Safe co-sleeping with a baby in the same bed (known as bedsharing) is a common family practice. Families either choose this method or find themselves needing it when their baby frequently wakes up at night. Some families find this arrangement suitable, while others do not. Neither approach makes anyone a better or worse parent. There is no one right way to do things. The most important factor is that everyone gets enough sleep and feels comfortable in the bed.
What is Co-Sleeping?
Co-sleeping refers to sleeping close to your baby, whether with an open crib attached to the parents’ bed or simply sharing the same bedroom, where the parents sleep in their bed and the baby sleeps in its own crib. This approach to sleeping with a baby is also an option, but it’s important to ensure that everyone in the household sleeps well and feels comfortable. Modern beds are not designed for safe sleep with a baby, so careful planning is required to ensure that co-sleeping is both safe and secure. Babies and young children under the age of 2-3 do not understand invisible boundaries and tend to move around in their sleep. This makes safe co-sleeping an important aspect of both nighttime and daytime sleep.
If You Decide to Co-Sleep in the Same Bed, Follow These Important Guidelines:
- Ideally, you should sleep on a mattress placed on the floor.
- Co-sleeping is recommended primarily for breastfeeding mothers, as they can quickly attend to the baby and nurse it back to sleep. This might encourage more frequent waking, but if that works for you, great!
- The mattress should be firm, with no loose bedding.
- Ensure that there are no gaps or crevices in the bed where the baby could get trapped.
- The bed should be as low as possible and positioned in the center of the room or against a wall.
- Always place the baby on its back to sleep.
- Avoid positioning the bed against a wall or furniture. If unavoidable, ensure there is no gap between the wall and the mattress where the baby could get stuck and suffocate.
- Make sure the bedroom is not too warm, as your body heat also warms the baby.
- Keep pillows and blankets away from the baby.
- Ensure you are only co-sleeping with one baby and that no other children enter the bed during the night, which could pose a risk.
- Do not have pets (dogs, cats) that might jump onto the bed during the night or day.
- Do not co-sleep with the baby if you or your partner are overweight.
- Avoid co-sleeping if you or your partner have consumed alcohol, drugs, or sleep medications.
- Be prepared for the possibility that babies who sleep with their parents may wake more frequently over the long term than those who learn to fall asleep independently. However, a baby sleeping in this way can still learn the basics of self-soothing and may eventually sleep with fewer interruptions.
- Expect to sleep less continuously but in close proximity to your baby.
- Bedsharing is not suitable for every mother, family, or baby. Choosing not to bedshare does not mean that your bonding with the baby will be negatively affected.
- NEVER leave the baby alone in a large bed.
The goal of this article is to provide you with information to make informed decisions about your family’s sleep habits. These can always be adjusted as needed.
Co-Sleeping on a Floor Mattress According to McKenna
For small babies, I personally believe the safest place for sleep is in a crib (an open crib securely attached to your bed is fine), with the baby on its back on a firm surface near the parents. This recommendation is supported by pediatric associations in many countries (e.g., the American Academy of Pediatrics) based on numerous long-term sleep studies. Babies who sleep with their parents in the same bed tend to wake more frequently, so it’s important to be aware of this if you choose this sleeping arrangement.
Co-Sleeping on a Floor Mattress According to McKenna
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