co sleeping
Co sleeping means that your baby sleeps close to you. Co sleeping is a way of sleeping that is very good for the baby and the mother. Co-sleeping improves bonding between mother and child. This attachment is extremely important for brain development. Co-sleeping with your baby can also work very well if your baby is restless or very tearful. Your baby has been safe in your tummy for nine months. The transition to your own bed can be very difficult for both mother and baby. Sleeping with your baby can make this transition a bit smoother.
Another advantage of co-sleeping is also if you are breastfeeding. If your baby sleeps with you, you don't have to get out of bed to breastfeed. This can be done directly in bed.
Baby in your bed
Co-sleeping can be done in different ways. One form of co-sleeping can be that your baby sleeps in your bed. This is just not the safest way. If you choose to put your baby in bed with you, it is important to pay attention to the following points:
Make sure your baby sleeps on his back.
Make sure your baby is not near the edge so that he/she can fall quickly.
Never leave your child alone in the large bed.
Make sure that your partner also knows that your baby is in bed with you so that he does not accidentally lie on your baby.
A firm mattress is important.
Never put a baby on a waterbed. The mattress is too soft and can be a choking hazard
Make sure that your baby cannot get a duvet over his/her head.
Make sure your baby doesn't get too hot in your bed.
So sleeping together in your bed is possible, but really take the above points into account.
Moses crib in your bed
A Moses cradle is a cradle in the form of an elongated basket of woven material. The Moses bassinet can easily be placed in your bed and offers more safety than your little one in bed with you. The disadvantage is of course that a moss crib takes up more space. That may not be advisable for the night, but if your baby sleeps during the day and you are still resting, a moss crib in your bed can offer a solution. Your baby can no longer sleep in a moss crib if he tries to get up. The chance that the basket will fall over then becomes too great. This will be the case within 3 or 4 months.
co sleeper
A form of co-sleeping that is very similar to this is using a co-sleeper. A co-sleeper is a crib where one side of the cot can go down. You slide the bed against your own bed. This way your baby is in a safe place, yet very close. This way of co-sleeping is convenient, because you can easily reach your baby to breastfeed, comfort your baby or just let them know that you are close by.
It is important to make sure that the co sleeper is safe. For example, it is important that the cot has the same height as your own mattress. There are co sleepers where you can adjust the height. With many cots it is also possible to attach the cot to your own bed, so that there is no gap between the cot and your own bed.
Your baby can sleep in a co-sleeper until he/she is on average six months old. The co-sleepers are generally lower than the cots, so it is dangerous to put your baby to sleep in a co-sleeper if your baby starts rolling, sitting and/or standing. There are also beds where you can adjust this.
crib in the bedroom
Another form of co-sleeping is to put a crib or bed in the bedroom. Your baby will not be in bed with you, but will be safely near the parents. For example, you can also put the crib or cot next to your bed, so that your little one is really close. Unfortunately you have to get out of bed to feed.
Using a cot in the bedroom can be a nice transition to sleeping in your own bedroom. This is often given as advice.
Co-sleeping therefore has many advantages. However, in addition to these advantages, there are also some disadvantages. Co-sleeping isn't always safe. It is therefore really important to first look at how you can sleep safely before you choose co-sleeping. In addition, it is no longer always obvious that you and your partner can have intimate moments. This is also a point to discuss with your partner before you choose co-sleeping.
Co-sleeping can also be detrimental if you bottle-feed your baby. Your baby always knows where to find the breast when breastfeeding. The bottle is really a lot trickier. In addition, the mother may be less vigilant at night when bottle feeding. This is because breast-feeding hormones make you watchful while you sleep.
The most important thing is that you discuss with your partner what is best for you. You can sleep together with your baby, provided this is done in a safe way.