Am I co-sleeping correctly??

[BabyHaines]

Hi all,

Well, as soon of you may've read elsewhere or already know, (hello Vici!!) my little yellow bump arrived on Thursday 18th via emergency c-section after a two day horrid induction due to pre-eclampsia
Anyhoo, am home with my beautiful baby boy George now and I adore him. He is the most precious thing I have ever seen!!
I am rather sleep deprived, mostly due to the whole PE/labour/hospital stay thing, but I am also in that 'OMG, I'm home with my new baby mode too!!)
I am trying very hard to BF, but it was slow to start, as we were both recovering from the general anaesthetic and the fact I was an early c-section.
I never intended on co-sleeping, but for the last couple of nights, it's just kinda happened and last night, thanks to C-S'ing I got about 5hrs sleep!! Yay!!

So.....just wondering if I can check whether I'm doing it right:
we have a kingsize bed (memory foam matress) with me and hubby in it!!
Last night, after much unsettledness in and out of his moses basket (which is painful for me due to my wound ) I ended up with him swaddled in his miracle blanket, with me on my side, him in the crook af my arm and him laying on top of our duvet (so it couldn't slip up over him).
I also kept my top open, so he was free to nuzzle as he pleased and I have not slept that well for a long time!!
So.....is this right?? What should/shouldn't I be doing??
xxxx

 

[purple_socks]

i'm not really an expert but it sounds to me like your doing everything right. theres no pillow above him is there? if there is then move that way.

i used a crib with a drop side so that it could b pushed right up against the bed because i felt a bit safer with him slightly further away (there isn't much room with me, Kian and DH in our bed!). if your want to use something like that i know mothercare has them.

I had loads of trouble BF after my section and having researched it since then i've found out that Co-sleeping is great for establishing BF...especially in the early days and especially if you've had a C-section coz it can b really hard with a section wound to pick up LO often which quite often means mums don't put LO to the breast as much as they should do to establish a good supply. i spent a while in hospital after Kians birth where co-sleeping obviously wasn't promoted which i think was really detrimental to my BF efforts.

Sounds like your doing great hun and huge congrats! i followed your story in the HB thread x

 

[anothersquish]

I would not have him ontop of the duvet if you can help it. If poss have him on the same surface as you, push the duvet well away from him and cover him with a blanket instead of duvet.
Where do you have him positioned? Is your bed against a wall or not? I have LO on the outside of the bed with a mesh guardrail, this means he CANNOT fall off the bed, CANNOT get wedged anywhere and even if he rolled right against the guard rail he can breathe through the mesh. I know some people who have to have the bed against the wall stuff any small gaps with a towel/sheet so baby cant get wedged down there.
Watch your pillows, I dont find pillows a problem as LO is nowehere near them.

 

[enola]

I have LO on the outside of the bed with a mesh guardrail, this means he CANNOT fall off the bed, CANNOT get wedged anywhere and even if he rolled right against the guard rail he can breathe through the mesh.
Watch your pillows, I dont find pillows a problem as LO is nowehere near them.

Hello! Hope you don't mind me slightly hijacking this thread - could I just ask which guard rail you use please? Been hunting on Amazon but they mostly seem designed to fit cotbeds etc. Thank you! x

 

[anothersquish]

I knew someone would ask and I havent a clue....I will check later, got baby attached to a boob at the mo!

 

[anothersquish]

https://www.babyboom2000.co.uk/products/Safety-1st-Secure-and-Lock-Bedguard.html

 

[Rebaby]

All sounds good to me

I've never had Toby on top of the duvet though, in the early days he was in a sleeping bag or under his own blanket and i just wrapped the duvet around myself or only had it up to my waist and then diagonal when it came to him, so it only covered his toes kind of thing! (It's really hard to explain- sorry!)

Recently i have had him under the duvet on occasions but i am not recommending that, it's just something that has happened with us as he's got a bit bigger, and i've changed what he sleeps in to ensure he doesn't get too warm.

We actually have a co-sleeper cot attached to one side of our bed although it doesn't see much action as he prefers mummy and daddy's big bed. The other night i was sleeping between Toby and the co-sleeper (OH is working nights so just the two of us at the minute) and he kept wriggling closer and closer into me so i had to gently edge backwards and i actually seriously nearly ended up falling into the bloody co-sleeper myself! I could imagine him thinking "see how she likes sleeping in there shall we, and then i can have this lovely big grown up bed all to myself!"

 

[im_mi]

I dont *think* its generally recommended to have little babies sleep on memory foam matresses, but i am unsure as to why....


Everything sounds fab though congrats on your new arrival!

 

[Vici]

Can't help but "hiiiiiiii" Will see you for lunch on Tuesday - i'lll bring cake xx

 

[Kota]

I dont *think* its generally recommended to have little babies sleep on memory foam matresses, but i am unsure as to why....


Everything sounds fab though congrats on your new arrival!

just looked this up as we have a memory foam mattress topper and co sleep..

it's because theres a risk of them sinking down into the mattress and it blocking their airways,...