BABY

Co-sleeping

Last modified on Tuesday 7 March 2023

Co-sleeping, or sharing a bed with your baby or child, is one of those issues that divides the parenting community. We look at the latest advice regarding co-sleeping, including the dangers involved.

The safety issues relating to co-sleeping are widely debated. But more and more parents are turning to co-sleeping for convenience and wanting to be closer to their babies. So we looked into the official advice on co-sleeping and share the risks associated.

How safe is co-sleeping?

One of the concerns that many people have about co-sleeping is that there have been a number of cases where babies have died while sharing a bed with their parents.

The official advice on the safest place for your baby to sleep until they are at least six months old has always been in their own cot or Moses basket, in the same room as you. However, 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.

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What about SIDS?

A review of research carried out by NICE (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) found a link between co-sleeping and an increased risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or cot death). The latest NHS advice emphasises that this is particularly true of co-sleeping in a chair or sofa.

While there's no strong evidence to show that bed sharing causes SIDS, the link is still significant, explains Professor Mark Baker, Director of the NICE Centre for Clinical Practice:

'We don’t know what causes these babies to die suddenly, but we do know that if a parent smokes, drinks alcohol or takes drugs then SIDS is potentially more likely to occur if they then co-sleep with their infant,' he says.

Therefore, it's still important to be aware of the risks involved though. The NHS urges parents to be safe if you choose to share a bed with your baby.

What are the dangers of co-sleeping?

The risks associated with unsafe co-sleeping include:

One mum warns of the dangers of co-sleeping. Read her tragic story here.

How to co-sleep safely

The Lullaby Trust still says that the safest place for your baby to sleep for the first 6 months is in a separate cot or Moses basket in the same room as you. However, the NHS now says that there are ways to co-sleep safely.

Here are the latest NHS guidelines on safe co-sleeping:

'If you share a bed with your baby (co-sleeping), 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

'It's important not to share a bed with your baby if they had a low birthweight (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'

You should also never sleep with a baby on a sofa or armchair.

Baby sleep experts at the Lullaby Trust say that the safest place for your baby to sleep is in their own bed. So choosing a cot or crib specially designed for co-sleeping is a great compromise. You’ll have all the closeness and convenience, without any of the associated risks.

Find the best cots and cribs for co-sleeping here.

The golden rules of co-sleeping

Often, co-sleeping is something parents fall into by accident, rather than a conscious decision.

You might bring your baby into bed because it's easier to feed them, or find they settle better with you than in their own cot – and before you know it, you're sharing your sleep space every night.

But however it happens, following safe sleeping guidance is essential to reduce any possible risks. Make sure that you:

  • never sleep with your baby (or let anyone else sleep with them) on a sofa or armchair. If you think you might fall asleep holding them, put them down in a safe place.
  • keep your baby away from adult bedding. A large number of babies who die from SIDS are found with bedding covering their faces, so don't use pillows or duvets and keep sheets, blankets and other loose objects well away from her head.
  • are aware of possible accidents. Make sure your baby can't fall out of bed, or get trapped between the bed and wall.
  • never leave your baby sleeping alone in an adult bed.
  • try moving their cot right next to your bed so you can reach out and reassure them (if you're not confident about co-sleeping but your baby settles better when she's in your bed.)
  • avoid letting your baby get too hot: the ideal room temperature is 16-20C.
  • always put your baby to sleep on their back, not their front or side.
  • make sure your mattress is firm and in good condition.

Talk to mums about co-sleeping in our Coffeehouse forum below ...

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