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Original poster

New born co sleeping on me

8 replies

breatheslowly · 19/09/2010 12:22

Our 10 day old baby seems to sleep best on my chest - lying on her side with her baby blanket over both of us. To be able to hold her like this I have a pillow under each arm to support them so that I can hold them round her. I am very happy with this, I don't think I will drop her and she slept 6hrs last night only waking to nuzzle for food.

Most things I have read about co sleeping talk about the baby baing next to you and on its back. We had intended for her to sleep in a cot attached to our bed but due to birth complications I am not mobile enough to crawl past this into bed and can't pick her up easily.

Is what we are doing ok and will we be able to move her to sleeping by my side when we are all ready?

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becknnico · 19/09/2010 19:20

I did exactly this when ds was a newborn. I was never comfortable sleeping with him on my side when he was that little, plus we naturally slept with him on my chest better. I did the same thing with a pillow under each elbow too and it always worked fine and felt safe. As long as you feel safe and aware is the important thing. I also always did the exact same arrangement every time, if I knew this was going to be for the whole night, to be safe. I did this on and off placing him in a bedside cot when he was not on me. As long as I put him down in a deep sleep, he will stay in the cot for a few, 4 hours. He is 5 months, but this has been the norm for us since day one. Sometimes now we try sleeping on our sides facing each other and I think he likes it. We just started maybe a month ago in the mornings sometimes when I need a couple more hours, and he usually goes for it. I think what you are doing is just fine, esp if your getting the rest you need and you feel comfortable. Any changes or habits you want to break (if you decide are a problem for you or baby) can always be changed with a little xt concentration in that area.

Original poster
breatheslowly · 23/09/2010 18:19

Thanks becknnico - I'm not the only one then!

OP posts:
mindtheagegap · 25/09/2010 15:50

I slept like that with my DD for the first 2 months. I was propped on pillows and had pillows under my arms. Gradually changed to sleeping on our sides but i always found i slept better with her on top of me (and so did she). We gradually moved to side by side sleeping. She's in a cot now (11 months) - and although I get a night's sleep i still miss the early newborn days of sleeping so closely together. Enjoy it while it lasts Smile.

Scarlett175 · 25/09/2010 17:21

I did this too... took over the whole bed with my pillow arrangement and then when she was 3 months or so, a bit bigger and sturdier we slept side by side with her latching on and off as she wanted to.... we have just transitioned her to a cot and whilst I am sleeping better its a special thing to sleep with your baby and wake up seeing her/his smile first thing in the morning.

x

InmaculadaConcepcion · 25/09/2010 18:53

Hah, me too! I also used a wrap sling as the blanket for DD - loosely, so she couldn't be trapped by it (and it's breathable fabric), but it gave me extra assurance she couldn't slip off me.

I know loads of parents who slept like this with their newborns for the first month or so.

I think DD was six weeks when I started being able to put her down to sleep.

northernrock · 19/10/2010 12:11

Oh God, I did this too when my baby was about 2 weeks, until about 9 weeks, and remember really worrying that I was doing the wrong thing (according to various older relatives I was!)
He cried a lot, and the only way he would sleep was on me. I had his blanket over us, and tucked in the ends to sort of hold him on.

I never felt that I really slept deeply like this, but once I was woken up by him slipping off me! (He just slipped to the side of me and was fine)

After a little while he was fine sleeping next to me on his side, which I totally beat myself up over, because he wasn't on his back. He really hated being on his back (at nearly four he still sleeps on his side.)

Do what feels natural. And what could be more natural?

MrsC2010 · 19/10/2010 12:17

I slept with DD on my chest, spreadeagled on her front on the odd occassion when she was really unsettled.

grumpykat25 · 19/10/2010 20:27

Oh I miss that! Make the most of it, it seems like such a worry at the time, but I really miss those all night snuggles now Smile

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