How to Co-sleep Safely with a Newborn

Co-sleeping occurs when parents and baby share a bed. Newborns are small enough to make the practice difficult, but it can be done safely. However, this practice is not recommended for newborns due to the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) and suffocation. With this warning in mind, you must take care in co-sleeping with your child by following a few helpful suggestions.

Things You'll Need

  • A co-sleeper, bed extension or Moses basket bassinet
  • Bedding
  • Pillows
  • Hair ties or bands

Instructions

    • 1

      Reposition your bed to prevent the baby from falling and becoming entrapped. Move the bed a few feet away from the wall or blinds (especially those with hanging cords that could suffocate the baby).

    • 2

      Attach a co-sleeper or a bed extension to the bed on the side of the person who will be caring for the baby during most of the night. This creates a separate sleeping area for the baby that is still very close to the caregiver. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for assembly. You can also place a Moses basket on the bed to provide a separate sleeping space without the bed alteration.

    • 3

      Swaddle the baby or place her in a sleep sack for the night. Use a heavier sleep sack or swaddling blanket for colder nights. These coverings will keep the baby warm and secure without the use of blankets that can inhibit the newborn's breathing.

    • 4

      Place the baby on the bed near the caregiver in an area that is away from the pillows, blankets and bedspreads. (Do this if you don't plan to make a separate space for the baby.) Parents usually choose the area between them, or a few feet in from the edge of the bed. Pull the fitted sheet on the bed taut to smooth out any wrinkles to inhibit baby's breathing.

    • 5

      Lie down on your pillow. Move the newborn so that she is positioned above your waist, but away from your pillow. A common way to co-sleep with baby is to use one arm to cradle the baby, while the other arches over the baby. Find a comfortable position that keeps the baby in position.

    • 6

      Pull your bedding up to your waist. It must never touch the baby. She is swaddled and warm enough.

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