Parenting Question! Co-Sleeping??

Question

We have a 3 year old daughter who is currently sleeping in the family bed, my partner wanted to kick her out when she was 3 months old but i wouldn't have it as i feel co-sleeping is good for her emotional development, we are now TTC a second child and i'm just wondering, at what point should i start putting her to bed in her own room?

Answer 1

Should have already done that.

Answer 2

She should have been in her own bed months ago.  To be honest I cant see how sleeping with Mum and Dad can have a positive effect on her 'emotional development', I would say it would have an adverse effect in the long run, but thats my opinion

Answer 3

You guys have s*x with a 3 year old in the bed? Poor kid!

It is actually BAD for her emotional development, NOT good.

Get her out of your bed now!

Answer 4

hmm I am in the same boat. We moved in with my parents when me & his real dad split up & from the adjustment he would not sleep in his crib anymore, However he did up til he was 8 months & me & his dad split up. i guess he wanted to maek sure I wasnt going nowhere. Well now that hes 3 hes still sleeping with me & i recently got married & moved to a diff. state so its another adjustment. & now I am 4 months pregnant... Monday we are getting him a bed he currenlty has a cheap futton. Then I wil slowly start putting him in there to sleep & help him get adjusted to that. Even if I have to let him fall asleep with us then carry him to bed in there every night. GOOD LUCK!

Answer 5

Well you should probably start now.  Does she nap in her own bed?  That would be the place to start.  Go shopping and let her pick some sheets, or a stuffed animal to have in bed.  Make it a fun and exciting thing.  It will be hard if she is only used to sleeping with you for three years.  Maybe try laying with her in her own bed until she falls asleep at first, as she gets comfortable with it.  Or start with her bed in your room, and move it out when she's ready.  Good luck.

Answer 6

When I did the transition I would read him books, sing songs, make sure night light was on and stay with him until he fell asleep. He was a heavy sleeper so I didn't have any trouble with hin getting up once he was out.

Answer 7

She should already be in her bed, I would start asap. Its going to be hard and shes going ot scream, but her screaming will get shorter and shorter every night and then she will not even fuss about it. When shes screaming go in and check on her after about 10 minutes or so but don't pick her up, I always just told mine that it was okay and I would pay her on the back. It seriously works and its gotta be done or she'll be in the room with you until she's 13. Good luck!!!

Answer 8

She should be in her own bed from the first day you guys had s*x again!

I was on my own from age 2 or 3, and I turned out pretty well. My little cousin, on the other hand, still won't sleep alone at age 12.

Get your child used to her own room before it's too late! Establish a little night time ritual -- toothbrushing, a story, etc. so that your little one learns to associate her room with sleep.

Answer 9

Yikes!  I thought it was hard getting my son to sleep in his own bed when he was 10months old, I can't imagine 3 yrs old.  It's going to be hard and you're going to have to stick to your guns about this.  You need to start getting her excited about being a big girl and sleeping in her own bed.  Take her shopping so she can pick out new stuff for her new big girl room.  And you might wanna get a super tall baby gate to put on her door bc she's going to get out of bed and try to come to you, but if you want this to work, don't let her talk or cry her way into your bed.  Good luck.

Answer 10

It should have been done a long time ago.  Personally, I don't understand how this helps her emotional development.  The longer it goes on the harder it will be to get her out of your bed.  I know a family who believed in co-sleeping and their daughter is now 6 years old and still co-sleeping because they can't get her out.  Children need to learn to sleep in their own beds and that everything is ok and mom and dad are right there if they need them.

Answer 11

Co-sleeping get's so much negative press...however sleep studies show that both the mother and the child sleep better during the night AND nearly every other culture in the world co-sleep...it's Americans who are so quick to put the babies in baby prisions (aka cribs).

Anyway, my son has co-slept with us since he was born, he's now 21 mo. We we found out that we were expecting a baby we started the transition...first made his crib three sided and put it next to my side of the bed, then we eventually took it into his own room. He still comes in with us at night and usually falls asleep...we wake him up and take him to his own room for the rest of the night. I still plan to continye this routine when our daughter arrives in a couple months, only she'll stay with us in bed after he's taken into his room.

Answer 12

I would start now...with the age she is you are gonna have a really hard time getting her to stay in her own bed...i would start as early as you could b/c it's probably gonna be at least a year battle...we put our daughter in a bassinet BESIDE the bed for 6 months but once I was ok with her being in the other room she's been in her own crib since 6 months.

Answer 13

Any time at all ...try to do it on a weejkend or at a time where you don't have to do too much for a couple of days as there may be a couple of nights with not much sleep for all concerned!

I would follow her usual night time routine, maybe playtime/mumma daddy time, bathtime, story time (in her very own big girl bed) then lights out time for sleeping time!

Try the rapid return method, when story is finished both hug and kiss her goodnight and leave teh bedroom ...if she comes out just say "Come on darling time for sleeping" and return her straight to the bed and leave.  If she comes out again just say "Sleeptime" again put her back into her bed ...no kisses no cuddles nothing........leave.  Any time she comes out after this just do not speak to her .....just pick her up or hold her hand and lead her back to her bed.  It can be a little stressful, making sure she has had a really busy day may help her not put up too much of a fight, she will be too tired.  Like I said it might take a while (a few nights) but the returns will lessen as the nights go on.  Just be strong and support each other.

If you think she might put on a bit of a turn let your neighbours know what youy're planning - the last thing you'd want is the police knocking on the door after neighbours have called them 'cos of your childs excessive screaming/crying!

Best of luck with it all!!!