thread: Where to sleep - in our room or in own baby room? Cradle or cot?

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  1. #1
    2011 BellyBelly RAK Recipient.

    Aug 2008
    Adelaide
    164

    Hi Niz
    I am sure you will work out what is best for you, baby and hubby when bubs comes home.

    My DD is still in our room and will be until she is at least one (which is a SIDs recommendation). Hubby generally sleeps through when she wakes and I find it easier with her right next to me to wake and attend to her before she gets to the stage of crying with hunger etc (I tend to hear her noises/signals and wake usually just at the right time). I also find it very comforting knowing she is next to me. Initially she had a bassinette but we ended up buying a cradle (boori country brand) The really wonderful thing with a cradle is that 1. it is longer and bigger than a bassinette (90 cm long compared to 60 cm for bassinette) which means baby can stay in it a lot longer - but it is smaller than cot (and newborn would be lost in a cot) 2. easy to rock when she needs a bit more help getting off to sleep. So highly recommend a cradle rather than a bassinette. DD is still in it and loves it.

    Anyway best of luck with the rest of your pregnancy. Just do what feels right for you and your family - you will be fine

  2. #2
    Registered User

    Nov 2007
    Perth, WA
    143

    Hi Nix

    The best advice that I read was to keep night times as night times. Meaning as 'low-key' as possible. From day one in the hospital I turned on a very dim night light to change dd nappy and feed her. I never got up and turned the main lights on. I kept nice and quiet too. I did the same once we got home. We never had problems with DD up all night and asleep all day. Shes always slept very well of a night and I think because there was a key difference. We had dd in a bassinet in our room, which she grew out of by 3 months, shes now 5 months old and in a cot in our room. I'm thinking about putting her in her own room in a month or two, but its just so handy having her right next to me. Its easier for breastfeeds, no going to another room. Oh and once you have your baby you can just put a towel underneath them and change them on the bed. It might wake them more taking them to another room. Newborns can be quiet noisy sleepers but we soon got used to dd sleeping in the same room. We were able to get to her quickly before she woke too much and cried. So she always went back to sleep easily. this worked for us anyway. You will work out what is best for you once your bub is here. goodluck

  3. #3
    Registered User

    Apr 2007
    On the move
    168

    My 2 cents

    Hi Nix,

    I'd always wanted to co-sleep, but when it came down to it, we were in a tiny one bed apartment with a really small double bed, and we were just slept badly when DD was in our bed. Though when she was a newborn, bad sleep (with her in our bed) was better than no sleep (trying to get her to stay alseep after we put her in her moses basket).

    Her moses basket was in our room, right next to the alarm clock and DH never managed to wake her. Still doesn't wake and she's 4.5 months old and has trouble going down for a sleep. DH sleeps through most things though he does sleep-settle, like sleep walking only says things like "shh it;s ok shh" in his sleep when DD cries! Quite funny. But that depends on how your baby and DH sleep.

    I'd read that if you didn't want your baby to sleep with you for years, then you should try to move them to their own cot by 3 months. She hated her cot at first, but by 2 months, she liked it better than her moses basket and spent most of the night in her cot. By 3 months, she spent all night in her cot (most nights).

    Though if we had a bigger bed, I think I would bring her to our cot more often. There is nothing like waking up and getting a huge smile, a giggle and a squirm from your baby in the morning when they (and you) first wake up. Even if you don't co-sleep, if you can see her in her cot from your bed, this is lovely.

    Anyhow, I'm sure you'll come up with the method(s) that work the best for you and your family. You're thinking about all the right things. ALl the best xoxo