7 Essential Tips to Make Co-Sleeping Safer
Co-sleeping is a popular parenting choice for many families. It can be a great way to bond with your baby and provide them with the comfort and security they need. However, it is important to take the necessary steps to ensure that co-sleeping is done safely. Here are 7 essential tips to make co-sleeping safer for you and your baby.
1. Use a Firm Mattress
The mattress you use for co-sleeping should be firm and flat. Soft mattresses can be dangerous as they can cause your baby to sink into the mattress and become trapped. It is also important to make sure that the mattress is free of any gaps or crevices that your baby could become stuck in.
2. Avoid Pillows and Blankets
It is important to avoid using pillows and blankets when co-sleeping. These can be a suffocation hazard for your baby and can also increase the risk of SIDS. Instead, use a sleep sack or other sleepwear that is designed to keep your baby warm without the risk of suffocation.
3. Keep the Bedroom Temperature Comfortable
It is important to keep the bedroom temperature comfortable for both you and your baby. Overheating can be dangerous for your baby and can increase the risk of SIDS. The ideal temperature for a baby’s bedroom is between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Don’t Co-Sleep if You’re Under the Influence
It is important to avoid co-sleeping if you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol. This can increase the risk of accidental suffocation or SIDS. If you are taking any medications that make you drowsy, it is also important to avoid co-sleeping.
5. Don’t Co-Sleep on a Couch or Armchair
It is important to avoid co-sleeping on a couch or armchair. These can be dangerous as they can cause your baby to become trapped between the cushions or in the crevices of the furniture. It is also important to avoid co-sleeping on a waterbed or any other type of soft surface.
6. Don’t Let Your Baby Overheat
It is important to make sure that your baby does not become overheated while co-sleeping. Overheating can increase the risk of SIDS. Make sure that your baby is dressed appropriately for the temperature of the room and that the bedding is not too heavy or thick.
7. Don’t Co-Sleep if You Smoke
If you or your partner smoke, it is important to avoid co-sleeping. Secondhand smoke can increase the risk of SIDS and other health problems for your baby. If you do smoke, it is important to make sure that you do so outside and away from your baby.
FAQs
Is co-sleeping safe?
Co-sleeping can be a safe and beneficial parenting choice if done correctly. It is important to take the necessary steps to ensure that co-sleeping is done safely, such as using a firm mattress, avoiding pillows and blankets, and keeping the bedroom temperature comfortable.
What is the safest way to co-sleep?
The safest way to co-sleep is to use a firm mattress, avoid pillows and blankets, and keep the bedroom temperature comfortable. It is also important to avoid co-sleeping if you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or if you or your partner smoke.
What should I do if I want to co-sleep but my partner doesn’t?
If you and your partner disagree about co-sleeping, it is important to have an open and honest discussion about the pros and cons of co-sleeping. It is also important to consider the safety tips outlined above to ensure that co-sleeping is done safely.
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Watching so many videos, it seems when they talk about sids, they really mean suffocation.
My baby started feeling uneasy in her bassinet after week one. So we co sleep now she is almost 3month and we are doing fine sometimes I barely sleep during the night because I have to watch out for all of us especially her dad. It also makes my breastfeeding easier because I breastfeed her atleast 5times through the night but now I’m used to it. We are planning to introduce her to her crib after 6months hopefully it will work.
Even though I can't see myself Co sleeping because it wouldn't be practical in my situation and would probably stress me out more than it's worth, I think as long as you're smart about it it can be a great choice. My mom co slept with her 4 kids and it made everything run smoothly for her
I suffered so much while putting my baby in a crib – he took forever to be put to sleep there, so I was sleep deprived and had nervous breakdowns due to being extremely tired. When I realized I was on a path to serious depression, I started bed-sharing so I could get more sleep and voila – no more sleep deprivation. I just breastfeed and go back to sleep as he doesnt even wake up while feeding. No more rocking, pain in my body due to carrying him for hours, waking up when being put in a crib etc. It saved my sanity.
So while I do understand the risks, this research should also have to take into consideration a higher risk of maternal sleep deprivation and postpartum depression – as it is real and it’s impact on baby health and safety is huge. For example, I was struggling to stay awake during feedings while sitting down with baby. Everything was so exhausting which made me have suicidal thoughts – I seriously didn’t think I could survive this much exhaustion.
Of course, safe bed sharing practice is a must – my baby sleeps on his half of a massive bed on a firm mattress and no blankets. My husband is exiled to a separate bed in his home office.
I admit I do fear SIDS but also I admit I physically and mentally can’t do it any other way at the moment. I’m enjoying motherhood how 🙂
A good option is the get a babybay. Not sure if they sell them in Australia, but they are child safe beds that you can attach to the side of your bed. That way, your child is always within reach and can have physical contact but is 'safe' in their own baby bed. We used this method for a long time until our child outgrew it. We moved on to a crib and only started co-sleeping in the last months. She is now 18 months old and seems to be in a phase where she needs a lot of affection. So we move her into her crib once she falls asleep. I am definitely a person who follows safe sleeping, however I feel that children really need the closeness, at least mine does. So the baby bay and now crib adjoining our bed is a good compromise. I would never put her in a room alone at this age. I really don't understand parents who want to 'sleep train' and separate their children from them in other rooms, it seems very unnatural. Our child has zero sleep issues and never did…Other then actually falling asleep because she doesn't want to! But that's another story:) So this method has worked for us.
Co sleeping is asking for a dead baby. Don't do it. This physician mom says never do this.
What about SADS?
absolutely danger for less than 13-14 month old baby. no choice.
Is using the snuggle me lounger safe when co sleeping
Where I am from parents co-sleep with their babies, and babies sleep on their stomach. we grew up just fine, I co- sleep with my baby and she’s fine But I learned one or two things from this video .
Thanks again Emma for a wonderful video. Just what I needed. I co sleep with my 3 months old daughter from the start. She has a safe place in my bed, with no lose clothes, pillow etc. It's her place. And apart from her, only I share the bed, at a safe distance from her. No blanket. It's much easier to feed her during night. It's also pretty tiresome to make her sleep, and then shifting to her crib always wakes her up. It's a common practice in our country. There should be studies dedicated to the Asian practice of raising children too. So parents like us will be less confused between studies done specifically for Western countries and the way we learn from our culture.
Sleeping with my baby since she was born till date. The precautions mentioned are very helpful. I can nurse her any time listening to her and she instantly falls back to sleep after the feeding session. This made my life easier and we both get a good night sleep. Thankfully I hardly had to be up late nights.
My baby is of 4 months old having reflux problems so I am using pillow for him continuously if pillow is not safe then what should be done
my 6 month old likes to turn on to his tummy and sleep that way, it makes me very nervous. I feel like every time I have to turn his head more to the side so his nose isn't blocked at all. Is there anything that can help with this sort of situation? The only time he doesn't do that is if he is cuddled up to me which means I don't get deep sleep because I'm such a light sleeper.
As a maternal and child health educator who has had women I work with have babies pass away due to causes associated with co-sleeping, I appreciate you talking about this. Many people don’t realize that the risks of co-sleeping are real. The data on the risks of co-sleeping come from real families who have lost their child in heart-breaking, and often preventable, situations.
Ideally babies would not co-sleep with caregivers and instead sleep in their own safe sleeping area in the same room as their caregiver(s). I appreciate you repeating this message as well as giving tips on how to make it safer if co-sleeping is occurring.
I realize that sometimes unplanned co-sleeping happens and that some do make the conscious choice to co-sleep. It’s just important that people realize that there is a risk associated with the behavior and ways to reduce but not eliminate the risk of poor outcomes.
If cost is a concern, local health departments in the United States often have programs that allow parents or caregivers of infants to access free or very low cost new Pack n’ Plays with bassinets so babies have a safe place to sleep while still being near parents.
What about a co-sleeper sleeping mat? Do those make it safer for them to sleep in the same bed as the parents? Or is it more dangerous?
what's the cutoff age for the risk to diminish if we want to cosleep with both a baby and a toddler of 2+ years (at the moment they are in different beds) but we eventually want to all share the same room/beds that are together 🤔
I never planned to co-sleep and thought it was really unsafe. Then I had my baby and was absolutely exhausted and it just happened. Until he became mobile and I woke up to him stepping over me and falling off the bed…
I’m surprised you didn’t mention the link to breastfeeding, as that is the context for most of the research on bedsharing.
I kept fall asleep while feeding my son in the early weeks, as he has a big appetite and would nurse every 30-60 minutes, or sometimes none stop for hours. He never lost any of his birth weight and went up a centile, so it is what he needed, but I was exhausted. My health visitor gave me advice about safer bed sharing and side lying nursing, which let me get the first proper sleep I had in weeks. I would put him back in the bassinet if I woke up or managed to stay awake, but if I did fall asleep it meant he would be next to me on his back.
Once he started rolling we put our mattress on the floor and put up a cot in our room, but away from the floor bed.
At 9 months we still do a mix of cot sleeping then bedsharing, and it works well for us.
Sometimes it can be a bit cold, so I wear layers to bed and use a small blanket, rather than using a duvet.
Co sleeping after 12m?
I am another who didnt plan on co-sleeping until my baby arrived! I do have one question though— how is she supposed to sleep without being swaddled? She is 6 weeks. We use the love to dream swaddle right now. Im worried if i co sleep without it she will startle
My baby has slept in her bassinet then crib since I’ve brought her home from the hospital though we did plenty of contact naps in newborn days . I miss them ! It’s hard to fit them in now that I’m working and that she’s on a 2 nap schedule. For night sleep I wouldn’t want to mess up the good sleep habits we have, as much as I’d like to sleep with her once in awhile . I’m afraid it would just throw a lot of what we’ve done out the window . She’s 7 months now!
Are the stats around co-sleeping being dangerous from worldwide data? There are cultures all over the world to do this. If it's unique to the US, why?