I support so many families to embrace bed sharing and co-sleeping as a means to get more sleep, honouring both their baby’s needs and their own. I bed-shared full-time with my son for the first 14 months of his life, and regularly used it as a tool until he was 2.5 years old. Safe to say, I’m a big fan.
AND it wasn’t until I stopped sharing with my son full time that I really had the opportunity to realise that he was capable of settling himself back to sleep at night when I wasn’t around. Sometimes I’d hear him make a squeak over the monitor, and by the time I’d got up and got through to his room, he’d have rolled over and fallen back to sleep.
I truly believe that part of the reason he is such a settled and happy sleeper now (alongside a healthy dose of good luck) is that we bed shared for an extended period, and sleep has always had good associations for him. I also believe that the fact that he started sleeping longer stretches after 14 months is because I moved away from bed sharing at that point. Both things can be true.
If you're thinking about exploring moving away from bed sharing, then a floor bed could be a wonderful tool. You can set up a floor bed in your little one's room, share with them in there and then begin to gradually retreat at your own pace - maybe you start the night in your own bed, then join them at the first wake... or the second, or the third.
Different times might call for different tools and that doesn’t mean that either one is right or wrong. It’s my job to know the options, to help you tune in to what feels right for your family right now, what your goals are for your family's sleep, and to make a plan to get you there gently. If you'd like some personalised support in navigating these choices, get in touch and book a call with me today. Let's get you closer to where you want to be.
