Where Should Babies Sleep?
By d1mpl3s
@d1mpl3s (17)
United States
March 12, 2007 1:01pm CST
I have a daughter that prefers to sleep on the bed with my husband and I. She likes to feel our presence and when I try to put her in her crib, she wakes up much faster and starts crying because she wants to get out. Is it better to leave her alone and let her cry to teach her that she has to learn how to sleep in her crib? Or should I let her just sleep next to me all the time since she gets more sleep with us?
6 responses
@ram_cv (16513)
• India
12 Mar 07
That's a million dollar question that parents need to think about. The idea is that if kids get very much used to sleeping with you, they would later find it difficult to sleep without you. So it is better to slowly get them to sleep on their own. Of course, every now and then the family can sleep together, but overall it is good to soon get her to sleep on her own.
@krishnageethika (119)
• India
12 Mar 07
ram_cv,
That is a wrong idea. With age they will grasp things and will learn to sleep in a separate bed. Have you seen children of more than 10 years of age sleeping with their parents? At this tender age(crib age) babies need the love and nearness of their parents - especially the mom.
@ram_cv (16513)
• India
17 Mar 07
I have actually seen teenagers mostly females who are 15-16 years old, but can't sleep without their parents around. That get's a bit ridiculous and that is why I prefer that children should be made comfortable once in a while to sleep on their own. I don't say that it should be done at a tender age of 1-3 years or even 5 years, but slowly after that they should be given their independence and made convenient to sleep on their own.
@krishnageethika (119)
• India
3 Apr 07
ram_cv,
you are correct there. A baby of 1-3 years should not be let to sleep alone in a bed. Later they can be trained to sleep alone.
@vashstampede992000 (2560)
• Philippines
26 Mar 07
baby should sleep together with their mom and dad for ahile till they get the right age to sleep with their own bed or even room.
@amoreco (180)
• United States
12 Mar 07
My 15 month old son just wanted to sleep with us.I would put him on the crib and 2 hours later he would cry to go to our bed.I had to stop this,because We can't sleep well,I would wake up all the time,and now I am pregnant again.So,We put him on his crib and left..broke my heart to hear(he cried for 40 min) but,he slept.On the second day,he cried for 20 minutes...but after the third ,he sleeps right away,and the whole night,for the first time.
is hard in the beginning,but you will feel better to know that she will sleep on her bedrom,and you won't have a problem on the future..because,they will have to sleep on their beds one day,alone,and the longer you wait,the harder it will be.If he is sick or is rainning hard..I put him to sleep with us.
@krishnageethika (119)
• India
12 Mar 07
Of course a baby of this age should be let to sleep with you in bed if she prefers that better. In no case she should be let alone in a crib crying her eyes out. How could a mother! It will adversely affect both her physical and mental health. It is said that babies grow while they sleep. If she gets more sleep she will grow faster. The baby needs your body heat and the feeling of love and protection it gives her. So let her sleep with you.
@Gemmygirl1 (2867)
• Australia
13 Mar 07
I agree with the whole thing about it being a personal decision but you also have to work out whether you want more kids (you dont want a young one in bed with you while you're pregnant).
I was afraid that i'd roll over & squish my daughter so i had her in a bassinet from day 1 & she was fine.
As for letting a baby cry - it's NOT bad parenting to let them cry, sometimes they get in to a habit of expecting to be picked up or cuddled EVERY time they cry, then they'll continue with that - which you dont want!
Try her in her crib, if she cries, leave it go for a short while - try a dummy, or a bottle or something like that. Eventually she WILL sleep wherever you put her - she just needs to learn that she's still safe, even in her crib.
Sorry if this isn't much help, i didn't have too much trouble with my daughter sleeping alone - she started in a crib alone (in the hospital) so she was used to it - as i'm sure most babies start out being.
Maybe try a night light - the glow might give her some comfort as well:)
