It’s understandable that parents want to be close to their baby while sleeping at night. But being too close by sharing a bed increases the risk of an infant’s injury or death — a warning emphasized in safe sleep recommendations.
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The solution? Set up your infant as a roommate instead of a bedmate. It’s a distinction that could be lifesaving, explains pediatrician Heidi Szugye, DO, IBCLC. Here’s why.
The risks of bed sharing
There’s nothing subtle about this advice offered by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP): “Never sleep with your baby.”
The AAP recommends that parents not share a bed with their baby. The reason? The risk of a sleep-related infant death while bed sharing is five to 10 times higher during that early stage of life, says Dr. Szugye.
Put simply, an adult bed is not set up with infant safety in mind. Parents can accidentally roll onto their infants when asleep. In addition, pillows, bedding and high and soft mattresses increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) or injury or death by:
- Suffocation.
- Strangulation.
- Entrapment.
- Falls.
“Bed sharing is connected to SIDS. There’s no question about it,” says Dr. Szugye. “We don’t recommend it for babies of any age.”
(On a side note, the term “co-sleeping” is often used for bed sharing. However, the phrase is also used to describe the recommended practice of room sharing, which we’ll cover in a moment. Given that, the AAP and many pediatricians avoid the term co-sleeping to avoid confusion.)
What about sleeping on couches and chairs?
Nodding off with a baby while on a couch or soft armchair is even more dangerous than sharing a bed with them. The AAP reports that the risk of a sleep-related infant death may be up to 67 times higher in that situation.
Other risk factors when sleeping with a baby
Sharing a sleep surface with an infant is cause for concern on its own, but the arrangement becomes even more dangerous if the adult is overly fatigued or has been:
- Drinking alcohol.
- Using marijuana.
- Taking medicines or drugs that make you groggy.
“You especially want to avoid bed sharing in any of those situations,” stresses Dr. Szugye.
Are bed-sharing risks higher with some babies?
Absolutely. Sharing a bed with an infant is riskier if the child is younger than 4 months old, says Dr. Szugye. In addition, the risk level rises if your baby was born premature or with a low birth weight.
Room sharing: A safer option
Keeping your baby close while they sleep doesn’t mean they have to be in the same bed, says Dr. Szugye. Instead, consider a “room sharing” approach, where you place your child’s crib or bassinet next to your bed.
This setup allows your baby to be next to you but in their own sleep environment. The AAP reports that room sharing can reduce the risk of SIDS by as much as 50%. (Learn seven ways to reduce your baby’s risk of SIDS.)
“It’s a nice alternative to bed sharing,” says Dr. Szugye. “It maintains the closeness that can make life easier on parents while letting your baby sleep in a safer space that fits their needs.”
Tips to create a safe sleeping environment for babies
To reduce the risk of sleep-related infant death, the AAP recommends the following:
- Place babies on their backs to sleep.
- Babies should sleep in their own space with no other people.
- Make sure your baby’s crib meets current standards with a mattress that’s firm and flat and fits snugly within the crib.
- Use only a fitted sheet, and keep loose blankets, pillows or stuffed animals out of the sleep space. (Avoid using padded crib bumpers, too.)
- Breastfeed, if possible.
- Avoid smoking.
How common is bed sharing?
Despite the warnings, studies show that bed sharing with babies remains a common practice. In fact, 61% of infant caregivers reported some form of bed sharing with babies, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Reasons given for bed sharing include:
- Cultural practices and tradition.
- Convenience for feeding.
- Comforting a child who doesn’t feel well.
- Parent-child bonding.
Deep feelings for bed sharing have made recommendations warning against the practice somewhat controversial. There also are studies showing that bed sharing can promote breastfeeding and help calm infants.
But that doesn’t erase the clear evidence that bed sharing increases the risk of a sleep-related death for babies.
“The recommendation against bed sharing is based upon data,” says Dr. Szugye. “It’s something for parents to consider as they’re making decisions about how to best care for their child.”
To hear more from Dr. Szugye on this topic, listen to the Health Essentials Podcast episode “Babies and Bedtime.” New episodes of the Health Essentials Podcast are available every Wednesday.
FAQs
Bed-sharing increases the chance of suffocation, strangulation, and SIDS. An adult bed has many safety risks for a baby, including: suffocation from a soft mattress, memory foam, waterbed, or loose or soft bedding such as pillows, blankets, or quilts.
How risky is it for mom to share a bed with baby? ›
The risks of bed sharing
The AAP recommends that parents not share a bed with their baby. The reason? The risk of a sleep-related infant death while bed sharing is five to 10 times higher during that early stage of life, says Dr. Szugye.
What are the risks of cosleeping with a baby? ›
It increases the risk of SIDS and suffocation
And of course, don't forget that co-sleeping increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. Parents or objects (like pillows or blankets) may unknowingly roll onto the baby at night, leading to injury, suffocation, or death.
Does bed sharing increase the risk of SIDS? ›
Conclusions Bed sharing for sleep when the parents do not smoke or take alcohol or drugs increases the risk of SIDS. Risks associated with bed sharing are greatly increased when combined with parental smoking, maternal alcohol consumption and/or drug use.
How does bed sharing affect babies? ›
The two big safety concerns with shared sleep are suffocation and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (also called SIDS, Crib Death, or Cot Death). They are not the same thing, their causes are different, and that's important to know when you're setting up a sensible sleeping arrangement.
At what age is cosleeping safe? ›
Co-sleeping with a child over 1 year old has a little less risk than with one under 12 months. At a toddler's age of 1 to 2 years old, they can roll over and free themselves in case they are trapped in the bed. As a child gets older, it becomes less risky to co-sleep, but it's still best for them to sleep on their own.
Are babies who bedshare happier? ›
Having a parent nearby reduces the amount of stress a baby feels. Less stress means lower levels of cortisol (stress hormone), which in turn means a healthier baby.
Why shouldn't you let baby sleep with you? ›
But health experts warn parents not to place their infants to sleep in adult beds due to serious safety risks. Bed-sharing increases the chance of suffocation, strangulation, and SIDS.
Does co-sleeping affect child development? ›
Other concerns with co-sleeping involve the delayed development of infant independence and sleep issues. For example, an infant who falls asleep with its parents in the same bed has been observed to have more sleep problems associated with shorter and more fragmented sleep.
What are the long term effects of child sleeping with parents? ›
Co-sleeping may contribute to dependency and separation anxiety in children. A prolonged reliance on co-sleeping may make it difficult for children to develop the confidence and skills necessary to sleep independently. This can create anxiety when faced with sleeping alone or in unfamiliar environments.
Some studies have found that among infants of nonsmoking mothers, the risk of bed sharing occurs only when the infant is younger than 8 weeks of age,5 and 40% of the bed-sharing deaths in our study occurred during this time.
What is baby entrapment bed sharing? ›
Entrapment or wedging: Baby's body or head gets stuck between two objects, such as a mattress and wall, bed frame, or furniture. Suffocation: Something, such as a pillow or an adult's arm, covers baby's face and nose. Strangulation: Something presses on or wraps around baby's neck or head.
Why do babies sleep better co-sleeping? ›
Staying close to the adult's body helps the baby remain at a more stable body temperature. Physical contact, in close cosleeping, helps babies to "breathe more regularly, use energy more efficiently, grow faster, and experience less stress," says McKenna.
Why is bed-sharing not recommended? ›
The organization says the practice puts babies at risk for sleep-related deaths, including sudden infant death syndrome, accidental suffocation and accidental strangulation. About 3,700 babies die each year in the U.S. from sleep-related causes. AAP cites seven studies to support its recommendation against bed-sharing.
At what age should you stop bed-sharing? ›
According to Liz Nissim-Matheis, a clinical psychologist in New Jersey, it's best to end co-sleeping when a person reaches puberty, or at around 11. “Once we get into that territory of bodies changing, that's when you really want to take a step back and say, 'What is going on here?
Does cosleeping cause attachment issues? ›
Home birth, breastfeeding, and co-sleeping all have benefits—but none of them is related to a baby's secure attachment with her caregiver, nor are they predictive of a baby's future mental health and development.
Is there a safe way to bed share with a baby? ›
Co-sleeping more safely
Keep pillows and adult bedding away from your baby or any other items that could cover their head or cause them to overheat. A high proportion of babies who die as a result of SIDS are found with their head covered by loose bedding.
Is it safe for baby to sleep with mom? ›
Myths About Co-Sleeping
If it involves sharing the same bed as baby, most doctors say don't do it, since it can increase the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). But you can practice safe co-sleeping if you put baby to sleep in a separate bassinet next to your bed—as opposed to in your bed.
Is it bad to share a bed with your child? ›
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents sleep in the same room with their baby, but not in the same bed, for the first 6 months. Some studies have found bed-sharing with infants to be associated with higher rates of sudden infant death.
What age can you share a bed with a baby? ›
Co-sleeping with an infant under 12 months of age, on the other hand, is potentially dangerous. Babies may not be able to extract themselves from heavy bedding or adult bodies, thus increasing the risk of entrapment, suffocation, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
