A Safe Sleep giveaway

Earlier this month I was lucky enough to attend the La Leche League Conference. The keynote speaker spoke about the Safe Sleep 7. Having coslept with my babies (and sick of horror stories from those who coslept in an unintentionally unsafe manner) I am pumped to know that there is some concrete guidance for new parents.

The Safe Sleep Seven is followed:

"If a mother is:
1. A non-smoker
2. Sober
3. Breastfeeding

And her baby is:
4. Healthy
5. On his back
6. Lightly dressed and unswaddled

And they:
7. share a safe surface"

(From La Leche League's "Sweet Sleep" book : http://www.llli.org/sweetsleepbook/thesafesleepseven)

Yep, that's right fearmongers, you can sleep with your baby without increasing the SIDS risk. Take that Milwaukee! 

We have all heard stories of fatigued parents feeding their babies in an unsafe location only to fall asleep and suffocate the small one. At the conference they suggested that every parent make/know how to make their bed a safe sleeping space for their baby so they would know where to turn in times of exhaustion without feeling they have to try to force themselves to stay awake only to find out they have succumbed.

I know cosleeping is not everybody's cup of tea, but it does make sense to have the option as a back up and know how to do so safely.

Even many parents who cosleep choose to set up a crib, at least with their first baby as it is hard to predict how sleep will look.

Luckily I was able to get most of my first baby's nursery furniture free as hand me downs, including the crib mattress. I know that a lot of people think used mattresses are icky, but I felt it frugal and environmentally smart. If you, like I, go for a used mattress I would recommend getting a mattress protector to keep whatever hidden funk may be in the mattress away from your babe. If you, unlike I, buy a new mattress cover, I would recommend getting a mattress protector to protect the mattress from whatever funk seeps out of baby's diaper (and maybe minimize that horrible offgassing  that occurs with any new toxic brick you purchase).

Nowadays you can even complete a baby register on Amazon. If you are doing so may I recommend the Tiny Wonders Organic Baby Crib Mattress Protector. It is made with a bamboo cover and a waterproof core and has a zip tight seal to protect baby against allergens and dust mites and the mattress against liquids and the accompanying stains.

Best of all you can wash it easily and even tumble dry on low heat. I recommend buying two as I find messes come in multiples with little ones and I seriously had a good five. It seems excessive until your household comes down with a stomach bug. That is when the tumble dry low comes in handy. The lightweight material really cuts down on the dry time too.

So go ahead and throw a few on your wishlist. Enter this giveaway and you will be all set for next winter's onslaught of stomach flu. ;)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Did you/will you cosleep? Why/why not?

Any tips for sleep those first precious days/months/years?