How long do you or will you co-sleep with your child(ren)?

Question

I just recently read an article in a parenting magazine about a family who did the cosleeping thing and now that their child is 7 years old, he still will not go to his own bed. Don't think I buy that, but what's your plan?

Answer 1

We co-slept with our son, and now he sleeps in a toddler bed. He was about 18 months when we transitioned him into his own bed, and he's done just fine. He will still occasionally sleep with me when my husband is deployed, and he usually sleeps with us the first few nights that daddy is home from a deployment. Other than that, I had no issues with co-sleeping or getting him into his own bed.

Answer 2

We started cosleeping with our first from the time he was born. When he was 3 months old, I started putting him in a pack & play in our room. That only lasted a few days, because I missed having him in our bed. It was so nice to have him there cuddling up to me. He started sleeping in his own bed about 18 months. Some nights he wakes up and comes into our room. When he does that, I let him stay. (Partly because I don't want to get up to take him back). It is just the sweetest thing to wake up and see him all sweaty, mouth hanging open, asleep. He's now 2 1/2.
When our second was born, he didn't sleep at night until 7 weeks (I'm only exaggerating a little, it was awful). When he did start sleeping, he liked to be alone. He is still that way, he has to be in his crib, with the door shut. He sleeps really well, but is a light sleeper, so we just leave him alone! So, he has never slept with us (except on the couch!) I still like to co-nap with my older one if I get the chance. There is nothing better than sleeping with the love of your life in your arms! (Yes, I'm married, and yes, I love my husband. But my little boys are my everything!)

Answer 3

Hahahahaha ok I loved all the answers so far, but I am a single mother with a 4 yr old son. Being a single mother I have lived with my family until about two years ago, and my son had extensive medical problems which required me to be at his side all through the night. Anyway my son still sleeps with me most of the time. I will put him in his bed and he will fall asleep on his own, but by morning he is back in bed with me. I don't mind it, I mean like I said I am a single mother so no one else shares my bed, but I do sometimes wish he would stay in his bed all night. I think about what will happen when I get married and my bed becomes mine and my husbands bed. So yeah I still do it, but if I had the choice to do it over I probably wouldn't start the habit. I don't mind it though right now.

Answer 4

My daughter was 3 and a half YEARS old when she went to her own bed in her own room, willingly, I might add. My son was a little over 4 YEARS old. He also went willingly. They are now 15 and 10, and they know that STILL to this day, if they need me in the night, I will be there.

Answer 5

I have been cosleeping with my son since he was born. He's almost 5 months now. Occasionally he sleeps in his pack and play in our bedroom. Once he turns 6 months I'm going to try to have him in that more and slowly work him into sleeping in his crib in the other room.
I'm raising my son with Attachment Parenting and believe that he needs to know we're there for him and have a strong bond with him (IE: never let him just cry it out).
There is a difference between showing them you're there and loving them and not giving them boundaries. I think that the 7 year old had boundary issues.
Blessings to you.

Answer 6

Well, our 3 year old just moved out of our bed on his own. One night he just decided that he wanted to sleep in his own bed in his own room. So we set up his bed and he slept wonderfully, no crying or fussing....my hubby and I were more torn up about it. Our 13 month old sleeps with us still, I don't see him moving out anytime soon, especially while he is still nursing. We plan on doing the same thing with him. Let him decide when he is ready to move out of our bed.

**Oh, and for the anti co-sleeping crowd. Please do not refer to co-sleeping as a mistake, because it is not. Save that word for things like letting a baby cry it out....something that deserves to be called a mistake.

Answer 7

My son is 6 months old and we co-sleep. We'll continute to do so until he decides he wants to stop.

The key to the co-sleeping debate is that you need to do what's right for your particular family. You personally may not want to be sleeping with a 7 year old child, but that family might be fine with it. I know a 10 year old who still sleeps with his parents & they're all happy with that.

Just for the record, co-sleeping does not increase the risk of SIDS.

Answer 8

I'm a semi-co-sleeper, (We have a sleeper hooked to the bed) and I plan to start 'weaning' DD from the sleeper within the next 6 months. If she's in her own crib/bed by June 2008, She'll be 18 months.

Hope this helps.

Answer 9

My older son slept with us until he was about 2.5, when we transitioned him to a mat on the floor in our room. A few months later, he decided to try out the bed in his room, and he stayed there.

He's four now, and sleeps in his own bed until daylight, when he comes downstairs to crawl in and have a morning snuggle.

Our infant son sleeps in bed with us now, and we'll probably transition him in a similar way when he's ready. It's worked very well for us, and neither my husband nor I regret our decision to cosleep with our kids at all..

Answer 10

I decided not to co-sleep except during naps as it made me hugely nervous that I'd smother her...but I did put her into a bassinet pushed up against my bed. She stayed in that a little longer than she should have...it took me several tries before "I" was able to leave her in crib all night. She was about 3.5 months.
And Sarah, believe me; you'll be amazed at how you tune into them. I can't hear her breathing anymore and that took a lot of getting used to, but if she whimpers I'm awake and listening for more.

Answer 11

As long as they want. It's not normal for children to sleep alone. In most cultures, they sleep with their parents and later, their siblings. Of course, I'm one of those "crazy" parents who doesn't make my son cry it out or expect him to sleep through the night when he's 8 weeks old.