Need Help Using a Co-sleeper

It's been a while since i had a newborn and i never used a co-sleeper. I'm wondering, if this fits right next to your bed, can you finish nursing her on the breast that would place her in the co-sleeper and you laying on the edge of your bed facing it. that way you don't tranfer her at all, just remove your breast and roll over to snuggle hubby. Am i explaining that well enough? Nurse laying down with her laying in the sleeper. I apologize if i'm picturing the co-sleeper wrong.
I wish wonderful nights of sweet dreams for all of you.

I used the same co-sleeper when my son was an infant and we were nursing. The swaddling sounds like a good idea so she still feels secure. I think it will also give her the same comfort without the risks of putting her on her belly. If you put her down and there is still fussing, I would try patting her gently on her back or butt until she calms down again. That worked for me. Also, make sure she is burped well before placing her down. Gas bubbles could be the cause of some of her fussing when you lay her down. I would encourage you to keep trying to put her down and not pick her right back up. The more you try it and different techniques, she should get more and more used to and comfortable with being laid down on her own. Don't be afraid to keep trying until it works, and I think it will be worth it in the end.

Are you swaddling? Regardless of where you are having them sleep, at 3 months she probably would still prefer to be swaddled!!! That may be why she's waking up after you put her down.

I used a cosleeper up until my son could sit up (that's when they need to come out due to safety reasons. I loved the cosleeper. I attached it to the bed (that was a fun time - I swear my delivery was easier:) Once it was attached I made sure the side closest to the bed was down. If it's not the height of your bed, you can by the extension feet - we had to do this. Unfortunately my son startled easily so after nursing him at night, I would slowly and quietly sit up and genbtly lower him into the co-sleeper. Yes he woke up many times but he grew out of it. I would shush him as I was putting him in. I also swaddled him. Now I know people will look down on this but affter he could sit up, he didn't want to fully move out of our room. We put up a bedrail on one side of our bed. He would go down in his crib and then I would transfer him in at night to ours and put him between me and the bedrail. Dr. Sears says it's fine to do but you need to do what's best for you and your child. My friends still think it's crazy that our son won't sleep thru=out the night by himself but not all children are the same and we do not believe in crying it out. If you haveany questions feel free to contact me.

E., unfortunately I don't have any help. But I had the same problem. When I bought the co-sleeper I thought it was the same level as the bed. And since it isn't I think that is why they wake up when you put them down. I am expecting again in Sept. I plan on raising the bed level in the cosleeper so that it is the same height as the bed. Then I can just nurse and then roll over as one mom suggested. Hopefully someone will provide us with a better solution!! Good Luck.

I have an almost 6 month old and I had the same problem. Finally, as many others suggested I tried swaddling when she was 3 months. This worked like a charm and I wished that I would have started earlier. It was the only way I could EVER put her down without her crying ( I seriously carried her around for the first 3 months and had to co-sleep with her because I didn't know what else to do). I hope this works for you.

I like Kay's idea and second swaddlig her. I just found a neat product called a "Woombie" (they have them on Ebay) that I plan to put my new little one in...it may be worth checking out. :)

Hi E.,

Contact your local La Leche League Representative. She may be able to help you.

www.llli.org

Hope this helps. D.

you try baby on the belly?

i know every pediatrician will say no no no no, but some battles you fight and some you don't.

best,
C.
pax

I have to say that I feel your pain. As a public health professional, I believe that co-sleeping (which means baby sleeping in the same room as parents) was the ideal, both from a breastfeeding promotion AND a SIDS/SUID reduction standpoint. We bought an Arm's Reach Co-sleeper and were all ready to go.

Unfortunately, someone forgot to clue the baby into the benefits of this arrangement. He HATED sleeping in the same room as us, and he especially hated the cosleeper. While standard crib mattresses are hardly plush, they are softer and more supportive than the thin co-sleeper mattress. We eventually gave up on the co-sleeper and put him in his crib at night, and I nursed in the nursery.

I agree that if you aren't swaddling, that should be the first thing you try. We swaddled until 6 or 7 months-- way longer than I anticipated. If she will nap in the co-sleeper, I think you can rule that out as the source of the problem, but if she just won't sleep there anytime, you may have to accept that it isn't comfortable for her. And it may be that if she knows your so close, she's going to insist on being nearer to you.

I always hesitate to weigh into the bedshare/no bedsharing debate in a non-professional context, because people are so passionate about their positions. And obviously the majority of people who bedshare get away with it without harm to the baby. But I feel compelled to note that while people have been bedsharing for millennia, they didn't do it on 18 inch mattresses with down pillows and comforters. In nearly all cultures, men don't sleep in the same bed with lactating women. And it is only in the last 30 years that the majority of people in the culture are overweight or obese. And babies did and do die of roll over-- according to the CDC, 315 of them in 2003. I know that you didn't want to get into this, so just let me say that if you or anyone else wants access to the statistics or research on bedsharing, you or they are welcome to private message me.

Best of luck. The sleeping DOES get better, however it works out. She will start to be able to go longer and longer at night between breastfeeding sessions, and you will start to get more sleep. Just remember there are a number of perfectly reasonable ways to approach the feeding/sleeping issue, and what works for you guys (as long as it is safe) is just fine.

Why must the baby be moved?
The world has co-slept with their children for 1000's of years before the American population felt that everyone needed their own space.
Do the research -- the statistics for co-sleeping are much stronger than many in mainstream public realize. And the stats for crib death are much higher than a child being smothered in a bed by the parent. But don't believe me or even your doctor -- do you own homework.
You might be surpirsed at the secure, happy little person you end up with.

Baby just wants to be next to its favorite person -- that is all. It does not last forever,they really do need their own space sooner or later.