Did you place your baby in a crib to sleep, in his/her own room, as soon as you came home from the hospital? Or did you use some alternative, like a bassinet, or a rocker/glider? Did you keep the baby near you?
We have a rather unconventional sleeping arrangement in our household at the moment, due to space constraints and my son's bedroom not having a window... we all sleep in one room. My son has his own bed, we have ours, but lately, me and husband have been sleeping on the couch (I actually find it more comfortable than the bed right now, and hubby seems to be comfortable there too), and my son sleeps in our bed. I have a bedside co-sleeper that I plan to use with the baby, but I shudder at having all of us in one room at night. We have a bassinet, and a glider that she can sleep in if we stay out in the living room, which is what I'm thinking we'll end up doing initially...
When we move (hopefully by spring,) everyone will have their own rooms, although I think it will be a big adjustment for everyone to sleep in them... but until then, we have to make do with what we have... and it just got me to wondering, did any of you place your baby in a crib, in a separate room than you, as soon as you came home from the hospital? I have a hard time imagining doing that, but I am sure it's done!
How/where did your newborn sleep when you brought him/her home from the hospital?
Cheryl - My son can, and would sleep in his bed... I let him sleep in ours because we are content right now not sleeping in it. I know it sounds odd, but we are actually enjoying sleeping on the couches. I am truly more comfortable there at the moment. When I do sleep in my bed, I get up after a couple hours and go on the couch! As for my son's room, I don't allow him to sleep in there because it has no windows, and I am afraid of the fire hazard with no alternate exit. So that's a no go for now. We are, however, moving to a much bigger house very soon. We had hoped to be in by now, but it's looking more like spring. We are basically switching houses with my parents - theirs has 3 br's, 2 baths, 3 living rooms, etc... but currently, they are adding onto the apartment where we live now, and until that construction is complete, we are staying put... so hopefully by spring, we will get better sorted out... for now, we have to work with what we've got!
With my son, I tried to do the co-sleeper as well, but eventually just coslept with him in bed with me, as he was a HORRIBLE sleeper (high needs baby) and that worked so much better for us - we BOTH got much more sleep. I am not going to push the cosleeping with this baby, but if she needs it, certainly I'll do it again. I actually found it quite fulfilling... but since I'll be staying at home with this one, I feel like I have more options... if I'm sleepy during the day from sleepless nights, I can nap when she naps... I couldn't do that with my son as I worked full time and was desperate for my sleep. I'm just going to play it all by ear, and see what works best! I was just curious what other people have done!
Lastly, I can't imagine putting a newborn, or an infant, in their crib, in their own room, without even a monitor! I'm not knocking anyone for doing that at all... I just don't know how you did it! I'd lose far more sleep wondering all night if she was ok, than I would having her next to me! But that's me... certainly we are all different!
both of mine were in a bassinet. Until they were too big for it at 2 months (I have big babies)
Then they went to their cribs in their rooms, except for my oldest who sometimes I coslept with, she was my colic , ADHD baby.
I'd say do whatever works for you to be comfortable and as much sleep as possible. Children have slept in dresser drawers and still did just fine.
I absolutely did. My daughters always slept in their cribs for night and naps immediately. My younger child didn't nap well until aroung 4 months so there were many weeks of her sleeping in a swing or bouncer for short periods. I liked her having them having their own space in their own beautiful rooms and not having to make any transitions later on. I felt they were safer in the crib and childproofed location. And my husband and I got to fully rest while they slept. Worked great, and we have awesome sleepers who go to sleep easily and stay asleep and napped well past age 3.
When I first brought my daughter home from the hospital I tried to put her in her own room because everyone told me to do that from the start, but it did not work. I ended up sleeping on the couch with her next to me in a pack and play. After a few weeks we started co-sleeping in the bed. I say you do what works for you and your family. Heck, I remember when my youngest brother was born (30 years ago lol) my parents put him in a dresser drawer on the floor and he is just fine. Good luck!
YES!!! We had a nursery. It was close to the master bedroom...a direct walk from the master bedroom door to the nursery.
I had a bassinet in our bedroom for the first 3 months - then they both outgrew it. Both preferred their cribs (YAHOO!!) But the nursery was NOT far away...we had the monitor so I could hear them. Keep in mind, I have a decent sized home - 5 bedrooms, 3 full baths - so everyone has their space..
With Elayne - we had a VERY small place and the crib was in the living room (can you say URGH!!) was sssssoooo happy when we were able to move out of that place!
You need to find the situation that works for you and your family. I know I wouldn't want to sleep on the couch every night...can you get your son back into his room? That might help a LOT!!!
is it possible to get a bigger place so that you all have your space?
My newborn slept in a bassinet in our room for the first six months. After a while we moved the furniture around so he could sleep RIGHT next to my side of the bed. It was great! I can't wait to have another baby one day...... :)
We used a Close and Secure sleeper that goes in the middle of the bed for the first month, then we used the bassinet, and then at 7 weeks moved my youngest to his crib.
Just a question, why would your sons room not having a window effect things? If you have an extra room for your oldest to sleep in then you might want to move him before the baby comes.
my daughter slept in a bassinet by my bed until she was about 6-8 weeks old. that's when she started stretching her arms and waking herself up. so i had to put her in the crib so she (and I) could get a good nights sleep. well, a good few hours sleep anyway lol :)
I am pregnant with my third and my first two slept in a pack n play by my bed for less than two weeks before I moved them to their cribs. I like my sleep and cherish the moments when it is quiet so I moved them out early but I also wasn't breastfeeding and was fine getting up in the night to feed them. You have to do what is best for your situation. My sister breastfed her kids until they were almost one and just found it convenient to have them by her bed. I myself am too selfish in that I wanted my bedroom to be mine and not over-run by my kiddos :)
My guys both slept in a bassinet right next to my side of the bed for four months, then went to their own room in a crib. I tried to get my husband to have the crib in our room, and he wouldn't allow it! And I thank him for it every day :-) I love having my own "me" space, my room, my bed :-)
All my babies slept in a cradle in my room for the first few weeks since I was nursing and learning their schedules, then I always hit this magic 'I need sleep dammit!!' point and moved them into their own room in their own crib after a few weeks. Worked beautifully x3 :)
Both girls slept in a pack-n-play (the pnp's had attached bassinets) that was in our room until around 6-9 months of age at which time they were moved to their own rooms in cribs.
I breastfed all my babies for a year, so putting them in a seperate room wasn't logical. I had a little jenny lind rocker next to the bed. I could rock baby to sleep with my foot. Rocking chair in the room to feed. I transitioned them to thier own rooms when I stopped breastfeeding.
L.,
I see you have a ton of responses already but I will add one more. Our DD slept in her own room as soon as we were home. We have a video monitor over her crib (still using it at 19 months) and used the heart rate monitor under her mattress (quite effective I might add). Our DD had no health issues but we liked that added peace of mind when it came to making sure all was well.
I have never been a fan of cosleeping but that is simply because in my line of work I review infant deaths monthly which often include parents sleeping with their little ones more often than not. I would imagine it is for convenience or not having the means for a separate bed. Either way, I would guess most didn't really do co-sleeping as it was intended. Anyway, for every Dr. that raves about it there is one against it. It just wasn't something I wanted to do so I trucked my butt into her room everytime she needed to be fed (I breastfed for 6 months) and that has worked well for us. Best of luck!
L., I hope your son can go through the transition of being in his own room. He's been used to having you, so it might be hard for a while!
That aside, I put my children in a bassinet in my room for the first 6 weeks. I nursed and it was easier to do that at night with them in the bassinet. Then I moved them to the crib in the nursery, which they LOVED because the bassinet got too small! (My older son flopped onto his back and laid his arms out, he was so happy! I have a picture of that!) And I weaned him and sleep trained him at 6 weeks, and there was no more going in to him in the middle of the night. Having to work with people's money all day, I could not afford to be sleep-deprived, make monetary mistakes and lose my job. It worked out fine.
Anyway, I think that if you don't co-sleep with the baby, put him or her in a bassinet until 6 weeks or so, you'll have an easier time getting the baby in his or her room when you move.
Good luck!
Dawn
I'm a really light sleeper so having my first son in the bedroom with me drove me nuts. I was up all night checking on him. It lasted about 3 nights, then he went to his room in the crib. I couldn't even use the monitor because I was always up to check on every little noise.
My second son is 7 weeks and he is in a pack n play in the our bedroom because I don't want his crying to wake up my older son. Once he gets to sleeping through the night, or maybe even just waking up once a night, he will move to his crib.
Our first slept in a bassinet in our room until 5 1/2 months, when we moved him to a crib in his own room. Our second slept in a co-sleeper in our room for the first 5 months, then in bed with us for another month or so, then in his crib in his room.
We are fortunate enough to have separate rooms for everyone, but I can't really imagine putting a newborn to sleep in a crib in a different room right away. We chose to have baby with us because it made getting up at night so much easier when baby was just an arm's reach away, and especially if you are breastfeeding (I think I remember you saying you planned to) then I think having baby nearby makes the most sense.
Nope. At first I used a bassinet beside the bed.
Probably once you move the baby will be the perfect age for a crib, right?
Yes, my girl went into her crib when we got out of the hospital. Of course, it ended up where she only slept there about 1/3 of the time, another 1/3 was spent co-sleeping in our bed, and the last 1/3 was me & her sleeping on the futon in her room. I bf for a year, so it was usually easier to have her sleep closer to me, but she'd usually start off the night sleeping in her bed, end up with me & dh for 1st feeding, stay until 2nd feeding, then go back in her bed. Our rooms were very close (only a 2-bedroom apartment), and I kept a video monitor in her room. I love the set-up in our new house, because I think this would work perfectly again if/when we have another baby (3- bedrooms on the main floor all within a few steps). I need my space and besides being a huge supporter of co-sleeping (for a little while, anyways), I want my kid(s) to be independent and know how to sleep on their own.
Good luck and congratulations!
Crib in my room, dad on the couch, baby in Queen bed to nurse and we often both fell asleep that way. I think that there are recommendations now against sharing a bed with your baby, but we didn't know any better back then and it worked for us.
My son needed his space as an infant.
I'd planned on cosleeping, and he wasn't having it. (mom plans, god laughs) But first time I laid him in the crib (as a safe place to set him for a minute), he was out like a light for HOURS. This was when he was a couple days old. In his own room.
Bassinet, cosleeper, etc. were ALL a waste of money with my son.
SINCE then, we've had all kinds of sleeping arrangements. Same room, different rooms, tents, boats, hospitals, couches... you name it... we've slept in it! Since he was a toddler, my son can and has slept just about anywhere.
Both my kids where in their own rooms in cribs by the time they were a month old. Due to how often they got up for the 1st couple weeks I had my son in a bassinet that was handed down thru the family. My daughter on the other hand was in a playpen with the top bassinet. Both were placed in our room for the max of one month.
I have 2 kids and they both slept in their cribs in their own rooms from the day I brought them home. They were awesome sleepers and slept for 12 hours straight thru the night the first week I had them home. They are now 12 and 9 and I have never had a problem with them sleeping. Oh, and the best advice I got when I was pregnant was to put them to bed awake so then can teach themselves to go to sleep and it was the best advice I got. Good luck!!!
It was 2 weeks before we put our son in his room in his crib.
I tried him in his carrier next to my side of the bed but he didn't like it.
For a few nights I had him in a dresser drawer we removed from a dresser and we put it on a large box next to me.
We didn't sleep much but at least I got to lay down for a little while.
It's all a bit of a blur.
It seemed like I got no sleep for 6 weeks straight but I also know my husband was an absolute sweetheart in helping with the baby and I don't know what I would have done without him.
We used a cradle next to our bed for the first 3 months. Then they went to their crib in their own room. I needed to hear them breathe.... panicky mom...lol!
My son slept in a bassinet right next to the bed, he went into the crib at around 3 months. My daughter didn't like the bassinet and actually liked to sleep in her car seat which was again in our room for a bit. We then put the car seat into the crib until she was good sleeping flat on her back. I breastfed both kids so it was easier to keep them close at all times so that they could nurse when they needed to. I didn't find that not putting them in the crib right away impacted their sleep, once I did put them in the crib we had no issues and both kids go to bed very easily.
I sure did! After the first night or two, when the baby didn't sleep anyway! They started out in a cradle in their own room, then moved into the big crib in a few months. Both my girls are excellent sleepers, never had a problem w/kids in our bed. I am very selfish that way, I like my sleep! I did have a monitor in the room, and in the beginning I left the door open. The nursery was literally right next to our room, so I could hear everything w/o the monitor anyway. I was very adamant that my kids sleep in their own rooms, and it always worked for us. I have heard MANY MANY people who have trouble getting their kids to sleep in their own rooms after letting them sleep in their room. I didn't want that. I, personally, was never comfortable with the idea of allowing a baby to sleep in bed w/me. I think you just have to go w/what works for you, as we all have different concerns, or coping methods. If my babies had not been good sleepers, it could have all turned out differently! LOL!
Our kids slept close to us in a small crib in our bedroom at first... and then in our bed with us till about age 2. Our son moved into his own room at age 2 (with many fits and starts before that). Our daughter who is age 2 is about to move into her own room - wish us luck! When she was 2 months - 7 months she slept the first half of each night in her crib in her own room and then would move into our room for the rest of the night once she woke up. Then at age 7 months we could never get her down in her crib and we gave up trying bc she would get so upset she would repeatedly vomit everywhere when we tried. The Dr says she has a very sensitive gag reflex that she will eventually outgrow. She has slept with us ever since. At age 2 our son wanted a bunk bed really bad and we made him the deal that if he could sleep in his own room all night long he could have a bunk bed. It worked like a charm - he was very motivated. Our daughter just wants to be a barnacle on her mama! Ugh! This will be a process I am sure. We just got her a twin bed and we are going to start on this soon.
We have a 7'x10' dormer in our room, the perfect size for a crib and a changing table, with room to move around. Our son was to sleep in that crib. However, he was a premie with many issues. For the first 3mos he had the premie hyperventilations and the only thing that would stop them was holding him against my belly. He also ate every hour for the first 6 mos. I eventually safe-guarded our bed for bed-sharing (lowered the mattress, got wedges so he had his own safe space, etc), my husband moved to the guest room because he had horrible sleep apnea and refused to get a cpap machine. He went from our bed to his own room at 28mos (it would have been sooner, but his room was an addition that we were building and it wasn't done until then) and hasn't been back since.
If we're ever blessed with #2, the plan is for them to stay in the crib in our dormer until we think he/she can share a room with our son.
Good luck!
All 5 of my kids slept in their own rooms right after birth to get them used to sleeping apart and on their own. The older they get the harder it is to get them to do what they need to.
K. B
mom to 5 including triplets
They both slept in our bed from the start.
I think I'd go mad if they were far from me. ;)
I had my daughters crib between the waterbed and the wall. I could sleep with my arm alongside her if I wanted to and she was safe in her own space. When I had the grand-kids and they were young they always had their own crib but it was in the same room as ours. Even when one got in a toddler bed it was at the end of our queen size bed and the crib was against the wall in front of that. So all 4 of us were in one room at night but we could close the door, if the kids got up they just came and got in bed with us, they slept pretty well most of the time once they got older.
The kids do fine in their own rooms now. They like the whole idea of their own space.
