co-sleeping

[rollymo]

what do people think about co-sleeoing with a newborn baby? who is proud to co-sleep and who isint discuss...

[katyjo]

I couldn't possible have slept with my newborn, I wouldn't have got a wink of sleep!! If it suits you I don't see why not but I had enough problems waking up thinking I'd forgotten to put ds in his cot as it was and I never had him in our bed!!

[nearlythree]

They always seem to small to me, although I did co-sleep with both dds when they were bigger.

[liath]

I did it, dd wouldn't settle at all unless she was with me, it felt instinctively the right thing to do & was the only way to get any sleep. By 6 weeks she was reasonably good at sleeping in a carrycot beside me but even now (18 months) I'll sleep with her if she's ill or very unsettled. She's slept through the night from 12 weeks and is normally a great sleeper so despite what my mum said I didn't make a rod for my back.

[CountTo10]

I was always nervous about co-sleeping with our lo and then really disappointed when he wouldn't do it!!!! He's only ever slept in with us twice, both times when he was poorly, and it was lovely being snuggled up to him. Just follow the guidelines re smoking, drinking etc and I'm sure you'll be fine!!

Congratulations btw

[chocybickie]

i wouldn't have slept well without my baby close to me. it makes perfect sense to me. much more so than parents who hide them away in another room. i just couldn't have done that.

[PinkTulips]

dd was put into my bed in hospital as it helps regualte their temperature and hearing you heartbeat settles them... that what i was tole when i protested as i honestly had never considered it before having her, i never looked back though. i kept her in the cot in our room until the first time she woke after i went to bed, then pulled her in with me to feed. it means you can pretty much feed in your sleep so get more rest and the baby settles better too.... dd was often happy to lie awake next to me whereas if i tried to put her in the cot she'd have screamed the house down.

i automatically pulled ds in with me in hospital. he's 1 month and sleeps in a little sleeping bag on the couch next to me til i got to bed, then i lay him in his crib and whatever time he wakes he comes into bed with me. he's gone for several 7 hour stretches at night despite being bf and i'm much more relaxed not trying to force him to settle in a cot.

theres nothing better than snuggling up to a little baby in bed and as long as you follow the guidlines and use common sense it's as safe if not safer than putting them in a cot

[MrsBunny]

DD is in her own room now at 11weeks, but still comes in for the occasional sleep with us when required, and we've started having 'family naps', where we can all go to bed for an hour in the day and feel refreshed, we wouldn't be able to do this if we didn't co-sleep. I was taught how to safely co-sleep by the midwives and BF-counsellor in hospital, and have received continued support from my HV, in fact no-one has yet to disapprove!

[kbaby]

im tempted to do this as ds is a v restless baby and im getting 4 hrs sleep all in 1hr blocks a night.

How do I ensure I co sleep safetly?

[AvaLou]

When ours were tiny we bought king sized fitted sheets and put our pillows underneath it, then tucked it in firmly, also theres the obvious of not to do it if you've been smoking/drinking/taking meds that make you drowsy.
You will find that you sleep very lightly anyway, and the smallest fidget or murmur will wake you up.