I was reminded of my co-sleeping experience after reading this lovely post. I remember having the same fears of rolling over on my baby or the fear of suffocation if she got caught in between the mattress and headboard. I also feared my husband would rollover on the baby. So to alleviate these fears I decided not to co-sleep. But I did anyway.
During some late nights or lazy afternoons, I would nurse while lying down and end up falling asleep with my baby. The more I did this the more I enjoyed sleeping with my baby. I did not co-sleep on a regular basis. Once my baby began sleeping through the night she was in her own crib. I never started off the night with my baby in my bed. I always went to bed later than all my babies. If I fell asleep with them it was in the middle of the night.
My husband never minded taking naps or having a baby or little one in bed with us. The time is so brief and precious that getting in a few more snuggles and cuddles is worth it. We were not co-sleepers in the sense that our children slept with us every night. My oldest used to go to bed at the same time as my husband. She was only a few years old and he worked a very early shift. When I went to bed I would move her back to her room. We were not held captive by this little habit or it would have seemed confining. We enjoyed having the kids close.
My only hesitation is forming the habit of making co-sleeping an every night occurrence. My husband and I have always had odd schedules and nightly routines. The children are always kept on a consistent schedule. I will also admit I do not want to sleep with a child every night. So, it seemed unfair to me to start co-sleeping on a regular basis. We never had trouble transitioning our babies from our bed to a crib. Perhaps it was because I always laid my babies down in a crib first. I really do not have the answer. But for me, I did not want co-sleeping to be a nightly routine that lasted for years. If that is something you desire to begin then I see nothing wrong with it. I think co-sleeping or not is a personal choice you make for your family. I love taking naps or cuddling with a baby. My only regret is not doing it more often but even so I would not be one to do consistently.
Decide for yourself if co-sleeping is for your family. However, I strongly suggest no matter what you decide to snuggle and cuddle any and every chance you get.