does co-sleeping always work?

[omelette]

cuz I'm getting close to giving up.
DS is 6 months old and is not a sleeper. Dh has left the bed and I'm on my own all night. DH does take ds for a 3 hour stretch at the beginning of the night so I can get a stretch of sleep and then he brings him into bed and he goes and sleeps with our 4 yr old.
DS will sleep on DH for 3 hours no problem, he's even done a few 5 hour stretches with him. But as soon as he's with me his sleep goes down to 10-20 minute increments, 45min-1hour if I'm lucky. Part of the problem is gas, the other part is that he is wanting to nurse. I know he's still so young and if it would get us through the night I would nurse him all night long but I can't sleep and nurse and he has reflux so after a certain point he just starts spitting up everywhere which requires middle of the night blanket and sleeper changes. DH will put him in my arms fast asleep and as soon as I lie down with him he wakes up and starts trying to nurse. I've tried putting him on one side of the bed so there is distance between us but he wiggles his way right back beside me. So sweet really cuz he's a little snuggler but kind of frustrating too.
Any suggestions on how to make this work? Or, are there times when sometimes co-sleeping doesn't work?

[briome]

I think you have more going on then can simply be put under 'co-sleeping'. Have you considered allergies (milk maybe) in your child that would explain the nightime spit-ups or possibly overactive let down in your case?

If he sleeps very well for hubby, why not let them be together for more of the night after you nurse him at a certain period. I urge you to think more creatively as what you are currently doing is not working. It is called musical beds and maybe your way of doing it is not working, not the actual co-sleeping part. Co-sleeping seems to be doing great with everyone but you and your son and that seems to be because of breastfeeding issues not sleeping.

Some babies wake less if they are near, but not touching mom. Some babies (looks like yours and mine!) wake less with daddy only in the room not the yummy milk maker! It seems like you wouldn't mind the nursing if it didn't create such a mess.....you could sleep on easily washable pads for example?

I think 6m is too young to night wean but maybe if you could solve some little issues (the spit up) you mgiht get more sleep-- see-
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/weaning/w...t.html#methods

Good luck

[TiredX2]

You said he is sleeping *on* DH? But next to you? I think he probably needs some incline to sleep and help with the reflex. Have you tried that while he's sleeping with you?

[akind1]

DS mostly sleeps in the co-sleeper next to our bed, and will sleep for long stretches - always at least 6, sometimes 8 hours. If I bring him in bed with us, he does want to nurse more often than that. if he could not reach you, or was snuggled next to your DH (so DH was between you and baby) would all of you get more sleep?

When DS was a little younger, I slept propped up on one of those pillows with little arms (you know, the kind made for you to kind of sit up in bed?) with him on my chest. We both slept well that way - I knew I wouldn't roll on him, and DH wouldn't either - and it seemed to help him settle better. - we weren't sitting straight up; we sort of reclined.

[omelette]

Originally Posted by briome

Have you considered allergies (milk maybe) in your child that would explain the nightime spit-ups or possibly overactive let down in your case?

I think 6m is too young to night wean but maybe if you could solve some little issues (the spit up) you mgiht get more sleep

He does have a sensitive stomach and I''ve cut out dairy and gluten. This helps a bit with the gas but not the spit-up; he has reflux so we are waiting it out and hopefully the 6 month mark is when it will start to get better. We've seen a naturopath, occupational therapist, pediatrician and there's not much we can do but wait.
I have no intention of night weaning; I'm just hoping to find something that will work better then what we have going on right now.

I love having him in bed but dh can't sleep with the 3 of us in the bed so he sleeps in our 4 yr olds room.
Baby is sleeping on dh and beside me. Maybe I'll try having him sleep on me and see if that helps. I guess it'll just take some adjusting of pillows to get comfy.
We don't have a co-sleeper but maybe we could side-car the crib? ALthough he's such a little wriggler (even if he's swaddled) that I'm sure he'd make his way over to me.
Thanks for some suggestions. Fingers crossed that we figure something out soon.