Where should a newborn sleep?

[mamamei]

Can newborns sleep in a cot straight away? Or do they to sleep in a smaller space like a moses basket or a bassinet to begin with?

 

[ck123]

They can sleep in a cot. We put the cot next to our bed so no problem at all, work for us. Beside u will not have to waste money on a bassinet which he/she will grow out in 2-3 months.

 

[mamamei]

Thanks ck123 -- we are also planning to have the cot beside out bed and try to control the amount of clutter that is already building up in our apartment!

 

[loupou]

You can borrow a basket from a friend. That's what we did, and then put the basket in the cot.

Or, you can sleep w/ the baby in your bed (I know some people who do that).

I think the baby should sleep wherever it is that gives everybody the MAXIUMUM amount of sleep.

Sometimes it takes time experimenting to figure out which configuration is best for your particular baby and your particular baby. And, these may alter as time goes by.

 

[mamamei]

loupou, is there a reason that you recommend having the baby in a basket or in our bed rather than in a cot beside the bed? This is what we would like to do, but I know that a lot of people use a smaller space for newborns, so I just want to check if there is a reason for this, e.g. is the baby happier in a confined space?

 

[noella]

In my humble opinion straight in a cot from day one so the baby is used to it and knows no different. With my first 2 I put them in Moses baskets first and really struggled to settle them in a cot. With my 3rd now 3 months I put her straight into the cot and she has all her naps there happily.

 

[joannek]

agree w/ noella. my baby slept in the cot the day she returned homw from the hospital. as for smaller confined space, i used to swaddle her w/ a cotton blanket.

 

[cristletips]

mamamei,

I put our baby in her cot from day 1 for the first week. It was winter and very cold. It was hard swaddling her as first time parents in the cold, after each feed in the night.

BUT.......After 1 week we slept with her in our bed. Co sleeping. No moses basket or anything. She's been doing that ever since and i get a good nights sleep.

I put her for naps in her cot sometimes. And I put her in a borrowed moses basket but she hated it because she couldnt put her arms out spread eagled.

Do what is best for you!

 

[mamamei]

Thanks for sharing your experiences everybody! I think we will start bubs in the cot and see where we go from there. Good to know that there aren't any hard and fast reasons why this is not a good idea.

 

[ck123]

Mamamei: I think co sleeping is not a good idea because:
1. After giving birth, you will be very tired so you sleep very deep --> dangerous for baby.
2. The bed is to confined for 3 persons, very hard for the little one to have some air.
3. Baby may develop a sleeping habit then u will have trouble to make him sleep in his own bed.

In winter, you can buy a heater for the room so he will be warm.
There is a light + baby monitor so you can attached it to the cot. Very convenient.