How to co-sleep safely, the rules we should all know?

Best thing I did was actually read up on it properly instead of winging it. Baby on their back, firm flat mattress, no smoking, nothing to drink and no meds that make you drowsy, and keep your pillows and duvet well away from them. Please have a look at the Lullaby Trust site though rather than trusting a stranger on a forum, me included. They spell out when it's much riskier, like if baby was premature or small, and the big one, never fall asleep with them on a sofa or in an armchair.

Agree with reading the official stuff first. The thing that worked for us as a halfway house was one of those bedside cribs that clips onto your bed. She was right there for feeds but had her own flat space with nothing over her. Took the edge off my worrying about full bed sharing.

One thing nobody told me, if you're breastfeeding the position you naturally end up in, curled round them with your arm up above their head, actually makes a protective little space and stops you rolling onto them. Look up the curled C position. Made me feel a lot better once I understood there was some logic to it.

We never planned to but reflux meant she'd only settle on me. My only advice is be really honest with yourself about the risk factors instead of just telling yourself it's fine. We read through the Basis (Baby Sleep Info Source) pages, really calm and evidence based, not preachy at all.