Sweet Dreams Together: The Benefits of Co-Sleeping With Your Baby

If you’re a parent, you know that bedtime can feel like a battle sometimes. You’re exhausted, your baby is fussy, and the thought of another night of rocking, shushing, or pacing seems endless. But what if there was a way to make bedtime easier for both you and your little one, while also deepening your bond? That’s where co-sleeping comes in.

What Is Co-Sleeping?

Co-sleeping, sometimes called bed-sharing, is when parents and babies sleep close together, often in the same bed. Some people picture it as a tiny baby snuggled up against a parent, while others think of a full family bed with blankets, pillows, and sometimes a sleepy dog curled at the foot.

This practice has been common across the globe for centuries. In many cultures, babies sleep near their parents for the whole first year of life. The idea is simple: babies are comforted by the presence, warmth, and heartbeat of their parents. In fact, newborns aren’t entirely capable of regulating their own breathing, temperature and heart rate until up to six week old!  But co-sleeping isn’t just about convenience or snuggles it has real benefits backed by research.

Studies show that babies who sleep close to their parents tend to sleep longer and wake up less at night. One study published in Pediatrics in 2017 found that infants who slept in close proximity to their caregivers had about 30 minutes more sleep on average and fewer nighttime awakenings. That might not sound like a lot, but any extra sleep is gold when you’re a new parent surviving on broken nights.

Co-sleeping can also make nighttime breastfeeding much easier. When a baby is right next to you, feeding doesn’t require fully waking up, walking to another room, or spending 20 minutes trying to soothe a fussy newborn --all it requires is a quick roll over! This not only helps the baby stay well-fed but also increases the chances of exclusive breastfeeding, which research shows can improve immunity and promote healthy growth.

Why Parents Love It

The benefits of co-sleeping go beyond sleep and feeding. Babies who sleep near their parents often feel safer and more secure, which can help reduce stress levels for both the baby and the parent. Physical closeness increases oxytocin, sometimes called the love hormone, which helps regulate babies’ heart rates and breathing, and even supports brain development. Not only that, breastfeeding produces a cascade of hormones and neuropeptides specifically designed to lull both mama and baby back to sleep – but that’s hard to do if baby has to be transferred back to a crib or bassinet, and worse if mom has to get up, head down the hall, probably take a bathroom break now that she’s up, and then try to fall asleep back in her own bed, trying her best not to listen to see if baby woke back up.

Many parents also report feeling a stronger bond with their child. Being able to cuddle, soothe, and watch your baby sleep can bring peace to an otherwise hectic day. It’s those tiny, quiet moments that make the early months feel a little less overwhelming.

Playing it Safe

Of course, co-sleeping comes with some precautions. While ALL of our ancestors would have co-slept with their children (what else could be done before central heating?!), it has become a semi-taboo topic these days after the “Back to Sleep” movement began (which was ony in 1997 by the way).  Part of what might contribute to co-sleeping getting a bad rap is that we’ve changed a lot of things as a society in the past 100 years (hello heavy smoking and elicit drugs). 

We want everyone to know that co-sleeping can be perfectly safe if we’re cognizant of just a few guidelines.   Following these simple safety steps can allow families to enjoy the closeness of co-sleeping without unnecessary risk.

Co-Sleeping Safe Seven

 1. No smoking – ensure that the room that baby is sleeping in is smoke free, and that the mother does not smoke before getting into bed or in the clothes she’ll be wearing to bed

2.  Stay Sober – elicit drugs, alcohol use and yes, even some prescription drugs are a contraindication for co-sleeping as they dull the natural mechanisms that wake mamas before putting baby in danger.  When considering prescriptions it’s important to look at side effects to be sure that they don’t effect your sleep (drugs that may carry risk include antihistamines, anti-anxiety, antidepressants, opioids, muscle relaxants, and beta blockers – there may be more so be sure to do your own research) 

3. Safe Surface – be sure that you fall alseep with baby in your bed that’s intentionally prepared for you and baby.  We’re not suggesting that you just fall alseep anywhere with your baby!  Knocking out on the couch, a recliner or unprepared bed make things far less safe.  Be sure that your bed doesn’t have any pillows other than the one under mom’s head.  Covers for mom should also remain below the waist so that excess blanket doesn’t get piled up around baby.  We also need to be sure that there are no gaps between the bed and the wall or other surfaces that baby could get trapped in.

4. Breastfeeding – The synchronization that occurs between mom and baby when overnight breastfeeding not only helps with sleep quality, but it also ensures that babies actually do wake after sleep cycles (even only to fall right back to sleep) which helps prevent SIDS.  It also helps their breathing and heart rate to regulate with mom’s which also promotes safe sleep.

5.  Healthy Full Term Baby – it's important to be aware of any challenges that baby may have if they were born early or have a known congenital health condition.  While these factors don’t exclude you from co-sleeping they’re important to take into consideration.  Of course with modern NICU’s, it’s unlikely that your baby would even be coming home before they’re safe, but it’s crucial to be aware of baby’s state.

6. Lightly Dressed (no swaddle) – we don’t want the baby to overheat when overdressed and close to their mom.  Also, we want to be sure that baby can move their arms and legs.  While baby can’t roll yet, they can certainly create movement that will either allow them to bring themselves out of any unsafe position their sleeping in, or to alert the mother through movement that they need something.  This is not possible if we swaddle.

7. Baby on Their Back – while this guideline is quite the controversial topic, for now it remains a part of the safe sleep 7 for co-sleeping

Show Us the Goods!

• About 60% of parents in the U.S. say they occasionally co-sleep with their baby.

• Babies who co-sleep are about 50% more likely to be exclusively breastfed for the first six months.

• Research in Infant Behavior and Development suggests that co-sleeping babies may experience less nighttime anxiety as toddlers.

Finding What Works for Your Family

Not every family will co-sleep in the same way, and that’s okay. Some parents love bed-sharing every night, while others prefer a hybrid approach, keeping the baby in a bassinet or crib next to the bed for the first few months. Some parents use co-sleeping only during naps or while traveling. The key is to find what feels comfortable, safe, and sustainable for you.

The Bottom Line

Co-sleeping isn’t just about convenience. It’s about connection, comfort, and creating small moments of calm in a busy world. It can help everyone in the family sleep a little better, feel a little closer, and enjoy those fleeting early months a little more. And let’s be honest when your baby falls asleep snuggled up next to you, there’s nothing quite like it. Sweet dreams, naturally.