For nursing moms: helpful to keep baby in room at first?

[cathy419]

I'm due in April and planning on breastfeeding. The baby's nursery is at the other end of the hallway--not miles away or anything, but definitely not just across the way. I'm wondering whether I should plan on keeping the baby in our room at first to cut down on walks back and forth--or whether once you get up, a walk down the hall is no biggie because you're going to be nursing, changing diapers, etc. I have a friend who always had her husband walk down the hall to pick up the baby and bring it to her as one resolution (although the bedroom was across the hall). I don't have qualms about leaving the baby in the crib right from the start--this question is more for my own sanity and to get maximum sleep time!

Regardless, if I DO keep baby in the room at first, I suppose I can use a Pack N Play with bassinet? (I received one at a shower.) It's sort of large to cram next to the bed, but I hate to spend money on a bassinet if I have this.

[Rachels]

I definitely think it's helpful to keep the baby with you at first! After you get the hang of nursing, you won't have to wake up so completely. You can just lie on your side to nurse. Also, SIDS rates are lower for babies who share a room with their mothers.

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

[bnme]

I keep my DS in his crib and I prefer that. The first night he was home we had him in our room in the basinnette and we got zero sleep. We popped up at every noise, and he makes lots of noises that have nothing to do with him waking up or being hungry or needing something. The next night he was in his crib and we all slept better. He's been there ever since.

I guess a lot depends on how you feel being away from him (are you going to check on him every minute anyway) and how much attention s/he needs. Also, except for the week DH was home, I prefer not to wake him for feedings -epecially if I am feeding him anyway. Of couse our game plan will probably change when I go back to work. Right now he does the latest feeding (10ish) so I can get a jump start on my sleep, though it doesn't always work out that way!

BTW I am bfing and bottle feeding, but right now all night feedings are "me". I plan to have him weaned by 8 weeks.

[atlbaby]

It may really depend on how you can deal with 'little noises' if you do keep the baby in your room. I couldn't deal with Arielle in a bassinet in our room--each little noise and I was sure she'd be up (and newborns--or just mine:)?--can go from zero to a thousand on noise level in an instant!! And even though she didn't get up w/ each shudder/sigh, I couldn't sleep at all! Her room is steps away though, and I would change her diaper on her C/T too ,so it was a fine situation.

I would just play it by ear, but there's really no need to spend money on a bassinet if you can try the Pack N Play w/ bassinet and see how you like it!

-Rachel
Mom to Arielle Jill, 10/30/01

[egoldber]

I liked having Sarah in my room with me at the beginning. We actually had crib set up in our bedroom, so that when we did transition her to the nursery, it wouldn't be an issue. Her little noises didn't keep me up at night, but it did bother DH somewhat. But he lived with it because it was more convenient for me.

HTH,

[sparkeze]

I thought I got the best sleep when DS was in bed sleeping next to me! We had a crib set up in our room, but what I found was that when he was sleeping right next to me I woke up from a light sleep when he woke up. However, when he slept in the crib a few feet away, I always seemed to wake up from a deep sleep when he woke up and that is exhausting! Also, I felt DS woke less frequently when he was sleeping with me. So overall, I got the best sleep with him in bed with us. Plus, in the early weeks everytime the baby wakes up and nurses, you have to change the diaper so eventually I started changing the diaper in our room too. Our routine was DS wakes up, I either sat in a chair or on the bed to nurse on one side, then he pooped and DH changed the diaper. Then I nursed him on the other side at which point he fell asleep, then I would lay back down in bed with him until the next time he woke up. Eventually I got the hang of nursing him sidelying and around the same time he stopped pooping at night so none of us ever had to leave the bed all night!

If you don't want your baby to sleep in bed with you, I would highly recommend having your baby sleep in the pack-n-play next to your bed. I think it may make your nights a lot easier, and then if you want to move the baby into a crib you could try that too. My thinking was that I was willing to do whatever in order to feel like I was functioning the next day and co-sleeping worked best for us.

[Momof3Labs]

Colin slept in our room for about four weeks, in a Moses basket. Then we started transitioning him to his crib. We slept much better with him down the hall because we weren't waking to all the little noises! And now that he is four months old, he sleeps GREAT in the crib - bedtime is no effort at all (naptime is another story for another day).

Moving him was easier because by then, he was sleeping 5-6 hour stretches at night, so I only had to go get him once or twice at night. If you baby is still nursing every two hours, I'd recommend learning to nurse side-lying and keeping him in your room (or in your bed).

Lori & Colin 9/28/02

[cathy419]

Thanks for all your suggestions. I was running all this past my DH, and he said, "Well, the crib in the nursery sounds best" until I said, "So, do you want to go GET her each time," and he said, "Or, the room would be nice too."

It's helpful to hear everyone's routines as well, because we really don't know what to expect. I'm glad I have so many options! And I'm convinced that I shouldn't waste money on a bassinet if I have a Pack N' Play already, so I feel prepared. Thanks for the answers!

[parkersmama]

My mother told me that when I was born she had me in a bassinet in her room and that she went stark raving mad waking up at every little noise! She talked about it so negatively that it convinced me to give the crib in the nursery a try! LOL! So with both boys they started out in the crib from the very first night. That's not to say that they weren't ever with us but that was more the exception than the rule. And when they were with us it was in our bed, not a bassinet. I will say that I'm not the "check on the baby to make sure they're breathing" type of mom. Not that I don't worry but somehow I'm able to control it! :-) I have exclusively breastfed both my children and I found the key to be having a comfy chair in the nursery to nurse in. In the newborn stage, dh & I both get up and he changes the diaper while I get ready to nurse. Past the newborn stage, I get up by myself and keep all the lights off (no lights, no additional noise) and nurse in the chair and then put the baby back down when they nurse to sleep. The chair that I have is an old wingback chair with an ottoman. As soon as nursing is established and comfortable, I've always been able to put my feet up and lean my head over and go back to sleep while I nurse in the middle of the night. It's actually not bad at all. Anyway...just wanted to give you another suggestion of a way to do it. BTW, our nursery is across the house from our bedroom...a straight shot from one door to the other but through the kitchen and den!

Denise
mom to:
Parker, 9/1/1997
Wesley, 3/9/2000
and #3 (a girl!) due 4/29/2003