How many of you sleep with your infants?

DD had a check up with the ped. yesterday. I started talking to him about sleeping. I said that she's been up every 2 hours, etc. Then I asked him if I was starting a bad habit by bringing her into bed at like 6-7 am. He was like, "It's very dangerous. La Leche League says it's great, but I've seen 3 tragedies in my career." I guess I needed to hear that because I have been falling into really deep sleeps with her now, where I used to just doze. Just curious what everyone else's thoughts are on this? TIA

Edited for spelling

Message edited 3/26/2008 8:21:53 AM.

Re: How many of you sleep with your infants?

I do not.
My father's mother slept with her infant, and after MANY sleepless nights (like we experienced) fell asleep on the baby... The baby suffocated.

I know its rare, and I know many do it and their babies are just fine. Since this happened in my own family.. I never.

Re: How many of you sleep with your infants?

Don't do it...
its not worth it---babies fall everyday.
I know its hard after feeding them.
I fell asleep many many times with the twins

Re: How many of you sleep with your infants?

I would do this with my first son, it was my only saving grace in the morning to get a couple of hours before work, I personally never had any situations. I have slept with my now 4 week old a few times and had no problems either. It can be very dangerous, I would NEVER let DH sleep with him because he sleeps sooooo deep and moves a lot when he sleeps.

You have to know yourself and your sleeping habits.

Re: How many of you sleep with your infants?

DS has always slept in his crib since the day we brought him home. However, there were probably about 5 times when he would wake up to eat in the morning when I was still home, and then I would bring him back into bed with me and we would both take a snooze.

I think my concern about sleeping in my bed is more about creating a habit that becomes hard to break. If he were to get used to sleeping in our bed, would he decide he didn't want to sleep in his crib anymore. I was not as concerned about anything happening to him in our bed as much.... although during the firse "sleep deprevation" months, I had a couple of moments when I thought the baby was in our bed and I did get a bit freaked out that I had rolled over on him. My personal opinion... I think babies should sleep in their own space... JMO!

Re: How many of you sleep with your infants?

Maybe for a snooze here and there, but I try not to do that too often.

DH hates when I do it, and I only do it when it's just DS and I in the bed.

Re: How many of you sleep with your infants?

I do not put him in bed with us but I will lay him next to me on the couch for a cat nap here and there. I dont fall asleep though. It is more of a resting time for me. Once he falls asleep I usually move him in the crib or PNP or swing then I nap.
I have heard/read too many horror stories about suffocating infants.

Re: How many of you sleep with your infants?

Posted by jerseypanda

DS has always slept in his crib since the day we brought him home. However, there were probably about 5 times when he would wake up to eat in the morning when I was still home, and then I would bring him back into bed with me and we would both take a snooze.

I think my concern about sleeping in my bed is more about creating a habit that becomes hard to break. If he were to get used to sleeping in our bed, would he decide he didn't want to sleep in his crib anymore. I was not as concerned about anything happening to him in our bed as much.... although during the firse "sleep deprevation" months, I had a couple of moments when I thought the baby was in our bed and I did get a bit freaked out that I had rolled over on him. My personal opinion... I think babies should sleep in their own space... JMO!

Re: How many of you sleep with your infants?

DS has slept with us since the begining..

It started off with just a few hours in the middle of the night or early mornings- by the time he was 18 months he was sleeping the entire night in my bed...

He is 2.5 and Im struggling to break this co-sleeping thing..
(Its hard on both him and myself...)

Honestly I plan to do the same with # 2, but Ill prob "break" the habit a bit sooner...

DS slept in a co-sleeper in my bed when he was an infant- so it wouldve been really difficult for us to roll onto him (we wouldve had to roll over the cosleepers "wall"

Re: How many of you sleep with your infants?

It is EXREMELY dangerous in my opinion.

1) They can fall off the bed.

2) I dont understand the concept that people are afraid to put the bumpers in their baby's crib, yet they will put them in bed with them and co-sleep when an adults bed is filled with pillows, sheets and big comforters


I am not going to lie...DS has slept in our bed I think a total of 5 times in the whole year he has been alive. Only when he is sick and cries alot and just needs to be comforted. DH nor I ever slept well when he was in bed. I think I woke up every 10 min. to make sure his face wasn't by the pillows. And I would get so nervous b/c he would try to snuggle up to me and put his face in my chest.

Re: How many of you sleep with your infants?

I always did it and had no problem of breaking DD of it when I felt the time was right.

Re: How many of you sleep with your infants?

We sleep with DD

Re: How many of you sleep with your infants?

I used to bring Jack into bed with us when he woke up around 6 - gave him a bottle and then cuddled. I never really fell back asleep - and he was in my arms - in a position where I couldn't move.

Now that he is mobile - the second he gets in the bed all he wants to do is move so that extra sleeping time went out the window.

I NEVER let my DH sleep with him bc he is a heavy sleeper and I was way to nervous of something happening.

Re: How many of you sleep with your infants?

My DS went straight to the crib after a week home and I guess we developed that routine for him because he never wanted to sleep with us..and I did try. He will sleep on me but not laying down in the bed...and now that he is mobile it's not even worth the try...he thinks it's playtime.

So I don't think I can comment since I don't have experience with it but I do have to admit that once in a while I would have really like to have cuddled with him and slept a little more.

Message edited 3/26/2008 9:02:31 AM.

Re: How many of you sleep with your infants?

I just want to point out that infants die alone in their own beds, too -- not a nice thought I know, but let's be honest with ourselves about things. Co-sleeping done correctly is safe.

DS was in a co-sleeper for the first couple months of his life because I slept better that way. I think that's a really great option. During those first newborn weeks I would fall asleep so deeply that I felt better if he was in his own space.

If you want to co-sleep with your infant make sure you are not under the influence of alcohol or drugs and that you keep pillows and blankets away from your baby. Also make sure you are sleeping in a bed that is large enough to accomodate everyone.

Message edited 3/26/2008 8:57:00 AM.

Re: How many of you sleep with your infants?

Been co sleeping since birth and never had any issues. I Breast Feed plus it was the only way any of us were able to get some sleep

Re: How many of you sleep with your infants?

Re: How many of you sleep with your infants?

we would co sleep sometimes at the begining but suddenly my ds wanted to sleep in our bed all the time. i wasn't getting any sleep and he wasn't sleeping soundly either. he finally started to sleep through the night when he slept on his belly in the crib. so which is the less dangerous one? i think co sleeping is fine when done correctly (see dragonfly's post ) and sleeping on the tummy is fine once the baby seems strong enough and there are no pillows, blankets, toys or loose fitting sheets are in the crib.

Message edited 3/26/2008 10:15:46 AM.

Re: How many of you sleep with your infants?

I would never let DD sleep in our bed. I am petrified that she wold suffocate somehow or one of us would roll on top of her. She is in her bassinet in our room and as far as I'm concerned that is close enough.

Re: How many of you sleep with your infants?

We are a co-sleeping family. Well at least I am with DD#2. Did it with DD#1 too and it worked for us. However DH does not sleep in the same bed-he snores and I just dont trust him. I dont roll in my sleep-pretty much the same position I go to sleep in is how I wake up. I also do not sleep deeply when my kids are young so it works. If I were a deep sleeping I dont think I would.

Re: How many of you sleep with your infants?

I've co slept with all 3 babies And still do

Re: How many of you sleep with your infants?

how do you have sex if they sleep with you?

Re: How many of you sleep with your infants?

I did until DS was 2 1/2 months old. Then I was getting sore from sleeping badly because I was worried about him so I moved him to the crib.

I dont find anything wrong with it. I loved feeling him there with me but I can understand the dangers.

Re: How many of you sleep with your infants?

For me I feel its best that DS sleeps in his own room in his own crib. My bed is an area for me and DH...not a family bed.

I've seen too many stories and heard too many where couples say it really put a strain on things when they coslept...one spouse ends up sleeping somewhere else, there are a lot of moments of wakening during the night (tossing, turning etc). And some families don't have those problems but it is not for me at all and I would never do it.

With that being said....I understand infants in a cosleeper for a short time..if it works for a family, then great. You have to do what works!

Message edited 3/26/2008 11:16:11 AM.

Re: How many of you sleep with your infants?