Topic : Where Should Your Child Sleep?

My newborn- who is now 16 weeks old slept very well at night, usually from 10pm until 7am from 5 weeks until now (due to teething). We had the same problem with her sleeping during the day. It took us a month to get her used to sleeping in certain places, Now, she will only sleep in her crib at night and will only nap in her swing or on our bed during the day and even then sometimes we have to lay with her for a minute to get her to sleep.  my only suggestion is to watch where she sleeps best, even if it's not for long then stick to that place. :)

We are the parents of 7 happy well adjusted children (24 - 5 yrs old).  We have used the family bed.  This is what seemed to work best for us.  I don't say it is for everyone but for us our whole family slept best this way.  We have used only one queen bed, side car bed, toddler bed, twin bed next to ours, sleeping bags on floor.   Whatever seemed to work with the amount of children

who needed to be in our room.   I don't believe there is only ONE way for a family to get

their much needed rest.  I think you should open your hearts and minds to what works best for

everyone.  Just find a solution that everyone gets the best nights rest possible.

Family Bed by Tine Thevin is a great book and also Good Nights by Dr. Jay Gordon helped so much!

Happy sleeping!

I have always had my children in their own beds.

I have 2 girls now 11 and 6; even when I breast fed them in the early months of their life they were in a bassinet. I could blame it on paranoia of smothering them and hearing stories of my friends having a hard time getting their kids in their own rooms. I knew I didn't want to deal with those consequences later.

I believe our adult bed is our sanctuary and our source of privacy which as you all know is hard to find after having children and when you mix the two your relationship struggles also.

Now, when an occasional storm or a case of the upset stomach happens I also offer comfort to them by allowing that special consideration of snuggling w/ us.

My son is now 2 1/2 years old. From the night I had him he has slept in bed with me, except for staying overnight at his grandparents. I started doing it because I was so worried about him during the night. Now he just cuddles with me. He can't go to sleep unless he is twirling my hair or has his little arm around my neck. I know when the time comes, he will be ready to sleep in his own bed, but will I? LOL My mom and dad divorced when I was 2. My younger brother & I both slept with my mom until we were older. My mom remarried when I was 4 and my was 2. I now have 2 more brothers, a 17 & 7 year old. The 17 year old slept with my mom & dad until the baby was born. Now he sleeps with my parents. Even now if my dad isn't home, both my brothers will sleep with my mom. I know it sounds weird that a 17 year old would sleep in bed with his mom & brother but we are a close family. I'm 23 now & when I'm sick or whatever I would love to be in my moms bed. I think its more of a comfort thing. . . .

I can totally respect that, but I'm just different as many of us have our own way of raising our children. My son is 4 months old now, and he has only been out of my site 2x when I had to do my taxes and go into town when he was very sick and I didn't want to take him out so I left him with my mother for an hour, besides that I just hate to leave him alone. When he naps he is usually in the living room where I am so I just don't ever leave him alone, and I told my husband even when I'm ready to put him back in his crib it might be a year before I let him go back into his room.

Oh, I know I'll have a hard time letting go! I think thats another reason I continue to let him sleep with us. I'm like you, I love to look at his little face and when he wakes up, he just kisses all over my face! My husband and I have talked about putting him in his own bed, but he's just like me. He says he can't sleep without our son in the bed with us!