Sleeping with your baby whilst still in hospital?

[littleberlin]

This is most likely a really silly question (and possibly one that I should just ask the hospital themselves!), but is anyone aware of any situation in which your baby would not be allowed to co-sleep with you in hospital? I am going to Frances Perry and I know that they have a rooming-in policy, but I don't want to wait until we return home to begin having baby in our bed. Has anyone ever experienced any resistance to this? My feeling is that no-one could ever tell you not to co-sleep, but I'm interested in other people's experiences or thoughts on this. Thank you!

[Captain]

I didn't have any issues at my hospital. I got more smiles than anything when the midwives came into my room and DD was always with me. Definately check with the hospital, but I can't see how they can stop you if that's what you want to do.

[thepixie]

I went to a public hospital in Sydney and the policy was rooming in but no co-sleeping for safety reasons. Pretty sure it would be a policy across public hospitals but not sure about private.

[sneakysparkle]

I was advised not to by a midwife (she had to as hospital policy) but she did suggest ways in which to co-sleep safely!
Talk to your dr, but I dont see how they could stop you co-sleeping if thats what you want to do

[feeb]

i was advised not to co sleep in hospital for safetys sake when in single bed. In queen size they didnt say anything.

Saying that in single bed he stayed with me on my chest. They never tryed to stop me and I actually got comments saying he knows where he wants to be.

[Antheia]

I went to a public hospital with DS and co-slept with him. No one said anything about it. I was only in there for 1 night. He slept on my chest the whole time. I couldnt really sleep though due to the high of just given birth!

[STARRYSKY]

I lost count of the times I got told off for having Jacob with me on my chest, id just had a csection and it was damn hard trying to get him out of his little wheelie bed, so once I had him out to feed him, I wanted him with me, damn midwives kept taking him off of me and telling me I would suffocate him (mind you, I was on some serious drugs, but it really peeved me at the time.)

[visitor1]

With DD1 my hospital actually put her in the bed with me....pulled up the bed rails and had a pillow behind her (she was laying on her side as she had alot of yucky stuff in her belly they wanted up).

[Mum0809]

I was in two public hospitals with DS (there was no midwifes at the one he was meant to be born at) I spent 1 night in each hospital and co-slept with him in both hospitals. They never said anything. I would have agrued with them if they had, I wasn't going to try to get out of bed every time he cried with 3 layers of stiches.

[smiles4u]

Oh, i would have LOVED to ... but my bed was single and OMG my baby would have fallen out for sure ... i wouldn't have risked it if i had fallen asleep and we were squished in a single bed together

Hope you can get a bigger bed so you can co-sleep with bubba !!!

[Girl-23]

DD slept with me during the 2nd night at hospital. I gave birth in a public hospital and was given my own room, which had a double bed. The midwives didn't say anything. However, if I were in a single bed, I probably wouldn't sleep with my baby. I wouldn't feel safe especially after giving birth, all you want to do is sleep and feel exhausted.

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

I had DS in a little cribette thing attached to the bed, so he was right next to me. Then later (in the special care unit) he was in this cot with wheels on so he could be taken into the nursery at night.

I was told that I wasn't allowed to sleep with him - mind you, this was post-birth and I couldn't move let alone put DS in the crib on the other side of the room. So I slept sitting up with him snuggled against my chest. I had to keep waking up every time someone walked in the room to check I wasn't sleeping with my baby, which wasn't allowed! I was finally "allowed" to sleep 7 hours post-birth (33 hour labour with no sleep after 7am the previous morning!) when I was taken into the ward and DS had his own sleeping space on the bed.

[Neenee Jellybeanie]

I'm really surprised that hospitals have a policy about this, and particularly surprised that some are so determined to enforce it! I co-slept with DD in hospital (and her dad lol!!) and no one said anything.

[Pretty Butterfly]

I coslept with all my babies, but I clearly remember with my first, I wasn't allowed to.

I did anyway, so they bought me a form to sign saying I knew the risk and took full resposibility.... Then they put up the bed rails and were real supportive. Never had a problem with the last 4.....

[Mumma2three]

I co-slept in hospital with number one in hospital, purely because i fell asleep holding her. It was a single bed with no sides. That's when I knew I had an instinct and would be fine sleeping with her in a King size!! No one said anything. I still think back (10 years ago) and I had never heard of co - sleeping (no belly belly then), but to me it was the best choice for us, as she wasn't sleeping in the hospital, neither was I.
Now it may be different with policies, but really, they are dealing with women who have just given birth, If they tried to disturb my sleeping baby, whereever it was sleeping, they'd better be prepared!!!!

[PinkPalace]

when i was in hospital with ds i co slept. the midwife actually encouraged it.

[SamiH]

With my recent bubba the midwife gave him to me after he had been in his cot for an hour cos his temp was low and encouraged us to snuggle (early hours of the morning and I just wanted a few hours sleep) - and then during the next morning before I went home I kept him pretty much on my chest so he could sleep and I could doze knowing he was fine and comfy - no-one said anything to me either.....

[Trillian]

I did with all of mine, but with my first they would take him to the nursery nearly every night anyway, but during the day if I needed a sleep he slept with me. With Alister I co slept with him 100% of the time we were in there (5 days). I would get the odd cheeky *tsk tsk* and a grin from the midwives, but they were cool about it, just said something along the lines of "you know we aren't suppose to let you do that, but you know what you're doing by now"

I can understand the safety thing and hospital policy though because of the tiny chance that something did happen, like a baby falling off the bed etc and then the parents suing because no one told them not to kwim? (and it would happen too) but I think most people are sensible enough that when they do do it, they make sure the side of the bed is up or they have a pillow behind bubs etc.