Baby sleeping on sofa / chest

[AntarcticEther]

Have a 3 week old . DH has alot of time off , and been great around the house . DC stays awake most of the night, and DH does offer to help, but it consists of either taking baby and placing on chest and drifting off , or taking baby downstairs and falling asleep on the sofa . This scares me and I don't feel like I can trust him with looking after DC at night . He has two older children and use to do this all the time , and thinks I'm being precious .

It's starting to build resentment up because I'm knackered but am scared to give DC over to DH , and he is getting annoyed to. Am I being precious ? Any suggestions ?

I think neither of you are wrong here. I'm afraid there's no easy answer. Either he gives in and doesn't fall asleep due to your (rational) fear or you give in accept he's the dad and wouldn't hurt DC and tell yourself it will be fine

I was very wary of sleeping next to DC when he was so tiny and I wouldn't of liked it either.

Sorry not much help!

You're right to be wary of the baby sleeping on the sofa with anyone because of the suffocation risk (as you clearly know, as you are worried about it). I don't think you are being precious, just sensible. COuld you put a moses basket or something there for him to put the baby in?

sleeping on the chest is one thing but i was always very nervous of co-sleeping on the sofa. i have done a lot of co-sleeping but the sofa is not safe.

have you tried the usual things like swaddling, tucking in tightly, keeping things very dark at night. an extra layer always used to help so my baby was really warm - if they are getting used to sleeping on a nice warm body they won't like going in a cold moses basket/cot!

You are not being precious with regard to sleeping on the sofa - it is dangerous and your DH shouldn't do it. I don't how you could convince him, though - there's lots of information about it on the internet which you could show him, if you haven't already?

DS slept on my chest until he was 5 months old (now almost 10 months old). He sometimes napped on DH's chest, but I would only allow it if I was awake - simply because DH is a very heavy sleeper and I couldn't count on him to wake up if DS was in distress. DH himself was also worried about this.

If your husband sleeps lightly and is used to babies on his chest then that wouldn't worry me - my feeling is that it's probably very good for babies to sleep so closely to their parents.

FWIW, DS and I still co-sleep, but in a different bed to DH, as he is just too heavy a sleeper.