Bed sharing at 9 months, advise please!

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We’ve gone on holiday and we’re at a glamping site, they were meant to have a travel cot for us but now said it wasn’t available. There is nowhere for baby to sleep besides in bed with me! How do I do this safely? We have a firm foam mattress, almost like in a hospital. Husband had a pint with dinner so I reckon he can’t sleep in the bed. Baby has a sleeping bag. I haven’t had anything to drink. Baby is still breastfed and healthy.

please help, cosleeping terrifies me (I know many people do it but I’m fearful of hurting the baby).

Thank you xx

There is a simple double bed, I can’t push the side agains any wall as it’s a canvas tent. I’m sleeping on the tent side with baby in the middle. I’ve laid pillows on the floor on the other side in case she rolls off? She tends to just scoot up and down in her bed at home, but does also like to turn on her side. Often if she rolls on her tummy and can’t get back to her back, she yells out.

Is there somewhere else for DH to sleep? If so, have baby in the middle of the bed, you sleep on one side but curled up around baby in the protective C position, making sure baby is well away from the other edge. If it's a double duvet, have half on you, half on the floor and baby in sleeping bag. Even better would be if you could get a single duvet cover. Duvet away from baby so wear a hoodie or dressing gown to keep your top half warm and duvet around your bottom half.

Single duvet not a single duvet cover!

@WildGeece thank you, yes, he’s taken the bottom bunk with 4 yo! I have a single duvet, have just the top half over my legs, will tuck the rest to the bottom of the bed. Is it better for me to have my head down low by baby’s legs? Then if I roll in the night I wouldn’t roll over her?

Oh bless you! Mattress on the floor, roll a towel or something up and put under the sheet to make a bumper at the edge, cardy or jumper on to keep your upper body warm, or wear sleeping bag.

Your baby is at greatly reduced risk from co-sleeping at 9 mo than if you were doing it with a newborn - from 4 months the risk drops off. At 9 months she's too big for you to roll on without noticing, would be able to move away, push duvet off herself etc.

Sleep on your side in an arc around her, you won't be able to roll on her that way.

I'd also be really cross with the campsite people - what do they mean, it's not available? Would they tell an adult that their bed isn't available, sorry?

Look up the protective C position, which is what AuntieJune is describing.

@AuntieJune thank you, there’s no space to fit the mattress on the floor! I can make a roll of a spare sheet to protect the edge. I’ve looked at the C position but am worried I will roll on to baby. Is it dangerous if I am below her, with my head at her leg level? Then if I roll it is just to her legs-enough to wake us both but not enough to hurt her?

yes I’m quite surprised too, we booked the tent and we’re told we could reserve the travel cot on arrival, but when we came they said they were all in use!

My youngest is 8mo now, and really the only thing I'd be worried about is her falling off the other side of the bed - so I'd be putting my effort into making sure she can't. But she's grown so hugely since she was a tiny newborn, and is so much more able to move or protest if someone else is uncomfortably close, that I worry much less now about stray bits of duvet and my own movement.

I don't think it'd be dangerous to have your head at her legs, can't see why it would be.

I used the C position with no problems of rolling, it takes getting used to but works if done as instructed. You'll also be a bit more alert than normal, I'd imagine.

I co-sleep with my nearly 10 month old. I always think that a reassuring thing to think is, as adults we don't ever fall out of bed and that's because even when we're asleep we have a sense of where we are, even if it's a bed we've never slept in before. When your baby is next to you, you'll also have this awareness of where she is. So try not to be too worried, and you might even love it!

Thank you all so much. Had a decent night and slept with my head at baby’s legs as I was nervous about rolling onto her. Appreciate the help and reassurance here xx