Where do your babies sleep?

Sorry if this has been asked before - I am new and wondered where your babies sleep?

My twins will be 3 months on June 5th. So far they have been sleeping in a co-sleeper next to our bed. We were going to have our babies sleep with us, but our bed is not big enough and DH always freaks out that he is going to roll over on one of them!! They have been doing well in the co-sleeper, but they are growing so fast, and I know soon they will be too long for both of them to sleep in it.

I know someone who attached a crib to her bed, but that was only for one baby, not two. Our house is small and crowded...Does anyone just use pack n plays? Or do most people have two cribs? I think I might freak out to have them in another room! Right now they are being breastfed at night and BF and supplemented during the day. They are sleeping about 5 hours straight right now.

Just wondered what you all did. When did you transition them out of your room (if they sleep in another room)?

Thanks for the help!!

Jennifer

 

Due to some health issues the babies had, I was cosleeping in a little special bed in the nursery with both of them, one on each side (don't worry, I followed every safety guideline for this) and it worked very well for us. At about 3 months they got to a point where they would sleep in their cribs pretty well so they slept in their cribs for at least half the night, then often ended up back in the bed with me for nursing. Eventually, they transitioned themselves into their own cribs, each in his own crib (one baby is super wiggly so they cannot sleep together). The wiggly/refluxy one still often ends up in bed with me for 1-3 hours each night, but that's gradually decreasing.

 

Up until they were 4 months they were sleeping on us or in a swing. Then we transitioned them to a shared crib in our room. Then at about 6 months we put one in the nursery (the better sleeper) and kept the multi-night waker with us for another month.

 

I have my 3,5 months old babies sleeping in bed with me. My husband sleeps in another bed/room. I BF at night and it makes my life so easy not having to get out of bed at night. They also have reflux so I have them on an incline in boppy pillows. I have a large crib and I am planning to take one side off the crib and put it next to my bed next week as my family is coming for a visit and they will sleep in the room that I am currently in. I am planning to have my babies sleep in the same crib as long as possible.

 

We have a large crib for them that we were looking forward to them co sleeping in, but right now that isnt happening due to waking eachother up with crying and grunting. For now they sleep wherever i can get them to, and usually seperately.


Kenneth and Ian are 6 weeks old

 

I'm right with you. I freak when they're in another room! I wanted to have them in bed with me, but sadly, they fall off!!! So we put a mattress on the floor and I nurse them laying down there, and when they fall asleep I get in bed with DH. Best of both worlds if you ask me! And DH gets sleep! and I get sleep and the babies get sleep! And if I fall asleep on the mattress with the babies, no big deal, at least i'm asleep! GL!

 

When we came home when the boys were 4 days old, they went into their crib, in their room. We live in a small house and we can hear them just fine when they "call" us. We do not even have a monitor because I wanted to ge some sleep instead of waking at every timethey make a noise.

GL,
Jenn

 

They have been in their own room in their own crib/cribs (they shared a crib until 5 weeks old) since the day they were brought home. That way no traumatic transitions would have to take place. Plus, babies sleep safest alone. Either in a crib in their own room or a crib/bassinett in the parent's room. Co-sleeping, in bed, kills and is so dangerous. I interened in college at my county's Medical Examiner's office and saw it with my own two eyes. I could never.

 

QUOTE(mom2identicaltwingirls @ Jun 1 2009, 08:51 AM) [snapback]1336257[/snapback]
They have been in their own room in their own crib/cribs (they shared a crib until 5 weeks old) since the day they were brought home. That way no traumatic transitions would have to take place. Plus, babies sleep safest alone. Either in a crib in their own room or a crib/bassinett in the parent's room. Co-sleeping, in bed, kills and is so dangerous. I interened in college at my county's Medical Examiner's office and saw it with my own two eyes. I could never.


I appreciate that your comments come out of concern over judgment. I've read several books by medical experts in support of cosleeping, provided it's done safely. With parenting we make our own choices based on our own situations. With multiples, it's even more important to be flexible to figure out what works for everyone involved. I was completely against cosleeping when I first had the babies - for all the reasons you mentioned, but in the interest of our unique issues (and everyone has unique issues), I found that cosleeping was the best choice for us.

 

Our babies are still at the bottom of our bed in there moses baskets, we have just this weekend tried them for naps in ther seperate cribs in their room and they seem to get on ok. We are still doing nightfeeds so i will be keeping them with me until they are done.

 

I'm sure that I'll get some backlash for this...

NEVER NEVER NEVER sleep with your babies!!!! I am a member of the safe sleep coalition for the Cribs for Kids foundation. We are responsible for the education of all new parents on the national level for the prevention of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. There are several risk factors that you cannot change when it comes to preventing Sudden Infant Death Syndrome ie. neurological impairment, age less than six months etc . However there are a great deal of factors that you CAN change!!!!

1. NEVER sleep with your baby!!!!!!! We have heard it all..."it's easier to breastfeed", "I'll wake up before I roll on my baby."
Did you know that the number of "TRUE" SIDS death is rather small...it's the ridiculously amount of Sudden "Unexplained" deaths that scew the numbers...SUFFOCATION, RE BREATHING of YOUR RESP WASTE CAUSING RESP DEPRESSION - these all get lumped in with the SIDS numbers.

2. Always lay your baby on her back to sleep. EVEN REFLUX babies!! Our anatomy speaks to the safety of this simple maneuver. When laying on our backs - our esophagus (eating tube) sits under our trachea (breathing tube). If your baby should regurgitate, gravity pulls the emesis to the underlying esophagus. If sidelying or belly sleeping the emesis would block the trachea - blocking her vital airway! There is NO supportive research backing the practice of propping babies or having them sleep in a carseat. It is recommended that you hold your baby upright after feeds, do smaller and more frequent feedings, and of course talk to your doctor about meds. Also, many report that thier baby "sleeps more soundly" while on thier belly. This is true - because her nervous system is not quite intact yet!! Her arousal threshold is decreased and her blood pressure will drop dangerously low. We want our babies to be able to awaken!!! Sleeping through the night comes secondary to wanting our babies to awaken!!!

3. Don't smoke around your baby!

4. Don't use bulky bedding that could obstruct your baby's airway. Tuck them in either swaddled under their arms or with a thin blanket tucked under. That also mean NO CRIB BUMPERS! We have found babies caught under the bumper pads then strangulated.

For breastfeeding moms we endorse the bassinettes that are attached to your bed, yet separated by a rail. Keep your baby close to, not in your bed.

 

QUOTE


I appreciate that your comments come out of concern over judgment. I've read several books by medical experts in support of cosleeping, provided it's done safely. With parenting we make our own choices based on our own situations. With multiples, it's even more important to be flexible to figure out what works for everyone involved. I was completely against cosleeping when I first had the babies - for all the reasons you mentioned, but in the interest of our unique issues (and everyone has unique issues), I found that cosleeping was the best choice for us.


I didn't see this response before my post! I'm not trying to undermine your judgment...just attempting to sway you with something that I am passionate about. Judgement free zone here!!

 

QUOTE(1tiredmom @ Jun 1 2009, 03:14 PM) [snapback]1336647[/snapback]
2. Always lay your baby on her back to sleep. EVEN REFLUX babies!! Our anatomy speaks to the safety of this simple maneuver. When laying on our backs - our esophagus (eating tube) sits under our trachea (breathing tube). If your baby should regurgitate, gravity pulls the emesis to the underlying esophagus. If sidelying or belly sleeping the emesis would block the trachea - blocking her vital airway! There is NO supportive research backing the practice of propping babies or having them sleep in a carseat. It is recommended that you hold your baby upright after feeds, do smaller and more frequent feedings, and of course talk to your doctor about meds. Also, many report that thier baby "sleeps more soundly" while on thier belly. This is true - because her nervous system is not quite intact yet!! Her arousal threshold is decreased and her blood pressure will drop dangerously low. We want our babies to be able to awaken!!! Sleeping through the night comes secondary to wanting our babies to awaken!!!



I'm sorry, I really am, but I just can't agree with this.

My first son had bad reflux, he was diagnosed in the NICU because he stopped breathing and they had to shake him to get him breathing again. He was also diagnosed with sleep apnea caused by reflux. He literally choked while laying on his back, and we were told to always sleep him on his side, ALWAYS, by the NICU staff.

We brought him home at a week old on a sleep apnea monitor. We were told as long as we were holding him it was okay to take him off the monitor, but to have him on it at all times when he was sleeping alone. We were visiting family, and my husband's grandmother wanted to hold him. Normally when we held him we held him upright a bit. She was in a wheelchair and had him laying on her lap on his back. I happened to glance over at them, and he wasn't breathing. I picked him up and patted him on the back like you burp them...not breathing. I rushed into the other room with my heart in my throat and told my mom he wasn't breathing. She had to turn him onto his tummy and pat his tiny back with pounding blows to get his airway cleared out so he could breathe, and he finally started crying.

Until you have seen your own child choke like that, and literally stop breathing before your eyes, you have no idea how terrifying it is.

Not one of my other 3 children have ever slept on their back until they were able to roll themselves over onto it. They have all been propped on their sides for fear of them choking like my son did.

I know the "back to sleep" campaign has helped keep thousands of babies safe, but I believe some of that has to do with better health/nutrition of moms which equals healthier babies. I believe some of it is other safety measures like no stuffed animals or plush blankets in bed. I don't believe that 100% of it is from them sleeping on their backs, especially for reflux babies. Just my opinion.

Now...as to the question, I partially co slept with my first 2 children for the first several months and they were in a bassinet the rest of the time, before we transitioned them to the crib in our room. At 10 months for my son and 8 months for my daughter I moved them into their own room. The twins, out of necessity, have been mostly in the crib in our room, but occassionally we have and will co-sleep if they are having a bad night (my daughter has reflux and gassy problems and often has a stomach ache in the evening).

 

I should have stipulated that in RARE cases your neonatologist may agree to prone (belly) sleeping IF on an apnea monitor.

I'm sorry that you had such a rough time with reflux. Mine suffered with it as well. I always kept them on thier backs but I rarely got sleep because I felt the need to check on them all of the time.

Guess I'm too scientific. If the data shows that I can make a difference based on legitimate evidence based research - I'm gonna do it. Type A maybe???

 

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/7/T071000.asp

 

Aggghhhhhh! Dr. Sears = my nemesis!!! I'm a fact kinda gal. Sears is REALLY good at giving his opinion. "What I see..." , "In my 30 years of practice" etc. If you truly want to buy into that please email Dr. Sears and request a PDF file of his supportive documentation. Request him to site his sources so you can validate his research. Ask for numbers. THERE ARE NONE.

This is such a hot button issue. Bottom line is every parent is going to do what they want. I TOTALLY realize that I am completely single minded on this issue. This has been a project of a neonatologist that I respect and admire for the past 5 years. He pours his heart and soul into preventing un-necessary deaths. HIS campaign is recognized by the Academy of Pediatrics. The legislation will soon be in effect requiring a signature of every parent of a newborn on a document proving that they have been educated as to the facts I've previously posted. Guess I just don't understand how facts can be argued with.

 

We all have a right to our opinion and our practices. I know the OP didn't intend for this to become a debate about cosleeping and those of us who do choose to cosleep should be able to admit it without fear of getting hammered on for doing so, or being told we will kill our babies.

 

But babies can die of it. Why are people so passionate about breastfeeding or when to start solids (I've seen some wicked debates on both), but not something as serious as co-sleeping? Formula fed babies don't die because they are formula fed. Babies that eat cereal at three months of age versus four months of age do not die because of it. Babies DO die because of co-sleeping, and at an alarming rate. As I had above mentioned, I interned at my Medical Examiner's office and saw four dead co-sleepers in eight months! That's tragic, but still a lot of people don't take it seriously. I don't know, we all do make our own choices, but people that choose to defend co-sleepingm but have issues with other pittly insignificant matters, just confuse me. One death is too many. There is no excuse for it and I don't think anyone should be suggesting that the woman that posted this question should be doing it. I would never want to see her suffer such a tragedy.

 

I totally understand and respect that everyone has different parenting styles, so I'm not going to participate in the debate, but rather, respond to the OP's question:

My 7 month old twins sleep in their cribs and have since they were 3 months old. When they got home from the NICU until 3 months, they slept pretty much in bouncers as they had reflux and then both got RSV and it was easier for them to breathe sitting upright. I never had them share a crib because they are wiggle worms! Now one of my girls likes to sleep on her side or her tummy (I put them both to bed on their backs, she moves on her own).

I wouldn't be able to sleep if they were in the same room with me. I tried it for a couple of weeks and they made too many noises, so now they are happy to sleep in their room in their own cribs and mommy gets great sleep!!

Good luck with your sleeping arrangements! I hope whatever you choose works best for your situation.

 

My girls both slept in a cosleeper right next to our bed until a week ago! Now, I've transitioned one into their room in their crib (we only have one) and I've put the other one in the cosleeper which is now in the bassinet position and moved away from the bed. I loved having them in the cosleeper for many reasons. It was nice to roll over and see them, check on them, grab them to nurse, etc... At six months I started phasing out some night feeds and the decision to move one to their crib was because one fell asleep as usual after their bedtime nursing and the other didn't... so I put the one who was awake in the crib to fall asleep on her own (she'd been sleeping in the crib for naps for about a month or so) - and she slept almost all night!
As the girls start to sleep through the night consistenly I'll move the other one into their room where she'll probably continue to sleep in cosleeper separate from her sister (our girls just sleep better that way -one moves around a lot).
It was sad at first... moving them away from my side of the bed and having one all alone in their room, but after a few nights of good sleep, I got over it!! heh!
Good Luck... sounds like you have some time before you need to worry about moving them out of the sleeper.

 

When we brought the babies home they slept in a cradle together (feet to feet) until they were too big around 2 months of age...then they each slept in their own at the end of our bed. At 3 months right after I went back to work we moved them to their cribs in their own room...by then they were too wiggly to co-sleep like I wanted them too, but they have been STTN since 7wks so I can't complain

 

My older set of twins shared a crib for 15 months, they wouldnt sleep w/o each other. They also got up and slept together any way when we put them in seperate rooms.

The young ones slept with/on me for the first few weeks. They napped in a cradle side by side till they were too big for it. Now they share a crib and will prob stay that way till they go to toddler beds btn 12-15 months.

 

Our twins have slept in their cribs from the day we brought them home from the hospital and we don't regret it one bit. They made so many noises that both me and dh would never get any sleep. We did have them sleep in their bouncy chairs for about two weeks though when they both had colds and really stuffy noses but I am really happy with our decision.

 

Mine sleep beside me in our bedroom in a pack-in-play, they are 2 weeks old...I will be moving them to their cribs in a feww weeks.

 

Mine slept in a cosleeper next to our bed until they were STTN (about 3.5 months), then we moved them into 1 crib in their nursery. I cried the first night as I closed the door! But they slept great and I got more sleep too.

At about 6 months they got too big to sleep in the same crib, so I moved them into separate cribs. I thought they'd miss each other and wake up, but they never seemed to notice.

 

HI, I am new to this board, just found it...
For my twins, we co-bedded them in the packNplay in our room until they got big enough to be separated into their own PackNPlay's...when they were 7 mos old we finally put them in their own cribs in their nursery as they outgrew the packNplay's...we waited sooo long b/c hubby wanted to make sure nursery was done perfect and it was just time consuming to get it done, otherwise i would of had them in their cribs around 5 mos of age...they do just fine in their cribs...we have the monitor on them as well...