Co-sleeping Made Safer

As with most issues concerned with babies, there is a huge debate over the rights and wrongs of co-sleeping. Some baby experts advise that it is un-natural, dangerous and downright selfish. Whilst others believe that you are all three of these things if you don't have your baby sleeping in your bed.

So what do you do? Well, I suggest whatever you and your partner feel comfortable with provided you make yourself aware of the risk factors. For some countries and cultures, co-sleeping is as natural as breastfeeding. 

It is difficult, nearly impossible to ignore all the advice you will receive as a new parent.  But believe me, it is a good idea to try!  You and only you know what works best for your family.

The benefits of co-sleeping:

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  Studies show that stress hormones in babies separated from their mothers are higher
  
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  The family benefits from a better night's sleep due to less interruptions
  
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  Growth hormones are higher in babies who sleep with their mothers
  
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  Babies cry less when co-sleeping
  
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  Parents have often reported that they've woken up to find baby is not breathing and acted on it immediately
  
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  Breastfed babies naturally turn their face to and away from the breast which means their head will most likely form into a nicer shape.
  

There are several key risk factors all parents need to be aware of including smoking, drugs and alcohol or strong medications, obesity, an intuitive feeling you might roll on your baby and extreme over-tiredness.

The majority of fatalities with babies whilst co-sleeping are as a result of getting trapped underneath the blankets after creeping downwards. Ensure you take some additional precautions including, but not limited to, the following:

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  It is helpful to use a wrap based system to hold babies comfortably off the tummy and to maintain baby in one place.  The Safe T Sleep®Sleepwrap® system will help to ensure this
  
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  Put baby sleeping beside mum rather than in between both parents
  
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  Do not co-sleep on a water bed
  
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  Do not allow baby to overheat.  He needs fewer clothes than he would if he were sleeping alone as his instincts will cause him to gravitate towards the heat of your body
  

Adopting the above precautions combined with a sleeping system such as the Safe T SleepSleepwrap will enable you and baby to enjoy all the benefits of co-sleeping whilst diminishing most potential dangers.

Do your best to enjoy this special short period of time and above all else trust your natural instincts to do what is right for you and baby and your family.