hard habit to break (Bed Sharing)

Member Name: sparky111

Product:	Bed Sharing
Date:	07/11/08 (78 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: easy to start

Disadvantages: hard to stop

I have just read a few reviews on this subject and I have to admit I'm one of the naughty parents who encouraged bedsharing.

When my husband and I bought our daughter home for the first time we were adament we would get her into a routine as soon as possible.

She slept in a moses basket in our bedroom and we started getting her used to going down about 7pm and it was working really well, she would wake for her feeds but go straight back to sleep afterwards.

When my daughter was 8 weeks old I had growing suspicions regarding my husband, and after some investigating on his phone I found out he was having an affair.

I was devastated as I realised it was going on for several months.

I tried so hard not to shout and cause arguments when my husband visited but my daughter sensed the stress in me and in turn became very unsettled herself especially at night, she would scream for what seemed like days and I was finding it hard to cope on my own.

One night when I was feeding her in my bed, she slowly settled and fell asleep, I was so pleased of having a peacefull night rather than screams that I left her in my bed, I took my duvet away from her and placed her cot blanket on her instead.

I carried on the same each night as it was easier and less tiring and part of me loved being beside her as it comforted me too.

My daughter is now four years old and every one had told me I was making a rod for my own back, so I decided to try and get her sleeping in her own bed, especially as she was going to be starting school shortly.

I decorated her bedroom and bought her a new stephanie (from lazytown) duvet and matching curtains, It was a lovely girlie room when I had finished.

Then that night I told her it was bed time and she needed to go into her own bed like a big girl, Once under the covers I read her a book and stayed with her until she drifted off to sleep, she did wake up about 3 am so I again went in to her room and sat with her until she settled back to sleep again.

I'm not saying it was easy, as it really wasn't, there were lots of times she would cry and ask to come into my bed but I had to persist with it.

It has paid off in the long run and still working now but in hind sight I wish I had just kept her in the routine I had in place.

I know I have been very lucky with my daughter enjoying being a big girl and sleeping in her own bed and I would not make the same mistake if I'm lucky enough to have more children in the future.

My advice to anyone thinking of doing the same would be to try and keep a routine going as you pay for it in the long run.

Summary: routine is easier in the long run!