safe co-sleeping?

pahokie

I have read a few articles that say co-sleeping is good as long as you do it safely, but I haven't been able to find a lot of info on what constitutes safe co-sleeping.  No pillows? Only a few pillows?  Covers/no covers? Are both you and DH in the bed with LO, or just you?  How big is your bed?

Anything else I am forgetting?

Thanks!

jeffrae

We just took a CPR & Infant Safety course on Saturday.  They say co-sleeping is safe.  They say that you should always know when the baby is in bed with you -- that way you never go into stage 3 or 4 sleep and will not roll on baby.  They say to not sleep on the couch or chair with baby (suffocation risk or dropping risk).  The EMT also said to not use the cosleeper thing -- that is more of a suffocation hazard then having the baby sleep by your side.

ValerianOddity

I'm not sure what the "experts" say, but my own experience is this:  We co-sleep in a queen-size bed.  Gabriel sleeps between us, either on his side facing me (in a "nursing" position, with me also on my side), or on my arm, with me on my back.  I know I don't sleep as deeply with him in the bed with us; I am always aware of him.  However, I DO sleep better and more restfully, if that makes sense.  I am not sure I would want him to co-sleep with his daddy, without me also in the bed.  Daddy sleeps like a rock lol.

sharon2004

For co-sleeping, it's just me and A in our full-size bed, DH isn't comfortable sleeping in the same bed as the baby.  We started co-sleeping after I had an unplanned C-section and was too sore to get up quickly when he coughed or choked.  Typically, I'll sleep on my back and he'll sleep next to me, cuddled on my arm.  When he was a newborn, he'd sleep on his tummy right on my chest. 

I always have had my own pillow, baby doesn't use one.  I've had blankets, but only up to my waist and the baby uses a sleepsack.  Hope that helps!

847Christine

There's a great book, Sleeping with Your Baby that was recommended at a LLL meeting that might be a big help you.  Basically, no pillows/blankets near the baby's face.  If you're nursing, you'll find there's a perfect position where you almost fit around the baby in a protective way, laying on your side.

 

847Christine

I didn't really answer all of your questions...  DH & I are both in the bed, but it's a king size so he never really gets too close to DD.  We do use pillows, but I keep it pushed up so that DD is still flat on the mattress.  It's kinda' funny, she's spent her entire life w/no blankets & now sometimes when I wake up I try to snuggle under the covers w/her before I get out of bed & she kicks the covers right off immediately.