Is skin to skin okay at night for newborn dd?

[RevoltingPeasant]

DD was born on Friday so we've only had 2 nights' experience!

We have a snuzpod by the bed but so far she is not keen. She seems to want to be in bed with me, but then last night, she wasn't even having that! She would not be on her back at all, not even next to me in the bed.

In desperation I put her under my low cut pj top next to my skin - stripping her to her nappy first - and then lay semi propped up on pillows with my legs covered with the duvet but my top half uncovered except for pj top and baby blanket. I lay on my back with her on my chest. She slept from about 3 am to 8 like this!

Needless to say I was profoundly grateful, but was it safe? Is there a SIDS risk? Or am I making a rod for my own back?

I was told to have my newborn like this on the post-natal ward to help regulate her temperature. Probablt need to keep heating on overnight. She'll calm down after a few days and you should be able to put her down. Don't do it for 9 months like my friend did. It'll kill your back and sleep quality isn't great.

SIDS risk: yes. However the first couple of nights most people do similar in desperation.

Try putting baby on her side with the lower arm stretched out so she can't flop onto her front. Many babies will tolerate being on their side. Then when they fall asleep you can tilt them backwards a bit.

Thanks both. Anna I did try side and she fell asleep but then stupidly ruined it by trying to put her into snuzpod. When she woke up and wouldn't settle in any position!

Might try tonight - on her back in snuzpod, if no joy on her back next to me, if no joy on her side next to me then onto back, and if not then skin to skin....

You can co-sleep tonight following guidelines if you can get her on her side, then later gently tilt her back. She doesn't have to be flat-flat, 3/4 flat will do for now. Rome wasn't built in a day!

Wear a hoodie in bed though, don't underestimate how cold you'll get with the duvet around your waist. And of course when you realise you're cold you're too afraid to move!

You can deal with the Snuzpod issue in the days to come. Its too exhausting to get everything right in the first week. Nobody does!

I don't know what a snuzpod is but could you prop it at one end so baby's head is higher than her feet? Hope that makes sense.

Some babies don't like being completely flat.

Have you tried a very tight swaddle?

Yes we did similar but I couldn't sleep so dh and I took shifts in between feeds for first week