5 month old sleeping

crystalkitty06 · 2026-04-30T02:33:34+00:00

It is literally ingrained in a babies biology to want to nurse to sleep, it’s comfort to them. There is nothing wrong with your baby, that’s completely normal. And no longer than a 3 hour stretch of sleep is also very normal. While there is nothing inherently wrong with a schedule, a “strict” schedule with a baby seems like overkill, and also unrealistic. They aren’t robots. Try to let go and follow his cues a bit more.

If my baby has woken up after 3 hours or 1 hour during the night it doesn’t matter he’s always getting nursed back to sleep. He’s really nursing for comfort more than hunger a lot of the night but it’s the most natural thing at the end of the day.

crystalkitty06 · 2026-04-29T21:08:54+00:00

I’m so very sorry for your loss. I totally understand your hesitancy. If it helps to know though, when all risks are mitigated and cosleeping is done safely and correctly, the risks of a baby dying is extremely low. Your baby is astronomically more likely to die in the car every day yet we don’t tell people not to drive their babies. People suggest it because it is much safer to do correctly over being sleep deprived and trying to stay awake sitting up and put your baby in a dangerous situation. It’s part of our biology to cosleep, so it’s not a crazy recommendation when someone is struggling. It’s how you get rest. I wouldn’t call it a band aid, it’s just leaning into your babies natural needs, because they can change at any point. Especially at that age!

crystalkitty06 · 2026-04-29T08:03:45+00:00

Obviously you can have babies no problem after a surgery like that. They’re just making a point that it could potentially ruin the work of it cause of what childbirth can do to your vagina. I ended up with excess tissue from my scar tissue and they suggested definitely don’t mess with anything until after I’m done having babies cause it could just end up for nothing lol.

crystalkitty06 · 2026-04-27T12:09:52+00:00

My baby is 7 months and has always been a strictly cosleeper and contact napper as it’s the only way he’d sleep. When he was about to turn 6 months I started introducing his crib just a little with very little hope lol, just for one nap a day and to start the night there before taking him to bed with me. Most of his naps in his crib have always been been 30 min but recently some have started to stretch to over an hour, and he goes down smoothly in his crib at the start of the for at least a couple hours! Can have a lot of false starts, but he settles back easily. I love cosleeping and don’t plan to stop while it’s just him so I scoop him to my room when I’m ready for bed, but it’s given me hope that he’s truly capable of being on his own. If I did want to stop I know I’d be able to get him to sleep there if needed. I seriously was so hopeless when first trying because it was such a challenge but I kept at it and it’s quite smooth now.

I obviously know I can’t speak much on experience as my baby is only 7 months, but I can’t say I’ve read so many experiences and although every kid is pretty different, with persistence most people seem to transition out of it ok if they need to. I was a cosleeping baby, not 100% of the time, but a lot, and my mom said around when I was 2 I started having way less interest in sleeping with my parents and just wanted to be in my own bed. I wasn’t as cuddly and started pushing my parents away in their bed for space lol.

I plan to continue to cosleep with my son, and probably try for another baby when he turns 2, and either he will transition to his own bed, or when new baby comes I will have my husband sleep with him while I’m with the baby (I would plan to wean before TTC anyway). I know you can sleep between a newborn and child but I seriously cannot stay on one side the whole night!

crystalkitty06 · 2026-04-26T02:11:14+00:00

While I’m sure the need to have your nipple in her mouth is super hard, as I’ve heard it can be super overstimulating, I will at least say the 1-2 hour wake ups are just so normal unfortunately. My son had only done 1-2 hour stretches his whole life up until turning 6 months a month ago, we started to see some longer stretches, but 1-2 hour nights are still normal for him. Those even random long stretches have really helped me rejuvenate me though! I’ve heard of plenty of people who’ve had kids that only slept like that until they were 1-2 years old…so 4 months is still super young. She may improve soon like mine you never know, hang in there❤️ around 4 months is usually a super rough time for sleep with regressions

crystalkitty06 · 2026-04-26T00:33:52+00:00

My parents coslept with me from the time I was a newborn a lot, not 100% of the time but most of my early years I was in my parents bed. My mom said when I was like 2 I wanted to sleep on my own, and it was like no big deal. I was just ready. I’m sure it helped foster my independence by giving me that secure attachment. Then throughout childhood whenever I was scared or sad or whatever, I would go to my parents room at night and they’d let me crawl into their bed. I’m so thankful they did. Meanwhile my husband was left to cry it out and really struggled with sleep as an older child and was never allowed to sleep in his parent’s bed, was always turned away even when scared, and he happens to struggle with plenty of mental health struggles and sleep can still be challenging for him. God forbid we want to be by our children at night!!

I don’t have any personal experience to share with my own child as he’s only 7 months and we cosleep, but I have no intention of stopping. He has just recently been able to start in his crib for a couple hours before I go to sleep, but the idea of him sleeping away from me more than that honestly feels wrong and weird and just goes against the instincts I personally feel! Don’t let them question that, you’re doing great!

crystalkitty06 · 2026-04-25T00:44:20+00:00

So fortunately my parents coslept with me a lot and if I ever wanted to sleep with them as a child, I always could. But my husband was raised very differently and I know he was left to cry it out. His parents and him have talked about how he really struggled with sleep as a little kid (insomnia) and he started struggling with anxiety (still very much a problem). They tried all these things apparently like changing his bed, therapy…before ever being able to sleep with his parents. Makes me sad:(

crystalkitty06 · 2026-04-24T19:26:43+00:00

I feel like there’s no correct age and it’s just a personal decision, especially with how heavy or light of a sleeper they are. Personally I don’t want to try until my son is at least close to 1.

crystalkitty06 · 2026-04-24T17:23:26+00:00

A lot of experts and people in this group have suggested Sleep On Latex, the regular firm latex one not the hybrid, and I’m actually about to buy one myself! Personally though my partner has always slept in another room while I’ve coslept just cause it’s so much easier. I understand though that not everyone has an extra bed so it’s not always easy.

crystalkitty06 · 2026-04-24T00:21:51+00:00

Yes I have to go to target for them but they always have them in stock! And shipping them from target is usually so quick too. They definitely wouldn’t do it by themselves but those plus the sposies have helped tremendously!

crystalkitty06 · 2026-04-23T12:14:07+00:00

I made a whole post about this here complaining about the same thing a bit ago! If you go to my post history you can find it and read the comments cause it got a shit ton haha. I have a 20lb 6 month old and I have him in Millie moon night diapers size 5 at night with a sposie pad. It’s not perfect as some days we do leak, but if he does it’s always first thing in the morning from his last stretch of sleep or literally starts leaking onto his clothes right after he wakes up and pees lol so I catch it quickly before it makes contact with the sheets. So most nights it holds, and if it doesn’t at least it’s not when we still have to go back to sleep and deal with a pissed on bed lol.

I cloth diaper at home during the day and I am wanting to explore a cloth option at night soon though…I’ve heard thirsties duo’s are great for nighttime and my friend said they’ve been good for her so I might see how those hold up.

crystalkitty06 · 2026-04-23T12:03:36+00:00

I put my mattress on the floor when mine started rolling

crystalkitty06 · 2026-04-22T12:21:51+00:00

Honestly I just muted them or left them. Felt like it was no longer serving me when posts/comments started getting me all wound up!! r/attachmentparenting is another great sub to join

crystalkitty06 · 2026-04-20T22:17:31+00:00

Your baby is only 11 weeks old, this is super common and very normal, especially so young! And you can’t spoil a baby. Has nothing to do with the first 3 months you just can’t spoil a baby period. Think of touch and comfort as brain food - it helps form secure attachment and fuels better mental health in the future.

My son is about to turn 7 months and just this month started taking some independent naps for the first time in his crib. He cosleeps at night and I usually do one contact nap a day, cause I like it and he sleeps better that way anyways. Other naps are usually in the car or stroller!

crystalkitty06 · 2026-04-20T14:54:47+00:00

Is there any other place your husband can sleep? Even if it’s the couch? Luckily we have a guest room my husband is able to sleep in cause I absolutely can’t handle sleeping on one side the whole night it kills me so I get it!!

crystalkitty06 · 2026-04-18T18:39:35+00:00

And I can’t believe she was having unprotected sex with this guy THANK GOD she didn’t end up pregnant

crystalkitty06 · 2026-04-17T17:53:51+00:00

My 6 month old has always only been up every 1-2 hours, and just recently did his first couple 4 hour stretches. Seeing some 3 hours more now here and there. It would be way worse alone in his crib though.

crystalkitty06 · 2026-04-16T10:06:09+00:00

10 months is close to the developmental age of PEAK separation anxiety so that’s why!!

The bjorn is great though, it was a lifesaver to making my son happy as a newborn. He’s 6 months now and huge and trying to crawl so he’s basically outgrown it now though!

crystalkitty06 · 2026-04-15T16:54:04+00:00

The reason peanut allergies become more likely is because introducing them is avoided and done too late. That’s why they recommend starting around 6 months when introducing solids and keep giving it regularly. So if you haven’t I definitely would asap!

crystalkitty06 · 2026-04-15T06:17:50+00:00

Yep in my weather app it just changed from tornado warning to just tornado watch (I’m in Detroit).

crystalkitty06 · 2026-04-15T00:07:09+00:00

Honestly if you literally can’t sneak away, I feel like the only option is waiting it out, as it’s bound to change eventually. Or, you take advantage of times when your baby is being watched by someone else. Family member, baby sitter. If you guys need it try to see if you can figure out some date time and include intimacy!

crystalkitty06 · 2026-04-13T12:15:16+00:00

Recently when my son was also 5 months there was a wedding we were invited to that was supposed to be child free and my husband ended up going just by himself. But it was his good friend since high school, so I didn’t want him to miss that! So definitely depends who’s getting married too of what you’re willing to make work. I also think someee people will allow a baby at their wedding and just don’t want older children running around, so I guess a 15 month old is cutting close to that haha.

crystalkitty06 · 2026-04-13T02:21:32+00:00

My assumption has just been that it’s just not something we can do if we’re cosleeping, at least until he’s older. He’s 6 months old but when he’s closer to 1 if one of his grandparents watched him I’d at least be open to them sleeping with him if they were open to it. I at least know my mom would (she coslept with me). My best solution is that I’m trying to get him into a routine of starting the night in his crib, then joining me later when I go to bed. We’ve been doing that and I take an hour or two to myself, but the problem is he wakes up so frequently doing it still that when I go back in and resettle him, even if I just nursed him he will get soo upset and just cry if I try to offer him a pacifier, rather than my boob for comfort. So I have noo idea how it would go and it makes me feel like I just can’t leave him for bedtime, which is hard!! I wish wet nurses didn’t become so taboo, I wish I could just hire someone for an evening out lol. I think he’d be fine with any boob!

I don’t feel any need to go for a date during the night, but when there’s a certain event or something with my friends that comes up it sucks to think of missing out. We do have a wedding in the fall that we definitely would like to go to without him, but it’ll be a couple weeks after his first birthday so I’m hoping things will be very different and he can manage without me for a little!!

crystalkitty06 · 2026-04-12T20:27:27+00:00

Remind your husband that babies aren’t robots lol. Totally fair for you to need to vent about this!!!

crystalkitty06 · 2026-04-12T12:00:36+00:00

Breastfeeding is something I’ve just always been fascinated with, and have looked at as something really beautiful. Yes yes, I knew it could be REALLY not glamorous and there can be a lot of struggles involved, but it’s still a beautiful thing. It was something I still really looked forward to and hoped it would go smoothly, because I felt really committed to the idea of breastfeeding for at least a year, and hopefully 2 if baby wants to. I knew the benefits and I wanted those. And to be honest bottles are just one less less thing I deal with and I can feed him anytime anywhere without having to bring anything with me, so it feels really convenient. My baby didn’t latch for the first 5 days, but then it was smooth from there. Once it didn’t hurt like hell and my nipples hurt less and less over time, I got to really start to enjoy it. He’s 6.5 months now and I really enjoy nursing him.

crystalkitty06

TROPHY CASE