Co-sleeping

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.

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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.

According to official guidance from the NHS, the safest place for your baby to sleep until she's at least six months old is in her own cot or Moses basket, in the same room as you.

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).

While there's no evidence (yet) 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.

What are the dangers of co-sleeping?

The risks associated with co-sleeping include:

• rolling over in your sleep and suffocating your baby
• her being smothered by loose bedding
• her getting caught between the wall and the bed
• her rolling out of bed and getting injured.

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

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How to co-sleep safely

Remember: 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.

Despite the official advice, many families do co-sleep. Ideally, you should wait until your baby is over six months old; evidence has suggested that babies under three months might be at greater risk of SIDS if they share their parents' bed, even if all of the other safe sleep guidance is followed.

Whenever you do choose to co-sleep, it's vital to stick to the safety guidelines issued by the Lullaby Trust: the charity that promotes safer sleep for babies.

• DON'T co-sleep if either you or your partner is a smoker, even if you don't smoke at home.
• DON'T co-sleep if either of you have been drinking alcohol or have taken drugs or medication which might cause drowsiness.
• DON'T co-sleep if either of you is particularly overtired.
• DON'T co-sleep if your baby was born prematurely (before 37 weeks) or was a low birth weight (less than 2.5kg or 5 1/2lb).

If you're considering co-sleeping with your baby, safety should always be your number one consideration.

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 her, or find she settles better with you than in her 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 her) on a sofa or armchair. If you think you might fall asleep holding her, put her down in a safe place.
• keep her 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 her cot right next to your bed so you can reach out and reassure her (if you're not confident about co-sleeping but your baby settles better when she's in your bed.)
• avoid letting her get too hot: the ideal room temperature is 16-20C.
• always put your baby to sleep on her back, not her 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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