I swore I would never co sleep. That’s right, I promised my husband and myself I wouldn’t bring the baby in bed with me. I thought that it would create bad habits and I would never have my bed back. I also heard about all the dangers of co-sleeping. I didn’t know there was such a thing as safe co sleeping.
What I didn’t know was once my sweet baby was born and placed on my chest, I wouldn’t ever want to put her down again. Putting her down in her own crib in her own room didn’t feel right for me the way it did for some of my friends. I am glad each family gets to decide where to put their babies to sleep. For me, it was in a shared space.
AAP recommends babies sleep in the parents room for at least the first 6 months of life, ideally the first year.
Co-sleeping doesn’t always mean bed sharing and it is a very personal decision to be made by each family. Room-sharing can decrease SIDS up to 50%.
Safe Co Sleeping can be:
- Room sharing- baby has a crib or bassinet in parents’ room
- Sidecar arrangements- a specific bassinet or a crib with one of the sides detached and securely attached to the bed
- Bed-sharing / family bed- children sleeping on the same surface as parents
- Welcoming beds- children are welcome into their parents bed at any time, or start a portion of the night in their own bed
No matter what style of co-sleeping you choose, baby’s sleep surface should ALWAYS be made safe.
A few rules to consider for Safe Co Sleeping
- Baby should always be put on their back to sleep
- Tight fitting bedding on mattress
- FIRM surface – No waterbeds, ultra soft foam mattress, pillow tops, pillows, ill-fitted blankets
- No loose stuffed animals, blankets, pillows, or lovies close to baby’s face
- Tight fitting mattress- No spaces between wall/ crib rails and bed which can lead to entrapment
Sleep is a tough part of parenting. We wish you the very best when it comes to finding a few extra minutes of sleep after your baby arrives.
Thanks for sharing that cause safety is so important! My friends have so different opinions on the topic I sometimes need assurance what I’m doing is ok.
I have this side bassinet and I think it is great! We used it with our firstborn and now again. Although we had a problem with moving her to the separate room. Finally we’ve used sleep training book (very good one if anyone needs: http://parental-love.com/shop/baby-sleep-training) and it went pretty smoothly with very little crying.
We are so happy it was reassuring, there’s nothing worse than feeling judged by your closest networks. We seek to support all families as they make the choice that is best for them. As America is one of the only nations in the world who don’t co-sleep, we think it is important to share details on how to do so safely if that feels best in your heart.
Thank you for sharing the book too. We will be sure to share with others.