co-sleeping

hi out there. Does anyone else out there co-sleep with their twins every night? I have been doing it because my partner gets up early for work and ever since the twins have been home that has been the routine. I do it for sanity's sake and also because I am so damn tired from being home with them all day that we all just pass out. There are nights where I put them in their crib and they will stay for 2 or 3 hours, sometimes longer, sometimes shorter and then at the 10, 11 or midnight whichever comes first I feed, burp them, get them back to sleep and before I know it I have fallen asleep with them on my chest and we are all in the bed together and I am to tired to get up and go through the routine of putting them down and them possibly fussing, which nine times out of ten they do and I then bring them back with me. I know that is the wrong thing to do but what is right or wrong in this sleep stuff? Sometimes I just want sanity and the only way I can get a goods night sleep is with them which doesn't leave me cranky the next day home with them all day. I get lost at what to do. I don't want to focus on it and fret so but I can't seem to stop thinking about it and feel like I am a failure at this crib stuff and sleeping. But I am also all alone at night with them which is how its been for 7 months. Anyone have any help for me or words of advice?

 

hi out there. Does anyone else out there co-sleep with their twins every night? I have been doing it because my partner gets up early for work and ever since the twins have been home that has been the routine. I do it for sanity's sake and also because I am so damn tired from being home with them all day that we all just pass out. There are nights where I put them in their crib and they will stay for 2 or 3 hours, sometimes longer, sometimes shorter and then at the 10, 11 or midnight whichever comes first I feed, burp them, get them back to sleep and before I know it I have fallen asleep with them on my chest and we are all in the bed together and I am to tired to get up and go through the routine of putting them down and them possibly fussing, which nine times out of ten they do and I then bring them back with me. I know that is the wrong thing to do but what is right or wrong in this sleep stuff? Sometimes I just want sanity and the only way I can get a goods night sleep is with them which doesn't leave me cranky the next day home with them all day. I get lost at what to do. I don't want to focus on it and fret so but I can't seem to stop thinking about it and feel like I am a failure at this crib stuff and sleeping. But I am also all alone at night with them which is how its been for 7 months. Anyone have any help for me or words of advice?

 

Co-sleeping is not "wrong." It works for some of us! I love co-sleeping. They sleep as well as breast fed four month olds at night, I lazily nurse and fall back to sleep. During the day, they sleep in the PNP. If you are happy and it works, why change?

 

My DH and I pretty much co-sleep. I always put them down in their crib for the night and depending on when they wake up the first time they usually end up in bed with us by 4 or 5am. I don't see anything wrong with it. I love it!

 

We co-slept our boys until 3 months when the bed started getting too cramped--now they share a crib next to the bed. Co-sleeping was a deliberate choice for us, and like Erykah, I really loved it, and so did DH. I also found it a LOT easier when dealing with those hourly feedings when they were brand new...in other words, it was the right thing for us. However, I know not everyone is comfortable with the idea of co-sleeping, so definitely do what's right for you. Good luck, and don't worry--whatever decision you make will be right for you and your babies.

 

We have co-slept our babies since they were born. It is pretty much the only way we get any sleep. They go in their cribs at bedtime and when they wake up to nurse we just let them sleep in the middle. Do what you feel comfortable doing.

 

We co-slept the boys until a few weeks ago when we transitioned them to their cribs (Owen began to sleep through the night and was being woken up by all the other goings-on in the wee hours). Ben starts in his crib and then around 2am wakes up to nurse. We generally keep him in the bed with us after that because his waking is unpredictable after that, and like you say, it's just easier to have him close by.

I posted about co-sleeping just after the twins were born and got so many different responses. I was kinda freaked out by those who told me how dangerous it was until I researched it and talked to our pedi. Co-sleeping is NOT wrong if you do it safely and it's how your family sleeps best. Our pedi said that most all instances of injury and mortality from co-sleeping involve alcohol, drugs, serious obesity, or negligence. My guess is that you don't fall into these categories, so follow your instincts and enjoy this time together while it lasts! (We miss Owen, but know that he's thriving in his crib now .)

 

I don't have experience yet so take this with a grain of salt from my research; we plan on co-sleeping with them in an arms-reach next to the bed on my side. Since i will be BFing, it seems to make the most sense.

plus, and i don't mean this disrespectfully to anyone who has made a different choice, but - this is what almost everyone around the world does, and what women have been doing for millenia. At least in the beginning; i think in the 'fourth trimester' babies need to feel/smell their mother nearby. There is lots of research that talks about the neurological development that happens with babies post-partum, because their brains/heads can only get so big in order for them to be able to be delivered, and contact with mom is a key element of this.

So, as pp's say: if it's working for you, why worry? There will be a time to transition them to cribs and if you trust yourself you will probably know it.

I know i get confused by all the conflicting information out there; i think some of it we just need to learn organically w/our own individual babies. Of course, i might feel difrerently once mine are actually HERE!