Co-Sleeping and Safe Sleep for Newborns!
Co-sleeping provides many benefits and allows you to connect to your newborn and reduces anxiety for the mother. It is important to recognize the correct ways to approach sleeping with your newborn as to not increase risks for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
Co-Sleeping allows the mother to easily breastfeed and soothe in the middle of the night. The mother is able to "catch" the wake cycle of the hungry infant when they are initially waking- rather than waiting until they are crying to alert the parents. This allows the mother to soothe immediately, and relax the child as fast as possible. The mother is able to check on the child throughout the night, assuring its safety during anxious times, and can create a safe sleep environment for the baby. An infant can sleep on a same-surface co-sleeper, in the bed with the parents, in a bassinet, or in a separate crib. All families make decisions on what works best for them, but all infants would always sleep on their backs, on a firm surface that are clean. Never have bulky blanketing or stuffed animals around the child or anything covering their face.
When bed-sharing with an infant it is important to remember that adult beds are not designed to assure infant’s safety. If both parents feel comfortable with the decision to bed-share, acknowledge where the infant in prior to going to bed, and never place the child in the bed next to someone who is already asleep or on sedatives, medications, or intoxicated.
Long hair should be tied to prevent entanglement and infants sharing a bed space with an extremely obese person is not recommended. (They may not feel how close they are in relation to the child) In this case, co-sleeper attachments are recommended.
It is important to know and consider that it is possible for your baby to die from SIDS while you are in bed, and that your presence does not guarantee their safety, just as sleeping in a risk-free solitary sleep environment does not guarantee their safety. The causes of SIDS are unknown even after investigation- it is NOT the same as suffocation. Therefore we take every protocol and precaution in order to prevent all unsafe sleeping methods. Always put your baby on their back to sleep, you can even lean them slightly to one side (while still remaining on their back and not at risk on leaning onto stomach)
Golden Lotus Doula Services Is Safe Sleep Certified and recommends a co-sleeper attachment and proper protocol, as all risks are taken into account, we will support whatever decision the parents have decided on for their child.
Lily Carter
Golden Lotus Doula Services
412.983.0019