Co-sleeping
Kerrie from The New Irish Mammy is our guest blogger this week and has shared her experience with Co-sleeping.
For more of her blogs, please visit her website here
For the first week of Logan's life we had no idea what to do about the sleeping situation. We were trying to figure out how to get this tiny new born baby who had been apart of me for 9 months and 2 weeks (he was obviously very attached) to sleep alone in his crib for the first time. And he hated it!
Logan was cluster feeding at the time so I was waking quite a lot and there was no point in my husband not sleeping as he wasn't needed for feeding. So I like a big fool slept sitting up on the sofa or lying on the sofa while Logan was in his bassinet for spurts of 30 min to an hour at a time.
Now I had a bruised tail bone along with the normal post birth pains so as you can imagine sleeping on a sofa was causing a lot of discomfort. Then one night in the second week I decided enough was enough! Niall was kicked out into the guest room and myself and Logan cuddled up in my bed together and we haven't looked back since!
Sleep deprivation.....what's that??? I sleep (maybe not as deeply as I used as I'm very aware of the tiny person beside me) amazingly for someone with a new born! We are now in a 'routine' (I hate that word) where Logan will sleep in his crib beside the bed for sometimes up to 5 hours!!!!
Then when he wakes my husband is kicked out onto a mattress on the floor (sleeping in separate rooms started getting to us) and Logan is popped into the bed beside me with boob on demand for the rest of the night! Usually within a minute he is back asleep and only starts wanting to feed at about 7am.
We also nap together during the day as he won't sleep for long in the daytime without me beside him. Which means I'm forced to nap in the day time so I catch up on any lost sleep!
Now I know a lot of people will tell you not to sleep with baby in the bed! It's a very personal choice! We are very careful to keep blankets and pillows to a minimum and make sure Logan isn't covered to much and he doesn't get to warm!
I see this time as the 4th trimester, Logan is learning about life outside the womb as an individual. But he is so used to being with me and close to me that I feel it's unfair to make him sleep alone! He is only 8 weeks old and who knows what will happen I don't plan on co-sleeping forever but while I'm breastfeeding it just seems like the logical choice.
It happened so naturally, I never doubted my choice for a second. Logan is such a happy and content child and I feel it has something to do with co-sleeping!
Thank you Kerrie, for your lovely blog. I'm so pleased to hear you are getting a much more comfortable night sleep and Logan is loving being closer to his mammy.
When it comes to sleep – different options will work for each family. What is most important is that you are familiar with the guidelines around safety and take appropriate steps to make sure you and your baby sleep in the safest way possible.
Co-sleeping safety
Make sure your baby can’t fall out of the bed or become trapped between the mattress and the wall.
Keep your baby cool by using sheets and blankets rather than a duvet.
Ensure bedding does not cover your baby’s face or head.
Always put your baby to sleep on their back rather than their front or side.
Babies don’t need a pillow until they are at least a year old. They should also be kept away from parents' pillows.
Never risk falling asleep with your baby on a sofa or armchair. If you’re feeling really tired and think you may fall asleep with your baby while feeding or cuddling them on a sofa or armchair, move to a bed (keeping in mind the safety guidelines above) or, if possible, ask your partner, friend or family member to look after them while you get some rest.
For more information please visit The National Childbirth Trust website here
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