Tips on Co-sleeping with bub

The safest place to sleep bub is in their own safe space but if you choose to co-sleep you should understand how to make sleep safer.

Co-sleeping

Co-sleeping is when parents bring their bub into bed with them to sleep, or they sleep together somewhere else. Sometimes you plan to co-sleep and sometimes it happens unexpectedly.

There are times when co-sleeping with your bub can be dangerous. Co-sleeping is no good, if:

• You or your family were drinking alcohol
• You or your partner smoke – even if not around bub
• You or your partner have taken any drugs that may make you drowsy – this includes prescription drugs too
• Your bub is born early or is a small bub

We know that you always try to do your best by your bub! Hopefully these recommendations showed you some ways about keeping bub safe during sleep times.

Follow these tips for safer co-sleeping: 

• Always place bub on their back to sleep
• Tie up long hair and remove all jewellery including teething necklaces
• Place bub to the side of one parent – never in the middle of two adults or next to other children or pets
• Move the bed away from the wall – so bub can’t get trapped
• between the bed and the wall
• Create a clear sleep space for bub to sleep
• Keep pillows away from bub’s sleep space
• Make sure bub’s face and head remain uncovered
• Make sure the mattress is firm and flat
• Make sure your bedding and sheets can’t cover bub’s face
• Make sure bub can’t fall off the bed
• Use a safe sleeping bag with no hood and bub’s arms out – don’t wrap or swaddle bub

*For information on co-sleeping visit: rednose.org.au/cosleeping