Cot or Not to Cot??

[BellyBelly]

Looking back, one thing I wish - that I didn't spend all that money on a cot and upgraded to a king sized bed instead!!! My daughter would never go in the cot and we loved co-sleeping anyway, then the second came along it was hilarious. Second is mostly in his bed now at 3, but our 5 year old is the one still sneaking in, and I just wish we had more room! I love co-sleeping, its the best, love the snuggles, but could have done without some aches and pains along the way!!!

[fionas]

DD was in the same room as me for the first two months - for day and night sleeps. So for day sleeps she was in her pram bassinette with me in the living room (or the bathroom if I was having a shower) and at night she was in a cradle next to the bed. Until she started getting her legs through the sides so then I used the pram bassinette on the floor.

So really, I could have done without the cradle but I liked the option of rocking her to sleep if she was having trouble. Having the pram bassinette was FANTASTIC especially because I had a dodgy back so really couldn't walk/bend very much and it meant I could wheel her around rather than having to carry her and walk to and from the bedroom. Plus, I reckon she got used to sleeping amidst noise. She has even fallen asleep on the floor at mothers group surrounded by crying and squealing babies.

At about 6 months (and after I'd prevaricated for MONTHS about what cot to get!), we transferred her to that but still in our room. I reckon it took her a couple of days to get used to it but no big dramas really. One of the bonuses of putting them in a cot quite late is that they look tiny again - it was like having a newborn again.

I've seen some bassinette sized things on a European site that have only one side I think and you wheel it next to the bed. So for night-time wakings all you have to do is reach in and get baby out. That would have been perfect for me because I was a bit too nervous to actually have her in bed with me when she was so tiny. DP did, mind you, and I did occasionally when I got my confidence up! Of course, now I wish I'd done it more often and I look for any excuse to put her in with me!