Co-sleeping means sleeping in the same bed as your baby, and it isn’t considered safe. Instead, experts say to have your baby sleep in a crib, bassinet, or play yard in your room near your bed for the first six months or ideally for the first year. That way, you can easily see and reach your newborn for feeding or comforting. Sharing a room with your baby decreases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and may even help you and your baby both sleep better.
IN THIS ARTICLE
- Co-sleeping with a newborn
- Why isn’t co-sleeping safe?
- Are there any methods for safe co-sleeping?
- Is it safe to breastfeed in bed?
- Are bedside sleepers safe?
“Co-sleeping” refers to having your baby sleep in bed with you, rather than in a separate space such as a crib. Some people call sharing a bed with your baby “sleep sharing” or “bed sharing.”
Co-sleeping with a newborn
Co-sleeping – sleeping in the same bed as your newborn – isn’t safe because it raises the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). It’s especially dangerous for a baby who is younger than 4 months old or born preterm or with a low birth weight, according to the Pediatrics.
The risk of sleep-related infant death while co-sleeping is five to 10 times higher when your baby is younger than 4 months old, according to the Pediatrics. And the risk of sleep-related infant death is two to five times higher if you co-sleep with a baby who was born preterm or with low birth weight.
Instead, the Pediatrics recommends having your newborn sleep in a crib, bassinet, or play yard in your room near your bed for the first six months to a year. Having your baby sleep in your room cuts the risk of SIDS by as much as half, according to the Pediatrics. Plus, it makes it easier to respond to your baby when they need feeding or comforting during the night.
Why isn’t co-sleeping safe?
Co-sleeping isn’t safe because adult beds pose dangers to a baby: They could suffocate under soft bedding like blankets and pillows; they could get trapped between a headboard and mattress; or an adult sleeping with the baby could accidentally roll onto the baby while sleeping, among other risks.
It’s especially important to provide close but separate sleeping arrangements for the first six months of life, when the risk of SIDS and other sleep-related deaths is highest.
Co-sleeping isn’t recommended for any baby, but it’s especially dangerous for a baby who is:
- Younger than 4 months
- Born preterm or with a low birth weight
- Placed on a soft surface such as a soft mattress, waterbed, couch, or armchair
- Placed in a bed with loose or soft bedding, including pillows, flat sheets, or blankets
- Bed sharing with someone who drank alcohol or took drugs (including medicine that’s sedating)
- Exposed to secondhand smoke
- Bed sharing with someone who isn’t a parent (including caregivers and other children)
- Sleeping with multiple people (including your baby’s twin, if you have multiples)
One pediatrician shares the best safe sleep habits for babies, including always putting your child on their back to sleep.
Are there any methods for safe co-sleeping?
Unfortunately, no.
It can be hard to avoid co-sleeping with your newborn. You’re feeding around the clock, and it’s easier to breastfeed if your baby is lying next to you. You may be so exhausted that it’s hard to manage getting up to return your baby to their crib, bassinet, or play yard multiple throughout the night. And you may love the feeling of snuggling close to your sweet-smelling baby.
There are ways to work around these issues without co-sleeping. You can still breastfeed in bed (see below). You can keep their crib, play yard, or bassinet right next to your bed so it’s easier to return them to their own sleeping space. And if you’re concerned about bonding, there are safe ways to bond with your baby, including using a baby carrier, sharing skin-to-skin cuddle time, playing, and reading. Bonding is a process that continues over time and happens every day through simple interactions like looking your baby in the eye, talking to them, and smiling.
If it helps, consider these benefits to sleeping separately:
- Better sleep for both of you. Many parents say that they sleep better when their babies are in their own beds, and there’s some evidence that babies sleep better too.
- Fewer wake-ups for feeding. Proximity to their mothers can cause some babies to wake up more often to eat, or nurse constantly all night, even if they’re not hungry.
- Easier weaning from night feedings. Bed sharing can make it harder to wean your baby from waking up at night to nurse or take a bottle. Breastfeeding babies, in particular, smell their mothers’ milk and may develop a habit of nursing all night long, even if they’re not hungry.
Is it safe to breastfeed in bed?
Yes. If it’s easy and comfortable for you to breastfeed your baby in bed (for instance, in a side-lying position), you don’t have to stop. But ideally put your baby back in their separate sleeping area as soon as they’re finished nursing (or bottle feeding, if you take them to bed with you for that).
If you’re concerned that you might fall asleep, clear away soft items including pillows and bedding when you feed your baby in bed. And if you fall asleep while feeding them, put them back in their crib or bassinet as soon as you wake up.
Note: If you’re tired, it’s safer to feed your baby in a bed cleared of soft items than to feed them in an armchair or on a couch. Falling asleep on plush furniture puts your baby in danger of SIDS and suffocation.
Are bedside sleepers safe?
Bedside sleepers, which are bassinets that attach to the side of an adult bed, are safe, as long as the product you’re using meets the safety standards set by the CSPC. This includes having enclosed fabric sides and a flat surface for sleeping. You can read the full guidelines and check to see if a specific product meets these standards on the CSPC’s website.
Wedges and other baby positioners, on the other hand, aren’t safe to use because they put a baby at risk of slipping or rolling into an unsafe position while sleeping. It’s also important not to let your baby sleep in a car seat, swing, baby carrier, or any other inclined surface, since that increases the risk of suffocation. When babies’ heads are slumped forward, it can make breathing difficult.
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