Baby care 101

Always put baby to sleep on her back to avoid SIDS.
Respond quickly to your crying baby, but don’t shake her.
Give your baby some tummy time when she’s awake.

Co-sleeping

Co-sleeping means that babies and parents sleep together in the same bed. It’s sometimes called bed-sharing. You may like the idea of cuddling with your baby at bedtime. But co-sleeping may put your baby at risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and other dangers, like suffocation. SIDS is the unexplained death of a baby while sleeping.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) warns that babies should not co-sleep with anyone.

Why is co-sleeping risky?
During co-sleeping, a baby can be hurt by:

Getting trapped by the bed frame, headboard or footboard
Getting stuck between the bed and the wall, furniture or another object
Falling off the bed
Being smothered by pillows, blankets or quilts or from laying facedown on the bed
Having another person roll on top of him

How is SIDS related to co-sleeping?
About half of all SIDS deaths happen when a baby shares a bed, sofa or sofa chair with another person. To lower your baby’s chances of SIDS, don’t co-sleep if:

Your baby is younger than 3 months of age.
Your partner or other children sleep in your bed.
You smoke, even if you don’t smoke in bed.
You’re very tired.
You’ve had alcohol, used street drugs or taken certain medicines, like antidepressants. These things can make it hard for you to wake up or respond to your baby.

Are co-sleepers safe?
Co-sleepers are baby beds or bassinettes that attach to your bed. Some makers of co-sleepers say they’re safe, but the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) doesn’t have any safety standards for co-sleepers. AAP doesn’t recommend using these products.

What other problems can co-sleeping cause?
Some parents don’t sleep well with a baby in their bed. Babies who co-sleep may have trouble falling asleep by themselves. This can be a problem at naptime or at night when parents aren’t yet in bed.

Where is the safest place for your baby to sleep?
The best place for your baby to sleep is in her bassinet or crib placed close to your bed. If you have multiples (twins, triplets or more), put each baby in her own bassinet or crib.

With your baby close by, you can easily feed her and check on her during the night. Bring your baby into your bed for breastfeeding or soothing. But put her back in her own bed before you fall asleep.

How can you keep your baby safe while she sleeps?
Use these tips to help keep your baby safe during sleep.

Last reviewed March 2012