Are you thinking of co-sleeping or bed sharing with your baby? I have been bed-sharing with my son since he came home from the hospital a few days old. I love sleeping with my son and I want to share my positive co-sleeping experience with those of you who are thinking of doing it too!
What is Co-Sleeping?
Co-sleeping is when you choose to sleep with your baby or child. Maybe you sleep with your child in your bed (aka bed sharing). Maybe you have a crib or bassinet as a side car attached to your bed.
Co-sleeping seems to have a variety of definitions depending who you ask. For my family, co-sleeping means sharing the bed with the child.
Books about Co-Sleeping
If you are thinking of Co-sleeping or bed sharing, then I recommend you read Sweet Sleep By La Leche League. Co-sleeping or bed sharing is not for every family, please make sure you are doing it safely.
This wonderful book is all about how to co-sleep and it has so many helpful tips for any situation. I read Sweet Sleep when I was pregnant and I am so glad I did, because it helped me make an educated and confident decision about our sleep situation.
If you are interested in co-sleeping, how babies sleep develops, SIDS, or anything related to sleep, please read this book! It is a valuable resource for new parents.
Don’t have time to read the whole book? Start by reading the infographic La Leche League made about the rules to safely co-sleep with your baby.
Positive Co-Sleeping Experience with a 0-6 month old Baby
We began co-sleeping the night my son came home from the hospital. The original plan was to have him in a sidecar bassinet next to my side of the bed so that I could easily nurse him and then lay him back down.
We found out very quickly that my son does not stay asleep when he is moved or when the adult tries to leave him during his nap.
Every time we tried placing him in his bassinet he would wake up and scream. After a few attempts to put him down in the bassinet, we decided to try sleeping in the bed together.
It was a little scary at first, because he was so small. However, after a few nights of testing out co-sleeping, we found that we loved it.
I enjoyed sleeping with my baby right away because it helped my anxiety. I was worried he would stop breathing during the night or that I would wake up and he would be gone.
The side bassinet felt so far away and coupled with the fact that my son didn’t stay asleep, made it a difficult option.
My son nursed frequently during the night, so having him right there next to me made night nursing easy and quick.
Positive Co-Sleeping Experience with a 6-12 Month old Baby
In the beginning my husband, son, and I all slept in a queen sized bed together. It was cramped for sure, but we both liked having our baby so close.
Now, my husband sleeps on a mattress on the floor next to the bed. My husband moved out of the bed when my son was about 6 months old.
It was easy to sleep with a baby that couldn’t move, but once he started moving, sleeping with all 3 of us in the bed became undoable.
Around 6 months old, my son would roll over with such force he would hit my husband and wake him up. It was infuriating for my husband and he decided to move out of the bed so that he wasn’t being beaten each night.
This was a good decision because now my son and I have a queen bed where he can flop around, and my husband gets his own space that helps him get a good nights rest.
As your little one gets bigger and more capable their limbs become small wrecking balls. Having fewer people in the bed with the little one, gives everyone more space.
Positive Co-Sleeping Experience with a 1 Year Old and Beyond
Once my son started crawling a lot and moving quickly, then we decided to invest in a baby railing for the bed on the side that I was not on.
I was worried he would fall off the bed and the railing helps my baby know where to stop. He has not fell of the bed in his sleep and I truly believe it is because of the railing.
That railing is the only change we have made since my husband moved to the smaller bed. I like that I have not had to make any extra changes or adjustments.
Friends with children my son’s age tell me about how they have had to start adjusting heights of their cribs or how they have to be extra careful because their child will climb out of the crib.
I don’t have to worry about any of that. We taught my son how to get off the bed when he was 9 months old. He can do it on his own safely now.
My son has fallen out of bed a few times during his play, but he is perfectly healthy. I love that co-sleeping has kept my sleep situation simple for the first few years of my son’s life.
Is Co-Sleeping Dangerous?
No, co-sleeping is not dangerous if you follow the safe sleep seven guidelines created by La Leche League. I have been co-sleeping with my baby for over a year now and I have really enjoyed it.
With proper preparations and information co-sleeping can be a safe option for many families.
I am Nervous about Co-Sleeping. How can I try Co-Sleeping?
If you want to test out co-sleeping to see if it works for your family, I recommend trying it at nap time first after reading the safe sleep guide.
My husband was nervous too and so he watched me sleep with our son for a nap time. He was amazed that I hadn’t moved for the entire nap. I was safely curled around my baby protecting him from the world while we both slept.
Is it too Late to Start Co-Sleeping?
It is not to late to start co-sleeping if you have done the research and it is something you want to do!
The world seems to make us think that if we wait to long to do something then we can’t change. However that just isn’t true!
Parenting is all about how to change, grow, and make decisions based on the information we have today.
You know your family best. If you want to change something you are doing, then change it!
Is Your Spouse Upset that he Doesn’t sleep in the Big Bed?
No, my husband is not upset at all.
My husband made the decision to leave the bed because he didn’t like getting beaten during the night by our 6 month old.
We discussed options to help my husband get better sleep and this was the best plan. This works well for my son and I because we can still sleep together because we nurse throughout the night. Since I am able to nurse him right away, he doesn’t make a lot of noise that wakes up my husband.
When he does wake up we have a guest mattress in our office that my husband can use if he needs it. That way he can get a good nights sleep for work if he really needs it!
Everyone gets a good night of sleep! It is a win-win-win!
If you have a spouse who would be grumpy that they don’t get to stay in the same place, then I suggest you and your child move.
If the problem is that they want their routine to stay the same, let them have the big bed and get another one for you and your child. You can use it for guests in the future, so it is still useful!
What Questions do you have about Co-Sleeping?
Let us know in the comments down below what questions you have and what your best sleeping tips are!
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