Attachment Parenting
twoitalians
member
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Co sleeping and bedsharing
twoitalians
member
Is the difference that with co sleeping the crib is up against the bed and baby sleeps there almost next to parent and bed sharing there is no crib and baby sleeps in bed right next to the mom or dad? Would this make bed sharing " unsafe"? I put it in quotes cuz of the debate about that. I'm asking cuz it seems DS sleeps more soundly cuddled up next to us but then I don't sleep well cuz I'm worried about bumping him or some other thing that could happen... Rolling onto him, etc. What are some ways that people bedshare? I've seen pics of the co sleepers.
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Re: Co sleeping and bedsharing
Co-sleeping is essentially sleeping in the same room. So that might mean with the crib hard up against the bed, or in a bassinet etc.
Bedsharing means baby is in the bed with you. There are safe principles to it eg. Baby should be next to Mum, not dad, as Mums have an inherent awareness of baby. Blankets should be at your waist. Only one pillow. You shouldn't drink or have taken medications that cause drowsiness etc.
I use a bedrail so that I'm confident LO won't wriggle off the bed. It also means I can put Lo as far away from me as possible. Although babies heat-seek, and no matter what she always ends up snuggled up against me.
There are snuggle nests and other things that basically give baby their own space within the bed. I've never used one, but ladies here have and will have lots of ideas.
Elizabeth 5yrs old Jane 3yrs old
We bed share and have been since about 2 months (when nursing got better). When we stopped nursing, we co slept, Jacob in a pack n play in our room, but that only lasted about 2 months as he prefers to sleep next to me. Yes he has rolled off the bed not once but twice and we ended up putting a bed rail on my side, which is a pain in the butt. Let me tell you he is 16 months and he still sleeps with us. He doesn?t roll off the bed anymore; he gets off by himself, but can?t climb up. It?s very hard to break but Jacob does sleep better; I think I do too, knowing he is safely next to me all night. We might try to break it again here in the new year!
I bed share by having my LO next to me in bed. Our bed is a mattress on the floor. Since he's not mobile yet, he gets his own little blanket around his legs and I get a blanket. We mostly stick to him lying between me and the end of the bed, but if I have to nurse him from the other side, I scooch all the way to the edge of the bed and have a big gap between DS and DH. Granted, DH is not the type sleeper to really move around so I'm not worried. He'll just roll from side to side on his side of the bed.
We had started by co-sleeping, but DS just really sleeps so much better next to me that it was worth it. I get so much more sleep and only barely have to wake up to nurse him so it feels less interrupted as well.
Sometimes, I'm hilarious.
We bed-share and follow the safety guidelines listed here:
https://kellymom.com/parenting/nighttime/familybed/
Enjoy snuggling that little one!