How old is too old to co-sleep?

[3 ladybugs]

Just wondering what peoples thoughts are.

[doodle19]

We made sure DD was moved to her crib in her own room at 4 months, but she still got up to nurse and I was working full-time so it was easier for me to move her to bed with me and nurse while laying down. She stopped getting moved to our bed around 9 months. I just wanted her in her own bed all night long by 1, and that's where she is from 8pm-7:30am. But it's just whatever you're comfortable with mama.

[FaeryGnomeHome]

interested to see people's responses. I naturally started moving my kids to their own beds at 3-4 years old and encouraging them to stay there. BUT I do have a 4 year old who comes in my bed most nights. So I don't really know. But my 8 1/2year old prefers her own bed and no one else in it. Could be her age or just her personality but she doesnt' like co-sleeping unless she's really really sick. the 14month old who is still nursing is obviously co-sleeping.

[BoysMommy]

I put 2-3 because Mom and Dad need to get back to having their own marital bed.:blush: :thumbsup: I also didn't want to traumatize my sons with PLing and getting their own big boy bed at the same time. We tried to make their own bed super special. They got to pick out the frame, sheets and blankets.:goodvibes:

[my2sweets]

I think co-sleepers should co sleep until parents and/or kiddo is ready to stop :)

[darlazi]

I think co-sleepers should co sleep until parents and/or kiddo is ready to stop :)

If I co-slept until my daughter was ready to stop, She would be in my bed forever lol...That said.

Im really working to get my daughter out of my bed by time she is 3. I feel 3 is getting to old to sleep with mommy. Im trying to teach her to get her own indepence a bit and such but We shall see. It certainly is easier said than done!

[MamaBetsy]

I think co-sleepers should co sleep until parents and/or kiddo is ready to stop :)

This.

My oldest slept with us, off and on, till she was 3 1/2 and still occasionally does, but my youngest, even though she wasn't sleeping through the night, started fussing and pushing on me at 9 months, so I moved her to her own crib and she slept a lot better. It's all about what the family's comfortable with.

[HadassahSukkot]

For this family: 2-3 for 'full-time' but I reserve the right to change my mind if we're still nursing. :giggle:

Any time you need your parents at night, I think as a small child, you should be welcome to come back and feel safe/better at night or early morning! there is probably a physical and psychological reason for that which we have not found yet. :goodvibes:

I think when you find a King sized bed is no longer big enough, it's time for someone to get their own bed, even if it's in the same room.

[nrsenadenos]

I voted other. Mostly because I would never co-sleep, so I can't say what a good cutoff age is. I understand why other people do it, it's just not for us. My DS turns one next week, and is such a violent sleeper I can't picture him in the bed period - not if I wanted to sleep there anyways. Maybe it would have been different if we had coslept? I don't know?

IMO though they should be out of the parent's bed by the time the start school - so somewhere in the realm of 3-5ish?

[babiesabove]

Ditto...when both parent and child is ready. Each situation is different. My dd is 3 1/2 and starts the night in her own bed. We still lay with her until she is asleep, and then she comes into our bed in the middle of the night almost every night.

[Melkyrick]

I agree! When each parent and child are ready. It is a family decision. I co-slept with my first one until he was 5. I was a single mom at the time so it wasn't like it was "disrupting" the marital bed. He is 11 now and if he gets sick..in bed with me is where he ends up and hubby is on the couch!! lol
Our newborn co-sleeps as well. When I was pregnant..I swore this one would be in his own bed..but after being in the nicu for 9 1/2 weeks..I wanted him close and he just refused to sleep anywhere else. :goodvibes:

I think society is a little hmmm whats the word..ridgid..with what families should do and by what age. I personally feel that you have to follow your own instinct and as mamas you'll know what is best for YOUR family. If I listened to what THEY thought I should do..my preemie would be ff instead of ebf and gaining weight like a champ! :thumbsup:

[tusheez]

Our DS (hes 10 now) slept with us till he was 8 he would try to sleep in his bed in his room but couldnt do it he would get stressed about it we tried everything evem went through a couple room themes and comforters:giggle: so we put his bed in our room that helped alot! Hes finally in his bed in his room now!!! but the bed is our old mattress on the floor:giggle: DD slept with me till 4mos and is in her crib in her room now she loves it me too:goodvibes:

[momof4girls]

I picked other because I agree, it depends on the family and child.
DD#1 co slept with me till she was 5 (I was single mom then).
DD#2 till a little after 3 yrs because I was pregnant and didnt want 2 kids in the bed!
DD#3 preferred her own bed and only slept with us 2 nights (until recently. She crawls in bed during night occassionally now)
DD#4 (5 months old) sleeps in a pack n play right up against my side of the bed until she wakes to nurse or has a fussy night.

DD#3 is currently in a toddler bed still in our room and shes 4. This is because we dont trust her. We have to put a butter knife in the door frames so she cant leave the room/house but thats a whole other thread!

[patricianaps]

I voted other. Each of my daughters has stopped cosleeping in her own time, depending on how they sleep. And really, it depends on the space and situation. If DH was still working 3rd shift, my 6 and 4 year olds would probably still be in my bed, seeing how they were there at 2 and 4 when he was gone at night. If I were a single mama, (or had a bigger bed!) I would probably have them in my bed, cause I don't mind a crowded bed.

On the other hand, some people just don't get enough sleep when they share a bed, even with their spouse. My 8 mo old is like this, which breaks my heart, but she just couldn't sleep in my bed once she started napping in her crib.

[katiematie]

I chose other...you're never too old to co-sleep as long as both parties are happy and willing to do it. I dont think there should be an age limit on co-sleeping as long as it works for the family, whether that be 6 months or 6 years and beyond. JMO :-)

[Michelle_M]

I voted "other." I really think it depends on the personality of the parents, the personality of the child, and sometimes there are extinuating circumstances.

My oldest will be 4 in June. I started transitioning him to his own bed at around 2 1/2. He starts off in his own bed, but then wakes up in the middle of the night and crawls into bed with us.

My youngest is 16monts, and I start him off in his own bed too. I lay down and nurse him for a bit, then tell him that "nurse nurse is bye bye. Time for sleep." And get him to sleep. Then sometime in the middle of the night he wakes up to nurse and I pull him up into my bed (he sleeps on a mattress on the floor next to my bed).

So, really, I think it has a lot to do with the family dynamic.

In my opinion, for my family... I'd like to see my kids sleeping through the night and staying in their own beds by the time they are 5, but that may not happen.. LOL

God bless,
Michelle

[I_am_Blessed]

I voted other, because really I don't know. I currently have 2 in bed with us (23 month old DD and 2 month old DS). Actually, DD is on a toddler mattress that is pushed up and level with our bed.

I would like to say that I'll let the kids decide when they want to move out on their own, but I know that DH misses "our" bed. He is fine with co-sleeping while I am nursing (only DS now), but I think when DS weans, DH will want both babies to move out together to their shared room. It's sad when I think about it, but I know that DH is taking a lot of neglect at night from me so I can snuggle and tend to DD and DS.

[elenasmommie]

I think co-sleepers should co sleep until parents and/or kiddo is ready to stop :)

i voted other for that reason. my dd who is 18 months co sleeps and we have another on the way any day now who will co sleep as well. that being said i had a single mother and was an only child and crawled into my mothers bed untill i was 16 (here and there)...so that being said i say co sleep to your hears content do whats best for your family dh and i dont mind sharing our bed....

[Emmett's Mommy]

I think it is up to the indiviual family and child. I started co-sleeping with my ds, but at 3 months he started flailing and flip/flopping, so he went into the bassinet beside my bed. Then at 7 months he went into his own room because he would wake through every light sleep cycle and see me, then he would not sleep until I woke up and nursed him. I cannot nurse on my side because of major back/neck problems so this was not fun. Once in his room, he slept MUCH better and so do we. Plus, he only gets up once or twice now...yes, at almost 13 months he still gets up, lol.

[tootsy_toes]

Children are never too old to co-sleep. I slept with my mom (on occasion) until I was 21. Cosleeping is sharing a bed with your child. I believe it's ok as long as everyone envolved is comfortable with it. It's time to stop when the parents or child decide to stop. Age should not be a factor.

[Ariana'sClothesline]

I really think it depends on the family. I agree with the poster who said when a king size bed isn't enough thats the time to stop.. Lol, my 2 1/2 year old is starting to learn to sleep in her own bed but she still comes in to our bed sometime during the night. Along with the 9 month old that makes for a full bed, especially since the kids like to make a mommy sandwich which does not make for comfortable sleeping! I get so jealous of the ppl that say their babies sleep thru the night in their own bed at early ages... My kids seem to have to nurse every couple hours or more, or they scream loud enough to wake the dead :)

[Shanna]

We work on transitioning to a big bed around the 2-3 year old age. Our kiddos all get full size beds, so it's easy for Mommy to snuggle with them, And occasionally fall asleep :giggle:

Interestingly I coslept with my Mom until I was probably 8+. Back in the days before there was a term for it I suppose. She was a single Mom and I was her only child. Maybe that's why I hate an empty bed!?

[shanree]

I voted other because I don't really think there is a "too old" age. My neice (I raised her & had custody of her) co-slept with me until she was 10. I litterally rocked her until she fell asleep in my arms almost every night until she was around 9. Even at around ages 12-13 she would occassionally come crawl in bed with DH and I. Granted she did have a rough childhood where her mother was concerned I always felt like she need extra love and attention and tended to 'baby' her a lot more than I even do with my own kids now...
If my kids want to come crawl in bed with me when they are 30 and have kids of their own it wouldn't bother me a bit:)

[nini02]

I said other, I don't think there's any certain age. It depends on each family and what works for them :)