Where Should Your Baby Sleep?
In many cultures, co-sleeping is, and always has been, the norm. If you think about it, the practice of mothers and babies sleeping together makes a lot of sense: babies are comforted by the closeness of their mothers and often sleep better, and mothers will be comforted by knowing their baby is okay and may also sleep better. Plus, nothing is as easy and restful for a nursing mom as simply lifting her top, latching the baby on, and dozing off again.
In the United States, however, co-sleeping isn't considered the norm. Our culture relies on bassinettes, cribs, and other baby beds, and often encourages independence right from the start. You may even have heard that co-sleeping is dangerous and increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). But many experts agree that there is a safe way to practice co-sleeping, just as there are safe and unsafe ways to use cribs and other baby beds. There are many benefits to co-sleeping: it's easy and convenient for nursing mothers, and may help you sleep better if you don't have to get out of bed every time your baby wants to eat.
Essential
Some studies suggest that co-sleeping may actually reduce the risk of SIDS. Deep, unbroken sleep seems to make it more likely that babies will get into trouble with breathing, and when babies sleep close to their mothers, they sleep more lightly and breathe more evenly.
Co-sleeping is not an all-or-nothing proposition. Many mothers start their babies out in a crib, then bring them to their own bed to sleep from the first feeding on. Other parents sleep with their babies during special circumstances. If you decide to co-sleep, you may receive criticism from family and friends, but you may also be pleasantly surprised to find out just how many parents sleep with their children at least some of the time. Do you know anyone who has never taken a nap alongside their baby?
Sleep Safely
If you plan to bring your baby into your bed some or all of the time, please follow these safety guidelines:
Your mattress should be flat and firm, and there should be no crevices or gaps between the mattress and the wall or headboard that your baby can slip into. To keep your baby from rolling off the bed, simply put your mattress on the floor, or use a mesh guardrail. Make sure the guardrail is intended to be used by babies. Do not put your baby to sleep on a waterbed, sofa, pillow-top mattress, or any other surface that could trap his head or create pockets of air for him to breathe again and again.
Make sure your bottom sheet is securely tucked under the mattress edges and won't be pulled loose during the night. A fitted sheet's elastic could wrap over your baby's head.
Be sure your mattress is big enough to accommodate you, your husband or partner, and a baby comfortably. Many families look at this as a good opportunity to upgrade to a king-sized bed.
Check your mattress every night to be sure the fitted sheets are still secure and that there is no space between the wall or headboard and the mattress.
Your baby should sleep between you and the wall or guardrail. Mothers have an instinctual awareness of where their baby is at night, but fathers and other family members may not have the same ability.
Don't ever sleep with your baby if you've been drinking or if you are using any medication that might make you sleepy.
Make sure there are no pillows, blankets, or other items in the bed that could cover your baby's head.
Don't dress your baby too warmly or cover him up with heavy blankets.
Question
I'm overweight. Can I sleep with my baby?
Evidence shows that babies are at a higher risk when they co-sleep with obese mothers. The danger is that the sleeping mother's weight will create a dip in the mattress that a baby could roll into. If you are very heavy, a sidecar arrangement, described on the next page, may be a better choice.
But Won't I Roll Over on Him?
Many mothers express fear that they'll roll over on or suffocate their babies at night. But research has shown that this is very seldom a real danger, unless the mother is under the influence of medication, alcohol, or other drugs, or is obese. Most co-sleeping mothers report that they wake up long before their baby gets hungry, detecting small movements, sighs, or even the smacking of tiny lips in their sleep. New moms are hardwired not to sleep heavily or soundly — they're on the alert in case their baby needs them.
Alert
Safe co-sleeping is dependent on a mother being aware, even in her sleep, of all her baby's sounds and motions. If you aren't wakened by your baby's slight movement or soft sounds, you may want to consider using a sidecar arrangement instead.
Try a Sidecar
If you don't feel comfortable having your baby in your bed, consider a sidecar arrangement. You can purchase a special “co-sleeper,” a small bed that butts up against your own bed and provides a firm, safe place for your infant to sleep. Another option is placing a crib alongside your bed and adjusting the crib mattress to be the same height as your mattress, with the guardrail down. This option will take up more room, but will be useful much longer than a co-sleeper, which your baby will soon outgrow.
Using the sidecar arrangement, you can pull your baby close to you while he's nursing, and then gently slide him back over to the co-sleeper when he's done. Even if your baby doesn't end back up in the sidecar every night, it can act as an extension of your sleeping space, making the bed feel roomier. That way, everybody can spread out a bit, and you'll be reassured that if your baby rolls, he won't fall off the bed.
Other Arrangements
The next best choice is having your baby in a bassinette or cradle near your bed at night. This arrangement is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics because it facilitates breastfeeding and keeps you and your baby close by one another. That way, she'll have the benefit of smelling you close by and hearing your breathing, you'll be less anxious about whether she's doing okay, and you will probably hear her waking up in time to feed her before she gets really hungry and upset.
If your baby sleeps in her own room, use a baby monitor to hear her stirring before she wakes up completely. Once a baby is upset enough that you could hear her crying down the hall, you will both have a much harder time going back to sleep.
