Bedsharing with 3 week old

[Lightsoutandawaywego]

My DD is 3 weeks old and is currently sleeping in a Moses basket next to our bed. DH has gone back to work this week after paternity leave so is spending weeknights sleeping in the spare bedroom (he has the sort of job that would be dangerous if he was overtired so we agreed that I would take care of the baby at night during the week and he would join us back in the bedroom at weekends until DD can sleep for longer periods).

DD wakes up every 2 hours for a bottle (she’s ff) and struggles to get back to sleep after that, so I feel like I’m awake almost all night with her. Sometimes I place her next to me on top of the duvet and she sleeps much better, until i then move her to the Moses basket and then she wakes up. I’m considering bed-sharing whilst DH isn’t in the bed, but im so scared that something will happen to her cos there’s a lot of info online about bedsharing and SIDS. For info, I don’t smoke, drink or take drugs, and im a light sleeper (I also sleep with the bedside light on so I can keep checking on her throughout the night), so I feel like I’m probably in a good position to bedshare.

Can anyone give me some tips on how to do this safely? There’s so much conflicting advice online that I don’t know what to believe. TIA x

Have you seen this leaflet?

www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2011/11/Caring-for-your-baby-at-night_online-singles.pdf

Personally I would wear thicker pjs or more layers and lose the duvet for a few more weeks. Or swap to a single duvet.

You mention DH does a job that would be dangerous if he were overtired. If you're considering bed sharing so do you! I don't know how dangerous DHs job would be, but I hope you're both keeping things in perspective. Fair enough if he's risking crashing an airplane, but if he might hit his thumb with a hammer he needs to help you out!

Have you considered a sidecar cot?
How about swaddling and a dummy? These can both be really effective.
Hope it all works out well.