Brian and I have been co-sleeping with Baby Brian (B2) since he was born. (Incidentally, did you know that co-sleeping and bed sharing are not one in the same? Co-sleeping is defined as sleeping in the same vicinity – mostly, somewhere in the same room – as your baby.)
In any case, from the start we placed our Little Lounger right next to our bed at night. That’s where B2 has always slept, although in the morning after Brian wakes up, around 4:45 a.m., I usually bring B2 into bed with me. He has always been a great little sleeper, but now the Little Lounger isn’t really cutting it. He is 5 1/2 months old, so he moves around in his sleep more than he did when we was a newborn. And when he moves around in his Little Lounger, he wakes up more often.
Last night I decided I would try to put him in his crib in his nursery. We live on one level, with our living room dividing our bedroom and B2’s nursery. I waited until he had fallen asleep in my arms, then I placed him in his crib, set up the video camera, and walked to our bedroom with the video monitor. B2 didn’t make a peep.
I put my head on my pillow, but I couldn’t sleep. I missed having my little guy right next to me! He was only two rooms away, but it felt like he was so far from me. So I just watched him on the monitor until my eyes closed on their own.
A few hours later I woke up startled, instinctively grabbing the monitor to see how B2 was doing. He was still sound asleep, looking as peaceful as can be. It was around 3:30 a.m., and knowing Brian would be waking up shortly, I went to the nursery and grabbed my little snuggle buddy out of his crib so he could come to bed with us. He fell right back to sleep as I rubbed his soft little face. And all was right in the world for this mama.
I thought about it all day, and I’ve made a decision regarding putting B2 in his crib: we’re not ready. Okay, he did fine. Let’s be real: I’m not ready. Tonight? I grabbed the small Pack ‘n Play that my parents keep at their house, and I’m going to put B2 in there for the night – in our bedroom. We’ll see how it goes. I just need my boy close to me right now. That’s totally normal, right? Tell me that’s normal.
How and when did you transition your child(ren) to the nursery?
I am the same way Jane! I miss my snuggle bunnies when they are not near me. I sleep so much better knowing they are right next to me. 🙂
Last night was my 12 week olds first night in his crib. I was so proud of myself for actually sleeping! He lasted until about 3 am also and then we ended up bedsharing after he nursed. It’ll happen, no rush!
I don’t get the co-sleeping thing myself. I’m a light sleeper and there is no way I would be able to sleep with a child in the room. It was kay for the first two weeks but after that it was crib time. Even though our babies slept in our room the first two weeks each night they did sleep in their cribs for naps. That made the transition pretty easy.
I never did co-sleeping when my kids were little. I was always too afraid but now I love having them sleep in my bed so I’m making up for lost time! Of course, they are a lot bigger now so they hog the bed!
I was a bit more like Drew. My babies were noisy sleepers and I’m a very light sleeper. We kept my first in our room for 3 weeks and then moved him into the hallway. (I still wasn’t ready to put him upstairs in his own room.) But of course it’s normal. Whatever works for you is normal. Just enjoy him. You’ll move him when you’re ready.
I was the same way with our boys, Jane. Our youngest slept in his swing next to our bed for the first month, at least. He needed the motion to fall asleep. We also had the bassinet/crib in our room for awhile. There’s nothing like waking up to a baby standing in the crib looking right at you, cooing and laughing, sometimes crying too. Miss those days!
I had no idea co-sleeping and bed sharing were two different things!
And it’s totally normal to want your little one near you. It was all I could do NOT to smell my children incessantly when they were babies.
I was a light sleeper. Every littlw noise would wake me up so all three of mine went basically right to their crib. You do what makes you a happy parent.
I’m all about the crib. Everyone gets amazing sleep at the Stow house when they are in their own beds. We don’t even have a baby monitor though, so that’s us. Andrew stayed in his bassinet the longest out of all my babies (2 whole months!), but that’s just because I knew he was my last and I wanted to soak it all in. But don’t you think babies prefer their awesome crib mattress? I hate the pack n play for sleep.
I don’t blame you one bit! Just try to get him sleeping in his crib at least occasionally by 6ish months. We bed share with our 9.5 month old and can NOT transition him to sleep anywhere but in my arms. I loved sleeping with him when he was little and didn’t move but now it’s terribly uncomfortable but we are stuck!
Oh Jane, it’s totally normal. Baby Cal has been in his crib since 11 weeks and has done amazing. I, on the other hand, not so much! I loved having him in his co-sleeper next to me. Eric wasn’t a fan so we compromised that he’d be in his own room before I went back to work. I expected the transition to be difficult for him, not me! After a couple weeks it does get better. Xoxo
Totally normal! Addie slept in our bed a lot- but next to it every night for 8 months… and I still being her into our room a lot!
This is the sweetest story! You do what feels right for your family! What a blessed little boy! I have 6 and was different with all of them. The youngest 2 moved into their own room at 8 and 9 months. At that point, it was waking them when I came in the room or got up for a minute, so I was distubing their sleep. All of a sudden it becomes clear! Mind you, the 4 year old comes in every night now and I love it! 🙂
I”m the opposite! LOL. We started out putting our babies in their cribs. But they always ended up sleeping with us after they were able to get out of their beds. So my babies always stayed in their cribs, but my 8-year-old STILL ends up in bed with me! Ha!
I know what you mean. I love it, and there will come a day that she will no longer want to sleep with me. Until then, I’m fine with it. 🙂