Although bedsharing/co-sleeping is common in most other countries and has been practiced for years, here in the United States it is often criticized and viewed as dangerous. Parents are typically advised not to co-sleep, and are even scolded if they do so, with fearful warnings that co-sleeping causes Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and they are endangering their child. Understandably, parents often either become fearful of co-sleeping or love co-sleeping but are afraid to tell their healthcare providers.
Is There A Link Between Co-Sleeping and SIDS?
Despite the fact the United States is a developed country with clean water, nutrition, low disease rates, and access to healthcare, we have nearly the highest rate of SIDS among developed countries (second only to New Zealand). On the other hand, Japan, in which bedsharing is much more common, has the second to lowest SIDS rate. While bedsharing is increasing in Japan, their SIDS rates are significantly lower than the U.S and are continuing to decrease. One study followed Asian immigrants and found that the longer they adopted American lifestyles and placed their infants in cribs instead of co-sleeping, the more SIDS rates increased and began to match the SIDS rates among white Americans.
So – what do studies say about co-sleeping and SIDS? They show us that bedsharing itself does NOT inherently increase the risk of SIDS, however there are certain circumstances that are dangerous. Often dangerous situations occur when a parent does not intend to bedshare, but accidentally falls asleep with their baby. The only studies that demonstrate any danger with co-sleeping fail to control for important variables (essentially, it was not a safe environment for co-sleeping).
Below are some basic guidelines for a safe co-sleeping environment. In the case that you do not meet these guidelines, for example, you’ve been drinking and are intoxicated, your baby should not be in bed next to you but can still be in the same room.
Guidelines For A Safe Co-Sleeping Environment:
- Parents do not smoke, are not intoxicated, and are not under the influence of drugs
- Baby is on a firm mattress (not a waterbed, sofa, or chair)
- Baby’s head is not covered by blankets
- There are no gaps/crevices that could trap the baby
- There are no nearby cords/strings
- There are no toys or extra pillows on the bed
- Baby is healthy
- Baby is lightly dressed, not swaddled
No, You Won’t Crush Your Baby
A common concern expressed is that a parent may roll on top of the baby and cause it to suffocate. This is highly unlikely to happen, and the possibility is considered to be nearly zero. The same subconscious awareness that stops you from rolling off your bed will stop you from rolling onto your baby. Mothers have a very strong physical and mental awareness of their child and will quickly wake up if anything is wrong. In situations where the parent is not intoxicated or on drugs, the chance of killing an infant by rolling onto them is nearly zero. Parents around the world have been bedsharing for years, and it continues to be a common practice.
Benefits of Co-Sleeping
Co-sleeping is very safe when these guidelines are followed, and there are also a number of benefits! Bedsharing promotes bonding between the parents and their baby and allows for the many benefits of physical touch. It allows the baby to easily breastfeed throughout the night. In most cases it promotes a better quality of sleep for both the parents and the baby. It also allows parents to monitor their baby’s health throughout the night. In the case that the child stops breathing (which can occur both in cribs and in co-sleeping) the parents will notice much sooner and intervene faster. Multiple parents (agreed with by their doctors) have claimed that bedsharing saved their child’s life, as they would not have noticed a problem fast enough if sleeping separately. Breastfeeding also increases the safety of co-sleeping and is associated with reduced infant mortality. Co-sleeping allows the mother to easily breastfeed throughout the night. Co-sleeping supports breastfeeding, and breastfeeding supports co-sleeping.
What Works Best For You?
The decision of whether or not to bedshare is personal and should be based on your unique situation, preference, and what works best for your family. While many parents find that they and their baby sleep better when bedsharing, some prefer to have their baby in the same room without bedsharing (such as in a bassinet), or find that they actually sleep better in a different room entirely. Regardless of what you decide, you should know that when these basic guidelines are followed, bedsharing is a safe and beneficial option.