Herbie Murray
Co-sleeping with a newborn can be a convenient way for parents to care for their baby at night and get more sleep. However, it is important to be aware of the risks involved and take steps to make co-sleeping safer. The safest place for a baby to sleep is in their own safe sleep space, such as a cot or bassinet, next to the parent's bed. If you choose to co-sleep, it is recommended to place your baby on their back on a firm, flat, and level surface, away from the edge of the bed and next to only one parent. Keep the baby's head and face uncovered and remove all pillows, bedding, and other items that could cause overheating or restrict movement. Avoid co-sleeping if anyone in the bed smokes, consumes alcohol, or takes sleep-inducing medications.
Characteristics of co-sleeping with a newborn
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Recommended sleeping position | On their back |
| Sleeping surface | Firm, flat, level surface |
| Sleeping environment | Clear, not too hot, smoke-free |
| Parent's bed | No pillows, no adult bedding, no slatted or decorated headboards |
| Baby's bed | No soft surfaces, no nests or pods, no soft toys, no blankets, no pillows, no hats or hoods |
| Baby's mattress | On the floor, away from the wall |
| Baby's cot | Meets current Australian Standard AS/NZS2172-2010, firm, clean, flat, right-sized mattress |
| Parent's habits | No alcohol, no drugs, no heavy sleep-inducing medicines, no smoking |
| Baby's health | Not premature, not unwell, not born with low birth weight |
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What You'll Learn
Safe co-sleeping practices
- Create a safe sleep environment: Remove all potential dangers and ensure the baby has a clear, safe space to sleep in, both during the day and at night. This includes removing any hanging cords, blinds, or electrical items within reach.
- Use a firm, flat, and level surface: Place your baby on their back on a firm, flat, and level surface, such as a mattress that fits tightly into the bed frame, leaving no gaps or spaces. Avoid using waterbeds, sheepskins, fluffy materials, or bean bag mattresses, as these can be dangerous for infants.
- Avoid sleeping with your baby on a couch or chair: Sleeping on a couch or chair with your baby is unsafe as it can obstruct their airways and lead to suffocation. Always move your baby to a safe sleeping space if you think you might fall asleep while holding them.
- Position your baby correctly: Place your baby on the side of the bed, away from the edge, and next to one parent. Avoid placing your baby between two adults, next to other children or pets, or using pillows to prop them up.
- Keep the baby's head and face uncovered: Ensure your baby's head and face are uncovered to reduce the risk of suffocation. Remove any hats, hoods, or loose bedding that could cover their face.
- Use a safe infant sleeping bag: Consider using a safe infant sleeping bag with a fitted neck and armholes to prevent your baby from sharing adult bedding. Avoid wrapping or swaddling your baby, as this can restrict their movement and increase the risk of suffocation.
- Remove strangulation hazards: Remove any items that could pose a strangulation risk, such as jewellery, teething necklaces, or loose hair. Keep the baby's sleep space clear of toys, pillows, blankets, or other items that could pose a hazard.
- Maintain a smoke-free environment: Keep the baby's sleeping environment completely smoke-free. Exposure to second-hand and third-hand smoke is harmful to infants and increases the risk of SUDI.
- Consider your own circumstances: Factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, medication use, and the baby's gestational age should be considered when deciding whether to co-sleep. If you are extremely tired, unwell, or under the influence of substances that affect your awareness, it is recommended to avoid co-sleeping.
- Breastfeed if possible: Breastfeeding has been shown to significantly protect infants from death, including SIDS/SUDI and other secondary diseases or congenital conditions.
Remember, it is important to always follow safe sleeping practices and create a safe sleep environment for your newborn baby, regardless of whether you choose to co-sleep or have them sleep in a separate space.
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Benefits of co-sleeping
Co-sleeping with a newborn has several benefits for both the baby and the parents. Firstly, it promotes a close bond between the parent and the baby, facilitating physical touch and the release of oxytocin, which is essential for bonding and attachment. Co-sleeping also allows parents to be more responsive to their baby's needs, as they are within sensory range. This helps the baby develop a sense of security and trust, knowing that their needs will be met.
Additionally, co-sleeping can make breastfeeding easier and more convenient, especially during the night. Breastfeeding has multiple benefits for both the baby and mother, and co-sleeping can encourage and support this practice. Breastfeeding mothers who co-sleep tend to breastfeed for longer and more frequently, promoting a healthy milk supply and better overall health for the baby.
Co-sleeping can also have a positive impact on sleep patterns. Babies who co-sleep with their parents tend to sleep in lighter sleep cycles, which helps them rouse easily if there is any danger, such as being overheated, too cold, or having something blocking their airway. This reduces the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Furthermore, co-sleeping can lead to better sleep for both parents and babies, as caregivers don't have to get out of bed to feed or soothe the baby, resulting in longer overall sleep.
Finally, co-sleeping can promote the baby's emotional growth and development. The physical closeness and secure attachment formed through co-sleeping can help babies experience less stress and more stable body temperatures and oxygen levels. This can contribute to their overall well-being and help them grow into well-rounded individuals.
While co-sleeping has potential benefits, it is important to practice it safely and follow guidelines to minimise any potential risks.
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Risks of co-sleeping
Co-sleeping with a newborn is a common yet controversial topic for parents. While some parents believe that the purported benefits of co-sleeping outweigh the known risks, many doctors and leading health organizations strongly advise against it. Co-sleeping is associated with an increased risk of accidental death in babies, including sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI), sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), fatal sleep accidents, and suffocation. The risk of sleep-related infant death while co-sleeping is five to ten times higher when the baby is younger than four months old, and two to five times higher if the baby was born preterm or with low birth weight.
Parents who drink or do drugs should not sleep in the same bed as their baby because they could roll over onto their child. Similarly, babies born premature or underweight should not sleep in the parental bed due to the risk of respiratory problems. Suffocation can also occur when babies sleep on sofas, recliners, chairs, couches, or water beds, as they can become trapped between a parent and the cushions or other soft items.
To reduce the risks of co-sleeping, it is important to create a safe sleep environment for the baby. This includes placing the baby on their back on a firm, flat, and level surface, in a space that is clear, not too hot, and smoke-free. Remove any items that could create a strangulation risk, such as jewellery, teething necklaces, or long hair. It is also recommended that parents do not co-sleep if they smoke or use alcohol or other drugs that may impair their ability to respond to their baby.
While co-sleeping may be a convenient way for parents to bond with their baby and facilitate nighttime nursing, it is important to prioritize the safety of the baby. If you have any concerns about your baby's sleep, it is important to talk to your doctor or another healthcare professional.
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Co-sleeping with a newborn vs. older baby
Co-sleeping with a newborn can be a controversial topic. While it has been a common practice for over 200,000 years, in the 1960s, Dr. Spock recommended that newborns be trained to sleep alone. This was followed by the rise of the "Ferberizing" method in the 1990s, which involved letting babies "cry it out" to sleep "independently." However, anthropologists have observed that co-sleeping is prevalent in non-Western societies and among other primates, indicating that it may offer some biological advantages.
Co-sleeping with a newborn
When co-sleeping with a newborn, it is essential to prioritize safety. Here are some recommendations to make co-sleeping safer:
- Ensure the baby sleeps on their back on a firm, flat and level surface, such as a mattress on the floor, to reduce the risk of Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI) and accidental suffocation.
- Keep the sleep environment clear of any items that could obstruct the baby's breathing, such as pillows, sheets, blankets, toys, and other bedding.
- Avoid co-sleeping if you or your partner smoke, consume alcohol or drugs, take medication that causes heavy sleep, or if the baby was born prematurely or is unwell.
- Consider using a safe infant sleeping bag with armholes and no hood, and remove any headwear like bonnets or hats before sleep.
- Position the baby to the side of one parent, away from the edge of the bed, and never between two adults or next to other children or pets.
Co-sleeping with an older baby
As your baby grows older, you may need to adjust your co-sleeping arrangements. Here are some considerations for co-sleeping with an older baby:
- Continue to prioritize a safe sleep environment by keeping the baby's sleep space clear and maintaining a firm, flat, and level sleeping surface.
- If your family shares the same room, consider using a separate mattress for older children to ensure they have adequate space and to maintain a safe sleep environment for the baby.
- Avoid co-sleeping if your older child is unwell, as this could increase the risk of infection for the baby.
- Be mindful of any blankets or pillows that the older child may use, ensuring they are not within reach of the baby to prevent accidental suffocation.
- Toddlers or older children should not sleep next to infants.
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Co-sleeping spaces
Co-sleeping is when babies sleep on the same surface as another person. It has its risks and benefits. While co-sleeping is not recommended, if you do choose to co-sleep, it is important to do it in the safest way possible.
The safest place for a baby to sleep is in their own safe sleep space, such as a cot or bassinet. If you do choose to co-sleep, the safest place is a clear space on a firm, flat, level mattress. The baby should be placed on their back, to the side of one parent. The baby should not be placed in between two adults, or next to other children or pets.
If you are co-sleeping, make sure there is no loose bedding, pillows, soft toys, or anything that could be a strangling risk. The baby's face and head should be uncovered. The mattress should be moved away from the wall, so the baby doesn't get trapped between the mattress and the wall. If there is a chance the baby will roll off the bed, consider placing the mattress on the floor.
If you are co-sleeping, it is recommended to avoid doing so under the following circumstances:
- You or your partner smokes
- You or your partner consumes alcohol or drugs, or any medicine that causes heavy sleep
- You are extremely tired or unwell
- Your baby was born pre-term or with low birth weight
- Your baby is unwell
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Frequently asked questions
Co-sleeping is when babies sleep on the same surface as another person. It is not recommended due to the risks involved, but if you choose to co-sleep, it is important to know how to do it safely.
Co-sleeping can increase the risk of sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI) or sleep accidents. Other risks include suffocation, strangulation, overheating, and fatal sleeping accidents.
To make co-sleeping safer, ensure the baby sleeps on their back on a firm, flat, and level surface, in a clear space, away from the edge of the bed, and to the side of one parent. Keep the baby's head and face uncovered and remove all pillows, bedding, and other items that could cause suffocation or strangulation. Avoid co-sleeping if you or your partner smoke, consume alcohol, or take sleep-inducing drugs, and do not leave the baby unattended on an adult bed.
If you don't want to co-sleep, you can use a separate sleep space for your baby, such as a cot, bassinet, or Moses basket. These should be placed next to the parent's bed to facilitate night-time care and breastfeeding.
