017: How to Safely Co-sleep with Your Baby with Ashley Cooley

The Whole Bundle: Nurturing parents through nourishing conversations

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Are you considering co-sleeping but concerned about the potential risks and stigma associated with it?

In this episode, we get into the often controversial topic of co-sleeping with expert Ashley Cooley of Birth Baby Sleep. Together, we aim to provide comprehensive and evidence-based information to help parents make informed decisions, all while challenging the taboo surrounding this parenting choice.

Conversations about co-sleeping are often swept under the rug due to its taboo nature, but many parents end up co-sleeping out of sheer exhaustion. Our goal is to disseminate valuable information, ensuring safer spaces for both parents and babies if they choose this route.

We discuss recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Canadian Pediatric Society (CPS), both of which advocate for infants to sleep on their backs on a firm mattress in their own environment. Ashley and I emphasize that while these organizations strongly discourage bed-sharing, reality often diverges from these guidelines. Many parents, especially breastfeeding mothers, fall asleep with their babies, sometimes in unsafe conditions. We also talk about some practical tips to make it safer.

Ashley Cooley’s insights offer a balanced, non-judgmental perspective on the nuances of co-sleeping. The goal of this episode is not to promote or dissuade parents from co-sleeping but to provide them with the tools and knowledge to make informed choices and create the safest sleep environment possible.

We hope this conversation removes some of the stigma and shame parents might feel about co-sleeping. Remember, parenting is a journey filled with diverse experiences, and informed decisions can make this journey a bit smoother.

We talk about:

• 00:00 Intro
• 06:20 Ashley Cooley's Journey into Sleep Consulting
• 10:37 Co-Sleeping Recommendations and Realities
• 16:08 Creating a Safe Co-Sleeping Environment
• 19:37 Practical Tips for Safe Co-Sleeping
• 24:33 Preventing Gaps Between Mattress and Wall
• 25:09 Risks of Co-Sleeping with Preterm Babies
• 28:55 Addressing Shame and Embarrassment
• 29:23 Clarifying Co-Sleeping Misconceptions
• 33:48 Smoking and Co-Sleeping Risks
• 36:47 Importance of Back Sleeping
• 40:09 Final Thoughts and Advice for New Parents

Connect with Ashley

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/birth_baby_sleep
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/birthbabysleep
• www.birthbabysleep.ca
• Bringing Up Baby Podcast: https://bringingupbaby.buzzsprout.com/
• Perinatal Support Network: https://birth-baby-sleep.mn.co/share/Jo2rICwGd4Gm1i4X?utm_source=manual

Connect with me

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wholebundle/
• https://thewholebundle.com/