doubts after visit with pediatrician - Page 2

[Deir]

Some people are really downplaying how rough 4x can be. Not that I haven't had way worse nights than that but if you aren't able to settle yourself to sleep while nursing, 4x is alot of waking! Just pointing this out so the OP doesn't feel like she is whining. But I also think alot of the pp were right on the money about not letting the ped influence you. With my first, i wish I had never said a word about his sleep to anyone- the dr, my sisters or my friends (except 1 or 2 sympathetic ones) At 2 in the morning, other people's voices in your head can get really loud!

[Jayray]

We moved DS to a crib in another room around 6 months. We had been cosleeping with a side-carred crib. It didn't help every night, but some nights were MUCH better than they had been. And some nights when he's in bed nursing (during a waking), I fall alseep and we just cosleep until we feel like putting him back in his crib or until morning.

It doesn't have to be "all or nothing." You can be flexible and if you try something and it doesn't work, you can go back to what you were doing.

I DO think my DS wakes more when we cosleep (and I personally feel much worse waking MANY times while cosleeping than waking a few times and putting him back in his crib--although DH helps me a lot), but sometimes I just can't get out of bed to put him back in his crib, so I just deal.

[Carma]

4 times also seems normal to me at 6 months. It could help to have a larger bed, if you think you are waking the little one with your movements.
What also helped for me was to not look at the clock anymore and not count how many times they wake up, sounds a bit simple maybe, but it made me feel better.

Carma

[luckygreen713]

Just wanted to say to the OP that I feel for you, and just know that it does get better. I think you've gotten some great advice. Do what you feel is best for your family. Give the crib a try and see how it goes, if it doesn't help you get more sleep then put your babe back in bed with you. I also wanted to add that my dd's both slept with me and dh(still do) and both woke up at least 4x at that age. I know it can be soooo hard sometimes. It really does better though. Good luck to you and your family!

[blizzard_babe]

I'd find a different pediatrician, or get really good at nodding and smiling and ignoring when it comes to sleep issues.

Now, if you're feeling that the queen sized bed is getting too small (it was for us, and we have neither the money nor the space for a king), there are a lot of other solutions that exist in the pretty middle ground between "total bedsharing" and "in a crib in the next room."

When DS was around six months, we took off our bed frame so it was just a box spring and a mattress, then put just a twin-sized mattress between our bed and the wall. He'd fall asleep down there, and when he woke up, I'd go join him to nurse. If I stayed awake until he fell back asleep (rare... I was never one of those who could fall asleep while DS nursed), I'd crawl back up into my bed, otherwise, I'd snuggle him down on that mattress. This system met our needs for a year.

[snadaska]

Thanks for all of the input! I am thinking much more clearly now since last night I had some sleep (yay!). We are going to get a king size bed. After a few nights with DH not in the bed with us I found that I and DD seem to sleep better. I think that my visit with the dr just made me feel like there was something really wrong with our situation. From what you all have said it seems this is not the case.

[tmwmommy]

I'm sorry the dr made you feel bad about co-sleeping. My dd sometimes wakes 4 times a night and she's almost 18 months. I know it is rough to sleep while nursing sometimes. But if I don't completely wake up it becomes easier. I know my dd would wake even more frequently if she slept in a crib because I occasionally use her pack n play and she never stays asleep more than 2 hours unless I'm right there with her.

[isign]

The best advise I have ever gotten (I think from MDC) is to do what works best for you and your babe. With #1, we co-slept till #2 came at 14 months and then put him in a crib in our room, and a few months later into his own room when he weaned completely. He still comes back now at 28 months half way through the night. He wanted to STTN at an early age age and hardly woke to eat. #2 is a different story. She didn't want to co-sleep until recently - she's 15 months. We are getting ready to night wean because I can't function on no sleep. For me to be at my best, I need her to not nurse 2 plus times a night at this stage in her life.

I said all that to say, you need to figure out what's best for you - a crib in your room, in your DC's room or co-sleeping. Only you know what's best for your LO, not the Dr.

[balancedmama]

Originally Posted by Maluhia

pedis are great for medical issues, waking up in the night to nurse or be near your Mom is a psychological norm and not a medical issue.

This.