How to sleep your baby next to you

From ArticleWorld


To sleep your baby next to you can be a very satisfying and a reassuring experience both for you and your baby. To have your baby sleep to next to you in your bed is not a concept that has just been discovered. This is how babies in all the traditional societies (mainly in Asia and Africa) sleep till they are toddlers. The mother generally sleeps on her side with the baby tucked into her stomach and she is aware of each single breath that the baby draws. The concept of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) is unknown in such countries because the mother is alert to every movement of her baby. It sounds like a lot of sleepless nights but, believe me; it just needs getting used to. Well if you want to try it out here are some basic things to keep in mind.

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A few suggestions

  1. If you are planning to have the baby sleep with you then the first thing you need to do is to exchange your present mattress (if need be) for a firmer mattress. Get a futon.
  2. It is best if the bed is a king size, of course it is fine if the bed is not all that large, after all how much space does a little baby take up.
  3. Keep the bed clear of all clutter like throws, decorative cushions and beaded pillows. Put the sheets straight and tight and apart from all that is needed for the baby (maybe a few diapers) remove everything else.
  4. Put the bed flush against the wall. Don’t leave any gap between the bed and the wall and let the baby sleep on its side or on its back. There is no need to swaddle the baby, in fact, in countries like India the baby sleeps within the same covers as the mother and does not suffocate because even a little movement (like squirming in case of suffocation) is discernible to the mother. The mother’s sleep also becomes very light during these days so that she wakes up at every little movement.
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Do’s

  • If you are not confident of allowing the baby to share your covers, feel free to put the baby in warm sleep sack and make it sleep over the covers.
  • Do what your instinct tells you to. A mother’s instinct never goes wrong. If you are still not confident cal up your mother or some senior that you know or even a doctor and get your doubts cleared.
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Don’ts

  • Don’t let the baby sleep with you if you are under the influence of some drugs.
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