The first nights at home with a brand new baby are always memorable, to say the least. Chances are, you won't do much sleeping though, as you adjust to the newness of your newborn. But if you plan to bed-share with your little one, you'll at least be in the comfort of your own bed and, just maybe, you'll both get a little bit more sleep. However, learning how to prepare for your first night of bed-sharing will help make the transition from hospital to home as easy — and safe — as possible.

Although bed-sharing is a hotly debated subject, most parents, advocates, and experts agree that it can be done safely and that most accidents happen when parents ignore the guidelines for safe bed-sharing. With the proper precautions in place, you'll have less to worry about, and more time to get some precious sleep.

These tips aren't necessarily all intuitive, in fact, some of them may be news to you. But whether you think you've created the safest bedroom possible or are just now removing the duvet cover from your bed, it's of the utmost importance that parents prep their bed for bed-sharing just like they would prep the rest of their house for a new baby.