The Correct Way to Sleep a Baby Comfortably and Safely

When your new baby arrives, there are many changes to adjust to. However, one of the most challenging adjustments is learning how to co-sleep safely and responsibly with your new bundle of joy. You might have heard that it’s unsafe, or perhaps you know someone who had a tragic accident when they tried it. In all honesty, there are risks involved in any sort of co-sleeping arrangement — whether you’re sharing a bed, a sofa, or even just passing your baby from one adult to another during the night. But with some common sense precautions and safe sleeping practices, co-sleeping can be an easy way to help you get more sleep while caring for your little one at the same time.

What is Co-Sleeping?

Co-sleeping is when you and your baby share a sleep surface. This means you’re in the same room as your baby, likely on a bed, sofa, or futon, and you’re both in the same general vicinity at night. Co-sleeping is not the same thing as bed-sharing. When you co-sleep with your baby, you’re both on a separate sleep surface. You just happen to be in the same room. Co-sleeping is the norm in many cultures around the world. In many Asian countries, for example, it’s customary for babies to sleep in the same bed as their parents until they’re several years old. In fact, experts estimate that one-third of Western babies are now routinely co-sleeping — and they’re doing it incorrectly.

Why Co-Sleep?

There are many benefits of co-sleeping, including the ability to have better (and longer) breastfeeding sessions, avoid sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and create a better, more stable sleep environment for your baby. There are many reasons why parents choose to co-sleep, including the ability to pump more breast milk, sleeping more comfortably, lowering the risk of SIDS, bonding with your baby, and teaching your baby to self-soothe. You can co-sleep safely but you do need to follow certain safety precautions to make co-sleeping as safe as possible.

5 Important Safety Tips for Co-sleeping

- Use a safe sleep surface: Whether you’re in a bed, a sofa, or a futon, you want to make sure the surface you’re using is safe for you and your baby. The safest place for a baby to sleep is on their back on a firm, flat surface without any soft bedding, pillows, blankets, or stuffed animals. - Avoid overheating: Your baby’s body needs to be at a safe temperature range. If she’s too hot, your baby’s risk of SIDS increases. You can avoid overheating by dressing your baby in layers during the colder months and by making sure not to cover her head. - Keep your baby’s head free: Even though you’re avoiding any soft bedding or blankets near your baby, you should always make sure that your baby’s head is free from any obstructions. This means your baby’s head should be on a firm, flat surface and her face should be uncovered. - Avoid baby becoming trapped: It’s important to make sure that your baby can’t get trapped between you and the surface you’re co-sleeping on. If you’re co-sleeping on a bed, make sure there are no gaps between the mattress and the frame — and don’t let your baby’s feet get stuck between the two.

Co-sleeping on the same surface but in a separate bed

If you’re co-sleeping on the same surface but in a separate bed, you can follow most of the tips above. Make sure your bed is firm and that there are no gaps or crevices where your baby can get stuck. You’ll also want to make sure that you’re keeping your baby’s head free from any obstructions — and that both of you are dressed warmly enough. This kind of co-sleeping can be slightly safer than co-sleeping in the same bed, because if your baby does roll onto her stomach, she’ll be far enough away from you that she won’t be able to accidentally suffocate herself. However, it’s important to keep a very close eye on her to make sure she doesn’t roll onto her stomach and risk suffocation.

Co-sleeping in the same bed, next to your baby

This can be one of the most dangerous forms of co-sleeping, but it can also be one of the most helpful if you’re having trouble breastfeeding. If you’re co-sleeping in the same bed as your baby and your baby is next to you, it’s important that your entire bed is firm — including your mattress and your sheets. Again, you don’t want your baby to get trapped between you and the surface, nor do you want there to be any gaps or crevices where your baby could get stuck. If you’re breastfeeding, you can place your baby’s bassinet or infant sling right next to the bed so you can easily roll over when you need to feed your baby without having to get up. Again, though, make sure there are no gaps or crevices where your baby can get stuck.

Conclusion

Co-sleeping can be a great way to get more sleep as a new parent. There are many health benefits of co-sleeping, and with the correct safety precautions and precautions, you can co-sleep safely while providing your baby with the best possible sleep environment. However, it’s important to make sure you’re following all of the right safety tips and guidelines when co-sleeping with your baby.