Your safety technique

Safe sleep 7

https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/safer-sleep-advice/co-sleeping/ Health visitor shouldn’t be against it if you’re following the safer sleep guidance for bedsharing/cosleeping- pretty much exactly as you said, far safer for you to follow this and get some rest than be so ehaxusted you accidentally fall asleep with her on the sofa or in your bed where it’s not set up for safe sleep!

Put your mattress on the floor of you can, look up safe sleep seven. I wouldn't even discuss it with your HV as you'll only get told not to do it x

Safe sleep 7! Do the cuddle curl with her. Do not swaddle her, make sure she is not too hot (normal pajamas and no sleep sack unless it’s really cold where you live). No pillows or blankets close to her. Careful if your PJs has strings or things like that and I always braided my hair since it’s really long. If you could have your bed on the floor that would be the best! Otherwise I personally put her crib next to my bed (side car). It protects in case of a fall and allow us to have more space too

My HV was critical of it, midwives were in favour and actually encouraged me to co-sleep in hospital. Look at safe sleep seven on lullaby trust as shared above. Exactly what I did. My daughter couldn’t move without me waking, you’re more in tune than you realise. There are so many benefits to co-sleeping. A planned co-sleep following safe seven is much better than an over exhausted mum who accidentally co-sleeps. If you look at the horror stories around co-sleeping they’re usually people who haven’t followed safe seven or those who have unintentionally co-slept.

Health visitors aren’t allowed to have an opinion I’m sure unless you were doing something wrong and even then they have to be professional. just to advise on safe sleep, honestly co sleeping saved me the first week and second week and still does now. She falls asleep on my boob to start then goes in her basket, when she wakes next honestly I’m so tired and she can feed for like 30 minutes ( I’m EBF) and this saved my sanity I sleep and she feeds! Again quilt not near her, also your body heat is like almost an extra layer so depending on your room temp bare this in mind. No Pillows and a firm mattress is best. Basically nothing that can risk getting near to cover her face or her sliding/fallijg anywheres Also your mum instincts will stop you smothering her or hurting her. I’ve been exhausted and have never come close to turning or squashing her, these all kick in! It definitely saved us! X

How do mamas do without a pillow or duvet 🥴 my bedroom drops to about 16-17 degrees during the night. I've tried all sorts to balance out the temperature

@Abbie I definitely use a pillow and in the cuddle curl position I was confident that my newborn wasn’t going to be able to reach my pillow. As far as it being cold. You guys actually have a great company over there called Slumbersac. You can get adult sleeping sacks that are different togs depending on how warm/cold you get. I wish they’d ship to Canada! https://www.slumbersac.co.uk/baby-toddler-sleeping-bags/adult-sleeping-bags/ Depending on how you sleep, I always used a blanket on my lower half because I don’t move in my sleep so it wasn’t a concern for me to have up to my hips covered.

@Abbie I use pillows just make sure she’s under your arm and away from these. I use a quilt to but it’s only low waist height and tucked in. She’s like in the middle from my boobs to my arm which is under my head/pillow so she’s like barricade in by me if it makes sense I’m sure it’s the cuddle curl position lol

So reading this advice I don't think co sleeping is for me, I need to be wrapped like a bug... What advice could you give for encouragement of sleeping as soundly in the next to me, I do have the next to me lowered down to the side of my bed, I use my night stand ALOT... So I was wondering if I snuggled her mattress sheet it might smell like me giving her a sense of closeness and moving the next to me up so ahe would be next to my head. As much as I love to snuggle her I don't think I could safely carry out co sleeping at such a small age 😭 severe anxiety about bedtime tonight 🙈

@Abbie I’m not sure about advice to get a baby to sleep soundly 😂 but settle even temporarily…yeah you can absolutely try getting your scent into the sheet. Try putting baby into side initially while keeping your hand firmly on her back and/or chest until she is settled and then gently roll her onto her back. The usually bum down first, keeping your hands on her and then slowly lower her top half and keep your hand on her chest until she’s deep asleep. I did have a blanket in my when I co-slept. I had it around me and then tucked it in between my legs so it couldn’t go onto her. It wasn’t wrapped around my whole top half though so if you need to be super wrapped up then it probably isn’t for you. Hopefully others here will have some suggestions at getting her to settle in her cot.

Get some close fitting Fleecy pajamas for yourself, and put a vest top underneath so you can just pull it down and the fleece top up when you feed. You can have a blanket for yourself but no higher than your waist and it has to be tucked around you. If you're still really nervous, you could put a single mattress on the floor in your room so baby can sleep there and you can roll away after feeds, it'll mean you both have your own sleep space, but you don't need to try and put her down after feeds and risk her waking x