Tragically, around 3 babies a week still die from SIDS and if all parents were aware of safer sleep advice many lives could be saved.
So this answer to our question is yes, co-sleeping, when following guidelines is safe and can make those sleepless nights just a little bit easier to cope with.
What you don’t want to end up doing is get to a point where you’re so exhausted you accidentally co-sleep having not prepared the sleep space properly for your baby. It’s much better to plan for it and make sure you do it safely.
On this week’s blog we’re talking about how to safely co-sleep with your baby, as well as what not to do in order to keep your baby safe.
Safe co-sleeping checklist
Keep pillows and adult bedding away from your baby or any other items that could cover their head or cause them to overheat.
Put baby to sleep on their back.
Don’t bring pets or other children into the bed with you.
Ensure baby can’t be trapped, wedged or fall out of bed or get trapped between the mattress and the wall.
Never leave your baby unattended in an adult bed.
Do not co-sleep if
You or anyone in the bed has recently drunk alcohol
You or anyone in the bed smokes
You or anyone in the bed has taken drugs or medication that makes you/them feel sleepy
Your baby was born prematurely (before 37 weeks of pregnancy) or weighed under 2.5kgs or 5 ½ lbs when they were born
If you think you might fall asleep while you’re feeding your baby in bed at night then prepare for safe co-sleeping. If there’s a chance you’ll fall asleep accidentally, prepare for it so you can do it safely.
Please never
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 breath.
For more information on sleep safety head to The Lullaby Trust website.