Hi there!

I am expecting a baby in 8 weeks, and my husband and I are looking forward to co-sleeping. I have done a lot of reading into it, and seen a lot of safety precautions to take (which nearly turned me off it I got so worried!)

However I think I have most of it in hand now. Just ordered a bigger more appropriate bed today, and are both used to sharing with cats without squashing them. (I assume they'll have to find somewhere else to sleep now though, poor lil guys... )

Anyway there is just one thing that has me worried. I was hoping some of you with more experience could advise me.

How do you stop a newborn from overheating in the bed? I mean what do you actually sleep in? I usually use a 4.5 tog quilt, all through the year.
But I don't know what is best with a baby and I don't want to give baby a temperature.
I thought of cutting a big section out of the middle of the quilt so baby can use own blanket, and husband and I have it on either side, but there has to be a better way.
THis is my first baby, so I don't even know what baby's USUALLY sleep in/under, let along how to make it work with mom and dad.

Hope you can advise please!
Thanks so much!

Hi
I have coslept with my 7. I have always put the baby between me and the bedguard on the outer side of the bed. He would wear only cotton clothes and a babygro and vest in the early days was plenty even in the depths of winter.
I dont have a thick duvet anyway so he was just snuggled in next to me.

You could try two single duvets for you and DH. Or else change the duvet for blankets and sheets? I did think about cutting a lump out of the duvet too - there is a real marked for a co-sleeping duvet, with a warmer side for me and a cooler side for hairsuit DH!

We moved our pillows aside and put DD in the gap there above the duvet with her own bed clothes. DS is in moses basket beside the bed now, as DD is still in the bed and fond of kicking the bejaysus out of DH and I!

I've always slept with DD between the wall and me (DH is a fitful sleeper and gets night terrors fromt ime to time) - although in the early days she was in a co-sleeper...which I wouldn't do again...I'd do what KateB did.
However...when DD was in the cosleeper she was between us and we did use seperate blankets, it worked out great.
DH and I used to "cuddle" with our legs under DD..kinda like footsies! lol
Anyways..nowadays we all have one big duvet, but DD is always kicking it off. We are in Canada at the moment so her jammies are fleece and it works out fine!
All the best, how exciting...only 8 weeks to go (well approx.!!!)

My DS sleeps with us in his nappy under our duvet. On colder nights i put him in a light babygrow (pyjamas) but now that it is getting warmer I find he gets too warm.
He sleeps in the crook of my arm so I never "lose" him and I find my body helps regulate his temperature.

Thanks so much all!
I guess I'll just have to wait for baby to make an appearance then try and see what works.
Nice to see that there are different options though.

All the literature had me worried as well (which is one of the reasons DS1 didn't join us until DS2 was in the bed) until I read 3 in the bed by Deborah Jackson. This really put my mind at ease and made me buy all her other books on Amazon.

I have a cheap cot next to the bed with one side taken off and raised to the highest level (same level as our bed) to give us a bit more room and make sure DS2 can't fall out.