Co-sleeping with newborn - should I buy a product or just put baby in bed?

[Fishpants]

I would also appreciate any really well-researched, thorough articles about co-sleeping (either argument).

I am TTC and feel like co-sleeping is the right option for me. I have seen things like the Bednest, and also little co-sleeper 'boxes' (for lack of a better term) that you put in the bed to prevent you from rolling onto the baby...but the safety box things seem totally counter-intuitive to me? I want to be able to snuggle up next to the baby and feed him/her without having to pick them up out of a co-sleeper.

What about the drop-side cribs?

Obviously I want baby to be safe, I am a co-sleeper newbie but really want it to work!!

I had a Cosatto bedside cot and found it brilliant - it's a full size cot rather than one of those little cribs so it can go with them if/when they move into their own room. Basically ds started the night in it, and I would just pull him towards me (on a sheet) to feed him - sometimes he went back into the cot bit and sometimes not. Also meant he couldn't fall out as he got bigger.

You might find this Unicef/FSID leaflet useful too:

www.unicef.org.uk/Documents/Baby_Friendly/Leaflets/3/sharingbedleaflet.pdf

Re good co-sleeping articles - I found Dr Sears via Google - think it was called 'Co sleeping - yes or no?' or something similar. Also recently bought his book and really like it.

Deborah Jackson's book is all about co-sleeping - she's very pro.

There's a good section on co-sleeping safety guidelines at the beginning of the No Cry Sleep Solution (Elizabeth Pantley)

Whether you share the bed or have a "side-car" arrangement depends on you, really. Personally, I need my own space to get any sort of half-decent sleep, so I put DD in a CocoonaBaby and (after she stopped needing to sleep on top of me) that worked well - she was on the bed beside me but in her own little nest. As time went on, I got quite good at feeding her while still lying down too...

We have a bednest. It didn't get much use for about 3 months as DS2 wouldn't be put down AT ALL, but it was really useful thereafter for the (very small) gaps between night feeds. I think if you have a big baby it might not be useful for that long, but DS2 is 9th percentile for length and very happily still in it at 6.5 months. Of course, if you give birth to a baby that actually sleeps between feeds, it will be even more useful.

oh, and it looks nice

My view is that you have to do what feels right for you and your family. Dr Margot Sunderland, Director of The Centre for Child Mental Health, London, advocates co-sleeping for the first five years of a child's life. Her views are backed up by scientific research and are very interesting. You might want to try and get in touch with her by email at [email protected] I contacted her whilst researching my first book, Diary of a Sleep Deprived Mum.

I'd second the cosatto bedside cot! I love it. My baby's only 5 weeks and only actually spends about an hour in it a night, but I hope she'll eventually be in there a bit longer! I can just pull her over to feed, and when I inevitably fall asleep feeding her I don't need to worry about her falling out the bed. The side can go back on so it should do her a couple of years, plus I got it from Boots so I got loads of points :o

Another recommendation for the Cocoonababy. We started using it at around 3 weeks, when I was fed up of not being able to settle the baby anywhere except on me, and I wish I'd had it sooner - a friend's newborn seems to have taken to it really well. It does take up some space in the bed (unlike the bedside cot type arrangements), but it had the great advantage that I could get him used to it by first sleeping with my arm around him until he could cope with it on his own. Very reassuring knowing he was safe, because he was raised up from the bed and no chance of blankets covering him up. My baby transitioned from it to his full-size cot at around 3 months quite easily, as well.

If you want a cheaper option than the special co-sleeper cots, I use an Ikea Leksvig cot with one side left off pushed up against the bed. To make sure there are no gaps between the cot and the bed, I have wedged a towel down the side of the cot mattress (with the sheet covering towel and mattress) to get a nice tight fit.

Not sure about those mentioned above, but some of the co-sleeper cots I've seen are about £250. The Ikea cot was only £75, and I used the money I saved to buy a really nice organic cot mattress, though for all the time DD spends in it, I should have bought myself a nice organic mattress instead!

Sorry for being nosey but you have a newborn AND you are TTC? Wow, respect!

no icd I think this is a somewhat theoretical post. I think that the OP is TTC now and has no child at present.

We didn't buy anything special, just brought baby into bed when we went to bed (having read safety guidelines). It worked well and we now have a smiley 10 month old in our bed.

Didn't use anything at all. Just brought DD into bed with us and slept with my arm around her.

MyThumbs may I just compliment you on your excellent choice of MN nickname?

Funnys is correct - this is a theoretical post

Co-sleeping is something I'd really like to pursue, jury's out on how long but definitely for the first 6 months I think. Thank you all for your great feedback and suggestions - I'll have to research the bedside cots over here as I'm not sure if the brands are the same across the pond.

Aw thank you inmaculadaconception!