Once you’ve decided that you want to co-sleep with your child you need to make sure to do this safely. In the Western world we don’t sleep on cots on the ground and a fall from a bed could be very dangerous for a baby. You will also have to consider your own medical condition. It is never recommended to co-sleep if you are taking any forms of drugs.
Safe co-sleeping
To co-sleep safely you need to make sure that the baby will not be able to fall out of the bed. It is a great idea to move the bed up to a corner so that you only have the side of the feet and one long side to secure. The lower part of your bed might already have a rail but if not you need to secure it. You can buy plastic rails to fit to the sides of your beds and these are excellent for co-sleeping.
Works for co-sleeping
What works for co-sleeping isn’t always a pretty sight and you must be prepared for this. Your bedroom might look very crowded and it can also be more difficult to clean when everything is cramped together. Consider the extra effort for cleaning and the crowded look the price you pay for safe co-sleeping.
Co-sleeping and drugs
It is well known that the tragic accidents that have occurred in connection with co-sleeping were mostly related to the condition of the mother. If you are on heavy medication or even worse, on drugs, you should not co-sleep with you baby! You need to rely on your natural signals to feel the baby and not roll over him. It is also recommended to breastfeed while co-sleeping because this creates a sleeping pattern in which you and your baby synchronize.
Dangers of co-sleeping
If you have made the co-sleeping safe by securing your bed and you are breastfeeding and not on drugs, you should be able to co-sleep safely. Remember that the baby will grow fast and it is only for the first few weeks that you would be able to roll over the baby without waking up. Listen to your own intuition. If it doesn’t feel safe to you to co-sleep then don’t do it. In the end of the day every Mommy has a special sense for what will work the best for her and her baby!
Happy and safe co-sleeping!