Co-sleeping safely with a newborn

myskyegirl

Hi,

I'm practicing Side lay breast feeding at night and lo (6wk) I tend to fall asleep, or if I go to move her she wakes up, so I'm hoping I could get advice on co-sleeping safely.  

I'm in a twin bed, and it's just me and lo.  I have a travel bassinet but the bed is to small for me and the bassinet.  I live in NE so sleeping without a blanket is not an option.  

Thanks 

tokenhoser

Take everything out of the bed that you can - one pillow under your head, one blanket. Dress more warmly so you'll be comfortable without multiple blankets and with your top half less covered (I wore a cardigan to bed).

No strings on your clothing, if you have long hair tie it up.

As firm a bed as possible; I removed our memory foam topper when DS was a newborn.

I added a rail. This is sort of pro/con. I got one that attached on top of the mattress and clamped down vs. one that just pushed against the edge as I felt this added more safety than added a suffocation risk. 

Make sure there are no gaps - between bed and wall or mattress and headboard.

Really, I found I never moved while sleeping with DS. We'd fall asleep and I'd wake in exactly the same position when he woke me up a few hours later.

tiffmatt

Much the same as above. I lay LO on top of the blankets and sleep in a long sleep pj shirt unbuttoned to stay warm. Looking into getting bed bumpers soon as LO will be able to roll soon. So far neither of us move during the night.

ForeverEverAfter

It's cold here too. I keep the duvet tucked at my hip level and wear an unbuttoned flannel pj top. LO wears a fleece sleeper and sleeps below the pillows but above the blankets. Also, her bassinet is at bed level on my side as we put her there first at bedtime, so she sleeps between DH and I. I know it's a no no, but it works for us, neither of us move or roll in our sleep and he's super aware of her.