Co-sleeping is a practice in which babies and young children sleep close to one or both parents, as opposed to in a separate room. There are different types of co-sleeping, including bed-sharing, room-sharing, and co-bedding. Bed-sharing is when the infant and caregiver sleep in the same bed, while room-sharing is when the infant sleeps in the same room but on a separate surface. Co-bedding refers to infants sharing the same bed, typically twins or higher-order multiples.
Co-sleeping can be planned or unintentional. It can help with breastfeeding and make it easier to respond to babies during the night, and it can also be good for bonding with babies. However, some types of co-sleeping may pose risks for an infants health, including an increased risk of sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI), including sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and fatal sleep accidents.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) strongly recommends room-sharing but discourages bed-sharing. The AAP recommends that infants sleep on their own sleeping surface close to their parent for up to 24 hours a day while still in the hospital, a practice known as rooming-in. The safe way to co-sleep with your baby is to room-share, where your baby sleeps in your bedroom, in her own crib, bassinet, or playard.
It is important to ensure that the baby can breathe easily and that the sleep environment is safe to reduce the risk of SUDI, including SIDS and fatal sleep accidents. Caregivers should work with their infants pediatrician to learn more about keeping an infant safe during sleep and to consider safety tips for people who choose to co-sleep with their infant.
