Lots of children and sleep...

[Guest guest]

I just thought of something.

If everyone used to have lots of kids, and often little space (ok,

huge generalisation here, but you get the idea)... how did they sort

out of the sleeping pattern of the littlest one?

I've read so many modern sleep books, and it all boils down to leaving

the baby to " learn " how to fall asleep on his own, letting him cry a

little, etc (either that or the complete opposite - ie have the baby

in bed and feed him all night). I know not everyone agrees with this,

but I haven't had any better advice and (as some of you will know) DS

drove me to distraction being awake every 1 or 2 hours every night the

first seven months (and he's still pretty bad).

What did/do people do when they had lots of children and not a big

house? Presumably they can't leave anyone to cry, as everyone else

would be awake too (same problem we have whenever we go away). Or do

everyone just share beds, and thus the baby feels nice and secure and

just sleeps with his mummy until he's old enough to move into bed with

his siblings?

I'd like to sort out DS' sleeping habits, and I hate the 'leave to

cry' thing, but I couldn't co-sleep either - then I don't sleep at

all.

Karina

Mum to Emilia (Oct 98) and Sebastian (Aug 00)