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Co-sleeping/bf in bed questions

15 replies

alex8 · 03/12/2006 17:23

I didn't do this much with my first child, not that I am against it or anything just we had a very narrow bed and I had loads of dreams about squashing him. I also took ages to get the hang of feeding him lying down. I may do it more this time cos it is way more relaxing. Am due in Feb and now have a very wide bed but I have a few questions

-what sort of bedding do you/the baby have? My ds was born in a heatwave so we often didn't even have a sheet on but this one will be a winter baby

-if they feed from the breast nearest the edge of the bed what stops them falling out? (we have wooden floors)

-if they feed from the side that is in the middle of the bed is it riskier being squashed between you?

-do you still do winding?

Thanks in advance!

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Quootiepie · 03/12/2006 17:26

Have you though about a bedside cot? Not to use... but it means if baby rolls, its there...

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Tommy · 03/12/2006 17:28
  • baby was in gro bag on top of my duvet and mt boob had to hang over the top of the duvet IYWSIM!


  • put my big feeding cushion beanbag thing between the edge of the bed and the bedside table


  • always fed on the side nearest the edge of the bed at night OR - made DH sleep somewhere else (although t be fair to him, he was never comfortable sleeping with DS2 so mostly he chose to sleep somewhere else anyway!)


HTH
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DizzyBinterWonderland · 03/12/2006 17:29

can you push the bed against the wall? or you can get side bar thingies like you use on toddler beds, or you can get bedside cots.

you don't necessarily have to move the baby to feed, you just kind of move your body so he can get either side.

i think it's best if the baby is next to you not the dad. i seem to recall reading that men don't have the reflex women have to not squash the baby.

someone else will be along with more thorough answers i'm sure!

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alex8 · 03/12/2006 17:36

thanks for that, unfortunately the new bed is so big we can't put the cot directly next to the head of the bed. It can be next to the bed but only from the middle of the bed in you see what I mean. (cot will be in bay window) Also have to have c-section and it will be hard to get out of bed if cot next to it.

Haven't got gro bags (am very mean, got given lots of blankets.) But I may be able to get them off a friend. I got very confused by the idea of them; all those togs and what happnens on a warm night in winter and a cold night in summer.

Only place dp could sleep in on sofa or with ds1! But we could change sides a lot.

I have got a big soft floor cushion though.

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alex8 · 03/12/2006 17:39

Not sure we could turn bed arouns by wall but I could steal rail off my sons bed.

I have become fixated by the various permutations of this. Am also obsessed with how warmly you dress a tiny baby in cold weather as have no experience. I think am going to be as mad second time round as first!

thanks everyone

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Quootiepie · 03/12/2006 17:39

DH and I swap sides all night...

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purplemonkeywishdasher · 03/12/2006 18:02

we had ds is a sleepsuit and just kept the duvet up to his waist. (i slept in a cardi so my arms wouldn't get cold) he slept in between dh and i at times and it was fine. (our bed is bigger than a double though) and when he was sleeping on the outside endge i put a pillow by the edge (again bigger bed so there was room)
then we put the cot beside the bed and it was MUCH better.

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DoesntChristmasDragOn · 03/12/2006 18:07

You can feed from the "top" breast as well as the one on the bed so you don't need to swap sides of the bed. BabyDragon slept with one of those bump wedge pillows next to her (thick end next to her). and with just a light blanket over her (early Feb baby)

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purplemonkeywishdasher · 03/12/2006 18:15

how cool is this?!
but i've never seen them here just in canada.

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alex8 · 03/12/2006 18:16

I never tried that feeding from the top breast thing.

we should have room for pillows/wedges etc as new bed is massive, which is great but I have to travel quite a way now to hit dp if he starts snoring

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PinkTinsel · 03/12/2006 18:18

if you curl yourself around baby they're really quite safe on the middle of the bed. tuck your knees up so they're under baby and have your bottom arm out over the top of babies head and your top arm over baby..... this serves 2 functions, it prevents you rolling on baby and it means if baby rolls away or dp rolls onto him you'll be instantly aware.

you can feed from the top boob but tbh i find it incredibly uncomfortable, especially if i fall asleep like that so i tend to put baby in the middle of the bed slightly to my side and move myself to one side or the other of him depending which side i need to feed from, dp hangs off the side of the bed he has the choice of the big double bed in dd's room but he doesn't mind and he loves ds being in with us too so it works fine.

as they get older and more rolly you'll want to keep them in the middle all the time, feed from the side you won't need at night before bed so the breast you need is nice and full for night feeds, that means you won't need to swap over.

i just dress mine in theire ususal nightwear, pj's or babygro and put them undert he duvet, but hook the duvet under my top arm so it can't come any higher, and my pillows are kept away from the baby by my shoulder as i need them pushed back to have my arm stretched over babies head iyswim?

good luck with it and don't worry, you'll find a way which works for you very quickly with babies help

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PinkTinsel · 03/12/2006 18:21

oh and remember, it gets easier as baby gets bigger and tougher so if you find it too nervewracking with a newborn do try again when the baby is a little older

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DoesntChristmasDragOn · 03/12/2006 18:22

Top Breast is easier with a larger baby I must say. It helps that you're both proficient at breastfeeding.

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PinkTinsel · 03/12/2006 18:31

must just be my boobs that are the problem then as ds is huge and it kills my back and i fed and co-slept with dd til a year and it never got easier!

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alex8 · 03/12/2006 18:56

I can see myself printing out this thread at trying all the position like playing twister!

that sleeping thing looks good. We did that the first night we came home from hsoptial with ds in moses basket and dp across bottom of the bed in total shock at having a baby and not knowign what the hell to do. It was very funny (in hindsight)

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