why do you think co sleeping is a bad sleeping habit? Alexys slept with us until she was around 5 mos old and if I wouldnt have gotten pregnant would prob still be in bed with us...she still sleeps with us when she has a bad day. Its not for everyone(although youd be surprised how many people cosleep and just dont talk about it), but it was the only way we got any sleep. I dont see anything wrong with it at this age, as long as its safe (no big fluffly blankets,etc)

I don't co-sleep with Ian now, but we did for the 1st 5 or 6 months. We kept each other awake, so it didn't work well for us. BUT... if you're both getting more sleep go for it. If you're sure he's more comfortable, go for it. If it just bugs you what other people might think, well... bah! You have to do what is best for you, your dh, and your kiddo. Do NOT let anyone else tell you the cosleeping is awful or wonderful for YOU... you have to be the judge of that.

I think that if it works for you, then why not. Personally, we have never co-slept with the boys and I don't want to. But, I do know that alot of mums with twins co-sleep becasue it was easier for night feeding etc.. some slept on mattresses in the babies' room and other relegated hubby to the couch and took over the main bed with the kids!!

I've always been scared of the consequences. My mom is a criminal defense attorney, and she recently had TWO cases within a few months of an infant dying due to suffocation from co-sleeping. I think in one of the cases the mother was drunk, but the other no one was. The baby rolled into a bad position and couldn't breath. Very scary. With that said, the babies were much younger. I think Noah's at the age that he would wake me if he were in a bad spot. But, anyways, I wake at any little flinch or movement he makes.

I also don't like it since it does interfere with the ONLY time Brian and I have to cuddle and be close. Now that we finally have a separate room for Noah, we were looking forward to watching a movie in bed or well, you know, without the little guy waking at the drop of a hat.:oops: :oops: :oops:

We both agree that we WILL do it if it means we all get sleep. Noah relies on sleep to make it through the next day as far as eating goes, and things have been so intense around here lately, we are desperate.

Thanks for replying. This topic really has me confused, but I think the solution is obvious. If Noah sleeps well with us, then he gets to sleep with us.:???:

Hi Maggie we never did the co-sleep thing but I'm all for whatever works. You all need your sleep and if that's what works for now than I say go for it. I'm sure moving has thrown him off a little too and he probably feels comforted by being close to you.

Oh my gosh! Look at little Connor in that Santa hat! He is such a sweetie! My images have been blurred due to this crappy dial-up, and I just now figured out how to change the resolution so now I can check out all these new pics! So cute! :-D

We began co-sleeping w/Josiah right from birth...It was an issue of getting 3-4 hours of sleep verses 1-2 (he was suffering from silent gerd, and we didn't know it). He went for about a month and slept really well in his own crib at about 2-3 months old... then his gerd kicked in full throttle and we got a diagnoses. He has been swing/ co-sleeping for the past three months. While I have never opposed co-sleeping, I didn't think it was for us. Gerd has changed my tune! Josiah nurses/sleeps in bed with us most of the night. It is the only way I get any sleep. Yes, it does interrupt time with hubby...but with five kids, that may be a blessing for me!! LOL
At this point in Noah's life, his comfort is the most important thing. And remember, they are only little once. I have a twelve year old who was just a baby yesterday it seems....

I let Owen co-sleep whenever he needs it. If he has rough nights and wakes up a few times I just let him sleep in bed with me. He does a lot better than and we are both more rested. I agree with others, do whatever works best for you and don't listen to family or friends who might disagree. You are with Noah 24/7 and know him and his needs best.

Please don't feel bad about sleeping with your GERDling!! Sometimes it is the only thing that works and the safest way to go! at a few points Eli was refluxing so bad that I wouldn't feel safe having him in another room where I couldn't here if he was choking or vomiting in his sleep (which he does, eww). I think you have to do what you have to do. And, your not a hypocrite, well, we all are. We all say things beforehand that we later regret in life, especially, when it comes to parenting! I have stuck my foot in my mouth so many times!!! I hear ya!

I just thought of something. One thing that has worked well for us for both Hunter and Ian was a modified cosleeping arrangement. I would start the baby out in his own bed, go to my bed with dh and whenever baby would wake up, I'd move into his room. With Hunter I had a pallet on the floor and would just stay there for the rest of the night. With Ian, I would sit in a papasan chair (he couldn't lay flat for a long time) until my legs would fall asleep :shock:. Ack! But by then, he'd usually be asleep enough for me to transfer him back to the crib. Eh, the moving beds thing might help you out.

We co-slept with Bethany for the first 7 months of her life. I had an Arm's Reach co-sleeper that attached to the bed and found that co-sleeping was a lifesaver, as I didn't have to go running down the hall every time she woke up (about every hour, as she still does now!)

Even now that she's outgrown the co-sleeper, I still put her down in her bed and wind up sleeping with her on the pull-out couch or in my bed when she awakens and won't go back down.

On the (few) nights when her meds, pooping and eating are all in sync, she will stay in her crib all night--that is, she'll awaken once or twice, nurse, then go right back to sleep. She also naps well in the crib. I don't think our co-sleeping encourages her to only want to sleep with me.

I think when your child is in pain/uncomfortable, there is nothing wrong with putting them to bed with you. I think it builds trust and helps a child feel more relaxed and comfortable--just like you feel when you're not feeling great and someone gives you a cuddle.

You know what--even kids who never co-sleep with their parents will wind up climbing into their parents' beds when they're toddlers! I don't think you're a hypocrite at all--we have all said things about childrearing (things we would always or never do) that we felt strongly about...then totally changed our minds once we actually had kids. You're just modifying your style a bit!

You ladies have a way of making me feel better about things.:-D Lucy and Mary, I do start Noah off in his crib every night. He used to stay there until 4 or so then up for a feed, but now, he wakes after an hour or two, then, I move him to our bed. I've tried to put him back in the crib, but he immediately wakes a starts this pathetic little squeal that tears at my heart, so I give up and take him back with me. Brian is not patient with this, since Noah will not sleep with him. He cries until he's smashed up against me. So, it is stressing our relationship, but as long as I take Noah and I don't have him do it, it will be okay. This doesn't give me a chance at a night off, though.

Is it just his age? Noah now screams at night if I'm not the one that picks him up out of his crib. He doesn't do this as much during the day, but its really hard on me. Brian will volunteer to get up with him, but I can hear him wailing as Brian tries everything he knows to stop it. The minute I take him, he passes out... Others do the same thing?:-?

I'm thanking my lucky stars that I've never been in the same situation as you Maggie, but I really feel for you. You've got to be just plain tired, especially going to college too. Are you on winter break yet? I'm assuming so.

Yes, Sandy, I'm on break now until 1-10, I believe. I'm now to the point where being tired is just what I'm used to. Even when Noah sleeps with me, he still doesn't sleep very well. I think this is so hard because I find myself getting caught up in what other babies do. I keep thinking, "well, her son/daughter slept through the night at 3 months" or "they're baby puts himself to sleep on his own". EVERY SINGLE nap and bedtime is a battle. Noah never just goes to sleep. We have to shut the whole house down and go through this process of feeding, walking, humming, and sometimes driving three times per day. Things aren't getting better. They're getting much worse. No one will listen to me since he looks so darn healthy (thankfully). Everything stems from his poor eating habits, so until they are better, I'm afraid things will not improve.

I am so sorry Maggie. I can relate to others thinking there is nothing wrong with your child b/c they look healthy. First, Lauren's ped didn't believe she had a problem b/c she was gaining so much weight. Dumb*ss!! I'm hoping Noah gets better for you and you can enjoy some of your time off. That is if you're not unpacking. If I lived closer to IL, you could definitely bring him over and I'd watch him for you so you could get at least a week worth of sleep. Wouldn't that be great?

Hi Jennifer

You say that his Gerd kicked in full throttle at 3 months??? Is that how it works?? i always wondered why maiya was kind of ok sleepwise (slept 2-3 hours) until 3 months- has not been able to sleep more than 45 minutes since).



Maggie:
I cosleep with Maiya. My husband snores and disturbs her, so we are in separate beds which is awful. Maiya wakes every 45 minutes crying, so it is easier to cosleep- as i can get her back to sleep in minutes. If she is in another room, she really wakes up and we are up for hours.

I had not planned on cosleeping, and wish to stop as soon as possible. But then again, i like feeling her near me.

My pediatrician says that all habits can be broken, and that we should do whatever we need to survive and make her comfortable at this point, since she is not really responding to meds.

About the smothering- usually involves drugs or alcohol. Babies who cosleep have less sids than those who sleep alone :)

I do the same thing as many of you! When Frankie is having a rough time, I pull him right into the bed. That is the only way my poor husband, Shadow and I get any sleep. Usually he sleeps in his crib until 5 am and then he comes into our bed. I fear the same things as you Maggie. I am always afraid he I will roll or get caught up in something. Usually we will put his wedge inbetween DH and I and cover him with my blanket. I also face him at all times to make sure he is alright. I see nothing wrong with co-sleeping. i swore up and down I never ever would do that because babies need to sleep in their own environment...but now what ever works...works. If people have a problem with it...I tell them walk a day in my shoes with a refluxing infant and tell me how you would handle it! To each there own...and stick with whatever works for your little man. By the way...he is adorable!

Maggie, I was just going through this myself, though I have no problems with co-sleeping, I said I was never going to. However, my daughter has been in bed with us for the past week. Everynight before we go down to bed, I put her in her crib in her room in hopes that she will stay asleep but she wakes up 5-15 minutes after I put her down. Then it's off to bed with Mommy and Daddy.

I think you have to do whats right for you and if it's working and you're getting sleep, go for it. I think he is old enough to let you know if he isnt breathing!

Kaitlyn is so funny, this morning she kicked off the blankets everytime I put them on her and I rolled over facing away from her and she popped her leg up on my hip like I was her resting place... she's younger than Noah so I know he will be just fine!

Thanks, Michele. Kaitlyn is so funny. Check out my recent post in Good Days. I have a new technique that is helping out with Noah's sleep. Its not fool-proof, but it has work countless times in the last few days. He did end up with me in bed for a few hours early this morning, but he's napping like a little angel in his crib now! (After one solid hour of blood curdling crying...thinking now we really need to see the ped:().