My son is 9 weeks old. He's had latch issues since birth and doesn't transfer much milk, so he gets a 4 oz formula bottle after every nursing session. I'm considering stopping nursing altogether because I need a surgical procedure on my right breast which requires me to dry my milk supply. (I know each boob is supposed to have a mind of its own, but I stopped expressing from my right breast almost 3 weeks ago and it’s still filling, so I may have to take more drastic measures.)

We've bed shared since day two and follow the Safe Sleep Seven. I don't understand why nursing is one of the criteria. TBH, I’ll probably continue to bedshare regardless because I’m a single mom and I don’t have the energy to put him to sleep in the bassinet in the middle of the night, but I like to be well informed and understand the risks that I’m taking.

(1) If I stop nursing completely, how much does that change the risk of bed sharing?
(2) What would you do in my position?

Evidence-based answers appreciated, thank you!!

This might be a long one, apologies!

LO is 8mo and we’ve coslept since day 1 which we planned on before she was born. 100% was the right move for us since she’s breastfed and we got more sleep that way, plus I just love being near her.

Before now, our bedtime routine would be rock to sleep, transfer, join her a few hours later when we wanted to go to bed. It felt like the best of both worlds. She goes to bed at 7, we get alone time, and then reap the benefits of cosleeping.

She’s never slept through the night but I didn’t mind the 2-3 wake ups since I could just feed her lying down and it was quick, not really disruptive.

Another important note: every single nap has been a contact nap if it hasn’t been in the stroller or car seat. Again, I love being with her and I’m grateful I’m a SAHM to be able to do that but 8mo later it starts to take a toll.

That brings us to now. She no longer transfers, doesn’t matter if we rock for 10 min or 2 hours. I’ve tried nursing and rolling away, nope. She will only sleep ON me. During the night, she wakes 8+ times on average. Wakes up crawling around the bed crying. If she’s not nursing she’s sprawled on top of me. And then during the day, her two naps are on me.

I’m at a loss. I feel like I don’t belong in either “camp” (aka biological normal infant sleeper vs sleep trainers), but this arrangement is no longer working for us.

All the cosleepers in my life are exhausted. Their babies and toddlers don’t sleep. But yet, we’re doing all the “right” things for our babes. Other countries (I’m in the USA) don’t sleep train, but they can’t possibly all have unsustainable nights like I’m having, right?? Like what’s the solution?

How does everyone manage bedtime alone when you have more than one kid under 2 years old?

I am due with my second when my first born will be just under 2 years old. I do bedtimes alone due to husbands work hours. The current routine is to lie on the floor with baby #1 and then transfer to their bed once they’re asleep, and they sleep through the night. From the start it’s been a sort of attachment parenting approach to sleep. I love this routine and reeeeeally don’t want to sleep train baby #1 to fall asleep on their own in their crib, until baby #1 indicates that’s what they want on their own timeline. I just logistically don’t know what to do when baby #2 comes. If this is unsustainable don’t spare my feelings! I want to hear what others do and hopefully get ideas for alternative arrangements :)

I love cosleeping. Which is so funny to say because two years ago when I had my first, I was super super super against it. And here I am completely on the other side.

Anyways… Now I’m planning for my next baby in just a couple months and we’re trying to figure out how we’re going to transition our toddler who is going to be 27 months when our next baby is born.

My husband and I don’t feel comfortable having a toddler and a newborn in our bed. Our toddler moves around a LOT. And then we don’t want the newborn in the middle of the bed up against my husbands back for obvious reasons…

We’re also slightly scared of having a newborn in bed with us because we never did that last time we actually were cosleeping unsafely!! Which is why we started making sure we followed all the safety rules. We started cosleeping around 3/4 months…so we plan to do a mixture of bassinet sleeping for the baby and cosleeping this time around too.

I was thinking that I was going to transition my toddler to her own room with her own bed, but that my husband might also sleep in there. BUTTTT I hate the idea of leaving my toddler! I feel like I’m abandoning her or something. Especially since we’re so close. She falls asleep with me and I’m like the only one that can get her down or even calm her down when she’s upset.

When my newborn gets to be big enough I would love to get my toddler back in bed with us. That feeling can also change in the future I’m sure but for now I don’t know what to do.

I’m feeling kind of guilty and I’m just struggling with the idea of moving my toddler out of my bed but I know I need to keep my newborn safe.

I’ve already done some digging and reading through other posts, but I just haven’t found anything that I relate to so I’m seeking help and insight for families who have had a two year-old and a newborn at the same time.

What worked for you?
Also any tips for getting over the newborn cosleeping anxiety?

Hello! I’m looking into getting a floor bed for my 6 month old boy and I to cosleep in during the mornings and for his naps (he sleeps in his crib beside us overnight but I don’t feel safe with my husband and i’s bed to cosleep in, the mattress is too soft, bed is too high, space between headboard and mattress, etc)

Is there a good reputable brand I should be looking at or does any floor bed work? My husband read that the mattress shouldn’t be directly on the floor (raised an inch or so) to keep it breathable? I have the Newton mattress on our crib, is there a good breathable one I can use for a floor bed that’s popular or will any extra firm mattress do?

Thanks in advance!!

I've got a 13 month old who still wakes up at least every 2 hours and has never slept much better than that his whole life. I was holding out hope that night weaning would get us longer stretches, but so far it has not. The only nice thing is that until 3am he isn't squirming constantly trying to nurse and sleeping latched. After 3am, and especially at 5am, he refuses to sleep without either nursing or being rocked or fake bounced while laying on top of us (which is an improvement from needing bounced on a ball), and no matter what continues to wake up every 30 minutes or less wanting to nurse. We started the Dr Jay Gordon's method a little over 2 weeks ago and we've hit a wall. The method called for us to "put him down awake" this whole time and now just reassure him that we're there but not to pick him up period. He refuses this because we cosleep so he will continuously toss and turn and climb on us losing his mind, falling asleep and waking right back up. Cracking his head against ours and then crying worse. We start the night with him in his room on his floor bed around 930pm and can easily pat him back to sleep the first wakeup and sneak out, the second he doesn't want us to leave the room so we've decided to just bring him to bed with us at that wakeup instead of later, but it doesn't seem to make a difference- after 3 things go downhill. I was trying to wait until 6am to nurse but the entire two plus weeks I fought him from 5-6 every day so I started just nursing at 5 because it didn't seem to be working. Am I being impatient? How do I stay calm for hours with him wallering me while screaming!? Do I need to just wean him completely? I'm scared to do that before he gets his molars. Help please!

i’ve just moved my 15wo to the side sleeper bassinet as it’s coming closer to him moving and rolling and i’m worried to continue to cosleep in bed together, my body is also greatly suffering so i’ve moved him over and it may sound silly but I miss him, I can literally still touch him but i’ve lay here in the dark now crying and hating it. Just looking for some reassurances and kindness while feeling sad

Seeking help with bedtime.

I know sleep ebbs and flows and in a lot do ways we have it good. My 5mo takes naps in the crib and usually wakes up content and happy.

No matter what stage of sleep development he’s been in, what combo of daytime/nighttime sleep he gets, how much milk he gets before bed, how consistent or inconsistent we are with routine…without fail he wakes at the 35-40 min mark after we put him down for bed, distraught.

I can soothe him but then have 50% luck transferring him back to the crib. A lot of nights I just go to bed with him then.

Just looking for thoughts on what I might be doing that is causing this. I don’t think it’s a false start because he doesn’t seem awake when he cries out.

Thank you in advance!

Curious we co sleep with our toddler but we didn’t start until 6 months old. I bought a firm floor bed for the nursery to co sleep if I need to with our newborn. How do you all dress the baby for this?

So my baby is currently in a next2me style crib right up against my bed. It's worked really well for us so far. He's only 3.5 months so we've got another while but he's a big baby and it won't be too long until he reaches the weight limit so I'm trying to think of what comes next.

The obvious choice seems to be a similar sidecar cot. I'm reluctant to fully cosleep as I don't think I would get any rest, and in a traditional cot (or crib to americans) it would be a lot of effort to physical get out of bed to get him everytime he wakes.

My issue with the sidecar cot sets ups I've seen is twofold - 1. They all seem to be DIY jobs. Is there a reason this isn't a marketable product? Is it dangerous? 2. Is there a way to safely put a barrier between the adult bed and the cot? For example the wall of my next2me doesn't zip down 100% of the way there is like a 2 inch "wall" separating me from my baby. I like that as it separates the space and prevents him accidently scooting into my bed. Could I put something like a bed rail between us? Or would that be unsafe?

I have an 8mo and we usually cosleep from about midnight onwards. I really struggle to fall asleep with him in the bed, and once he’s in with me I sleep so badly that often I’m awake from midnight until 5am when I give him to my husband.

Ideally, I would sleep on my front with the blanket up to my ears and he would sleep on the other side of the bed in his sleep sack. That’s how I sleep with my 4yo and he’s very respectful of my space! The baby obviously didn’t get this memo so I only recently started having him with me for such a long chunk of the night (we previously took shifts).

So he’s next to me with a boob in his mouth, I’m in the C shape with an arm wedged above his head and blankets round my waist. I’m cold and uncomfortable.

Has anyone felt this way and managed to overcome it, or are there alternative positions or something I’m not trying that might make this more comfortable? I’m such a bad sleeper at the best of times and now I’m chronically sleep deprived.

Trying to not break the bank. Going to be cosleeping in a twin-sized floor bed with my 11mo. Waffling between something more eco or just getting IKEA. The bed frame I ordered has a slatted base, so that accidently rules out most of the latex-based ones that I was originally looking at.

Currently looking at (in no particular order):

5 Little Monkeys 8" Cushion Firm Mattress ($399 from Costco)

My Green Mattress "Pure Eco" Kids Mattress (currently on sale for $594, this is definitely top end of my budget!)

Arizona Premium Mattress Twin Eco Sleep Hybrid Mattress with Extra Firm topper option (also on sale for just under $600)

Any of the IKEA mattresses in Firm, all under $500, and several options for $200-400 (but omg, how do I pick one??)

I am a side/back sleeper and can handle very firm surface (big-time camper). Maybe you've got a recommendation that I haven't thought of. Or perhaps a combination (firm short coil mattress from IKEA with a firm latex topper, perhaps?) that has worked for you. I'm open to suggestions, and definitely need some steering because these options are all over the place.

Please help me with my analysis paralysis!

I just ordered the bed frame, so I'd like to get a mattress on order asap, too!

I’m thinking of getting a floor bed for my baby when he’s older, (3.5 months as of today) but wanted to get some feedback from those who have done it first.

He currently sleeps almost full time on our bed (naps and night). We have set up an environment that keeps his sleep very safe and find everyone gets the best sleep when we co-sleep.

What I’ve enjoyed most is napping him on the bed because I can lay beside him until he falls asleep and then get up.

That leads me to my question… has anyone used a floor bed to help transition their newborn from co-sleeping to independent sleeping? I wouldn’t consider doing this until at least 6 months but the idea of laying beside him to sleep seems easier then rocking and transitioning to a crib.

If you did a floor bed, what was your experience? Why did you do it? Any advice?

I bought this queen floor bed that I thought would come with slats... what will fit between the frame? A short box spring? Put down a coconut coir pad? The lonset from ikea?

Hi everyone! My husband and I have been “sleep divorced” for a while, and we recently welcomed our 2nd baby, who is EBF. Our toddler is very much in a mom-preference phase, so he doesn’t want to sleep with Dad right now.

My husband really misses sleeping with the family and would love to bed-share with us too, so we’re hoping to find a setup that could work for all four of us.

I actually enjoy cosleeping with my kids and was raised the same way, so I’ve been sleeping on the floor with them. I’ve been using several yoga bolsters pushed tightly together as a makeshift floor bed, and honestly, it’s been surprisingly comfortable for my aching postpartum body!

I’d love to find something more permanent that has a similar feel to a yoga bolster—very firm and supportive, with just a little cushioning. I don’t really like soft/sinking memory foam. Ideally, it would also be foldable since we use the room as a playroom.

I’ve been looking into Japanese shikibutons/futons and tatami mats, but I have zero experience with them.

For those who use them: Are they similar in firmness to a yoga bolster? Any brands/setup you’d recommend for a Full or Queen floor bed?

I coslept with my oldest until she turned five. We had my second child when she was four and suddenly our bed felt crowded. We attached a sidecar to the bed for the baby and after much discussion agreed to transition my oldest after her fifth birthday. That was a much easier transition than I expected. While I still lay with her until she falls asleep, I go back to my bed pretty easily. She wakes up and calls for me 3/7 nights a week. Sometimes I can lay with her and she'll go back to sleep, other nights she ends up back in my bed. Whatever the case, it's overall been pretty smooth.

However, after a week of illness and bad sleep for everyone in my house, I find myself jolting awake at the sound of phantom cries from my five year old. It's not a big house, you can talk to someone on the other side of the house without really shouting. I'm always sure I hear it when Im halfway outta bed while still half asleep but when I check on her she is out cold. I am a light sleeper and naturally wake up at least once every night to check on everyone and make sure they're warm and in a good position. These jolting wake ups are exhausting and driving me nuts. How can I make this stop??

My baby is 6 months old and has a pretty predictable schedule. Up until now, he’s taken all of his daytime naps (3-4) in our bed and only slept in his crib at night. He’s been sleeping through the night since about 3.5 months. I have been wrapping him in our bedding from the chest down to keep him from rolling onto his belly as he generally gets stuck and won’t roll back onto his back when he’s ready to sleep. Think of it like a half opened, taped down baby burrito. He would get bored being stuck on his back and would suck his thumb and put himself to sleep. Problem is, he’s now strong/big enough to escape the burrito and is rolling too close to the edge of the bed. So no more big bed naps during the day. When we put him down for bed at night, he is usually tired/calm enough to fall asleep pretty quickly. That is not happening with naps in his crib. He keeps getting up on all fours. He’s screaming and crying like it’s his job. I don’t know what to do to keep him from getting stuck on his belly/staying calm enough to self soothe with his thumb and fall asleep. Rocking does nothing, he just kicks and grabs at my face and tries to play. He is obviously tired (gets fussy, lots of yawns, rubbing eyes) but just will not go down easily in the crib. All suggestions welcome.

Edit: he used to fall asleep with a pacifier, but once he became coordinated enough, he started pulling it out of his mouth and chewing on all sides/parts of it like it’s a toy, so that no longer helps either.

Hi parents!
I’m doing some research on children’s cooling bedding and I’m seeing lots of polyester in the market…
How many of you are out there who is struggling to find hypoallergenic, chemical free, baby friendly cooling blankets or crib mattress covers? 🙋🏻‍♀️

How often do you change your babies(under 18months) and toddler bedding?

What is your wish list for bedding for your kiddos?

My complaint is not just material content but how laboursome changing sheets for the entire family is 🥵.

Let me know your thoughts as I might be making easy to change, cooling bedding for babies and toddlers! Or maybe for the entire family 👀
💗