Important information if you co-sleep with your baby
If you do co-sleep with your baby, it’s important to follow these guidelines
If you decide to share a bed with your baby or there is a chance you may fall asleep with your baby in bed unintentionally, it is still important to make sure you are following safer sleep advice.
A survey of over 8,500 parents carried out by the safer sleep baby charity The Lullaby Trust showed that 76% of parents admit that they have co-slept with their baby at some point. However, over 40% of parents admitted to having done so in dangerous circumstances such as on a sofa, having drunk alcohol or as a smoker. All of these circumstances greatly increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (also known as cot death or SIDS).
The survey found that co-sleeping on a sofa or armchair was the biggest risk, with 40% of parents admitting to having done so and 25% having done so more than once.
You should never sleep with your baby on a sofa or armchair, this increases the risk of SIDS by 50 times.
The survey also found that 12% of respondents smoke and share a bed with their baby and 9% have done so after drinking alcohol. Studies have found that bed-sharing with your baby after drinking alcohol or using drugs or if you are a smoker has a very high risk of SIDS.
If you do co-sleep with your baby, it’s important to follow this safety advice:
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Keep the space around your baby clear of pillows and duvets
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Always sleep your baby on their back
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Avoid letting pets or other children in the bed
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Make sure your baby cannot fall out of bed or become trapped between the mattress and wall
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Never leave baby alone in the bed
It is important to know there are some circumstances where it is dangerous to share a bed with your baby. You should not co-sleep if:
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Either you or anyone in the bed smokes (even if you do not smoke in the bedroom)
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Either you or anyone in the bed has recently drunk any alcohol
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You or anyone in the bed has taken any drugs that make you feel sleepy
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Your baby was born prematurely (before 37 weeks of pregnancy) or weighed under 2.5kg or 5½ lbs when they were born