baby sleeping gear « Back to Group Discussions

[soalia]

Hi Moms and FTM!

How do you plan to have your baby sleep?

We have a bassinet for use up to about 3 months. After that, does anyone know if I can use a floor bed, or do I need to co-sleep or buy a crib? 

Thanks!

[here we are]

Bumping& hoping for the confidence that we can all figure this out. even though I don't have a set plan yet I am starting to feel more able to surrender to knowing I can do it.

[rainbownurse]

We're planning on bassinet then crib then floor  bed. I also have a co-sleeper on my baby list, but that's more for camping. 

[cinderella08]

Baby #1 slept in a bassinet beside our bed for the first 6-8 weeks and then moved into our bed and bedshared.

Baby #2 slept in our bed from the time he was born and still is - he's 31 months old and we are currently working on weaning

Baby #3 we've decided will co-sleep in the form of a side car crib - IMO it's the best of both worlds and just what we need!

[lolliegee]

Baby number one started the night out in a crib next to our bed, moved out of our room at a year. Baby number two started out with a cradle beside the bed. We moved when he was 8 months old. Just brought him into bed with us from then on. All the rest have just come right into our bed. No crib, no hassle. Wouldn't have it any other way. In fact, I regret moving the first one out so early.

[dayiscoming2006]

Bassinet or playyard with bassinet feature until they were a bit bigger/outgrew it. Then Mine slept in a playyard in our room up through 3-4 months. I move her to her own room after that, but still in the play yard until she was about a year. Would have changed to a crib sooner, but hubby hadn't set it up yet. I use a mesh "bumper" thing that velcros to the sides of the crib so they can't get their legs stuck. You can find it on amazon if you want it. It was this one http://www.amazon.com/BreathableBaby-CribShield-Mesh-Liner-White/dp/B0013FKUW4/ref=tag_dpp_lp_edpp_ttl_in

Mine move to their own bed when they are ready. usually close to 2 years old. Whenever they might start trying to climb out of the crib. 

Edited by dayiscoming2006 - 2/22/13 at 6:24am

[CountryMommy]

I bought a co-sleeper (the kind that goes in the middle of the mattress) when I was pregnant with my first baby, I tried it a couple times when he was first born but he prefered to sleep beside me skin to skin so it wasen't really used, we just co slept carefully on a queen size mattress and I did the same with my second child as well.

I did have a playpen that was wonderful for naps when baby was older. I would set it up in the living room when I was doing housework during the day and didn't have to worry about baby rolling off bed. I never bothered with a bassinet as my babies were both 9lbers and long (56cm and 54cm ) at birth so I don't think they would have been able to fit in a bassinet for naps for more then a month or so. 

I also had a crib but it was never really used...I actually still have it (solid wood, beautiful sleigh crib) First born would occaisionally nap in it when he was older and needed a quiet, dark place to nap, second born never slept in it even once, not sure if I will set it up again or not.

[g&a]

You know what, people always worry about this kind of stuff, and it always works out in the end.  We have done a bit of everything with our kids so far.  DH keeps wanting them to sleep in a crib but they always seem to end up in bed with us or me with the baby in baby's room or on a mattress on the floor beside our bed.  It's kindof whatever works best at the time.  Heck, right now both kids still sleep with me when DH is gone (half of the month) and they are 5 and almost 9. They fight over who gets the middle spot. King size bed helps a lot.

I have to say that I never would have thought I'd be the type to co-sleep but this is what feels right for us right now, and as I talk to people, it's WAY more common (in otherwise perfectly normal people, not just hippy types) than any of us realize.

[heyitskalista]

We co sleep in the early months and transition them to a floor bed (Montessori style) when they get a little older. They still come into bed with us after the first wake up though. So we part time co sleep until around 2.

[here we are]

Does anyone who cosleeps in the bed want to give tips? I have been thinking where to put the baby, on the side of me &put bed against the wall? Or baby in the middle of the two pillows in the center at the top of the bed & we sleep kinda further down...but what if i put my arms up in my sleep? How do you safely get closer to baby, like sleeping skin to skin, do you just not move around? Do you keep blankets lower than usual, waist high? I think I tug my blankets a lot...
Sorry to be the worrywart. And after they start moving, what precautions do people take? I just imagine all the trouble babies could get into while i am sleepy. I wonder how i will try it out.. I am searching for something as a back up too, i just wish i could something without fear. I need to invent a contraption that straps me to the bed and hold baby in place

[zeeohee]

We're planning to upgrade to a queen sized bed so we can cosleep -- is this big enough? We're pretty still sleepers, so we have no problems with two of us on a full size mattress.

I've also been offered an Arm's Reach cosleeper at least to borrow for a while, but that seems so "separate" -- I'm not entirely sure, but do you have to reach down and pick the baby up for nursing with the Arm's Reach, or does it sit flush with the top of the regular bed mattress? 

hereweare, I am also wondering about blankets because I do love to pull the blankets up to my ears. I guess I need to get used to wearing sweaters to bed? I have read that studies indicate that moms and babies who sleep together kind of get into a groove so I'm not worrying so much about that kind of thing. I think I would feel safer with the baby between me and wall or me and a bumper/rail while its still really tiny, then maybe we can move baby to the middle if we want when its older. I once nannied for a family that did that; they put baby to bed between pillows in the middle of the bed, that way when the parents went to bed later they wouldn't disturb him (and he couldn't roll out!)

[heyitskalista]

I wouldn't try and figure out
Logistics yet. You'll figure it out as you go. And I'm sure it will change over time! We've done different things with each kid!

Zeeohee- we have a queen sized bed and at times there are 5 of us in it. So I would say with 3, you'll be fine!

[rainbownurse]

I was expressing some of the same worries that people are having to a friend of mine, I toss and turn a lot (A LOT), I like the blankets really high up, I have night mares, etc, and their advice was simple "don't co sleep then" I respect that people want to co sleep because they feel that it's important to them and their babies, but at the end of the day, if you're both sleeping well, then I feel that's what matters most. 

[talldarkeyes]

We do not bedshare but we do room share. During the early months baby is in a pack and play with bassinet flush with my bed, after that baby is in pack and play a few feet away. It works for us until the transition to toddler bed and is inexpensive and portable. The few times I have bed shared have never been with my husband in the bed. He is a snorer and a very deep sleeper so it didn't feel safe to me. You just need to do what you feel is best for your family and that is easiest to figure out after the baby is born.

[dayiscoming2006]

Yeah, co-sleeping isn't for everyone. Most co-sleeping I do is when baby and I pass out together in the chair when nursing. LOL

[zeeohee]

I know it's early, but it's hard not to want to figure everything out! It seems like just decorating a nursery is simpler because you know what to buy and be done with it. I'm open to the fact that co-sleeping might not work for us, but I feel like I owe it to me and the baby and our evolutionary heritage to give it an honest try.... I want to make sure we're not starting out on the wrong foot, you know? I will probably just leave it at the bed upgrade and realize that all the cribs/co-sleepers/bassinets in the world won't be sold out if we decide that's what we need :-p

[soalia]

Great information! I will try the bassinet (a hand-me-down that I slept in) until she (!) gets too big, and then try the floor bed or co-sleeping I guess. We'll see if her papa is okay with co-sleeping!

[talldarkeyes]

Originally Posted by zeeohee 

I know it's early, but it's hard not to want to figure everything out! It seems like just decorating a nursery is simpler because you know what to buy and be done with it. I'm open to the fact that co-sleeping might not work for us, but I feel like I owe it to me and the baby and our evolutionary heritage to give it an honest try.... I want to make sure we're not starting out on the wrong foot, you know? I will probably just leave it at the bed upgrade and realize that all the cribs/co-sleepers/bassinets in the world won't be sold out if we decide that's what we need :-p

I think simplicity is always the best option (plus you don't buy anything unnecessary!) And you are right, you can always buy a crib if that is what is needed after the baby is born.