Co-sleeping While Breastfeeding.

Co sleeping and breastfeeding.......its like chocolate and peanut butter, great separate and awesome together as well!

:)

id recommend a co sleeper style crib or a huge bed.

My little ones slept in a bassinet next to the bed. When they woke to be fed I'd bring them into the bed with me, and I'd usually just fall asleep with them on the breast. We all got so much more sleep that way.

I breastfed my twins and am currently breastfeeding my five month old daughter. I never coslept. I was worried about SIDS, plus I knew I didn't want kids sleeping in my bed. So, we decided early on that our babies would sleep in their own cribs from day 1 (no bassinet or anything). I have a comfy glider in her room and feed my daughter in there. I, too, had c-sections, so for the first week at home I slept on the couch to avoid any stairs (we sleep in the basement with the kids upstairs).

Do you want to be stuck sleeping with your baby longterm? Have you ever co-slept with your kids? How does your husband feel about having 3 in the bed every night, all night? Does he have a say?

For all the ladies on this site who love co-sleeping, there are at least an equal amount who write on this site begging for advice on how to get their children out of their beds.

There are also nurses on this site who have witnessed babies suffocating from co-sleeping. No one wants to think about this aspect of it, but it does happen.

If you want to nurse at night, get a bassinet and put it beside your bed. That way you pick up the baby, nurse, and then put the baby back in the bassinet. When the baby is 6 to 8 weeks old, transfer baby into the crib in his or her room. By then, you should be down to twice a night, and hopefully by 3 months, once a night, and then I hope you'll night wean. That way everyone will sleep.

Dawn

I bed shared with #1 until she was forced to move out because her brother was born, whom is now in my bed. I breastfed the first until she self weaned and am breastfeeding #2 on demand. Having them in bed makes it MUCH easier. My husband was very wary about having the newborn/infant in bed but he quickly adapted (tho still not as good as I am about baby's spatial awareness and hearing the fussing) and loves cuddling first thing in the morning with baby.

About 6 months along, I'd start going to the monthly meetings. I have a Boppy but rarely use it for nursing.

Co-slept and nursed both my babies, from day one. We had a king sized bed and I was very careful not to have blankets/quilts pillows/stuffed animals etc anywhere near the baby's side. What helped for me was laying the baby on a receiving blanket (my mom had made me some big flannel ones that I could tuck in, like a corner sheet - after changing the sheets twice in one night, you'll be happy you did this) and using one of those toddler bed rails. I had the baby sleep on the bed rail side, then me, then my husband, because he was terrified of rolling over onto the baby (plus he kept pulling the quilt up over his shoulder, which woke me up (irritated) because it would put the quilt too close to the baby's nose. I didn't have those fears or movements of blankets because I was so aware of the baby. Granted, I was little on the paranoid scale of careful, especially when what was working for us wasn't the "doctor recommended" thing to do. However, I found that we worked as a little team through the night...and the benefits of being so connected paid off during the day, too. Yes, I nursed at night. I don't think I would have slept much, had I not. :D As the baby got older and more mobile, he'd crawl over me to nurse on the other side, rather than crying to wake me up. So great! Plus - waking up to baby smiles and soft baby fingers on your cheeks? I had no idea something so sweet existed. In my opinion, it's a wonderful gift for both of you, but like most things, it takes preparation, care and sacrifice (eg no wine, benedryl for allergies etc - nothing that may hinder my reactions...plus you need to be a little more creative in carving out "mommy and daddy" time).

I have 4 children and yes I did the breastfeeding and co-sleeping with them.

Just be very careful.

God bless.

I didn't "co-sleep" with my babies...but they DID come into my bed in the middle of the night to be nursed...and I DID fall back asleep while nursing them. Both of my daughters who have children, co-sleep with their children on a full time basis. I can assure you that Mama's instinct kicks in and even though one of them used to be a really restless...moving all the time ..sleeper...they have adjusted very very quickly to cuddling that precious little bundle to their side as they sleep.
Since you are having a C-section...you might not be able to do what my oldest daughter has done with both of her children....she sleeps on her back and the newborn sleeps on her tummy...and nurses in that position throughout the night.
My oldest daughter has a great blog that she writes...and she has tons of other attachment parenting friends who link to her blog.... if you would be interested...send me a PM and I will give you her blog site!!
Good luck and congratulations!!

I have partially co-slept with both my kids. Currently doing so with a 3mo. It makes breastfeeding so easy. I say partially because I do love my own space when sleeping as well. So if baby is doing ok he sleeps next to our bed and I just take him in and out for feedings. But if he is having a super bad night I co-sleep because it helps both of us get a better night's rest. Sometimes I sit up with a boppy and sometimes I feed laying down. Both my babies were preemies so by the time they came home I was mostly healed from my c-sections. I just had a LLL meeting this week and someone was there with a four week old. I would say do what is comfortable for you.

Check the CNN web site on the ABC's of baby sleeping.

Blessings....

With three of our four we co-slept from day one. I also nursed them on demand. My oldest didn't come home from the hospital for four weeks, he was a preemie. He I did not co sleep with. .
We never had an issue.

I never used a Boppy, didn't have one. Nor did I ever go to any La Leche meetings.

The first couple of months I did not co sleep. I had to co sleep when he was about 2 and a half months as we went to India to visit his dad and there was not a crib or bassinet available. After that I continued to co sleep. He weaned off a couple of weeks before he turned 1. I would frequently fall asleep while breastfeeding and it was so restful, even though he was waking up at least twice a night to feed.

I co-slept with my daughter when I was breastfeeding. I didn't start out intending to, but because she was so difficult to get to sleep on her own, and because she had reflux, it was the only way we got any sleep.

I had no trouble moving her out of our bed when we reached the point that we both weren't getting good sleep - around 7 months or so.

I slept much more lightly with her next to me - I was afraid I was going to crush her with my arm or something. I knew every time she moved or whimpered.

It got a lot easier when she was more in control and could find the nipple more or less on her own.

Check out Dr. Sear's information on co-sleeping.

I may try to find a co-sleeper this time, I know it's safer than having the baby right next to me.

Hi E.,

I didn't co-sleep with my first baby and we didn't have a good breastfeeding experience. I had him in a bassinett that I couldn't see into without getting up and getting out of bed was tough while recovering. The second baby, I was told to keep on the breast from birth, right through the hospital and as much as possible that first week. I had a c-section with #2, but had a family friendly c-section with baby latched on my breast while the OB was sewing me up! Baby never went to the baby nursery - we were never apart from birth. Also, do not allow them to wash the baby and do not allow anyone to wash you so that the baby recognizes your scent. You will be tired and probably want a nice warm washcloth so make sure that your husband understands how important this is - my husband halted the baby and mom washing in the OR and I was so grateful! It will make breastfeeding much, much easier to establish! I like the my brestfriend pillow better than boppy for c-section moms. It is more solid and really protects the incision area better. I would recommend asking if your hospital has them available and if not, bringing one with you. Here is what they look like:
http://www.target.com/p/My-BrestFriend-Nursing-Pillow-Blu...

I was afraid to co-sleep but had been told it would be much easier for me, especially post-surgery if baby was right next to me. So we did the co-sleeper that attaches to the bed at the same height as the bed. I could roll over towards baby, grab him and put him in place on my side without actually getting up. When baby was done, I gave him to daddy for diaper change and return to the cosleeper. You can find them on ebay or craigslist for 1/2 the price of new and then just resell it later.

I didn't attend a LLL meeting until after baby was born but I did do a breastfeeding class! Take daddy with you and make sure that you have the name / phone number of a lactation consultant on you at the hospital if you won't have a doula. You can have your own private lactation consultant come to the hospital and then you don't have to wait until the overworked hospital based one gets to you.

Let me know if you have any questions! C.

We co-slept some of the time, she was in her bassinet in the room some of the time. I didn't get the hang of nursing while laying down for several months, and since she only nursed twice per night from day one, getting up was not an issue. I got up, changed her, nursed sitting up with a Boppy pillow (I couldn't have done without that pillow!), then went back to bed.

We co-slept more consistently as she got older, actually. I never went to an LLL meeting.

Hi E..
I rented and borrowed a co-sleeping crib: one that comes with 3 sides and attaches to your bed. The height is also adjusted so it is the same height as the bed. Our son slept with us, but all of us had a separate sleeping area. It worked perfectly for us.

I hope this helps.
Jilly

Hi E.!

I 'co slept' and breast fed all my kiddos!

One kiddo had a very LONG stay in hospital...and IN SPITE of the glares from nurses...I was either IN the crib with her...or 'they' got her out to be with me...lol

I was careful ALWAYS...but co sleeping (for me) was good bonding...and hell...lets face it...easier!!

Never went to a LLL meeting...so I cannot comment there!

Best Luck!
michele/cat

I did everything wrong with my first, but thank goodness by my second I got it somewhat right (for me anyway!) I didn't co-sleep, but I had her from birth through about her 6th month in a co-sleeper which attached to the side of my bed.

Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper is the one I used:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HKY1GM/ref=as_li_ss_...;

It worked wonderfully. It was like co-sleeping the safe way. I exclusively nursed and this made it so easy to just lean over and lift her up out of the cosleeper into bed with me to nurse, then place her back in it. It also helped when it came time to transition her to her crib, as she was basically already used to her own space. Oh, and I had a c-section with both of my kids. I highly recommend this co-sleeper! Best wishes and congrats on baby #4!!