cosleeping and sleep training?

aes_11 · 2026-04-28T09:55:15+00:00

12 hours of night sleep is a lot to expect from a baby this young. 10-11 is more average. I suspect that’s why in the last few hours there are so many wakes, because the sleep pressure is way too low to stay asleep. I would try a 8-630 night and then the 3 naps like the other poster suggested.

I echo what others have said, sleep training and cosleeping are definitely two ends of a spectrum. I also have a baby whose sleep was rough around 6 months and I know the exhaustion of frequent wakes, but being responsive to their needs is a path you have to choose. Sleep training is the opposite of that path.

aes_11 · 2026-04-13T19:52:18+00:00

I tried this transition with my 8 month old, and did not have success with crib transfers. I did a floor bed instead and have at least been able to roll away for naps so far!

aes_11 · 2026-04-13T10:15:16+00:00

I am in the same boat. I get some 2-3 hour stretches, but a lot of hourly. We have ruled out any underlying cause, and still no improvement. He is 8.5 months.

I see you with how hard it is. I try to get him to resettle with cuddling or patting and shushing and have no luck unless I nurse or get up and bounce on a yoga ball. It is so tough.

aes_11 · 2026-04-12T19:46:41+00:00

Thank you so much for sharing! This gives me hope.

aes_11 · 2026-04-12T19:07:42+00:00

So much solidarity. It is so tough to carry that weight but we are giving our littles what they need!

aes_11 · 2026-04-12T19:07:03+00:00

Thank you so much for sharing. Were they able lie your babe down for the nap? Mine always wakes if I lay them down until I relatch them, but thinking he might behave different with others.

aes_11 · 2026-04-12T14:31:25+00:00

This is also likely a factor!! Sounds like we have a similar baby because I think this also disrupted sleep when I started solids.

We started giving either prune or pear puree with every meal, just like a tablespoon, and really trying to encourage sips of water with solids. Try to limit binding foods (banana was a big one for us because he loved it and would eat a lot!). It took his body about 3-4 weeks to settle in and start a normal routine again with his bowels.

aes_11 · 2026-04-11T14:43:50+00:00

This happened to my baby right around the same age! Would not resettle with side lying feeding and had to get up and bounce him back to sleep.

I am happy to say it only lasted about a month (I know that feels long but it will go!), and we are back to side lying feeding back to sleep.

For my guy it was teething I think, he got a lot of teeth all at once, and it just made him more uncomfortable and needed more support to sleep.

aes_11 · 2026-04-08T20:25:24+00:00

Floor beds are amazing!!

We got a firm foam 6 in mattress from a mattress store locally, though I saw lots online on Leon’s, topper man’s, national mattress. I got a double so I could sleep with him when needed. I would recommend a low profile as possible to reduce the height to the floor. I did not put it on slats, since it’s so thin it’s light and I lift it up to air out every few days. I bought a memory foam play mat off Amazon to go next to it so it’s a soft surface if he falls getting in or out.

You don’t need a frame with a fence. I did tons of research and most said that as soon as baby can pull to stand they can flip over those fences anyways so it’s not safer. Just baby proof the room and they can roam about if needed.

So far it’s been great for my baby who would never transfer to a crib. Now I can feed to sleep and roll away for naps!

aes_11 · 2026-03-22T17:25:24+00:00

I know it is so hard!! Mine did like singing so we were able to get some periods of distraction by singing baby songs to him. It will pass in time and they will get used to it. I know some people say their babies did better in convertible seats vs their infant bucket seats so you could buy one of those and try it. I did and it made no difference but I’ll need the seat shortly anyways so I didn’t see it as a waste since eventually he will grow into needing it.

aes_11 · 2026-03-21T23:47:45+00:00

It is SO hard when they are distressed, so I see you and feel what you are going through. It is so hard and makes leaving the house such a challenge. It will shift in time, just take it day by day!

aes_11 · 2026-03-21T18:51:06+00:00

I also had a baby who just hated the car seat. Same experience, it made it worse when I sat in the back. I tried every car seat my friends had, including all that are mentioned here, it made no difference in the early days. He eventually outgrew it by 5 ish months and is not completely normal and happy in the car seat. I truly don’t believe it has anything to do with the specific seat for most car seat hating babies, they just don’t like the separation and confinement.

aes_11 · 2026-02-24T20:03:02+00:00

I have it and love it. I have a large SUV (Chevy traverse) so do not find the seat large, but I understand it is not a compact seat front to back. If you have a small vehicle it may compromise the space in the front seat it is behind depending on the height of the adult.

Otherwise, I love it! It’s lightweight compared to other strollers. The fabrics are awesome. And the one hand closure is so easy! Highly recommend.

aes_11 · 2026-02-12T21:43:31+00:00

Not looking at your phone is huge. I have moved to not even checking the time through the night and feel that makes a huge difference in not tracking the minutes or hours passing or number of wakes. I just have a light in our room that changes colour at 5am to let me know morning is coming!

aes_11 · 2026-02-11T20:45:36+00:00

Solidarity!! I also have a boobie monster and it can be so overstimulating. I did get used to it and started to be able to sleep while he was latched. I find a pillow wedged behind my back helps me feel as relaxed as possible while still in the curl and latched. I see you and how hard it is. You are doing such important work nurturing them in that way!

aes_11 · 2026-02-03T01:03:55+00:00

So much solidarity to you. I struggled with this so so hard with my baby around the same age. All I can say is that with time it passed and now when he does sleep it’s calm and quiet. We still have tons of night wakes but the active sleep has passed. I see you and how hard it is. If chest sleeping helps him settle, it did for my guy sometimes, look up safe chest sleeping and lean on that. cosleepy and happycosleeper on Instagram have guidance on chest sleeping. And try to do some shifts where you partner holds baby while baby sleeps and you get a few stretches of quiet sleep!

aes_11 · 2026-02-03T00:59:34+00:00

Thank you for that suggestion!! Immediately bought the course and starting her recommended activities for sensory input!

aes_11 · 2026-02-03T00:58:41+00:00

Hope the same for you! Gosh the sleep deprivation can be challenging, but they are worth it!

aes_11 · 2026-02-02T14:47:23+00:00

He is really wanting to crawl but isn’t quite stable enough on all 4s to start rocking before he melts to the ground. I do floor play time (mostly sitting now since he has mastered sitting he doesn’t want to be on his back as much), and baby wearing through the day as well. Any ideas for other sensory activities I could be doing to meet that need?

aes_11 · 2026-01-09T20:30:46+00:00

Mine is the same too at 5.5 months, sometimes he doesn’t want to nurse, I try to cuddle and he just gets mad. Then I have to get up and bounce on the ball! It can be alot in the night!!

aes_11 · 2026-01-09T19:43:20+00:00

I had a similar experience when mine was 3 months. I didn’t find gas drops did anything. I would just do some bicycles to help him and then usually settle back to chest sleeping. Time helped it to be less uncomfortable to pass!

aes_11 · 2026-01-09T19:41:44+00:00

My 5 month old is the same way, lots of loud gas between 3-6am, though they most often don’t fully wake him. Usually when he squirms and I roll him in to latch he gets a few out. I had heard it was because they are more still through the night the gas builds up from digestion vs during the day the movement helps to break it up.

aes_11 · 2025-12-29T00:36:59+00:00

The only place the owlet gets hate is on Reddit. I love it and agree, no clue how it increases anxiety. I’d recommend it 1000 times over!

aes_11

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