The safest place
The safest place for a baby to sleep is in their own separate sleep space such as a cot or Moses basket, free from toys, blankets and pillows. This helps lower the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). But many parents find themselves co-sleeping whether they mean to or they fall asleep together unintentionally.
Wherever you’re planning for your baby to sleep, we recommend making your bed as safe as possible for your baby. This page offers advice and guidance on how to create a safer environment for sleep, when to avoid co-sleeping completely, and how to reduce the risk of SIDS.
Co-sleeping definitions
- Room sharing: when a baby sleeps in the same room as their parent(s) or carer, but in their own separate sleeping space such as a cot or Moses basket.
- Bed sharing: when a baby shares the bed with an adult for most of the night including for sleep – not just to be comforted or fed.
- Sofa sharing: when a parent or carer sleeps on a sofa or armchair with a baby (remember, this is dangerous so avoid falling asleep like this).
- Co-sleeping: when parents or carers sleep with a baby on a bed, sofa or chair.
When not to co-sleep
Whether you choose to co-sleep or you fall asleep together unplanned, there are some key times to avoid co-sleeping.
Co-sleeping with your baby is very dangerous if:
- You or anyone in the bed has recently drunk any alcohol
- You or anyone in the bed smokes or the baby was exposed to smoking in pregnancy
- You or anyone in the bed has taken any drugs or medication that make you feel sleepy
- Your baby was born prematurely (before 37 weeks of pregnancy) or weighed under 2.5kg or 5.5 pounds when they were born.
In these scenarios, it’s always best to put baby in their own sleep space, such as a cot or Moses basket. Keeping the cot or Moses basket next to your bed might make this easier.
Never fall asleep on a sofa or armchair with your baby. The risk of SIDS is 50 times higher for babies when they sleep on a sofa or armchair with an adult. They are also at risk of accidental death as they can easily slip into a position where they are trapped and can’t breathe.
Co-sleeping more safely
Adult beds have not been designed or safety tested for infant sleep in the same way as, for example, a cot or Moses basket. Whether you choose to bedshare, or it’s unplanned, it is best to think ahead and make your bed safer for co-sleeping.
- Keep pillows and adult bedding away from your baby, along with any other items that could cover their head or cause them to overheat. Many babies who die from SIDS are found with their head covered by loose bedding.
- Remove slatted or decorated headboards.
- Follow our safer sleep advice to reduce the risk of SIDS, such as sleeping baby on their back.
- Don’t bring other children or pets into bed with you. This will help reduce the risk of accidents.
- Check that baby cannot be trapped in the bedframe or headboard, or fall out of bed or get trapped or wedged between the mattress and the wall.
- Never leave your baby alone in an adult bed. It’s important to consider any risks that an adult bed may pose to your baby, especially while you are asleep. As your baby develops, becomes more mobile and can move around, the risks can change, so we recommend checking your bed regularly to prevent possible accidents.
If you are bedsharing with your baby, consider any risks before every sleep. If you are unwell or have drunk any alcohol, your baby will be safest in a separate sleep space such as a cot or Moses basket.
Sharing a room
Babies should always be in the same room as you for every sleep, day and night, for at least the first six months. You can still leave the room to make a cup of tea or go to the toilet, but for most of the time when they’re sleeping, they are safest if you’re close by.
There are no devices on the market that can replace having a parent or carer in the same room as baby for safer sleep.
Frequently asked questions
Breastfeeding reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). If you feel you might fall asleep, we recommend you prepare the bed to make it safer for baby.
Make sure you know the advice on when you should definitely avoid co-sleeping, so you know when to take particular care, such as if anyone in the bed smokes or has had any alcohol or medicines that make you sleepy, or your baby was premature or had a low birth weight.
It’s also really important not to accidentally fall asleep with your baby on a sofa or armchair. If you think you might fall asleep on a sofa or armchair, put the baby down in a safer place to sleep.
The safest place for a baby is their own separate sleep space, such as a cot or Moses basket. If you do choose to co-sleep, we advise you to read all the information on co-sleeping and how to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), so you can make an informed decision for you and your baby.
There are some circumstances where we strongly recommend against co-sleeping, such as on a sofa or armchair, if anyone in the bed smokes or has drunk alcohol or your baby was premature or had a low birth weight.
If you do choose to co-sleep with your baby, there are things you can do to make it safer.
- Keep pillows and adult bedding away from the baby.
- Remove slatted and decorated headboards.
- Don’t bring other children or pets into the bed with you.
- Make sure there’s nowhere the baby could get trapped such as between the mattress and the wall.
- Don’t leave the baby alone in an adult bed.
- Plus, follow our safer sleep advice to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), such as sleeping baby on their back.
There are also times and places when it’s essential not to co-sleep, such as on a sofa or armchair, if anyone in the bed smokes or has drunk alcohol or taken medicines than make you sleepy, or your baby was premature or a had a low birth weight.
If you choose to bedshare with twins or multiples we would advise not to bedshare with more than one baby at a time – as there is a greater risk of accidents.
No. We don’t recommend that babies sleep on soft surfaces such as pods or nests. If you choose to co-sleep with your baby, the safest place is a clear space on a firm, flat mattress – the same as we advise with a cot.
Research suggests that around half of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) deaths happen whilst co-sleeping, and most of these occur in high risk situations. While the exact cause of SIDS is not known, we do know that there are certain risk factors, and avoiding these greatly lowers the risk.
This is why we strongly advise against co-sleeping when there are certain risk factors, as mentioned above. Especially if your baby was premature or low birth weight (below 2.5kg or 5.5 pounds), an adult in the bed has drunk alcohol or taken medicines that make you sleepy. Or if the baby was exposed to smoke during pregnancy or anyone in the bed smokes.
Keep adult bedding away from your baby, along with any belts or cords from clothing. Keep adult bedding at your waist height and wear an extra layer of clothing to keep warm.
A baby sleeping bag is a good way of giving your baby their own bedding when bed sharing. Baby sleeping bags should be well fitted so the baby can’t wriggle down inside. Most sleeping bags are fitted according to a baby’s weight, rather than age.
Remember
Many parents co-sleep with their babies, even if they don’t plan to, so it’s always a good idea to make your bed as safe as possible. Keep adult bedding such as pillows and duvets away from your baby so they have their own clear space, and make sure there’s nowhere they can get trapped. If you feel like you might drift off on a sofa or armchair, place your baby down somewhere safe first.
These guidelines should give you confidence to know you’ve made your sleep space as safe as possible for you little one, so you can both have a safer and comfortable nights sleep.
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