Co-Sleeping

You still have about four months to go until your little one arrives, but it’s never too early to start talking about newborn safety. When your baby arrives, you’ll almost certainly discover that a good night’s sleep is a thing of the past… at least for the next several years! It can be tempting to let your baby into your bed to help both of you get a bit more sleep, but is it safe? 

Doctors’ recommendations on co-sleeping 

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies share a room with their mothers for at least the first six months of life, but that they sleep in their own crib or bassinet. Sharing a bed is never recommended for babies, because it increases the risk of injury or death. For example, a baby sleeping in the parents’ bed is more likely to: 

• suffocate, due to pillows, blankets, etc. 
• be injured due to a parent rolling over on them 
• be strangled in a bedsheet or a parent’s clothing 
• fall off of the bed onto the floor 
• be caught between the mattress and the headboard 
• become a victim of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) 

What are some safer options? 

It can make it easier for both of you to sleep if you can keep your baby close. If possible, keep the crib right next to your bed, so that you can reach out and touch your baby if he or she cries. You can also look into infant co-sleepers, which are kind of like bassinets that attach to your bed. These allow your baby to be right next to you, but still in their own safe sleeping space. 

It's okay to bring your baby into your bed to feed or just for comfort, but you need to be sure to put them back into their own bed before you fall asleep. 

For more information about infant safe sleeping, listen to our selected podcast.