Co-sleepers, I need advice...

[upupandaway]

Let me start by saying I am a reluctant co-sleeper but it's just worked out that way for various reasons and is going well. Everyone sleeps and is well-rested.

BUT...as I've posted on here before, my DH works long crazy hours including weekends. He is rarely home before 8pm. Kid's bedtime is roughly 7pm and because I don't have help I NEED NEED NEED to have a couple hours to myself to unwind.

My 5 year old goes to bed without any issues. I BF my 4-month-old to sleep and then put him in his bassinet or place on his back in my bed. Either way, he's up after 20-40 minutes all evening long until I come to bed.

Is there any way around this or is this just what happens with co-sleeping? Baby naps for roughly 45 minutes at a time in his bassinet (or for 2 hours on my lap).

Any advice or general thoughts would be appreciated. I am feeling a little down with this situation. I feel embarrassed to even tell people I sleep with my baby so this is the only place I can look to for advice. PS, I will be away all day but will check in tonight....so thank you in advance!

[Ashley&Scott]

Have you tried putting him in a swing or bouncy seat to nap until you're ready for bed? Maybe a rock n play, we never had one but I've heard good things about them.

And don't feel bad about cosleeping, more people do it than you think.

[karinothing]

I always call co-sleeping the dirty sleeping of motherhood. I swear 90% of mom's I talk to co-sleep. So I wouldn't feel bad about that. I don't really have any advice, because I had to go to bed when my child went to bed for the first five months. Then something just switched, I didn't do anything different.

[Deleted]

honestly, I dont remember DD's sleeping habits at what age bc they constantly changed. There was definitely a time when she wouldnt go to sleep unless she was actually ON me, and another time when I had to wait like, an hour, until I could put her in the crib and she would sleep a few hours.

Hopefully this is just a stage that will pass.

[jinnifah]

I think co-sleeping (and bed sharing) are a lot more common than society let's on. So don't feel embarrassed:)

As for the napping, can you run a fan or white noise machine in your room? That helps my DS stay asleep when not being snuggled - although he also admittedly only catnaps during the day (maybe 20mins in his carseat)

I think part of it is that it's still light out because when evening comes and we can put him in our room with blackout curtains drawn, he sleeps much faster and longer

[dcrunnergirl]

I'd put him to sleep earlier. At 5 months, my kids needed a 6:30pm bedtime or they would wake up every 45 minutes. Andthis included when we were cosleeping with them in Arm's Reach cosleepers.