Bed-sharing
Bed-sharing means your baby sleeps in the same bed as an adult. Major health bodies disagree about how to handle it: some say never, some give conditions for doing it as safely as possible. La Leche League's "Safe Sleep Seven" is a checklist for planned bed-sharing.
Is bed-sharing with a baby safe, and should we do it?
In short: Parents choose between 4 main approaches: Never (AAP); Separate surface by plan, with a prepared bed for unplanned nights (UK); Planned bed-sharing under the "Safe Sleep Seven" (La Leche League); Family bed by default. Evidence: experts disagree. Credible bodies or researchers disagree — decide whose guidance you'll weigh. Best settled: during pregnancy.
- Evidence
- Experts disagree
- Best settled
- During pregnancy
- Part of
- Pregnancy to first birthday
Bed-sharing: what are the options?
Parents usually land on one of these 4 approaches.
1. Never (AAP)
The baby never sleeps in your bed, as the American Academy of Pediatrics advises.
2. Separate surface by plan, with a prepared bed for unplanned nights (UK)
The baby has their own bed, and you prepare your bed to be as safe as possible in case you fall asleep together.
3. Planned bed-sharing under the "Safe Sleep Seven" (La Leche League)
You plan to share your bed, following a checklist of conditions meant to reduce risk.
4. Family bed by default
The whole family routinely sleeps in one bed.
Bed-sharing: what does the evidence say?
Experts disagree. Credible bodies or researchers disagree — decide whose guidance you'll weigh.
AAP: avoid bed-sharing under any circumstances, and the risk of sleep-related infant death is up to 67 times higher when a baby sleeps with someone on a couch, soft armchair or cushion. UK Lullaby Trust: the safest place is a separate sleep space, but never bed-share after alcohol, sedating drugs or smoking, or if the baby was born before 37 weeks or under 2.5 kg, and if you do, use a firm flat mattress with adult bedding kept away; NICE requires safer bed-sharing advice. The claim that planned bed-sharing under the Safe Sleep Seven carries no added SIDS risk is La Leche League's own
Sources
What else is worth knowing?
Many parents end up with the baby in their bed at some point, planned or not. Some health bodies say never; others accept that it happens and explain how to make it less risky. Everyone agrees on what to avoid: sofas, alcohol, smoking, sedating medication and very young or premature babies.
Questions to ask each other
- What do we each think about sharing our bed with the baby?
- What would we do if we both fall asleep with the baby by accident?
- Are there conditions, like alcohol or medication, that would mean never?
More in Sleep
First published 2026-10-03. Last updated 2026-10-05. General information, not medical advice.