This post is 8 years old...

Lack of quality sleep can cause all sorts of developmental, health, and behavioral issues. I’d stop worrying about whether you will miss your baby at night and worry about what is best for you child’s development.

Anonymous wrote:OP, please don't quit co-sleeping if you don't want to!!! As someone who missed being with my baby all day, being away from them at night just hurt my heart. Going to sleep with my sweet little guy curled up next to me is heaven-- and when he wakes up and smiles-- it reminds me that this is a right decision for us. My nanny always tells me that it makes it harder for her to put him down to nap-- but I really don't care-- if I have to be away from him all day no one is going to bully me into being away from him at night. I went through this with the 3 yo (who now naps and sleeps alone at night no problem) and am currently co-sleeping with my 12 month old. DO WHAT FEELS right for you, OP, and shrug off any complaints-- they WILL work it out.

Really, do what is best for your BABY before you do what makes you feel good. Learning to self-soothe and relax to sleep is a wonderful and important life skill that will truly benefit your child for his or her whole life. Naturally, if your baby is sick, moving over temporarily may be beneficial for him or her. It's not about you. Your nanny is right. You can cuddle and snuggle BEFORE the nap or nighttime sleep and any time during the day.

Some posters are extrapolating from their own experience that everything will be fine with the stauts quo, but everything is not fine. Every person is different. My charge is 6 and still does not sleep well on his own, so he sleeps with MB and DB most nights, but that doesn't automatically mean that OP's baby will do the same thing. Some babies/kids adjust to different sleep patterns and others don't. However, since the baby is having trouble, I agree with the posters who said to try all the little tricks-- warm blankets, Mom's t-shirt, etc.--before ending co-sleeping, since OP enjoys it so much. Although, if OP has already started independent sleep, it might be worth sticking with that for a few days to see how it goes for all involved. Bottom line, we all know that these things are not universal, so stop saying "My baby/charge/hippopotamus did X, so yours will too, OP!"

Anonymous wrote:If your child was in daycare, co-sleeping interfering with nap time at daycare is usually not an issue. Babies learn that they sleep one way at night and another way with a different caregiver.

I would continue co-sleeping.

I agree with this. When I put my eldest in daycare at 12 old, I was convinced (and told the caregivers) that she wouldn't sleep because she would only take naps if she was nursed down, and she co-slept with us. That very day when I picked her up she was sound asleep for her nap. She still wanted to keep sleeping the same way at home, but had no problems adapting to her new environment.

She's now six, and an excellent sleeper--she goes to bed like clockwork, and doesn't need anyone else next to her.

Anonymous wrote:If your child was in daycare, co-sleeping interfering with nap time at daycare is usually not an issue. Babies learn that they sleep one way at night and another way with a different caregiver.

I would continue co-sleeping.

False. Many babies simply do not nap longer than a 30 minute stretch at daycare, ever. Some of these kids make up for it at night, but others are just chronically overtired.

OP, I agree that it's more important for your baby to be well-rested than to co-sleep, but Before giving it up, I would be sure he nanny has tried everything (bedding with your scent on it, introduce a lovey/transition object, you copy her routine on weekend days). I would also perhaps try putting baby down for bedtime alone, then transition to your bed at your bedtime (so sleep from 8-10 alone, then 10-6 cosleep). That might help teach baby the requisite self-soothing skills, while still giving you time together at night.