worried about falling asleep with newborn

[vet04]

Hi
i'm new to this and need help.....
dd3 is 4wks old and BF. she wakes in the day and night every 2 hours to feed. She goes into her crib at 11pm but at 1am when she wakes i bring her into my bed to feed her lying down. I keep finding I fall asleep while feeding and wake up 2 hours later. I'm terrified i'm going to suffocate her....tried sitting up to feed but I'm falling asleep holding her which is even more concerning. DS1 and DD2 are both under 3 so I'm exhausted from their day routine and DD3's constant feeding and sleepless nights.I've tried putting her back in her crib after feeding but she screams until I bring her back into my bed and let her fall asleep sucking..... any advice welcome

La leche league (brestfeeding support) do a brilliant leaflet about safe co-sleeping whilst breastfeeding. www.lllgbbooks.co.uk/shopping/go_shopping/booklets_and_information_sheets/single_information_ sheets/safesleepinformation_sheet/
of phone them for advice.

congrats on your little girl!

i'm sure you don't have free time to read books, but '3 in a bed' by deborah jackson has a lot of info about co-sleeping and mentions a film-maker who filmed him and his wife asleep in bed with their baby, they move around but never go near the baby.

You won't suffocate her as long as you follow the guidelines - iirc avoid heavy bedding (stick to warm clothes and covers to the waist for you), make sure pillows can't fall on her, ensure no gaps in bed she could get trapped in, no waterbeds, never sleep on sofas, don't swaddle and co-sleep, no drink/drugs or sleep disorders that could make you less aware, and don't bed-share if you or dp smoke...

The fact that you have been drifting off and woken up for the next feed and she's fine shows that you can do it!

apparently BFng mums change their sleep patterns and never enter into the full deep "dead to the world" sleep anyway, so you would wake if you rolled on her. Plus one of the thing the 3 in a bed bok says is that even a newborn will wriggle violently if they find themselves in a difficult position.

We bought one of these

www.babyreflux.co.uk/products/The-Cocoon-Baby-Sleep-Positioner.html

as we were worried about rolling over her at night (DH is very big bloke), although I appreciate that it wont affect the immediate concern as that is falling asleep with her in arms. However if you are very tired you could try the "feeding while lying down" trick, where you roll on your side and flop a boob into their mouth (which you than can do while they are on a sleep positioner like the one in the link). There are threads on here about how to do it. Search for the "mawbroon roll"!

Congrats on your baby

thanks - am ordering the cocoon sleeper as it looks great......
cheers