There were four in the bed and the little one said...

[~~Sarah~~]

...wait, where is the little one?!

Seriously though, I just had my new baby (less than 24 hours ago! It's a girl!) who is teeny tiny. At 6lb 3oz she came out a full 2lbs smaller than her older sister did! (also an entire month earlier) I'm not used to a babe this tiny in bed - I feel like she needs glow-in-the-dark stripes or her jammies!

My question is about keeping her safe from her big sister - your basic rambunctious 2 year old, who rolls and crawls and hugs and does 360 degree turns while she sleeps. Right now I have a pillow between them but... there's gotta be some way to make the situation safer for everyone (thus allowing for mom to sleep better!) Any ideas? BTDT moms?

[Deir]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!! I wouldn't feel comfortable having a 2 yr old next a baby ESPECIALLY with a pillow.  I'd probably want to be aloie with the baby but if that didn't work then I'd put the 2 yr old on the other side.

Awww...what a tiny little one!

[thanneaKS]

I'd put a guard rail or a side sleeper on my side of the bed and keep baby on the outside. 2yo would sleep on my other side, between hubby and me.  It won't be too long until the babe will be a sturdy 6 month old, but while she's so tiny, I'd opt for safety so you can sleep. Congratulations and get some rest. :)

 Btw, you may find you need to wake up enough to sit up and nurse for a few weeks with one this little.  I couldn't easily manage to nurse lying down until they were about 2 months old or 12 or so pounds.  There was too much of me and not enough of them before that. :)

[sundaya]

Congrats! We have a wall, then DH, then 2 1/2 year old DD, then me, then 5 week old DS, then co-sleeper(which makes an awesome night-time changing table and basic catch-all, but hasn't been slept in). The only issue with this is that DS sleeps facing me. So we do play musical bed every few nights so one side of his head doesnt end up completely flat. We just reverse the whole program. DD has many times tried to crawl over me, but I wake up with that.