Your Cosleepers Guide for No-Fuss Bed Sharing (Part 1)
Author Name: Heidi Holvoet, PhD
Are you convinced cosleepers? Or only accidentally have baby in with you? Either way let's have a look at some easy no-fuss ways to share the family bed in all safety and comfort.
Rearranging your own bedroom or use a bedside cosleeper, a
snuggle nest or a co sleeping
pad ... which one will be your best option?
A quick personal remark first, because many of you may recognize it. Like
many young parents, we had not originally prepared for cosleeping. But
we did so
occasionally
- after yet another night feed, loads of times ...
And it was really helpful (more sleep for all, and no trouble self
soothing in own crib later on) but I must admit I wasn't really
enjoying it.
It didn't feel safe and I wasn't
sleeping
comfortably ... if only I had known that there are solutions other than
just
put her down next to me and
hope she
doesn't get covered under my blanket
...
So that's what this cosleepers
guide is about: to show you that there are easy options that
make cosleeping safe, whether you do it consistently or just every now
and then.
There are advantages in ease and practicality
for each of the option. It all depends on your current situation and
your
personal preferences.
Price plays an important role too. While it is
not always so, in this case the most comfortable solutions tend to be
more expensive too.
Let me list and discuss from lower to higher price:
- NO COST Re-arrange your bedroom and bedding
- MID TO HIGH PRICE Cosleeping pad
- MID TO HIGH PRICE A bedside cosleeper
For each of the solutions, your main concern should be safety. So please, please always follow all cosleepers safety guidelines very strictly!
Rearrange your bedroom and bedding
This is the cheapest cosleepers solution. The idea is to
cosleep-proof
your
bedroom. This means to make sure your little one can not fall out, has
enough
space and there is no risk for her to get stuck under the covers, or
under you.
Some ideas to temporarily
convert
your bed to a family bed
:
- Remove your bed base and put the mattress on the floor, if possible positioned against a wall.
- As in the picture, baby sleeps higher then you. You just slide upward when feeding.
- Avoid a gap between mattress and wall where she could get stuck (tightly stuff a blanket or towels if necessary). Or even safer, use a bed rail for this.
- Alternatively, put an extra mattress next to yours for your child: she'll have her own space and still be close to you for feeding and comfort.
- Wear a warm top yourself, and have her in a sleeping bag or wearable blanket . Then you can have your covers, well fixed, low so they cannot slide up and cover baby.
Article Author: Heidi Holvoet, PhD - Founder, senior sleep consultant
Heidi Holvoet, PhD, is the founder of the Baby Sleep Advice website and movement, an award-winning author, baby & toddler sleep consultant with 15+ years experience as well as a certified lactation counselor.
Over the years, Heidi has received several awards inluding a Mom's Choice Award (MCA) and National Parenting Awards (NAPPA) for her Baby Sleep Advice website, programs and books. Also, Baby Sleep Advice was awarded "Most Trusted Infant's Sleep Solutions Company 2023" in the Benelux Enterprise Awards 2023.
Heidi continually conducts personal research and participates in continued education and in that way stays up to date with current scientific and pyschosocial infant care.
She is also a member of the Association of Professional Sleep Consultants of which she was one of the earliest contributors. She obtained her PhD degree in physics at the University of Ghent in Belgium.
Heidi is passionate about helping babies and their parents sleep more and better, with her trademark approach that has been proven and praised time and again by parents worldwide to be effective and truly no-tears. Respect for you as a parent and your baby, is at the heart of Heidi's warm and kind support. Her approach always keeps in mind a baby's needs and abilities at any given age, is based on pediatric science and the most up to date knowledge in infant care and sleep science.
As well as the award-winning baby sleep programs, Heidi offers popular 1:1 consults and easy-access 30-minute SOS Sleep sessions.
Part
2
of the Cosleepers Guide: more ideas for safe and comfy cosleeping

Self Soothing
by Heidi Holvoet, PhD

What to do when your baby wakes every hour
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Separation Anxiety
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Why does my baby wake up every hour?
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