Co-sleeping with a newborn in the winter months

[AlbertaWildRose]

Baby no. 2 is due in January. I know that I want to co-sleep as we will all get better sleeps, but what should I do about covers/blankets, since babies should not be under the duvet? DS was born in the middle of a very hot summer so we were fine with a light blanket, but I get really cold in the winter. Should baby be on top of the blankets in a sleeping bag? What have others done?

Anyone?

ds2 born in feb this year. he slept in lightweight (1 tog) sleeping bag between us on top of duvet.

ds born in January this year. We have a very cold flat! He slept on top of duvet, in a 2.5 tog growbag. Or at my side, not under duvet, but in the crook of my elbow, so not going anywhere.

I had those sleeping bags - grobags - when dd2 was tiny (born in december). With a body suit on underneath. Baby lying on top of bed - outside our blankets etc.

You can get lovely (expensive ones) from grobags - or also from mothercare and tescos and asdas do versions too now I think.

Dh and I switched from duvet to sheets and blankets, so she would not get accidentally covered with a duvet (though did not put dd under them). Actually, I think we went for single sheets and blankets for each of us because I was rolling about quite a bit!

We also had the heating on longer than usual so room didn't get too cold.

Thanks, LadySanders. Did you ever have him on your other side, so he was on the outside? Will be breastfeeding, so will need to move baby from side to side. I just wonder about a baby falling out if they are in a sleeping bag on top of the duvet, not under blanket with me?

Things that I have done.
To keep me warm:
Put my dressing gown on.
Put a cardigan/jumper on.
Kept the quilt down at my waist with the baby further up near my chest.

Baby would be dressed in a babygrow sometimes with a cardigan and loosely swaddled.

I always faced the baby and kept my arm around him/her. I never put baby between us, always kept him/her on the outside of the bed.

Ah, x-posted with MamaChris.

DS has just woken up so I have to run, but will check back again later. Thanks for all your responses!

yes i had him on other side but didn't sleep too well, so eventually got the hang of feeding from other boob (top one if lying on my side iyswim) so he could stay in middle

I just stayed on the one side and shifted slightly forward or backward to give baby access to whichever breast.

So it sounds like a grobag might be the best way to go. Thanks all!

I used fleecy outer pyjama things from Mothecare, with a little blanket on top for really cold nights

have co-slept with all of mine ntil aged three - its lovely in't it?

DS2 (18 months) currently has fleecy outer pyjamas on

I love growbags but none of my DCs liked them as they like to move around as grobags cramp their style

We used 2 single duvets with baby between. Dh on outside, baby either between us with a baby blanket or my other side, by the wall. We happened to already have the single duvets so it was an easy solution.

You can buy a bed guard which slots under the mattress. These are really meant for toddlers moving into bed from cot but I used one on my bed to keep baby from rolling out if I wanted him on the outside.