Co-sleeping guidance updated by the NHS who now say you CAN sleep in the same bed as your baby
Kelly Rose Bradford
Netmums contributorThe changes now reflect NICE guidelines, and the advice to 'never bedshare' has been removed for the first time
The NHS has updated its advice for co-sleeping with your baby – and for the first time, it says there ARE ways to share a bed with your baby safely.
The changes were spotted by sleep trainer Sarah Patel, and shared on her Instagram page, Teachtosleep, where she asked her followers to share the info 'far and wide so that all parents can be informed about safe bedsharing'.
The old advice 'Never to share a bed with your baby' has been removed, and instead a section on 'Be safe if you share a bed with your baby' has been added.
- The best bedside cribs for safer co-sleeping
- How to cope with separation anxiety at night
- How to buy bedding for co-sleeping
How can you co-sleep safely?
The NHS now offer advice on how to make co-sleeping safe. On its Reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) page, the NHS lay out their guidelines for safer co-sleeping.
They say that if you share a bed with your baby you should:
- make sure they sleep on a firm, flat mattress lying on their back
- not have any pillows or duvets near them
- not have other children or pets in the bed at the same time
They also say it's important not to share a bed with your baby if they had a low birth weight (less than 2.5kg or 5.5lb) or if you or your partner:
- smoke (no matter where or when you smoke and even if you never smoke in bed)
- have had 2 or more units of alcohol
- have taken recreational drugs
- have taken medicine that causes drowsiness
This echoes existing advice and recommendations for parents about bed-sharing from NICE, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
Reassess the risk every bedtime
Meanwhile, the Lullaby Trust say that 'the safest place for a baby to sleep is in their own clear, flat, separate sleep space, such as a cot or Moses basket' but adds that they know 'many parents find themselves co-sleeping whether they mean to or not'.
They say they 'recommend making your bed a safer place for baby', with advice in line with the NHS and NICE guidelines above, but add that you should 'consider any risks before every sleep', saying:
'It is easy for your situation to change if you are unwell or have drunk any alcohol, which means your baby will be safest in a separate sleep space such as a cot or Moses basket on that occasion'.
Related Stories
How to put your baby to sleep in easy steps
CHAT: talk all things baby-related on our supportive Forum
Find out everything about sleep training on our baby sleep portal
