Did you sleep with your baby? I managed to not sleep with Bob for the first week of her life. I very cleverly sidestepped this by not sleeping!
No matter how long Bob had been asleep for and how carefully I put her into her Moses basket she woke up. I told my midwife and she came to help to try and settle her. After about 2 hours of trying she gave up. I am glad that this happened as I now have someone to back me up if the health visitors think that I am exaggerating.
Knowing that sleeping with Bob wasn’t the safest option and not being able to put her down I stayed awake. Then eventually, one night, as I was feeding her I fell asleep (passed out) and when I awoke Bob was sleeping peacefully in my arms. As I had managed not to crush her, we slept this way for the next few weeks.
I was worried about how my husband would cope, as he is renowned for his sleepwalking. Many times I have woken up and had to try and convince him that he is still asleep. Once he nearly left me as he dreamt that I was throwing him a surprise party, which he didn’t want. He got so upset that he went into the spare room, got his car keys and was about to leave when he woke up. I slept through this so I am very grateful that he awoke, otherwise he could have been half way down the A60! I kept Bob very close to me, worried about his antics but, since she has been in our bed, Michael has not sleep walked, talked or driven once!
As Bob grew older I tried to get her to settle in her cot and, although I eventually got her to go to sleep in there, she would only stay asleep for half an hour. If she were between my husband and I she would sleep for 2 hours. I know that doesn’t seem like a lot but to us it was, and still is!
She now starts each night in her cot but, at some point during the early hours, when I have got up to her many times, she ends up in our bed. I know that I am making a rod for my own back but, in a way, I am glad that this happens. At least now, when she is a moody teenager, I can remember the nights when she couldn’t be without me. I just hope that I do get a chance to feel this and that I don’t have an 18 year old in my bed! ;0)
We have always put Seb in our bed if he has been unsettled, co-sleeping is very safe if done properly. It was scary when he was tiny but he is 14 months now and sleeps in his cot generally but has the odd unsettled night and he comes straight in with us and goes back to sleep. I kind of love having bedtime snuggles with him! x
That’s made me feel better. I’m sure Molly will settle soon and I know I’ll miss her when she does.
am so enjoying your blog, so well written and funny x x x
Generally our 24 week old baby boy, Aaron, sleeps in his cot in his on room contently. However I do have him in bed with us those nights when he is really unsettled.
Although he spends most nights in his cot, mornings are a different set of rules! Poor matt gets out of bed for work and Aaron has his 1st feed in bed with me, then we both snuggle in for another snooze! Bliss : -)
Keep the blogs coming Charlotte, I love them! X
Thanks hon. Think Aaron needs to teach Molly a thing or two! Keep enjoying those sneaky extra snoozes!
I have tried to comment on your blog again but, for some reason, it doesn’t like me. Your last post is emotional but beautiful. Thank you for sharing!
we’re way past this stage now and I was lucky that both mine slept in their cot from the day they came home – now I just love them piling into bed for cuddles first thing in the morning. The picture is just gorgeous
Aaron is still sleeping in our bed (full nights) and he is 19 months. I know we must do something about it but still haven’t.
It’s a shame because he did sleep full nights in his cot when he was younger – coming into ours started Xmas 2010 with him having a cold/flu, followed by another.
I do LOVE having him next to me, but there are lots of other practical reasons it doesn’t work (I must write a post about it)
xxx
I suppose, looking on the bright side, Molly has never settled in her cot. At least I don’t know what I’m missing. ;0) Let me know when you write your post as I’d like to read it. Also let me know if you find a solution.
I remember those feelings so well, I began co-sleeping with my son so I could get at least a smidge of sleep through the night. I fed him lying down and we would both be able to drift off afterwards, although unfortunately I don’t have any warm, happy memories from it though. At 6 weeks I just couldn’t do it anymore and he was wrentched out and into a cot in his own room – it turned out not to be a wrench at all, we both slept much better!
You need to do whatever feels right, to get you through, it’ll all turn out fine in the end x
Glad it all worked out. Hopefully Molly will follow suit.
I don’t know why you think you are making a rod for your own back because co-sleeping helps build more secure attachments so they are able to leave you more easily later on. Good luck with it all.
Thank you. That makes me feel better.
We co-sleep. It is safe as long as you follow the guidelines and personally, I wouldn’t feel ok, if my babies weren’t with me. J starts off in his own cot but comes in with us around midnight and B just comes to bed with us when we go. We have a single pushed against our king where D sleeps and the kids and I have the king. Yes, sometimes I wish I could just have my own space, but mostly o live looking at my babies’ sleeping faces.
It won’t be long before they are too grown up to give us cuddles. We had better make the most of it! :0)
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