# co-sleeping with newborn



## Amatullah0 (Apr 7, 2009)

how do you co-sleep with your newborn? are there any safety precautions that should be taken? we were thinking about getting a bassinet or a pack n play with a bassinet, but its kinda pricey--that money would be better used on clothes or diapers.

if you just put your newborn in bed with you at night, where did you put him for naps all day? can a baby be left unattended on a full sized mattress that is on the ground?(i.e. just the mattress, no box spring)


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Both of mine have been in bed with us from day one. For naps when they're tiny, I use a moses basket or just a blanket on the floor.

-Angela


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## crunchyintexas (Oct 31, 2007)

Yes, you can definitely sleep w/newborn. A lot of parents keep their baby between them in the bed. Your only concern might be if your partner rolls around a lot in his sleep (that's what kept my sister from doing it).

A mattress on the floor works great. Even when my DS was going through a phase where he flip-flopped around a lot in his sleep, a crib mattress was wide enough that he didn't roll off. I kept a pile of extra blankets/pillows around the perimeter, though, just in case.

You could even layer a couple of blankets/quilts on the floor to use for naps. Newborns aren't as picky as we big people about mattresses.


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## makuahine (Mar 10, 2009)

DD slept in bed with us from day one, too. She would either sleep on one of our chests (for the first month), or tucked against my side (DH is a deep sleeper so she always sleeps on my side of the bed). For naps we either get her to sleep and then put her in her vibrating chair downstairs with us, or, if I have time, I will lie down with her in bed or nurse her to sleep lying on my lap on a boppy pillow. She always naps longer when she's next to me, but sometimes you just have to get stuff done.


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## Mrsboyko (Nov 13, 2007)

DS has only slept in our bed. He is either in my arm or on his belly between us. Naps he is either on the bed (in the middle, he doesn't move yet), on the swing or in a rocker chair (baby/ kids type). He sleeps best in the bed truly.


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## fruitfulmomma (Jun 8, 2002)

Quote:

if you just put your newborn in bed with you at night, where did you put him for naps all day? can a baby be left unattended on a full sized mattress that is on the ground?(i.e. just the mattress, no box spring
Until they start moving around, provided there are no blankets/pillows/etc... right next to them, the middle of the bed is fine. Once they start rolling, then you may need to look into another solution if you can not be with them. One possibility would be a toddler mattress on the floor.

All but my oldest slept with us from day one, including 2 hospital birthed babies where I wasn't even questioned about it. The same safety standards apply as to any other bedsharing situation... no drugs/alcohol for any other person in the bed, no excessive blankets/pillows, no extras in the bed, firm mattress, older children are separated by an adult from the infant, etc...

I also sleep on my back with my newborns chest to chest with me. I think with the last baby we did this for about a month before she was comfortable transitioning to sleeping next to me.


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## StellaG (May 3, 2009)

We also have our 2 mo. sleeping on us in our bed. Our bed is a little too small to have her in between us since my dh rolls around a lot. Our solution was to buy a crib for her and take off one of the sides. The matress is the same height as our bed, and so it serves as a little annex for her where she is safe but also next to us. Some day we will actuall use it, but it's so cozy to have her sleep on us and she's still little enough that it's comfortable.


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## jocelyndale (Aug 28, 2006)

In bed, between us. He was scooted up toward the headboard somewhat, blankets weren't pulled up beyond my waist. We turned our pillows sideways so that they weren't near him back then.

I took naps with him for the first few weeks. After that, I just rested in bed with a book or the laptop. Or he slept on me while I watched TV or walked around town. Slings are awesome for mobile napping.









He's two years old now. And sound asleep in my lap while I type.







I put the laptop on the recliner foot.


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## budwana birth (Feb 12, 2009)

One caution about the mattress on the floor- the mattress comes away from the wall more easily than a bed does, and the baby can become wedged- I wouldn't recommend it for this reason.

Good luck- co sleeping is delicious!


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## Mal85 (Sep 3, 2008)

It's strange because we never made the conscious decision to be co-sleepers. We always said we would sleep however we all got the best sleep. All three of us getting good sleep is the most important thing.

That being said, DD has been in bed with us from day one. I have started her night off in the bassinet next to our bed a handful of times and she does okay with that, but I don't. She is 2 months old and usually sleeps cuddled up next to me at night. I've started letting DH cuddle with her in the wee hours of the morning when she gets a little squirmier in her sleep and I can't sleep through it. She sleeps on whichever side she most recently nursed on. We do side-laying nursing at night and usually just fall asleep that way. I switch her to the other side when she wakes to eat again.

Naps happen wherever she falls asleep. When we're home all day (which has been rare lately), I'll lay her in the bassinet for her long nap of the day (she takes one long nap-- 2-3 hours-- and cat naps other than that). She sleeps fine in the bassinet during the day. But on the rare occasion she doesn't sleep well there, I will let her nap in her bouncy seat. She loves to sleep there.


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## mountaingirlbl (Dec 26, 2005)

I was a single mom when my first was born and I had her sleep next to me in bed, but i moved all the sheets out of the way so she wouldn't get tangled in them. Now I am married and expecting a baby any day. What would you advise we do about where the baby sleeps--between us? and, if so, what about keeping the blankets off him/her. And if she sleeps next to me, does anyone have any suggestions of what to use to keep baby from rolling off the edge of the bed? i don't feel comfortable with a railing because i feel that baby could get wedged. i have seen those nice cloth cosleeper bumpers but they are too expensive. any thoughts? how did you all cosleep (from day one) with your partner in bed with you?


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## Mal85 (Sep 3, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mountaingirlbl* 
I was a single mom when my first was born and I had her sleep next to me in bed, but i moved all the sheets out of the way so she wouldn't get tangled in them. Now I am married and expecting a baby any day. What would you advise we do about where the baby sleeps--between us? and, if so, what about keeping the blankets off him/her. And if she sleeps next to me, does anyone have any suggestions of what to use to keep baby from rolling off the edge of the bed? i don't feel comfortable with a railing because i feel that baby could get wedged. i have seen those nice cloth cosleeper bumpers but they are too expensive. any thoughts? how did you all cosleep (from day one) with your partner in bed with you?

Luckily, we have a king size bed. So, as long as the LO and I keep to one side of the bed I don't worry about what DH is doing. When she is in between us (still closer to me), I just make sure he is far enough away so if he does roll over, it won't be on her. Other than that, just what PP's have said... covers don't go above my waist and pillows are kept away from her.

If our bed was any smaller co-sleeping would be much more difficult for us because of my own worries. Maybe we'd sidecar a crib or something. We're getting ready to go out of town to visit friends. Their guest bed is only full size, so DH has already said he'll sleep on the couch so DD and I can sleep comfortably in the bed.


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## Comtessa (Sep 16, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mountaingirlbl* 
i have seen those nice cloth cosleeper bumpers but they are too expensive. any thoughts? how did you all cosleep (from day one) with your partner in bed with you?

If expense is an issue, you might want to check Craigslist - I've seen cosleeper bumpers listed in our area for $10-15.

We have a smallish bed and we're both very sound sleepers, so we borrowed a friend's cosleeper that fits up against the side of our mattress. I'm still getting used to having it there, it seems weird to think that there will be an infant in it any day now!


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