Can someone explain co-sleeping?

[poohbearrules]

Sorry if I seem a bit thick here! Read the term on here a lot, but not sure exactly what it is. I have a 4 week old DD who I'm BF'ing. She's feeding on demand and at night it seems pretty much constant. The problem is that she really doesn't like the Moses basket (apparently very common according to MW) and I struggle to stay awake when feeding her, more often than not wake up an hour or two later with her asleep on my chest/stomach. Seems to be her favourite place to sleep, and at least means we both get some sleep! However am aware it's not necessarily safe. So my question is I guess how does co sleeping work? TIA

They just do eventually! We used to put them in their own beds when they fell asleep then bring them in when they woke. Eventually they slept more so they slept more in their own bed. When we night weaned we followed Dr Jay and used it as a way to get them into their own bed.

You lie on your side, rest the baby on your arm and fall asleep.

Precautions, I made sure she was in the outer edge (not cooking between DH and I)
Head below the pillows and quilt just covering her, but well clear of her face.

Yes I stuck a spare quilt on the floor in case she fell out. She never did.

Very odd because she has fallen out of her double bed, caravan beds and bet sisters bunk. She fell a sleep on the sofa the other day and I founder on the floor (still asleep) she's 11 years old you'd think she'd have got the idea by now??!

Message to self- learn to proof

Reading with interest as I sometimes cosleep with dc1, mainly when he is having a hungry night and I eventually just lie down with him in bed and fall asleep. But don't do it full time for a variety of mainly practical reasons. Would love to do it more with any future dc, and was interested in pp's point about no memory foam. Our mattress is a sprung one, but with a topping of memory foam so it's firm but has a soft top. Do you think that would count as unsafe?

Sorry to hijack, poohbear