Research shows that bed sharing (falling asleep with your baby) is not safe. Reasons include:

• Soft bedding, such as pillows, blankets, quilts and padded mattress tops greatly increase your baby’s risk for SIDS and suffocation. These items can also cause your baby to overheat.
• Adults or siblings in the bed can accidentally roll too close to or onto your baby while they sleep.
• Babies can get trapped between the mattress and the wall, headboard, footboard or other piece of furniture.
• Your baby could fall from the bed and get hurt or fall into a pile of clothing or other  soft items on the floor and suffocate.

Bed sharing is the most unsafe if:

• Your baby is less than 11 weeks old
• Your baby was born too early or at a low birth weight
• You smoked during pregnancy or if you or your partner smoke now
• You or your partner have taken drugs, alcohol or other medications that make you sleepy

Last Updated: Aug 31, 2010