# Co-sleeping with a newborn



## Carriem (Sep 14, 2007)

Hi looking for some info for a friend who has no internet access if anyone can help.I have only co-slept with a robust toddler so want to clarify things for her.

When co-sleeping with a newborn what blankets should you use is a duvet/sleeping bag too heavy, should you have separate blankets for the baby or the baby under your blankets?

What should the baby sleep in, vest or PJ's or both?

What about having the odd glass of wine and then co-sleeping is it harmfull to snuggle up close to the baby as long as your not drunk?

Do you have to sleep in the same position all night to stop the baby falling out of the bed as you shouldnt put a newborn in the middle of the bed?

I know odd questions but its quite scary for some people to get around the idea of not using a cot.


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## jenangelcat (Apr 17, 2004)

Deleted by user.


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## maureen73 (Jul 31, 2007)

With Adam, I never used our sheets, blankets or pillows near him. He was always in a halo type sleep blanket that would zip up on him. I would have to keep him away from DH who was a crazy sleeper and I was always worried he would smother him. On the otherhand, I am a very light sleeper so the slightest movement and "mother's instinct" usually woke me up. I would not recommend being under the influence of anything while co-sleeping as it can still interfere with your normal sleep/waking cycles. JMO. To eliminate the stress do to DH being such a sleep mover, we bought a co-sleeper with Hannah and it worked wonders for us......we will be using it for Jacob.


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## SublimeBirthGirl (Sep 9, 2005)

I slept the way I usually do, only there was a baby next to me. I kept the covers at waist level on me and dressed her to the room temperature. I have had a glass of wine and coslept. It is, though, a VERY bad idea to cosleep if you feel tipsy/drunk.


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## Alyantavid (Sep 10, 2004)

Quote:

I slept the way I usually do, only there was a baby next to me. I kept the covers at waist level on me and dressed her to the room temperature. I have had a glass of wine and coslept. It is, though, a VERY bad idea to cosleep if you feel tipsy/drunk.
Same here. I didn't drink at all with my newborns though. Once they were several months old I'd have a drink and cosleep.


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## gwynthfair (Mar 17, 2006)

I swaddled my DD and then slept with my arm around her. Sometimes if it was really cold I would wrap a blanket around my arm and hold it over the bottom half of her (if that makes sense).

I don't know about those recommendations to use no blankets. I live in Wisconsin...


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## MotheringHeart (Dec 18, 2005)

I have always used blankets and pillows in my bed while co-sleeping. We put the babe in between us to start the night so their head is in between our pillows (move the pillows well away from babe) and had the blankets pulled up to armpit level on the baby. We usually swaddle our newborns and so when it was winter we would swaddle w/sleeper under and then our blankets on top. If I needed to nurse on the other side, I just fell asleep with the newborn on the outside-side of the bed. Newborns do not roll around and so I never felt like they were in any danger of falling off. (Of course, when they get older they do roll around and I think that each one of my kids has rolled off the bed. It's not a good thing, but they all survived just fine.) We started in a queen bed and now have a king sized bed and there is no problem with room.

I loooooove sleeping with babies and good luck to your friend!


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## luminesce (Aug 6, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Carriem*
When co-sleeping with a newborn what blankets should you use is a duvet/sleeping bag too heavy, should you have separate blankets for the baby or the baby under your blankets?

What should the baby sleep in, vest or PJ's or both?

We put our son in cotton footed snap-up sleepers. They kept him warm but weren't too hot. We didn't use blankets at first because he slept in my arms for a few weeks. Now, I do use a blanket carefully. I put it over my legs and then tuck it between my knees, so only a small portion covers my son's legs. If he grabs the blanket (which he has started to do) it can't go anywhere since it is wedged well. Not sure if this would work for everyone but it does for us.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Carriem*
What about having the odd glass of wine and then co-sleeping is it harmfull to snuggle up close to the baby as long as your not drunk?

I wouldn't sleep with a baby, especially a newborn, after consuming ANY amount of alcohol.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Carriem*
Do you have to sleep in the same position all night to stop the baby falling out of the bed as you shouldnt put a newborn in the middle of the bed?

We put a crib up next to my side of the bed. I slept with my knees curled around DS - with my babe next to my breast. At around 6-8 weeks, he started sleeping on the bed instead of in my arms. He now sleeps on his back (or sometimes on his side) next to the milk factories.







The crib serves as a glorified bedrail. This arrangement is still working for us - and will until he becomes mobile.


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## dziwozony (Aug 27, 2006)

i know there are a lot of careful rules for co-sleeping put out there, but for us we just stayed tuned into our little one & did what works for us. i realize there could indeed be genuine concerns about accidents that could happen, but after spending the past 4 months sleeping with my wee babe, the idea of smothering him just seems so silly. there's no way! you would have to be really out of it for that to happen. very unusual circumstances.

we use 3 duvets since it's been winter (southern hemisphere here) & pull them up as we would anyway. ds just wears a little onesie because it's warm that way & he sleeps just below our head level. sometimes he's in the middle, sometimes on the other side of me, depending on which side he just finished nursing from! (if you only keep them on one side, doesn't the other breast end up engorged by the morning??). some babies get hot easily & some have trouble staying warm, you just need to tune into how your own baby is & dress them appropriately. (slip your fingers behind their neck onto their back to feel their body temp)

keep in mind small babies don't roll out of bed! most of them cannot roll until at least 3 months. ds is 4 months & it's still not a worry yet. he seems to stay in the same position...either on his side for feeding or on his back when fast asleep.

maybe our ds just has strong head control, but anytime there's anything against his face he doesn't like, he just moves it. so i've never worried about pillows or anything.

tell your friend co-sleeping is wonderful & there's nothing to worry about! we enjoy it so much & ds loves it as well. morning times with my partner & i with ds snuggled in between are quite special & when ds smiles the most!


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