Any positive co-sleeping stories?

[savyjoel]

OK--I've looked around this site for a while. I've found many post that sound familiar with sleeping "problems" and the like. What I would love to read about are those stories where co-sleeping has been a positive thing both in the "now" and how things turned out for the child later. Please share your good co-sleeping stories. They may just help encourage others to keep it up!! Thanks

[Trinitty]

All three of us coslept for the first 12 months and it went well.

DH now has his own room because he likes reading and working until the wee hours of the morning, and I have continued to sleep with DD.

She is now 21 months old. We go to sleep usually around 11 PM, she wakes around 9 AM.... nurses a few times a night. Works like a charm for us.

Trin.

[dessismama]

All of mine have co-slept for 1-3 years. All have no sleeping problems. The 4 yo is still in our bed although DH is just about done with the co-sleeping business... Of course, it is child-led so we will let our DS decide when to leave our bed. It has been a wonderful experience and it made nursing a lot easier. Now that all are weaned, it is bitter-sweet to let the co-sleeping go also. Guess the kids are growing up.

[~pi]

I don't have a 'later' story as DS is three and still sleeping with us, but although it has not been perfect, overall, it has been a wonderful thing for our family.

DH and I were just talking recently about how, years from now, we will probably look back very fondly on the hours we spent cuddling our child at night and wish we could go back and experience that again for a little bit.

[ssh]

We co-slept with my DD for about 4 years . She decided she wanted to sleep in her own bed a few days after her 4th birthday. She had recently gotten a new horse shaped pillow and a cool night light snow globe. She had also been sleeping for 10 or 11 hours since she was abit over 3 and before that only waking about once to nurse an hour before getting up for the day since all her teeth had come in at 2.5. Now we read several stories and then after we turn the lights off I sit by her bed until she falls asleep. We don't have any sleep issues, once she's asleep she usually sleeps a solid 10 hours. Co- sleeping was a warm peaceful snuggly experience. I felt more relaxed knowing where my DD was at all times. It was nice knowing that if she felt bad or got a fever I would sense the change and wake up. We didn't have much crying at night at all. When she was waking she would wiggle more and I'd wake enough to take care of her needs. DD was a very busy, use up a lot of the bed sleeper, but we didn't mind so it wasn't an issue. We have a twin and queen put together so there's plenty of room. She's still welcome in our bed if she has any night needs.

[~Demeter~]

I co-slept with all 4 of mine My oldest we only co-slept for a few months. He slept through the night fairly early on and seemed to do better in his own space. My second made me a full on co-sleeper. He wouldn't sleep more than 10 minutes on his own and I like my sleep enough that I couldn't do it on nothing. He stayed with us for a little over 3 years. He was initially a great sleeper when he was with me and when he was ready to move out into his own bed, he was a great sleeper then too. My third I didn't even try to put in his own bed He stayed with us until he was 7 and then moved in with his brother. He's a snuggler and after about a year and a half of sleeping next to his brother, he is now sleeping just fine in his own bed. My youngest is 29mos and still in our bed, she'll be there until she's ready to move into her own bed. I don't foresee that happening anytime soon and I'm more than happy to keep her with us. I've gotten used to sleeping around little ones and accommodating their needs. I prefer to SLEEP... and the only way I found I do is if my little one is with me.

[RunningMomTegan]

My DS is 19 months old and when I hear all these mothers of children under one complaining about how tired they are, I never was. Yes, I woke up to feed him in the middle of the night. But I did it without getting up, when I would have gotten out of bed otherwise.

I love waking up with him close by, and knowing if something is wrong. Maybe it's gross, but the two times he's vomited in the middle of the night, I was so glad he was in our bed, because I knew right away and was able to make sure he was safe and comforted.

I work outside the home, and without CLW and "nighttime parenting", I don't know if he would be as secure and self reliant. It helped me feel present to him even when we are separated all day.

He'll be a teenager before I know it, so the sweet nighttime closeness is something I love.

[rzberrymom]

I always try to remember that the reason you see so few positive stories here is because people mainly come here for help--kind of like how if you went over to the breastfeeding forum, you might become convinced that nursing is just an impossible feat!

I had trouble bonding with my DD#1, and co-sleeping is what finally made us bond. Her birth was traumatic, she had a terrible latch and was losing weight, we were living in Europe far away from any help from family or friends--I had a terrible time with her at the beginning. But, we co-slept and at around 4 months she started to snuggle with me in the night. I'd move away to give her a little room, and she kept scooting to snuggle right up against me at night. And it melted my heart! She's almost 5 now and has her own little bed next to ours. Co-sleeping still helps with bonding--if my DH has a long day at work and they don't get much time together, he makes sure to snuggle with her at night. If my baby takes a lot of time from me during the day, I make sure to have DH sleep next to her so I can get extra snuggles with DD#1.

With my DD#2, co-sleeping has made her sleep longer stretches. I was giving her plenty of space at night, but then I realized that if I slept pressed up against her she got through her light awakenings and kept sleeping. I swaddle her, snuggle up against her and she sleeps for 5 hours--I then wake up for about 5 minutes and nurse her on her side, and we both drift back to sleep before I even realize it. Co-sleeping has even made it possible to put her down wide awake--if she's alone in bed she can't fall asleep if I put her down awake, but she has no problem lying down wide awake if I'm snuggled up against her. I can't imagine doing things any other way.

I've heard so many lovely positive stories on here over the years! I hope others join in with their stories!

[anniegirl]

I don't think I've ever posted in this forum, but co-sleeping is one of the best parenting choices we made, and one that I always felt confident about. And I think it helped a lot with their bonding to their dad.

I think the key for us is that we are both 100% on board with them sleeping with us until they decide on their to sleep in their own beds.

I loved not having to get out of bed when they were infants. I love that (for the most part) we all get sound, contented sleep most every night. I love the closeness and cuddling the most.

Our 6yo falls asleep in his own bed every night. Dh usually brings him into the big bed when he goes to bed, but sometimes we leave him in there and he comes in on his own in the middle of the night. Our 4yo still spends the whole night in our bed. Every once in a while he wants to fall asleep in his bed though.

Every once in a while we get flack for it from family, but I don't let it bother me. The criticism is odd to me because neither of us ever complains about it. But I think it just doesn't make sense to them since they're not babies any more, or that they have to sleep on their own by age x, or they never will. Well, they can't do algebra yet either, but I'm sure they will someday! There are so many things in parenting to worry about and question and it's pretty dang nice that sleep and where we sleep has never been one them.

ETA: I thought of a couple more things. Now that they are getting older, some days are so busy it feels like we all hardly see each other. I'm glad that at least we are all together and close at night rather than it being even more time apart. Related to that, I always lay with them while they fall asleep and they tell me things about their day that they might not otherwise. Especially for my older son, something about lying in the quiet dark, snuggled together makes it easier for him to tell me if something is bothering him. It's really important to me that my kids continue to trust me with their emotions and co-sleeping and staying with them while they falls asleep really facilitates that.

[ElaynesMom]

My dd is almost 2.5 and we still cosleep and love it I did not originally plan on cosleeping and her first 2 weeks she slept in a bassinette beside our bed. Except she didn't sleep. I know newborns need to eat frequently, but she would nurse for 30+ minutes, sleep for 20 mins and wake up again. I was sometimes getting less than 2 hours of sleep at night and was having a hard time functioning. Having someone give the baby a bottle so I could sleep was starting to look really good. The public health nurse who came by to help with breastfeeding, weigh the baby, etc. said that maybe she was waking up so much partly because she wasn't used to being alone, after all, she had spend the last 9 months about as physically close to me as someone could be. She told me to let the baby sleep in our bed. She also told me to throw away the schedule I had of when the baby ate, how long she ate, when she went to the bathroom that the hospital had started me on. She was smart After that my dd woke up at more reasonable intervals and I got a lot ore sleep.

I soon learned how lovely it was to wake up to a sweet baby beside you. When she was older she'd wake me up by giving me kisses. When I go into bed now she smooshes up against me and whispers she loves me. I'm very glad we coslept. And I'm very glad we didn't buy a crib

[Caneel]

We didn't start out co-sleeping, it came later on - around 7-8 months maybe?

Prior to DS, DH and I both thought anyone who let their kids sleep with them was, at the very least, crazy. We didn't get it, at all. Never, never, never, ever would we do that.

A few hours after DS was born, DH lifted him out of the hospital plastic thingie and announced they were going to bed, on the vinyl chair! Together!

When DS was an infant, I was so scared something would happen that I would nurse him to sleep in our bed but then put him in his crib. When I would get up, DH would beg me to leave him with us.

Months go by and one night, I simply feel asleep and never took him to his room. When I woke in the morning, he was tucked into the crock of DH's arm and they both looked so pleased with themselves, like they pulled one over on me.

From there on, DS would sleep with us on the weekends as a special treat.

Then it was every other night.

Now it is every night.

For our family, it has been a positive thing for everyone. We like having that together and cuddle time at night. DH is equally, if not more pro-co-sleeping than I am.

[starrmama]

We love co-sleeping! dd 1 (now 6) has been in her own bed since shortly after dd2 was born (when she was 4), and she sleeps great most of the time (only wakes up occasionally to pee or if she's hungry). She was in her own room for about a year doing fine, but has now moved back into our room again, but still in her own bed. I think she just was a little lonely in there by herself. Dd2 is not the best sleeper, but co-sleeping allows us to get much better sleep than if I was trying to put her to sleep on her own. Being next to me and able to nurse whenever she wakes up is what helps keep her sleeping... can't imagine doing anything else.

[~pi]

Originally Posted by RunningMomTegan

My DS is 19 months old and when I hear all these mothers of children under one complaining about how tired they are, I never was. Yes, I woke up to feed him in the middle of the night. But I did it without getting up, when I would have gotten out of bed otherwise.

I love waking up with him close by, and knowing if something is wrong. Maybe it's gross, but the two times he's vomited in the middle of the night, I was so glad he was in our bed, because I knew right away and was able to make sure he was safe and comforted.

I work outside the home, and without CLW and "nighttime parenting", I don't know if he would be as secure and self reliant. It helped me feel present to him even when we are separated all day.

He'll be a teenager before I know it, so the sweet nighttime closeness is something I love.

I feel exactly the same, especially the bolded parts.

[Amberenergy]

We coslept until our kids were about five. Now we sometimes sleep in the same room, just for weekends orspecial occasions. We always cuddle together and hang outright before bed before going to ourrooms. The kids were fine sleeping on their own, no probs with the transition.
It was agreat experience and I have two well adjusted little campers now, I'm glad we did it!

[lessmith23]

Originally Posted by Caneel

We didn't start out co-sleeping, it came later on - around 7-8 months maybe?

Prior to DS, DH and I both thought anyone who let their kids sleep with them was, at the very least, crazy. We didn't get it, at all. Never, never, never, ever would we do that.

For our family, it has been a positive thing for everyone. We like having that together and cuddle time at night. DH is equally, if not more pro-co-sleeping than I am.

This has been our experience exactly, esp. the bolded part!

[verde]

DH and I both love cosleeping with our 4 y/o DD. I feel so happy when she cuddles up with me and I kiss her and curl up with her. I do not understand why everyone doesn't cosleep. We've had no sleeping issues, no nightmares, and potty learning was a breeze. Maybe we've been particularly lucky but what's not to love?

[kgreenemama]

There is nothing sweeter than when DS snuggles up with his back against my chest and his head under my chin.

[Ravenlunatic]

Really I can't imagine why anyone would not sleep with their child. I spend 6 to 10 hours every single night snuggled up to my daughter. This is high quality time spent. I love this

There is nothing sweeter than when (DS) snuggles up with his back against my chest and his head under my chin

and second it with my DD.

Sure there are ups and downs just like in all facets of parenting. My heart actually aches when I think about a time we will not sleep in the same space. But for now we are happily a cosleeping family.

[~ Wonderful Life ~]

I have been seriously blessed in the sleep department...twice!

I co-slept with my now 12 YO with no issues. He STTN from about 5 months and co-sleeping was blissful and wonderful. We had no struggles or challenges. We co-slept untl he was about 1.5.

I have co-slept from day 1 with my now 13 month old and it has been equally as blissful and wonderful. He has been STTN since about 4 months and I have no trouble what-so-ever getting a good night's sleep.

I am very, very, very lucky...I do realize that.

I work full time, so it's important to me to take advantage of every opportunity I have to connect with my LO.

Hubby told me yesterday that the LO woke him (I had already left for work) up by kissing him on the cheek and putting his head on hubby's chest.

[pixiepunk]

DH and I have been co-sleeping with little ones for almost 7 years now, and we love it. It's rare that all 5 of us are in bed together anymore, though we do sometimes all cuddle up together and it's the greatest!

Both of my older two (now 6.5 and 4.5) transitioned to sleeping in their own beds quite easily. sometimes of course they still want to snuggle in the 'big bed' and we have no problem with that (especially if they're sick or going through a hard time for some reason). but for the most part they happily climb into their own beds each night and are asleep in a minute or two. My oldest slept in the family bed until she was about 4, #2 was 3 when he started asking to sleep in his own bed.

For us, co-sleeping was the best way for us all to get a good night's sleep, and a wonderful compliment to other aspects of our parenting like breastfeeding and EC. None of my kids have ever had any sleep issues/problems and are now and have always been great sleepers. i can't imagine having done things any other way.