My son’s favourite spot to sleep was on me or my husband. He was a bit colicky so being upright was the best for him during the day time but magically he would sleep in his carrycot at night. We tried co-sleepers but he didn’t like it so we bedshared. He would sleep in his carrycot in our bed. This worked for us but sleeping is ever evolving. I was breastfeeding so sleeping on the same bed was the best for us, I understand that it’s not for all. Just to reassure you that if your baby sleeps on you and anyone tells you that they will create bad habits, then it’s just not true. They would sleep on you as long as they need then they would gradually move to sleep on bed. My son slept on me for 6-8 months and then he was on bed without fuss

Top sleeping safety guidelines are mentioned below. These will help reduce the chances of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). The chances of SIDS should reduce by the time the baby is one year old:

• Place your baby on their back and for maximum of the first year of baby’s life sleep in the same room.

When babies can roll by themselves then if they move by themselves and sleep on tummy it’s fine, just make sure their crib/cot is free of toys and there’s nothing to obstruct their nose.   

• Do NOT smoke or let anyone smoke in the same room as your baby (during pregnancy and if breastfeeding then avoid smoking completely)
• Do NOT drink alcohol (as in don’t be inebriated) or take drugs or smoke if you are sharing a bed with the baby
• Do not sleep with a baby on a sofa or armchair (when my baby sleeps on me I would sit on armchair and watch something but never dozed off)
• Make sure that baby isn’t very warm or cold – check the back and back of neck of baby that it’s not very warm and the hands should be cool (not cold)
• Keep your baby’s head unwrapped or uncovered. If using a blanket then it should be tucked in below shoulders. I would tuck in my baby’s blanket into co-sleeper’s mattress and it would cross under his armpit so that his hands, neck and head were free.
• Place your baby in the “feet to foot” position, with their feet at the end of the cot or co-sleepers or moses basket. This basically avoids babies to go under blankets.
• If your baby is most of the time on their back then they may get flat head syndrome and is not good for them, they need to be carried on shoulders or give them some tummy time too. It does not need to be on floor all the time, tummy time can be on you too. Also, if your baby is colicky, keep your baby upright and feed the baby with head above the tummy. Also keep their head part of the bed/crib higher than leg. See the videos for inspiration:

For full details on sleep guidelines read below:

NHS.uk on reducing risk of cot death

Also, the below article is a great read:

Everymum article discusses the major mistakes that parents make.

Arms Flip Test

For a newborn, sleeping on you is the best as they can hear or feel or your heartbeat which helps them create the environment that they were in before their birth.

When my boy was ready to move I used a technique called Baby Arm Flip Test where the baby starts to sleep on you first and then you wait till baby goes into deep sleep cycle which typically happens after 15-20 min. You pick up baby’s arm up and then leave it so that it goes a free drop. If t drops like it a free fall then that’s the deep sleep condition if not then just wait it out. When that flip arm test is successful then slowly move the baby to the bed or crib. Make sure that the bed/crib is warm as it helps in smooth transition.

White Noise App

This was life saving. My baby was colicky to some extent (which all babies are) and babies would cry a lot in evenings for the 5-8 weeks as they are tired and over stimulated or they would be going through their growth spurts or leap. The White Noise App helped us a lot, my baby would respond to this and would quieten down. When babies are in the womb, they have natural white noise within the tummy, heartbeat, blood moving and so on. The idea of these white noise is to create that atmosphere. There are lot of options of white noise available in youtube. Check which one works for you. Also, a lot of options are available in Google Apps. Some Examples are mentioned below:

(We used this one)

Colicky Baby Sleeping To This Magic Sound | White Noise 10 Hours | Soothe crying infant (Video)

Colic Relief for Baby | Calm Crying Infant with White Noise Sound | 10 Hours

Below are mentioned some examples of White Noise Apps that you can download from the Play Store or App Store:

White Noise Baby Sleeping Sounds

Baby Sleep – White Noise

White Noise & Deep Sleep Sounds

White Noise Lite

• Make sure the noise level in the room is within 60dB. There are some apps to help you measure this. Measure it from the bed where baby is going to sleep on you or the bed. Basically, to measure the noise level from the baby.

• If you are conscious of using gadgets in the same room as babies for electromagnetic fields then some household appliances can be used to create the white noises like Hair Dryer, Vacuum Cleaner, Washing Machine etc.

• Another way could be to put your phone in airplane mode also and use the app offline.

How to avoid the confusion between day and night

If you have concerns that your baby has developed the confusion between Day and Night, you can follow below suggestions:

• Make noises during daytime and encourage baby to sleep in that environment, you do not have to tip toe.
• Keep the room lighted up with natural sun light.
• Interact with the baby a lot throughout the daytime.
• When it is night time then make it dark and when the baby wakes up at night for feeding then do not turn on the full light, keep it as less as interactive and no stimulation.

Co-Sleeper/Cribs/ Cots / Moses Basket / Carrycot

It is the best for the babies and parents to sleep in the same room at least for first 6-12 months in order to avoid SIDS and other risks.

Carrycot (bassinet) and Moses Basket are great options for a newborn baby as they need to feel compact as that’s how they were in the womb. If you decide to go with moses basket and not spend a lot on that, you can buy second hand ones too. If you don’t mind buying a new moses basket, below are some example of moses basket to buy:

Examples of Moses Basket from LittleWoodsIreland

Examples of Moses baskets from Babyzone

Examples of Moses baskets from MamasAndPapas

The travel systems for babies come with bassinets which are great for sleeping. For the first few months you can let your baby sleep in it if you like. This way you don’t have to invest in moses basket. If you decide to use Bassinet for your newborn then please ensure that the bassinet comes recommended to use for overnight sleep for babies. You can check the specifications of the travel systems.  

Co-Sleepers pods are great options too and especially if there is an option where you can put one side down. This helps to bring the baby close to you for feeding purposes quickly and also to put the baby back to sleep on the pod. Some options of co-sleepers are:

From BellaBaby

From MamasAndPapas

You can read the article from FamilyFriendlyHQ to get an idea on various co-sleeping products available.

Bedsharing

I bedshare with my kid, I am not ready to bring him to his own bed in his own room yet. It could be because I am from eastern part of the world where babies/toddlers sleep with their parents and it’s normal in those parts of the world.

It is easier for breastfeeding babies to bedshare as the sleep cycles of mothers are in sync with that of the babies. If the baby is formula fed or bottle fed then you will need to be extra cautious (It’s still possible as I was breastfed for only two months because of my mum’s health issues but I still shared the same bed as my parents). If you are not ready for this then co-sleepers are for you.

You need to take precautions and follow guidelines which you can read all about in below articles:

If you think bedsharing is for you and you are not ready to use the same mattress for the newborn then the products mentioned in MadeForMums article might be of help. Do read it to get some clarity if you need.

Personally, I used Uppababy Carrycot for the first 3 months, then our baby moved to snuzpod for the next 3 months. After 6 months, I became confident and moved my baby to sleep on the same bed as us in his own sleeping bag and made sure our mattress is firm along with other safety guidelines.

Sleeping Bags

I found sleeping bags to be the bomb as it made sure that my little one is warm enough and also if my baby started to sleep on me then after the arm flip test when I put him on the bed he remained asleep. The catch is, sleeping bags can only be used for babies who are 6 months old or more.

Sleeping bags come in different togs and patterns. Togs help you decide which sleeping bag your baby needs to wear based on your room temperature. E.g. My room temperature is between 21-24 C so my boy uses 1.0 Tog of sleeping bag with a body suit or a 0.5 Tog with a pyjama.

Also when the baby grows (when they are learning to walk) you can upgrade to sleeping bag with feet.

The below diagram can be a guidance for using Togs (I took it from SlumberSac which my kid uses):

 Below are some places to look for sleeping bags:

SlumberSac

BabyBoo

Swaddle

Many parents choose to swaddle their newborn to make the babies feel compact just the way they were in mummies’ tummy. This is a very traditional way of wrapping the newborns and can be continued till the baby is 4 months (max).

Personally, I was not sure how to swaddle and was not confident (as new mums are), I chickened out. This is because you need to swaddle properly by following the safety guidelines. Later I discovered great videos and guidance to help with swaddle, I was gutted that I never came across one when needed it. Some of my mom friends swaddled their newborns and it helped the babies to sleep cosily.

Below are links to how to swaddle and guidelines to follow if you choose to swaddle you baby:

Advices from NCT.org.uk

Mini Guide from NCT.or.uk on swaddling

Video demo:  How to Swaddle a Baby / Swaddle a Newborn Baby 3 Easy Ways

You can swaddle using any thin blanket or soft cotton cloth based on the rrom temperature but if you prefer to buy readymade swaddle, some examples are below:

BabyBoo

JoJoMamanBebe

Stretchy wraps/ Sling / Baby Carrier:

Stretchy wraps or Slings or Baby Carriers are great way to carry baby around but if you get one that are ergonomically correct to be used for a newborn then they will sleep in it easily. Breastfeeding babies can feed from in there too. Parents can have their hands free while babies can chill in slings.

Babies feel safe in slings or stretchy wraps as they remain close to you, can hear your heartbeat and you move or walk around which basically imitates their womb environment.

These are great for baby’s daytime naps and to keep them close to you while you are doing your work or go out for a walk.

There are some safety guidelines that must be followed if you decide to wear your baby:

• Follow ‘TICKS’ checklist: This was developed by the Consortium of UK Sling Manufacturers and Retailers.
  • Your baby should be in a position Tight enough to hug you close
  • Your baby should be In your View at All times – you should be able to see your baby just by glancing down. Face should be tilted a bit upwards.
  • Your baby should be Close enough to Kiss. You should be able to kiss by tipping your head forward.
  • Keep your baby’s chin off your chest. Your baby should never be curled so his chin is pressed on to his chest as this can restrict breathing.
  • Your baby should be held comfortably close to the wearer Supporting their back in its natural position. Ensure their tummy and chest are against you. If a sling is too loose, they can slump which can partially close their airway
• Don’t use loose fabric as babies can slump which can close their airway partially.
• Check the weight guidelines so that you can keep changing the positions based on your baby’s weight or see if it will suit your baby.
• Don’t zip up your coat over your baby as it may suffocate the baby.
• Wear your baby high up as it will be easier on your back. This also ensures that the baby is closer to your face so that you can check on them.
• Ensure that the newborn’s head and neck are always supported. Don’t let your baby slump. Keep their spine as straight as possible but not too tight as they have a natural C shape.
• Make sure baby is wearing the right kind of clothes – not too hot or too cold. As the baby will be closer to you so they will be getting the warmth.  
• Don’t let your baby’s legs dangle, this could risk your baby to develop hip dysplasia. The baby would be in M shape where their bottom and hamstrings are supported by the sling. 
• Baby should be facing you for the first 6 months.
• Don’t keep a newborn in a carrier too long. Keep checking that your baby’s hips, thighs, head, neck, and back are well-supported and that their arms and legs can move freely and their airways are free.

For more details on the safety guidelines read the below links:

Sling Safety Matters – It explains how to use a sling safely from CarryingMatters.

MotherAndBaby.co.uk and Independent.co.uk – These have reviews on some great baby carriers in the market

JojoMamanBebe and EarthMother – these links show some examples of Stretchy wraps.

You can contact any baby wearing group to show you how to put it on with the newborn. One of the tutorials on YouTube is below:

CarryingMatters group have shared a great photo tutorial to demonstrate how to wear your baby. Check it out and hopefully you will find it useful.

Baby Wearing Ireland is a very active support group for Baby wearing in Ireland.

You can read more reviews of various baby wearing can be viewed here:

MadeForMums

Leanbhbabywearing

Some examples of baby carriers from BellaBaby.

Good to Have stuffs for sleeping purposes:

• Thermometer – I had one thermometer that was capable of measuring both room and bath temperatures. I would bring it everywhere we went on overnight stay or vacations. It was so handy to have.
• Cellular Blanket – These are great for tucking in newborn babies as they are breathable. Hospitals do advice for these.
• Diffuser – These are great to keep the room humid. If baby has stuffy nose or a bit of cold, these are great help.