Co-sleeping dilemma: Daddy wants a reading light, but Bubba needs to sleep...

We share a room/bed with our bubba. He starts the night in a hammock by our bed then moves in with me a bit later. He goes down around 7pm and we go to bed (atm) around 10.30/11ish.

DH has advocated that we leave a bedside light on when our son goes to sleep so that when we come to bed, we won't wake him by turning on a light. Only problem is, DS isn't going to sleep too well with a light on (keeps looking around at things) - and I've been reading Elizabeth Pantley's "No Cry Sleep Solution" and it talks about having a really dark room for night-time sleeps (different than the day sleeps).

Has anyone got any suggestions for how we sleep the baby in our room, but not have to stumble in the dark when we come to bed??

what about a touch light near the doorway, so when you go through it, give it a tap and it shines very lightly? then just touch it again before jumping into bed?
(I don't have any great ideas.. we don't co-sleep here cos my DH is big lug and will probably roll and kill small children ;))

I'm not sure if this would work but if there is a powerpoint on the opposite side of your bed to the one your bubba sleeps on then one of the ones that plugs into the wall and emits a soft glow might be an option. That way it's not really bright enough to look around but is just enough for you to see when you go to bed.

Alternately, have the bed turned down, get into your pj's in another room and use a small torch to guide your way to bed.

I found that DD went to sleep well and didn't wake when I came to bed and turned on the bedside light so you might want to try turning it on and see if it actually does disturb bubs - you might be surprised.

If you can't get a really dim light as previously suggested get a torch! I'm terrible for tripping over stuff in the dark (and not the tidiest person so there's always somthing there) and when DS started the night in our bed, I used a torch to get to bed.

I think the big thing is that DH likes to read a bit in bed b4 going to sleep. DS used to be fine if we turned on a bedside light (we've got touch lamp dim ones), but lately he stirs to a waking state when we turn it on - probably thinks it's morning!

This will sound rather radical and my DH would never go for anything changing his routine - but could he possibly sit quietly elsewhere and read and then come to bed. I understand that it is probably part of his windown routine but could he turn off the TV get into his PJs and sit on the lounge reading then come to bed or something like that.

Do you have a walk-in-robe or an ensuite bathroom? DS co-sleeps with us atm and we leave the light on in either the robe or the bathroom and close the door to the point it is almost closing - it lets enough light in that you can see where you are going and doesnt disturb DS even when putting to sleep. You could then if DH wants to read simply open the door more - theoretically cause the light is already on it shouldnt disturb your DS- Does that make sense?:)

When DS was littler he was super sensitive to any lights being on - he would be wide awake immediately if I turned on lights during the overnight feeds.
I just used a small torch, I could see what I was doing but he never stirred.
I agree that once they reach a certain age most bubs resettle themselves better in a very dark room with nothing to visually stimulate them.

You can get clip on reading lights...they clip onto the book and are bright enough for reading and not for lighting the room...they are really cheap...
I think you can usually get them out of those "Innovations" catalogue, or from a **** Smith or something like that.

We also keep a light on, the ensutie light and I just close the door almost all the way over

GL :)

Ok this may sound really dorky but DP has this elastic strap thing that can go around your head and hold a torch (so you can use the torch hands-free but still see where you are going). I found this awesome to read a book by when camping so something like that might be an idea if he wants to read.

Nai LOL I was going to say the same thing. It's a LED headtorch, it can get expensive, but hey, if he want to read, make him pay for it LOL
I have seen those clip-on-the-book lights - great (as in on my chrismas list) for hardcovers, sucky for mags

DF has one of those - he uses it for everything 0 including reading...looks like such a dork, but it works!
lol

Wow, some great ideas re the head torches (we have 2 of those for camping) and the book lights. We've left a side light on dimmed tonight all evening so we'll see if DS stirs when we go to bed!....

Melody, how did you go last night. Thanks for the thread, some great ideas. Same thing here, though it's not DH, it's me who like to read before bed ;)

Well, leaving the side light on for the duration of the evening seemed to work. I came in to find DH and DS asleep. But it wasn't long before DS woke up looking for a boobie - makes me wonder if it's not in fact the light waking him but me! How good could a baby's sense of smell be?!

We'll try the side light again tonight I think...

lol - he can smell you amile away hun!!