Co-sleeping and day naps without a cot

Hi,

I have slept with my baby since the day he was born. We don't own a cot, however we did buy a hammock, which has been quite useful during the day.

During the day I'll feed him or wear him to sleep and then put him in his hammock for a nap (or continue wearing him). He may go for 20 minutes or 2hrs - it just depends on the day (sometimes it takes several goes to help him to sleep).

Recently, at night he's started sleeping in his hammock (as he goes to sleep before me) and then comes into bed with me around 12/1am until the morning.

I'd like to know what other co-sleeping mums do for day sleeps, and even the early evening (before you go to bed) as I can see he's going to outgrow his hammock at some stage soon.

I've read that it's unsafe to put a baby to sleep unattended on an adult bed, so where do you put them to sleep? If he was a bit older I could have a mattress on the floor, but I don't think he's up to that just yet.

I've co-slept with DD since day 1 too. In the early weeks she would sleep in her pram during the day which I had beside me. That was when she wasn't sleeping on me. We own a cot, but the only thing it gets used for is nappy free / mummy free time - she's only ever fallen asleep, or stayed asleep when put down in it twice so far.

During the day (when she lets me) and in the early evenings, I put her down in my bed - a big queen size bed. It's pushed against the wall on one side, and I've got pillows between the mattress and wall gap so she can't fall down there.

I put her on the side closest to the wall, because although she can roll from back to stomach, she seems to have forgotten how to go the other way so can't roll far yet. I am looking into a bed rail thingy they normally put on kids beds for when she does roll a bit more. So far I've yet to come in and see her anywhere but where I put her down though.

I'm hoping to have her sleeping in her cot to start the night and during the day once she gets more mobile... no idea how I'm going to do that though lol.

Hi Haydies, I don't believe it! but Ethan's sleeping by himself in the middle of my bed right now!

I wore him to sleep (I often do that) and when he stirred after his first sleep cycle I put him on the bed and gave him a booby. He drifted off to sleep for another session and when I heard him stirring I went in, offered him the boob again and he's still sleeping!

I'm wondering whether the transitioning from my arms to the hammock is bringing him out of his deep sleeps in the day.... but being in our bed is a familiar sleep place...

That's a good idea about the bed rails - I'll look into those.

Melody that's awesome!! :clap:

Savannah knows my bed as 'the bed' which is why I just put her there all the time - day and early evening. I find if I put her down right as she is falling asleep and offer her the boob she'll drift off after a minute or so. I'm the same as you - I go in and offer it again when she stirs.

She's been in there from 7pm the past week and a half, right up until I go to bed around 11pm - midnight. I have a mini mattress protector with one of her blankets on top of that, and that's where she sleeps. Makes it really handy to grab that and slide her across to change feeding sides if I need. Also because I leak everywhere, and in case her nappy leaks, I don't have to change the whole bed.

A mini mattress protector! I hadn't thought of that! We've got a standard mattress protector under our sheet and then I've been putting a big square nappy on top to catch any posits and leaking (from my boobs mainly).

How did you get a mattress protector without the fitted sides? Doesn't it make you hot? (I only say this because I lay on a sheet of plastic for a while after giving birth (I was at home), and that made me feel really hot and sticky (not breathable - obviously).

I got given some that didn't have any fitted bits. But also, I got some from Big W that just have two elastic strips that run under it that you put around the cot mattress. You can either just cut those off, or leave em on and it doesn't make too much difference.

Those are cot size ones.

The ones I got given are apparently bassinet size, which I also saw you can buy at Big W and places.

They don't make me hot because I'm only half lying on it - well, my boob lies on it lol. Basically it's just big enough for Savannah to lie on it - if you could picture her (she's 4 months) lying in a star fish position on her back - that's how big it is. Then I just put a light blanket over it for her.

Another way to look for the mattress protectors is Ebay. This is the sort of thing I have - COT MATTRESS PROTECTOR/SWEET DREAMS BRAND-EXC COND. - eBay, Mattress Protectors, Bedding, Baby. (end time 23-Feb-08 15:22:55 AEDST)
That's a cot size one ...

I have been co-sleeping with my DS since he was a couple of months old. He used to always wake when i put hm back in the basinett, and i was so dam tired i just snuggled up to him in my bed and he went straight to sleep.

Its only natural that your baby needs to be close to you in order to fall asleep...the hard part is teaching them!!! And if it stresses you out...why do it?? Do what you feel is right, and thats exactly what im doing...even though DF doesnt like it sometimes.. I will put him in the cot without waking him (if im lucky) so DF and I get a bit of time together cuddling..

Now during the day i put him to sleep in my bed, i lay down with him and feed him, so that i sneak away quietly and not wake him! Im usually not far away so i check him every so often and he only ever moves when he wakes, and he usually makes a noise when he does so i know to go to him.

Like Haydies i know there will come a time soon i will haveto start putting him in his cot, im thinking it'll come when he is not waking during the night for feeds.. who knows... but one thing i know and that is I dont want him in my bed forever!! I will haveto set things straight soon... but for now im enjoying the closeness and cuddles. And im usually not worried about him rolling out of bed/or me rolling on him...So we are both happy. except for my DF... but he doesnt complain when its his turn for cuddles!!!

sorry very long reply!! :lol:

I need to correct myself (sorry im tired!)

The hard part is teaching them- To sleep on their own!!! And if it stresses you out why stress doing it?!Especially when they are only gonna wake again in 2-3 hrs for a feed! And yo uhaveto do it all over again!!

Instead, cuddle up and both of you are happy!!! :D and getting rest!

:

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Now during the day i put him to sleep in my bed, i lay down with him and feed him, so that i sneak away quietly and not wake him!

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Hehe that's me too!

DH and I didn't get much cuddle time in to start with, but now that she goes down better at nights, I just make sure we crawl into the main bed before she wakes (DD and I sleep in the spare queen bed so I've got room... and DH snores lol).

Savannah will let me know when she's ok to fall asleep on her own. She won't be in my bed when she's 18, so I'm not too worried. I realised today was her 4 month birthday and that 4 months has gone WAY too quickly for my liking. Everytime she falls asleep on me I realise how big she is getting - today I noticed she sleeps with her legs splayed around my waist... I remember when they barely reached my lap.

I'm enjoying every moment of the cuddles because one day too soon for my liking it will be "naaaw muuuum, not in front of people!" :rolleyes:

yes definately true Haydies about the growing too quickly!!!

But i guess we also need to put them in a good habit one day.. for our sanity too... cos if they are dependent on us in our beds for them to sleep, what happens when we want a night out and we arnt there??? I think that may cause seperation anxiety.

Although i am thinking about winter, and how much warmer it'll be to snuggle together... We just need a kingsize bed!!!