there's probably a simple and obvious answer but I don't know what it is, so.....

[vintagemum]

Hello parents!

I have a 5mo son who has been sleeping in a co-sleeper next to our bed since 2 weeks old. He's almost outgrown it now and we're planning to put him back in bed with us at night....I'm really looking forward to it, I enjoy the morning time when he wakes up and we put him in bed with us until we can manage to rouse.  My question is, when I put him to bed, in our bed, and I'm not ready to got to bed yet, what do I do?  I mean, I know that safe sleep practice is that he shouldn't be in the bed by himself EVER, right?  I wouldn't want to anyway!  He is starting to roll over and pull covers over his face and such.  I just cant figure this out so I wanted to hear what other co-sleeping mama's do.  I know I'm not the only one who likes a little "me" time after baby goes night-night!  Thanks :) 

[katelove]

Welcome to MDC 

I don't think there's any problem with a baby being left in bed by themselves as long as you create a safe environment. I started leaving my LO alone for some of her sleeps at around that age.

I would fold the bedclothes to the end of the bed and prop the pillows up against the headboard. We have bedrails on our bed and, at that age, she was still just rolling from side to side and not moving up and down. When she became more mobile (about 7 months I think) we moved our mattress to the floor. The bedrails are still in place.

Now she is 18 months and I still pull the bedclothes down because she hates getting her feet tangled in them.

[whozeyermamma]

We put DS in our big bed alone for the first sleep of the night - like the PP making sure that he was safe (no covers, pillows, etc.) He'd be smack in the middle of a queen size bed. Once he could scootch enough - we also put our mattress on the floor.

Once he could crawl I babyproofed the hell out of the room and now it's actually really great. Very often when he wakes up he'll play by himself for up to a half hour before he starts to fuss at all.

Welcome to MDC!

[vintagemum]

thanks for the input mama's!  I'll go get myself a bedrail and start sharing sleep!  I'm so excited!!!