How can I get him to sleep in one place at night?

[MamitaM]

He's going to kick me out of my own bed pretty soon. He used to sleep pretty still in his side of the bed beside me and guard rail and now he kicks and moves all over the place. I'll wake up and he'll be sideways with his legs in my ribs or he'll want to nurse and be right up beside me, this will happen a few time then I'll end up with about 6 inches of space near the edge for me to sleep. If I put him in his sleep sack (in my bed) to sleep will that help him stay a little more stationary?

[Knitting Mama]

It might. Is a sidecarred crib an option? Still right there with you and easy to nurse, but maybe a little more wiggle room.

[MamitaM]

I have a crib, but I don't know if it has an option to side car. I also don't have any room for it other then where it is now. We have such a tiny little 1 room apartment right now. I was thinking to try and have him sleep in his crib. a lone at about 6 months since he probably won't need to nurse as much during the night then.

[Knitting Mama]

That really depends on the baby. Many still nurse 1-3 times at night even over a year old, just depending on their needs! Cecilia still needs a once a night top up at 9 months, but ours is always more complicated since she gets donor milk in an SNS, so I have to be awake and sitting up for it.

[MamitaM]

I donate my milk! Sonny actually stopped nursing during the night for about 3 weeks or so and just started again. It's weird, but oh well he can nurse whenever he needs to I told him.

[Knitting Mama]

Funny, I JUST posted this really cool blog post by Mayim Bialik (Blossom) where she talks about nursing her toddler, and she had the best statement about nighttime nursing:

"In our family, we let our children nurse until they’re done, and the earth’s position relative to the sun does not change our philosophy. Children need us at night as well as in the day."

http://www.kveller.com/blog/parenting/i-breastfeed-my-toddler-got-a-problem-with-it/

I love her! I didn't know she was so AP until recently. A friend of mine is in a homeschool group with her too!

[MamitaM]

OMH yeah! I read that blog post and I love her too! I agree that our kids still need us at night, just not as much as the day time since they are asleep, but they do get hungry and can't wait until "breakfast" at this age and he does still need cuddles in the night if he gets a scare or something.

[karen1968]

Babies and kids move around in their sleep SO MUCH as soon as they can!  It can get crazy. Just remember - co-sleeping is only working if it works for EVERYBODY.

We moved my DS to the crib when he was about 5-6 months old. Only for the first stretch - he would fall asleep at the breast or in Daddy's arms around 9pm, we would transfer him to the crib, and he would sleep there until 1 or 2am. Then I would bring him to the bed to nurse and sleep for the rest of the night. It worked great for me to have that long stretch alone, then all his moving and snuggling later didn't seem so bad!

[Sfcmama]

I started a similar thread about my "flopping fish" after she almost broke my nose one night...

Ive had luck putting her in the sleep sack and putting her in the sidecar as much as I can in between nursings. We got a 5 hour stretch last night for the first time in a looong time.

Hth!

[rudhaen]

This seems to be pretty typical behaviour then!  DS does this almost every night starting around 2 am and continuing on til morning.  I have just sort of dealt with it thus far, sometimes scooting the babe over a bit so he can kick his daddy for a little break.  We might try the sleep sack as well.

Good luck!