Bubs keeps crawling to lie on pillow (co-sleeping)

[Haydies]

7 month old DD and I co-sleep together in a queen size mattress on the floor (so I know if she crawls off, not far to go). This past week has seen us both have atrocious nights sleep - waking every hour or so. But I'm pretty sure that has to do with my "I'm sick of everything, fat and ugly so I'm going to eat anything I want" junk food bender. Diet starts today!

The one thing that I'm not sure if I can put down to my diet or not though, is the past 3 nights, when DD has woken, she has been crawling up to where my pillow is and wanting to put her head on it. Last night for example, she woke at 1am and decided that would be a good hour to blow raspberries, roll around etc. I tend to be able to spot the times I'll be able to get her back to sleep and times I just need to let her burn off some energy - this was one of those times. Although I am aware of her, I am also still half asleep and tend to dose in and out.

She kept crawling up to where my head was and lying her head down beside mine, then going back to what ever she was doing. Towards the end of the hour, her head was staying down beside me longer and longer... she was getting tired. I kept pulling her off the pillows and trying to cuddle in, but she wasn't quite there yet.

I must have fallen asleep for a bit, because I rolled over about 2:30am and she was asleep (OMG self settled, wahoo!) Problem is, her head and upper torso was on the pillow, so she was sleeping on an angle. I ended up moving her off, much to her grunting disappointment, only to roll over again this morning and find her asleep, head and shoulders back on the pillow.

What do I do? I don't really want to throw all the pillows out of the bed because I can't sleep well without my tri pillow. But I worry about her neck... I'm not as worried about smothering/not being able to breath as she has always slept with her head tilted up and face either lightly against the pillow, or against my arm etc. She seems to like something touching her face when she sleeps. But these pillows are only 7 months old, so still fairly light and puffy, so high for such a little neck...

[sunshine_sieben]

I know exactly what you mean with DD liking something to touch her face while sleeping. My DD is like that, soo. I was so worried in the beginning that she wouldn't be able to breath because her face was constantly agains my side. I would inch away jsut to wake up with her right there again. Don't ask me how a 6 week old managed to follow me across the width of the bed...
I wouldn't worry too much about her neck. Firstly, she has her shoulders on the pillow, too, so her neck shouldn't be too "kinked". And secondly, she's mobile enough now, so if she was uncomfortable, she'd move.
Actually, I thought the image of her putting down her head right next to your face just soooo sweet. It made me smile.

Sasa

[Haydies]

Thanks for the replies. Although I don't tend to think straight at 2am lol, it did cross my mind that she would move if it was uncomfortable, but I still wasn't 100% sure. I was worried she might wake up with a stiff neck and, unlike me who knows what the pain is and why, she wouldn't and would be upset. Well, that was my sleep deprived thought pattern at the time lol. It's the same reason I will pull her arm out if I've noticed she's fallen asleep on her belly with an arm underneath. I worry she'll wake up with the arm asleep and not know what it is.

I would inch away jsut to wake up with her right there again. Don't ask me how a 6 week old managed to follow me across the width of the bed...

Ok lol, so I'm not the only one that wondered the exact same thing. I'm pretty sure DD was around the same age the first time we moved from one side of the bed to the other in our sleep. I still find I tend to move a bit if I feel her pressed in, it's usually how I end up with my bum hanging out the bed in the morning and the rest of me teetering on the edge.

And yes, I have to say, even at that ungodly hour, it's such a wonderful thing to have her lie her head down beside me. Licking/Sucking my nose is a bit of a shock, but she also wraps one arm around my neck, gives me a squeeze and then goes about her rolling. It makes the suitcases under my eyes all the more bearable...

[sunshine_sieben]

Awwww, just too sweet.
I like the suitcases under your eyes analogy :-)
As long as she doesn't bite your nose while you sleep...

[luscious Laura]

My DD was similar at that age... and now we have 4 pillow on our queen bed. one for me, and the rest for her as she likes to move around the bed at night .
We have 2 in normal spots, one at the other end of the bed and one half way down on her side of the bed.

They are all very firm pillows too... which I think is important for safety reasons...