Co Sleeping

What are the risks involved with co-sleeping?

Co-sleeping is the practice of allowing an infant or young child(ren) to sleep with their parents. Co-sleeping is often referred to as the "family bed". Most experts suggest that the safest place for babies and young children to sleep is in a crib. Before you choose to co-sleep or not, there are some general benefits and risk to consider.

What are the benefits of co-sleeping?

Makes nightime breastfeeding easier
Encourages baby to fall asleep easier
Allows both baby and parents to get more sleep at night
Provides comfort to the baby

What are the drawbacks involved with co-sleeping?

Increased risk of suffocation
Increased risk of SIDS
Difficulty transitioning baby to a solo bed in the future
Decreased intimacy with spouse

For parents that do choose to co-sleep, there are common guidelines to follow to reduce the likelihood of a traumatic accident occuring.

To reduce the risk of SIDS, always place your baby to sleep on their back.
Do not give your baby blankets or pillows to sleep with.
Never sleep with your baby while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Use a wedge that is specially designed for co-sleeping families. The baby can sleep in the bed while being a bit more secure in wedge-type bed of their own.
Ensure that the mattress fits the bed frame and inspect the bed for any spaces that the baby could become trapped in.
To prevent falls, never allow the baby to sleep in the family bed alone.

An option to consider apart from co-sleeping is to provide a crib, bassinet or playpen in your bedroom so that your baby can sleep in the same room during the early months.

To make the transition to a crib or bed easier, it is recommended that co-sleeping infants begin transition around the age of 6 months. Begin by placing the baby in a crib for daytime naps and gradually continue to include night-time sleeping as well. Provide a sound machine and nightlite if necessary. Begin a nightime routine that consists of a bath, clothing change, feeding and bedtime story or song. Your baby will begin to associate this routine with bedtime, which will make the transition easier.

Comments: Co Sleeping

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ReminiPiper - 108 days ago.
I was reading this article and as good as it is, I must point out that co-sleeping is totally different than bed sharing. Co-sleeping is when a baby/child is sleeping in the same room but their own bed. Bed-sharing is when a child/baby sleeps in the same bed as the parents.

micaela137 - 990 days ago.
i co slept with my older son until he was about two. i love it, it was eaiser to take care of him at night, i would hear him wake up sooner, and i would know if he was too cold or too hot. but with number two im not allowed to have him in our bed when he is born, because my husband doesnt agree with co sleeping. :-( makes me sad. cause i would really like to have him close all the time. i had to fight with my husband just to let me have the craddle in the room with us.. he thinks the baby should be independent from day one :-( but he wont be the one up with him either!

sagex2 - 1072 days ago.
Hey. I need some advice. I have a 13 month old who sleeps with us. I am pregnant and due September 29th. Suggestions on what to do if baby is not ready to go to sleep but Emory is? I always go to sleep with her and she is never alone in the bed. I am worried she will crawl out, or fall out.

AmandaC5 - 1072 days ago.
I have to say i love co-sleeping. When i was pregnant i still lived at home with my parents and thought nothing about co-sleeping and then i got my own place before he came which i had already ordered the crib and bedding but my place his bedroom is at the opposite side of the house, so thats when i decided he would be sleeping in my room. Well then he ended up having GERD and a week after he came home spit up and choked on it to the point he was turning blue and i had to give him CPR, even though he hasn't done that in a long time and is good on his meds i am still to paranoid to not sleep with him right next to me. I'm also a single mom so don't have to worry about SO being bothered and I also am a light sleeper so not worried about rolling on him. I'd have to say now that he is teething its even better that he sleeps with me cause now when he wakes up in the middle of the night i just give him his paci and put him on my chest and back to sleep he goes, last night i looked down at him and he was just staring at me so i tried to keep my eyes closed but just peek at him every few seconds (it was too cute) so he wouldn't know i was awake and want to start playing or anything.

toveandbrody - 1073 days ago.
funny, I wanted my baby to sleep with me but he prefered his crib, still does at 21 months.

mrs.error08 - 1155 days ago.
My son is 16 months and he has slept in bed with me and my hubby since he was born. He will fall asleep on the couch or around the house, but when we move him, he will not continue to sleep unless he is in bed with us. I would love for him to sleep in his own bed or crib but he is not having it. It was great when he was a little infant but now he's just too big! But I don't know how to get him sleeping in his own bed. He will scream for hours until he is choking on his saliva and can hardly breathe

petskies - 1156 days ago.
our little one is 7 months and she still sleeps in our room in her cot, at DH's request, she wakes at 5 am every morning and DH has to get up at 6 am so I do bring her in to our bed in the morning for cuddles and often at night she if she has not fallen asleep down stairs in her rocker with us I will take her upstairs settle her next to me and then transfer her to her cot once asleep I love that time with her and would not change it for the world we are looking to move her in to her room when day lights savings finishes in a few weeks.

Bri - 1156 days ago.
Balsamfir - Every family has a different way of going about it. If if works for the two of you then that's awesome! I love co-sleeping. I did with my first until he was moving so much that I couldn't sleep and I am again with my second. We didn't have any problems with my first moving to his bed and don't expect it with the second. In my opinion, these babies spent their whole exisistance inside us. That's all they know! You can't expect a baby to be pulled from our bodies and be able to sleep alone. It's hard enough for them to change from the comfort of mommy to the outside world. They need the cuddle time and the closeness that co-sleeping provides. My second son is 10weeks old. We haven't even bought his crib yet. I'm still deciding on how to decorate his room. I will....eventually. We'll probably buy the crib and sheets next month. We'll then try to put him down for naps in his room and sleep with us at night. We'll go from there. He probably won't be in his room at night until around 6months or so.

Balsamfir - 1156 days ago.
Hello I have an 8 day old baby and am recovering from a c section. In the hospital the nurses let me keep him on my chest, because I couldn't get up to feed or comfort him. I found once I was home, at night it was still easier for me to let him fall asleep on my, with myself propped up. I'm a very light sleeper and don't move and find it comforts him and allows me to easily feed him. I've also been able to do the feeding lying down, which works well too. And all DH needs is a nudge for diaper changes. We have a huge king size bed, and I have a body pillow behind hubby. I've slowly started to use the bassissinet, but baby wheezes sometimes and I can't sleep and wake up to everything when he is not close to me.... I just feel he is safer with me right now than in bassinett that is difficult for me to access until my stomach muscles recover.

andriette and christians mummy liz - 1199 days ago.
My daughther slept in our bed in my arms(yes u read right,it was the ONLY way she would sleep) for 9 months,we fell into co sleeping accidently,never intended to do it.But she was so attached and dependant on me to sleep she could only nap in my arms in the day and that resulted in me getting almost nothing done.In our case,it wasnt the best thing,i did love the bonding thing though.Me and dh couldt even be intamite coz if i let her go to put her down she'll be awake screaming.She is now almost 13 months and happily sleeping in her crib for the past 3 months,if not more,she just started kicking and arching her back one night,i placed her ON HER TUMMY in her crib and she slept right thru,when i tried millions of times before she would scream and scream till she let herself cry it out,i was in tears coz the co sleeping was affecting my marriage.I think she wanted and needed that bonding and im happy we had it.Next baby though,will sleep in his or hers own bed,i dont think it affects the child at all.U guys talk about there was never talk about non co sleeping,i asked my mom and my grandma and they said theyve never heard of it before,so i dont know how other countries work.I say if u dont intend on co sleeping and dealing with everything that goes with it then dont even start,if u do intend on co sleeping and know what it takes sure go ahead.I couldt let my dd sleep in our room in her crib coz shes a light sleeper,wakes up even if my feet leave the floor,she sleeps better now though.To each their own!JMHO

military~mommy - 1200 days ago.
Intimacy~ Haha when we were co-sleeping we would go into the spare bedroom!

RobinG - 1200 days ago.
Intamcy was never a concern since intamcy doesnt have to be only in the bedroom and TBH we are intimate in the daytime. RARELY ever at night. Once our kids fell asleep we often moved them to their owns beds too if need be and co sleeping wasnt 100% just more often then not ~ Been married 16 years and cant recall a time ever where we found ourselves not being intimate or struggling because a child was in our bed ~ there are plenty of fun and exciting places throughout the home to have sex :)

titangoddess - 1200 days ago.
AMK1984~ Thank you Thank you Thank you! Got bashed for a second there. I think you ladies took what I said the wrong way. I was speaking of taking co-sleeping into childhood, like school age and older. My child is 5 now and sleeps with me when daddy is working but he sleeps in his own bed the other nights. If he has bad dreams he is welcome into our bed. He slept with me when he was a baby for the first two months. We are very bonded. He would do anything for me and the same for him. Sleeping seperately did not take away our bond. Also the co-sleeper I am talking about is an extension of the bed. It is the same height and it is open on the side for the baby. It is like adding a couple of feet to the side of the bed. Too small for dh to roll over into, really good for c-sections, and gives me room to move a bit in the bed. Already have to fight for my space with DH, not going to do it with a baby. Not when modern appliances has made it where I can have her right next to me but not actually in the bed. Oh and BTW, I still let my 20 yr old daughter sleep with me if she wants to. I would never tell my children no if they needed me.

amk1984 - 1201 days ago.
On top of the safety issue how do you guys expect to have any intamcy with your spouses with a child in the room? When I was growing up we were not allowed to sleep in our parents bed, if we had a scary dream or there was a storm or something we were allowed to sleep in our parents room but we had to sleep on the floor and I turned out perfectly fine.

*Precious.Moments* - 1201 days ago.
I had originally planned on using a bassinet next to our bed as well.. But she wouldnt sleep in it for more than a couple of minutes.. A person can plan all they want but you just never know with little ones until they are home... Im hoping to get an amby baby hammock thing next time around..

military~mommy - 1201 days ago.
I planned on using a basinette next to our bed, but after my c-section I found it too difficult to get up and pick her up to breast feed every hour or so and then lay her back (I was a slow healer, I know). So we used the equivalent of what Robin and Bri were talking about. Worked wonderfully for us, and when I was all healed from the c-section we continued to co-sleep because that was best for us.

*Precious.Moments* - 1202 days ago.
I co-slept with my daughter until she was 10 months old.. I never once rolled over on her.. I believe most mothers have a 6th sense when it comes to their babies.. Now my daughter has a bed in our room and thats just how we like it.. It wouldnt matter to me if we had a 10 bedroom house she would still have a bed in our room.. In our next place she will have her own room with a bed in it but I doubt she will sleep in there thru the night.. During naptime for sure but I like having her close when we're all sleeping.. As she gets older shes welcome to sleep in her own room but as long as we all enjoy sharing I see nothing wrong with it.. I plan on co-sleeping with my next as well.. I know its a controversial topic and people have their opinions on it but this is how it works for us and we wouldnt have it any other way right now..

Bri - 1202 days ago.
Robin, we have one of those too! They are only $25-30 or something. We got it from Target. My first one loved it. My second not so much. Because he is soooo little I have a blanket in the center of our bed and neither my husband nor I sleep on his 'bed'. Shortly he'll be able to cuddl with us at night. Actually he'll fall asleep on us now but I roll him onto his part of the bed before laying down just to keep him away from the blankets and such. I wish he liked the co-sleeper but oh well. My first son still crawls around in it although he's too big. HAHA! The other night we had both boys in bed with us. I'm glad we have a king bed! My first is very active in his sleep.

Bri - 1202 days ago.
Robin, we have one of those too! They are only $25-30 or something. We got it from Target. My first one loved it. My second not so much. Because he is soooo little I have a blanket in the center of our bed and neither my husband nor I sleep on his 'bed'. Shortly he'll be able to cuddl with us at night. Actually he'll fall asleep on us now but I roll him onto his part of the bed before laying down just to keep him away from the blankets and such. I wish he liked the co-sleeper but oh well. My first son still crawls around in it although he's too big. HAHA! The other night we had both boys in bed with us. I'm glad we have a king bed! My first is very active in his sleep.

RobinG - 1202 days ago.
amk1984 I had a close and secure so sleeper bed from first years and is just as safe as the bassinet next to your bed. It fits safely between your pillows and is a bed for the baby only and keeps them out of harms way :) We loved it! Also Co sleeping isnt just about newborns ~

RobinG - 1202 days ago.
Well said Bri ~ my older two co slept long into the toddler years and they are both very independent and sleep great in their beds now and not with CIO. We have a special bond and I honestly feel it is because of the co sleeping. The other night wind was blowing horribly and my oldest was in bed and not understanding what was wrong got scared and came right into our room and climbed into our king size bed. When my kids need me in the night we are there for them and welcome them into our bed if they need comforting, Many countries support co cosleeping and it forms long lasting bonds that do not harm independence. I read up a bit on it and found that non co sleeping began when nannies began to care for the kids and the kids were then moved to nurseries so the nanny tended to them instead. Co sleeping is sharing a bond with your child, at any age, comforting them and helping them feel safe. It has nothing to do with being sexual. I know many adults in my town who co sleep with kids 8 and under on occassion when kids needs them or are sick or something.

Bri - 1202 days ago.
titangoddess - Actually studies have shown the opposite. Attachment parenting which extends to co-sleeping has shown to create children and adults that are more confident in themselves and others. While some babies that are left in cribs from day 1 have shown abandonment issues. In the end, any study can screwed to show different results. What works for some parents and kids is different in each family. But to say that co-sleeping causes indepenance issues is just wrong. Maybe those kids weren't getting enough in other areas. My first son co-slept and he is very indepenant and self assured.

titangoddess - 1202 days ago.
I got a co-sleeper for the baby to sleep in. It is like a bassinet that attaches to the bed and is open for easy reach of the baby to feed her at night. I co-slept with my last child but did it rarely. It was hard enough to get my child to sleep much less try to take him and transfer him from my bed to his own. Extended periods of co-sleeping can cause a child to lack independant skills. I am not talking about just a baby, but into childhood it is not something I would ever consider.

amk1984 - 1219 days ago.
I honestly dont think I could ever do this, I am planning on having a bassinet or cradle next to the bed, but I can't believe any of you feel completely comfortable with a tiny baby in bed with you! I would be horrified to think it would be possible to roll over onto them ect. I think you all are very brave in taking such a huge risk!

havinagirl - 1266 days ago.
my son is five and he has pretty much always slept with me..he dad died when he was 5 months..and i was so scared that i would loose my son..well 2 years ago we had a house fire..thank goodness he was with me..now that i am having another child she will sleep with me..but most of the time and where we have lived my son has had to sleep with me..i don't know what i would do if he didn't..we love to sunggle..but when the baby come his toddler mattress will go beside my bed so we can still hold hands (that he loves) and she will sleep with me...i do hope that one day he and her will have there own room...i do have to admitt that i do like sleeping by myself at time..but i love having my lil man there 2. i don' t think that there is nothing wrong with co sleeping as long as u r ok with it..now if u r with someone that is something that has to be talked about...but i do think that mommy should have the bigger say..lol