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Despite many medical experts being against it, more and more parents are choosing to co-sleep with their babies. Co-sleeping is when parents will sleep alongside their baby in the same bed. As with anything, there are risks involved. Some children have been known to overheat, fall out of the bed and get suffocated. But it can also provide you both with a better night’s sleep, strengthen your bond and makes breastfeeding much easier. So if you’re considering doing this with your child, here are some ways you can make co-sleeping a much safer experience.
If you’re thinking about co-sleeping long term, investing in a king size bed is ideal. Obviously, you will need to consider your budget and available space beforehand. But having a bed that can fit you, your partner and your baby on with plenty of excess space will be much safer. Standard double beds can become very cramped and could pose a risk to your child. So having a larger sized bed will reduce the risk of you lying on top of your baby and avoid them being pushed off accidentally. If buying a bigger bed is out of your price range you could buy a Snuzpod 3-in-1 Cot from Cuckooland instead. This will create the same closeness of co-sleeping. But allows the baby to have their own separate sleeping area that is attached to the side of your bed. Regardless of which option you choose, always remember to use sheets and blankets instead of thick duvets. This will keep you all cool while also reducing the risk of overheating and suffocation.
Smoking and drinking alcohol while you are pregnant is a big no-no. They can both increase the risks to your baby when it’s in the womb but can do just as much damage when they are born. If your or your partner smoke, it’s not advised that you co-sleep with your baby. This is because the smoke from the cigarettes can cause respiratory problems which can damage their vulnerable lungs. Drinking before you go to bed is also not advised as this will lower your responses and can cause a deeper sleep. This could result in you being unable to hear your baby’s cries throughout the night.
There is nothing wrong with enjoying yourself but your child’s health and safety should always be your top priority.
In some cases unsafe co-sleeping has seen babies fall and get trapped in between their parents bed and the wall or side tables. So to avoid this happening to you, you need to make sure there are no gaps that they can fall into during the night. Some couples have even chosen to remove their mattress from the bed frame and position it in the centre of their bedroom to further remove risk. When putting your baby onto the bed, they should always be placed on their back. This will make sure they get a sufficient amount of oxygen and make it easier for them to breathe.
Co-sleeping doesn’t have to be dangerous if you take the necessary precautions and put your baby’s safety first. You can find more fantastic co-sleeping tips online, so do your research and consider your options carefully.
Welcome to Birds and Lilies! I'm Lou: mother, blogger and freelance writer. This is my lifestyle blog, where I talk about motherhood, infertility and IVF, beauty, my love for food and wine, as well as my thoughts about stuff, and our real-life and travel adventures.
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