Co sleeping do's and dont's?

[Emmy1987]

So I'm going to try cosleeping when LO wakes in the night in the hope she won't be awake for hours in the night.

Only problem is where do I start? Tips needed!

 

[sweetpea2]

LO should sleep your side of the bed, not in the middle, making sure there is no way for her to fall off the bed or get wedged between the mattress and the wall (fill any gaps with towels).
Make sure there are no loose blankets or heavy duvets etc near LO.
Dress her lightly so she doesn't overheat. A cosleeping bed is often much warmer.
That's all I can think of for now. Hope this helps, and enjoy!

 

[Emmy1987]

I'm not sure what to use to stop her falling out, I've only co-napped and she's had her own side of the bed lol :/

 

[MillerBabe]

I dont have much as advise as i dont co sleep often..but never do it when your VERY tired as you might fall into too deep a sleep...and never while under the influence of any type of drug (prescription or not) or alcohol....they are safe beds you can buy for co sleeping...they say to have the bed right up against the wall with little to no pillows or blankets and put baby by the wall then mom beside the baby then dad on the other side of mom...mothers and babies are more in tune with each other they say so its the safest not to have the baby right beside dad...but thats all i know...where i live the nurses wont give you advice on it because it is not recommended at all...but we all know there are times where you just cant be getting up every 2 minutes....

 

[Emmy1987]

Ooh this is getting more complicated than I thought

 

[Scarlett07]

I co sleep when babe wakes in nights and won't settle. I put him on top of the duvet on my dressing gown. My hubby sleeps in another room so babe has his share of a super king size bed. For some reason I actually feel better when he's on the bed with me.

 

[sequeena]

I keep Thomas on my side. His crib is against the wall and our bed is against the crib. I don't share blankets with him and I don't co-sleep if I've had a glass of wine or painkillers It's very simple really, it just sounds daunting!

 

[midori1999]

UNICEF and FSIDS jointly publish a leaflet on safe co sleeping/bedsharing.

https://www.unicef.org.uk/Documents/Baby_Friendly/Leaflets/3/sharingbedleaflet.pdf

However, the leaflet is aimed at BF Mothers and bedsharing when BF is thought to be safer. In fact, estimates are that bedsharing and BF could reduce the risk of SIDS by five times. That doesn't mean you shouldn't FF and bedshare, but I believe in knowing all the risks if you're makiing a decision/planning to do something.

Hope this helps.

 

[sweetpea2]

I'm not sure what to use to stop her falling out, I've only co-napped and she's had her own side of the bed lol :/

I've tucked LOs moses basket mattress between the bedframe and the mattress so it provides a barrier. I also have the moses basket pulled up right next to it (with nappies, wipes, change mat etc) in to be extra safe and so I have everything handy. Never have to get out of bed!

 

[sequeena]

I FF and co-sleep I'm still very aware of my child. I don't think how you feed your baby makes a blind bit of difference.

 

[Emmy1987]

I'm not sure what to use to stop her falling out, I've only co-napped and she's had her own side of the bed lol :/

I've tucked LOs moses basket mattress between the bedframe and the mattress so it provides a barrier. I also have the moses basket pulled up right next to it (with nappies, wipes, change mat etc) in to be extra safe and so I have everything handy. Never have to get out of bed!

Excellent idea!!

 

[xBabyGoose]

LOL I never knew what co-sleeping was until I read this!

I've put LO in the middle of our bed on her own pillow with my hand around her and nodded off before. I practically sleep with one eye open any way, but I wouldn't trust the dad doing this as he falls into a deep sleep. She seems to settle so much better but I don't like doing it as I've heard its very dangerous! (Only done it twice and for half an hour at a time)

 

[Cattia]

They did advise us at our NCT group about it. Apparently if you sleep on your side with one arm out to stop you rolling on top of the baby, and your duvet only up to you waist, that is the safest way. The research they were talking about did show that there was a difference in arousal between BF and FF mothers which is why it is considered safer if you are BF, but I don't remember what the source she used was or how reliable it was. I only co-sleep if my DS really won't settle in his cot.

 

[whit.]

They did advise us at our NCT group about it. Apparently if you sleep on your side with one arm out to stop you rolling on top of the baby, and your duvet only up to you waist, that is the safest way. The research they were talking about did show that there was a difference in arousal between BF and FF mothers which is why it is considered safer if you are BF, but I don't remember what the source she used was or how reliable it was. I only co-sleep if my DS really won't settle in his cot.

This is nothing against you at all but..

wtf? So, Just because I FF means I don't hear my child as well in the night? I think that study was shit.

 

[midori1999]

They did advise us at our NCT group about it. Apparently if you sleep on your side with one arm out to stop you rolling on top of the baby, and your duvet only up to you waist, that is the safest way. The research they were talking about did show that there was a difference in arousal between BF and FF mothers which is why it is considered safer if you are BF, but I don't remember what the source she used was or how reliable it was. I only co-sleep if my DS really won't settle in his cot.

This is nothing against you at all but..

wtf? So, Just because I FF means I don't hear my child as well in the night? I think that study was shit.

The studies were enough to make UNICEF and FSIDS believe that bedsharing is not as safe if you FF and state in their leaflet 'If you are bottle feeding, the safest place for baby to sleep is in a cot by your bed'.

I can't find the info at the moment, but it is something to do with BF hormones heightening arousal.

 

[summer rain]

I believe that generally; according to the studies anyway the act of BFing produces certain hormones (forgot their name) that help both mum and baby to sleep better but also the sleep it produces is a lighter sleep which is more easily awoken from, thats not to say all FF mums are completely unaware of their babies in the night, or that all BF mums are completely aware of their babies and at no risk of rolling on them-some BF mums sleep like logs and will sleep through their baby crying and everything; but thats the reason for the advice. xx

 

[SiberianLover]

I have co slept with LO since we came home from the hospital. She sleeps in a boppy pillow so she won't roll. They aren't recommended to sleep in, but we've done fine. I sleep in her room, so my OH has our room and that bed all to himself. Well, sort of. He's got the dogs.
LO used to only sleep on me so for the first 3 months I slept on my back with her on my chest and my arms around her. I would wake up in exactly the same position. Now she doesn't like to sleep on me anymore
She is down to waking up only once or maybe twice a night (most nights anyway) and I have a little bedside table that I get all of her stuff ready on before I go to bed.
I am a pretty light sleeper anyway, but I've never had any close calls or anything. I like to have her next to me all night. I love being close to her like that.

And I formula feed.

 

[blessme]

I ve been co sleeping since we brought our baby home. She is 3 months old now. I think it helped her understand " we sleep at night". Iam trying to put her in her crib now because I want her to sleep in her own bed but I love sleeping with her, I think it's great for bonding. I also have stuff in the bedside table to change her. I BF so I also get more sleep this way my rolling over and pluging her in. I just fall right asleep. I am comfortable with this because iam a light sleeper and when she is in my bed I don't sleep as deep. If u r a deep sleeper or move around alot I would use a special co sleeping bed

 

[ashley2pink]

I FF and co-sleep I'm still very aware of my child. I don't think how you feed your baby makes a blind bit of difference.

I think she said bf and co-sleeping, because bf'ing DOES reduce the risk of SIDS.
I think some of you are getting too defensive over facts

 

[mattison]

I've been co-sleeping since bubs arrived. He is now a little over 6 months.

At first we also used the boppy pillow, then found it easier and better (for us) to use a long body pillow. I have his co-sleeper thing up against my bed as a barrier so he cannot roll off, though I will stick the body pillow against that, too, just in case. If he is nursing on the side where DH sleeps, I move the pillow to make a barrier between the two of them.

I have never had an issue with not hearing him or smushing him. DH has rolled a little close once, but I sleep with my arm out and DH 'crushed' it and it woke me right up! I sleep with my blanket up to my middle and bubs on top of the blanket. DH has his own blanket.

There are always risks -- as with anything, but I feel the benefits outweigh those for us. I feel incredibly bonded to my baby, which I think co-sleeping helped that. I get a good rest as he would stir and I'd just leave my boobie for his access (hehe) and he'd go right back to sleep after a minute of nursing. I also love snuggling him and I feel safer and calmer knowing he is right there with me. I tend to stir myself a few times to check his breathing, but I felt comforted after reading that co-sleeping can lower the risk of SIDS. And I love waking to him as he is happy and smiling and will start cooing since I am right there and he doesn't seem to feel the need to cry much.

I think if you do it carefully, you will find it very rewarding and enjoyable