10 Best Tips For Safe Bed-Sharing

Bed-sharing, in which parents share a bed with their newborn, is a trendy issue. Supporters of bed-sharing feel that a baby belongs in a parent’s bed. Others, though, believe that sharing a bed is dangerous.

Co-sleeping, sharing a room, and sharing a bed are all options.

Many people use the terms “bed-sharing” and “co-sleeping” interchangeably, although there are several distinctions:

Co-sleeping: When a parent and kid sleep in close social or physical touch with one other, each may sense the presence of the other.

Co-sleeping is divided into two categories: room-sharing and bed-sharing.

Parents who have a crib, bassinet, portable crib, or play yard in the room with them near the bed are said to be room-sharing. They can also use a bedside sleeper attached to the side of their bed.

When parents and infants share a bed, this is known as bed-sharing. This has generated concerns since sharing a bed with a newborn raises the risk of sleep-related mortality, such as sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Why Do Some Parents Share Their Beds?

• For easier breastfeeding
• Makes it easier for newborns to fall asleep
•  Enables newborns and moms to get more sleep at night
•  Allows mothers to spend more time with their children

However, the disadvantages of sharing a bed sometimes exceed the advantages.

Is it Safe to Share a Bed?

Bed-sharing is prevalent in several cultures, and the incidence of newborn fatalities associated with it is minimal. The reduced risk in these countries might be due to differences in mattresses, bedding, and other cultural behaviors.

Bed-sharing increases a baby’s risk of SIDS, particularly in preterm infants, babies with low birth weight, and healthy full-term infants younger than 4 months.

Other factors that raise the chance of dying when sharing a bed include:

• Baby napping alone or with a parent on a couch
• Child napping in the arms of two parents
• Smoker’s mum
• A parent who has recently used alcohol or illegal substances
• Using pillows or bedcovers to share a bed
• Sharing a bed with other kids

How Can We Safely Share a Room?

To keep your child close but not in your bed, do the following:

Next to your bed, place a bassinet, play yard, or crib. This allows you to maintain the proper level of intimacy, which is especially vital if you’re nursing. SIDS is reduced when an infant sleeps in a separate place in the same room as the mother.

Use a bedside sleeper, which connects to your bed and allows you and your baby to be close yet on different surfaces.

Experts advise that newborns sleep in their parents’ room without sharing a bed until one year old. It’s preferable to wait until the infant is at least 6 months old if parents want to relocate the baby to another room.

How to Bed-Share in the Safest Way

Some parents believe that bed-sharing is the best option for their family despite the hazards. If you decide to sleep with your newborn, take the following precautions:

• To lessen the risk of SIDS, always put newborns to sleep on their backs.
• To reduce overheating, dress your infant in light clothing.
• A baby should not be left alone in an adult bed.
• Do not put a baby to sleep on a soft surface like a soft mattress, couch, or waterbed. Make sure the mattress on your bed is firm.
• Ensure there are no gaps or cuts in your bed’s headboard or footboard that might trap your baby’s head.
• To prevent your infant from becoming trapped between the frame and the mattress, make sure your mattress fits securely in the bed frame.
• When your youngster is asleep, don’t cover his or her head.
•  Pillows, comforters, quilts, and other soft or plush materials should not be used on the bed. Instead of blankets, you can clothe your kid in a sleeper.
• Place your bed away from drapes or blinds where ropes might entangle your youngster and choke them.
• If you have a baby on your chest, don’t fall asleep.

Bed-sharing is very common, let us know in the comments what do you think about this practice…