Co-sleeping: do you recommend it? is it dangerous?

remember that bible story about the two women who were sleeping with their newborns and one woman accidentally smothered her baby? so she takes her baby and switches it out with the other woman's baby. The other woman wakes up, the two of them have a fight, and they are brought before the king who helpfully offers to cut the baby in two so each woman can have half. the one who smothered her baby was all for cutting the baby in half, but the real mother said that she'd rather give her baby up than have him chopped up. The real mother was granted custody. we all live happily ever after.

I know the moral of that story is that when you love something, give it away. but to me, the fact that you can kill your baby by sleeping with it has haunted me for years.

fast forward to now and I find myself being more and more tempted to sleep with my son after his 5am feeding... once it's bright enough outside to see him in bed with me. I've done it twice and it was so nice. I didn't sleep very well, i kept waking up to make sure he was okay, but it was still very cozy. I know quite a few of you guys co-sleep, and I want to know if you recommend it. Will i be setting myself up to be sleeping with him until he's 12 years old? Is it dangerous if he's placed in the middle of the bed, wrapped in his own blanket, with no loose blankets or pillows around him? I am a very still sleeper, i rarely move around.

Is it okay to co-sleep?

I almost rolled on to my daughter.

So it's a big no for me.

I always (before kids) said I would NEVER sleep with my baby! I ended up sleeping with all my kids for the first 2 months. If you're not overweight, are not drinking or on drugs, in GENERAL, it should be o.k. Don't have them close to Daddy though (or whoever's in the bed). Mother's have the built in censor, Dad's don't.

i co-slept with my son being as he would not sleep in his crib til three months i am a very still sleeper and a very light sleeper. so it worked out for me

I think it's okay every once in a while. I'm paranoid about it too, but ever since i've had my baby i've been very alert. I used to be a dead sleeper (nothing could wake me!!) Now i wake even before she starts crying for her nightly feedings, i wake when i hear her fussing so i'm not to worried when i occassionally want to nap with her in my arms. It's so hard not to want to cuddle and go to sleep with them, they're so damn precious!

Are you a heavy or light sleeper?
I did co-sleep, for the first couple months. Now he sleeps in his own room. I had never rolled on him, or anything like that, but I don't want to do it anymore because I don't want him to stay in there forever.  
I think it really depends on the person/couple.
There are also little beds that go in your bed, so that you can co-sleep but still keep your little one safe... They are at Walmart, and you can get them online...
If anyone else knows the name of them, that'd be great..lol...

I was against cosleeping because of the risks until my son was born. I wouldn't change it now even though I do still worry about laying on him. We use the sleep positioners to help. They also make in the bed cosleepers for your baby to lay in. It's wonderful as long as you're safe about it. Don't have a lot of bedding or pillows near the baby.

Cosleeping has fewer deaths per year than infants who die from SIDS in their cribs.

I didn't, not because of danger.

I didn't want to share my bed with anyone else, I already had to share it with Kirk.

I need my space.

If you are worried, you can get one of those little crib things they have at Target. We co-sleep in the morning. When I turn, I turn in place and my DH doesn't move in bed, so it isn't an issue for us.

Some doctor's say that it is a big no no, but to each her own. If think that it will be safe with you go for it. I personally didn't. I don't move a lot but I didn't want to take the chance of hurting or suficating my son. He is the big mover so it wouldn't have worked out so well for me anyways.

Quoting flesh♥mechanic:“ Are you a heavy or light sleeper? I did co-sleep, for the first couple months. Now he sleeps in his ... [snip!] ... one safe... They are at Walmart, and you can get them online... If anyone else knows the name of them, that'd be great..lol...”

yes, the co-sleeper is a good idea! it attaches right onto your bed.

i think it depends on what type of sleeper you are, and also the way you look at it. some experts believe co-sleeping is healthy for a variety of reasons. (your breathing helps baby remember to breath etc...) there is no evidence either way. (other than people who have smothered their babies.)

i personally co-sleep because it makes middle of the night feedings easier, and helps her (and i) sleep sounder. i love having her next to me because that way i know she's fine. i'm a light sleeper and i feel totally safe doing it.

Quoting Angela's gonne have FIVE:“ I always (before kids) said I would NEVER sleep with my baby! I ended up sleeping with all my kids for ... [snip!] ... should be o.k. Don't have them close to Daddy though (or whoever's in the bed). Mother's have the built in censor, Dad's don't.”

  I completely agree. It's really nice if you're breastfeeding as well

I co-slept in the beginning for about two or three months. He had no troubles transitioning to his crib in his own room. Even now I still nap with him sometimes.
I think as long as you're aware of himit'snot a bad thing.
Actually, when he was that little I was much more worried about him suffocating byhis sheets or just stopping breathing when he was asleep and I wasn't there.
There are also special co-sleepers that you can buy so that you can't roll onto your baby and so that they don't roll around.

i've been told to not do it by my first nurse in the hospital but i do...he sleeps longer between feedings when hes sleeping with me and i also wake up sooner to feed him because hes kicking so he doesnt start crying....im all for it...if your nervous tho they have a co-sleeper thingy...it safely separates you and the baby but you can still sleep together

at his first Apt. the doc said it was ok but to just be careful