Planning to share bed with baby - do we still need a cradle / crib for her day naps?
- 08-12-2005, 02:18 PM #1Registered User
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Planning to share bed with baby - do we still need a cradle / crib for her day naps?
We plan to share our bed with baby, and am wondering what bed-sharing parents do when it comes to mid-day napping times. Do you need a crib for that? Or does baby just nap in the adult bed?
I read from some books that a cradle might be helpful to get baby to sleep, and it takes up less space than a crib. But one can only use it for at most 4 months isn't it...? Is it still worth it to get one?
Is there anyone out there who actually waited for baby to arrive before deciding on a crib / cradle / nothing to buy, depending on baby's size and willingness to stay in the adult bed? Baby's coming in November.
Thanks!
- 08-12-2005, 04:50 PM #2Registered User
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You can certainly wait and see, its easy enough to find them. But I think you'll probably want something. One issue with cradles--babies often get so used to the rocking that they can't sleep without it. Another option you might consider is a playpen with a bassinet insert. You can use the bassinet for about 3 months I think, then put baby down in playpen area to sleep. And these are easy to fold up, put away too.
- 08-14-2005, 12:32 PM #3Registered User
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bed sharing is not encouraged from what i have read. what would be best is to have a cot by the side of the bed so that your baby can still sleep beside you in a cot. we bought a small cot for my baby and he is 6 month old now and the cot is too small for him. wished we had gotten a bigger cot. that's my experience.
- 08-14-2005, 04:57 PM #4Registered User
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shalom,
if it is suffocation you are worried about with bed-sharing, i know that once they are able to lift up their own heads the general advice i've read is that its ok for them to be in bed with you. a friend of a friend lost her baby at 5 days old, she was in bed with parents. you bring up a good point!
- 08-15-2005, 11:21 AM #5Registered User
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A Mom,
I agree with Shalom that bed-sharing is not recommended by experts. Its not merely suffocation that is an issue, but the baby can roll and get stuck between the mattress and the headboard or the footboard. A co-sleeper is an option. It has raised sides on 3 sides and one side that opens to your bed. Therefore there is no danger of suffocation and the baby is protected. Another option is the pack-n-play playard with the bassinet feature mentioned aboved. You can use the bassinet until the baby is 6 months and then use the playard as the crib if space is an issue.
Good luck.
- 08-15-2005, 10:02 PM #6Registered User
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Yes, agreed. That's why I suggested the play pen with bassinett option. I am considering the co-sleeper contraption myself, either that or bassinett. Thanks for reminding me about it, do you know where they are sold in Hong Kong?
- 08-16-2005, 07:18 AM #7Registered User
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This is my experience: My baby spent most of the nights on her first two months sleeping in the car seat even though we have a moses basket and a cot. This is because she can go to sleep easier in the pushchair (where the car seat is attached to) or in the taxi or when we rocked the car seat (which is also can be used as a rocking chair/cradle) We tried to put her in the moses basket and put the basket next to our bed. We gave up after one week because she made so much noise that we cannot sleep. We then put her moses basket into her cot in her room. I know this sounds funny but the baby cot is really big so we feel more secured if she is in the moses basket. The baby cot is meant for her to use until she is ten as it can be changed into an adult bed later. I like the cot because it is so big and sturdy that allows me to lay inside next to my baby but I hate the cot too because it is too big and has taken up so much space!
I find this quite useful: I put a mattress on the floor next to my baby's cot. This allow me to breastfeed her at night and early in the morning and at the same time having a nap. This is also a place where we play, massaging her and changing her nappy when she can roll over (with the changing mat, of course) She sometimes have her day naps on it or even sleeping on it at night. The mattress was used as a soft surface when she started to crawl and sit up. However, now that my baby has learnt how to stand up and also started to learn how to walk, I have to take the mattress away. I am now using a thinner and smaller mattress instead.
Mamamau, you don't need to rush into buying a crib or a cradle. You can put your baby on an adult bed but not sharing the bed with you for the first few weeks (but not until your baby can roll over, which is about 3 months later, I think, or can crawl out of his/her bed) and then decide which option is good for you. A cot is good because it can stop the baby from crawling out from the bed. A good carseat can also be used as a cradle.
- 08-16-2005, 09:24 AM #8Registered User
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Thanks, everyone! Think we'll just wait and see then - and, Wee Kean, I'm so glad someone else is also using the carseat idea that I've been pondering about!
Last edited by mamamau; 08-16-2005 at 09:27 AM.
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