Safety First
Many people fear “overlying,” which means rolling on top of and smothering a child. However, this is exceedingly rare. Think about sleeping in bed at night? Do you roll out of bed? The same instincts that keep you in bed at night keep you from rolling onto your baby. The instincts to protect your baby are even stronger than those that keep you from rolling out of bed! Parents all over the world sleep with their babies every night and their babies are safe and secure.

If you are a heavy smoker, an extremely deep sleeper, or very overweight, it is safer to have your baby sleep in a sidecar arrangement or in a separate baby bed in your room. If you are using any kind of illegal drug, or a prescription drug that affects your sleep, it is also safer for your baby to be in a sidecar or separate bed in your room.

Of Bedding and Bedfellows
Choose a firm mattress for your bed. If you normally use a pillow-top mattress cover, you should remove it while you share sleep with your baby. Many adults find that sleeping on a firm mattress or a futon helps them have a more restful sleep, and it is safe for the baby. Don’t put your baby on a waterbed. Some babies nap well on a lambskin, but remove the lambskin when you are ready to go to sleep.

Babies and toddlers don’t need pillows. They will sleep just fine with their head on the mattress, and it is much safer for them. Also remove stuffed animals from around your baby. Keep your blankets below your baby’s face. See making the family bed work for some tips on how you can stay warm in the family bed.

Don’t allow your toddler to sleep next to your infant. Toddlers are not yet aware in sleep; they don’t have the same instincts as adults (notice that your toddler may still roll out of bed) – making the family bed work has some ideas for accommodating both your infant and other children.

We’ll continue with Part ll of this article in a post shortly!