Older baby too big for C curve

[ashleychristine8]

Hi all - I've searched the sub and thought this would be a common topic, but maybe it is just me... :0

I bedshare with my soon to be 8 month old baby girl. I'm a small person (5''2). Baby used to be small too but she's grown rapidly!!

She likes to fall asleep on the boob at night. When she was little, this wasn't an issue. We slept peacefully together in the C curve. Now, though, she wants the boob in her mouth but not only is she bigger (so it's already a very tight squeeze if she curls her legs up), she wants to stretch out her legs and occasionally flip into star fish.

This pushes my legs down and I end up in a very uncomfortable position.I have a pillow behind my back and a buckwheat pillow between my knees but I'm basically tilting precariously on my side all night. She can't sleep unless the boob is accessible and I am touching her in some way.

Second night in a row w 3 hrs sleep total and I'm at a loss. I'm also keeping her up with all my tossing around trying to get comfortable.

When did you transition out of the C curve? How did you sleep with an older baby? Do bedsharing families go through some sort of process to shift to a different sleep position? It was so natural when she was a newborn and now I can't figure it out...

 

[emmy0922]

@ashleychristine8 I transitioned out of the c curve at about 4 months. My daughter is almost 11 months now and I nurse her to sleep on my side, then when she’s asleep, I detach and make sure she’s on her back and I lay on my back or my side. Facing her or away. Honestly however I feel comfortable. It feels safe to me. She’s able to hold her own.

 

[lemolly]

@ashleychristine8 I start out on my side and once babe stretches out I roll onto my back so we’re both on our backs next to each other. I use a contour pillow between my knees and it stays in between my legs pretty well as I switch between side and back. My babe doesn’t need me to touch her all night long tho, as long as she gets a boob when she wants it she’s happy.

 

[ebuzi]

@ashleychristine8 At nearly 7 months old, but 96th percentile for height, I’ve found sleeping on my back is helpful when my side is no longer comfortable . Babe also doesn’t need to be touching me all night so it makes it easier. I’ve never woken up facing away from her and I still keep my arm stretched out over her head. We’ve not had any issue with it. I’m definitely interested in transitioning her to a floor bed soon though.

 

[ashleychristine8]

@ebuzi Oh interesting. Hadn't heard of using a floor bed at this age. We have the babybay and I've thought about putting it at floor height with the grates up against our mattress (our mattress is on the floor). But don't think we're there yet since she seems to need comfort nursing a lot

 

[futureinfaith]

@ashleychristine8 My son is 8 months now. I don’t remember when I stopped doing the c curve. I’ll nurse him to sleep, then I scoot away to get comfortable. He likes to roll and get comfy on his belly, and he’ll flop back & forth a lot. Sometimes I’ll sleep next to him, but most of the time I move to the foot of the bed so I can get comfy and avoid him rolling into me.

 

[ashleychristine8]

@futureinfaith Mine was rolling onto her belly last night. Scared me but I guess if they can do it on their own, it's ok!

 

[mamak]

@ashleychristine8 Oh gosh at 8 months you’re fine! Enjoy the deep sleep lol

 

[andybrooks]

@ashleychristine8 Once he started doing that (around the same age, I am tall and so is kiddo), I slept on my back a lot with my arm stretched out above his head.

If you are concerned about your pillow - can you switch to a smaller/ firmer one? Or sleep without one?

Putting a pillow behind my lower back also helps. And one between my knees.

 

[jonahua]

@ashleychristine8 I am so a smaller person with a giant baby who demands to be touched throughout the night. I usually angle him so his legs are away from me and his shoulder is up against me. Or if he wants extra snuggles then I lay him parallel to me and I drape my arm over his waist/hips. For boob time, we are both on our sides facing each other.

To keep my husband from rolling over him, we use to put a small wedge pillow on his side so he wouldn’t roll around throughout the night. Now he is accustomed to staying fairly stationary and will wake up (slightly) to safely reposition. This means my son can wriggle over to him for bonus snuggles as well I can have a break

 

[ashleychristine8]

@jonahua Great to hear I'm not the only small mama Hubby isn't very on board for middle of the night snuggles but will try out the positions!

 

[ttolainchrist]

@ashleychristine8 I kept the top of the c and released the bottom once Ev was too big. But also she was much older and crawling/standing. So it was less scary! I’m sorry.

 

[ashleychristine8]

@ttolainchrist Yeah, I'm scared abt my pillow at the top of the bed!

 

[ttolainchrist]

@ashleychristine8 Oh, can you sleep with your arm (that’s on the mattress side) out like above the baby.

 

[mamak]

@ashleychristine8 This might sound weird but I lay in my pack and have my baby rest his head on my arm once he is out he rolls off or I remove my arm . It took some time but my baby got
Used to not touching all night.

 

[ashleychristine8]

@mamak As with anything, sounds like a learning process to not be touching all night! Feels like such a milestone not to be cuddling the whole night. Not one I'd be very eager to hit if only she was still small enough to fit into our little c curl

 

[katrina2017]

@ashleychristine8 Following as my very long 3 month old also makes it awkward.