The catch with co-sleepers

Questions Are co-sleepers safe?

Answer: A co-sleeper is an infant bed that attaches to an adult bed. While a co-sleeper offers a cozy nest for your baby and is convenient for middle-of-the-night breast-feeding, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) doesn't recommend co-sleepers, and we don't either, because no safety standards for them have been established. Until standards are established, I'd steer clear. Your safest option is a full-size crib, which is federally regulated, meaning it's subject to mandatory safety standards that manufacturers must follow when making cribs. There are also voluntary safety standards for full-size cribs that most manufacturers also use as a guideline.

For convenience, plan to put the crib right next to your bed. In fact, sharing your bedroom is the best sleeping arrangement for your baby's first 6 months, according to the AAP. If there's no room in your bedroom for your baby's crib, a bassinet or cradle will do. They're subject to voluntary safety standards, though not mandatory, federal safety standards, which is why cribs are our first choice. Keep in mind that bassinets and cradles don't last long. By 4 months or so, your baby will probably outgrow it.

Comments

[Aaron]

As an ER physician I have seen first-hand the consequences of co-sleeping with an infant. This "urban legend" as the previous comment referred to is real; a neonate cannot struggle to free themself if you or your bedclothes obstruct their airway. The cases I have seen resulted in permanent brain injury for lack of oxygen. These children will spend their lives on a ventillator without awareness, speech, or motor function.
The risks of co-sleeping are real, and I do not recommend it under any circumstance.

[Dave]

Pediatricians also think breastfeeding is lethal after 12 months. More people than will admit co-sleep. Our daughter is now almost 4 and spends more nights in our bed than hers but is in the process of migrating naturally to her own space. She's brutally independent and we savor her last strings of dependence on us. It won't last for long.

As far as rolling over and crushing your infant in the night. I believe we've evolved to the point where that's an urban legend.