Why is Co Sleeping Bad for Newborns? (Hint: It’s Not!)
There’s one important thing you should always remember when deciding how co sleeping fits into your family’s nighttime routine: only you know what works best for you and your baby.
But as you research the many benefits of co sleeping and get excited for the nights of deeper bonding ahead, you might come across fellow parents claiming that co sleeping might not be the best option for children under a certain age.
Which might have you wondering—why is co sleeping bad for newborns?
Here’s the simple answer: when done safely, co sleeping isn’t bad at all!
In fact, when anthropologist John Whiting surveyed 186 cultures, he discovered that almost 70% of children sleeping and growing strong around the world slept in the company of others.
While 70% of families around the globe and much research has shown that co sleeping offers many benefits (Easier nighttime nursing, better rest for the whole family, and quicker crisis response? Yes, please!) there’s a little trick of naming that’s causing some confusion about co sleeping.
The truth is that “bed sharing” is not the same as other, safe co sleeping practices.
While the babybay bedside co sleeper has been safety-certified by ASTM International, TÜV, and Confidence in Textiles, bed sharing (when a baby sleeps in the same bed as the parent/s) does not come backed by the same safety guarantee.
Despite this big safety difference, these two terms (“bed sharing” and “co sleeping”) are often used interchangeably.
As any parent who enjoys sleeping an arm’s reach away from their baby with the help of a bedside co-sleeper will tell you, there are ways to get stress-free, worry-less, and benefit-filled nights of rest while co sleeping.
You just need to choose the right co sleeping method.
What Age Is Co Sleeping Safe? Is My Newborn Baby Too Young?
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends sleeping in the same room as your baby (or “room sharing”) for at least the first six months of baby’s life.
When you room share, you set up a separate space for baby to sleep beside your own bed. By giving them a firm mattress to sleep on that is all their own, you allow them to feel properly supported through the night, while still being close enough to respond quickly to anything they might need.
There’s a reason why so many parents recommend this approach. Depending on your child’s development, it can be dangerous to have your baby share space on the soft, plush, comfy, and pillowy bedding and mattress you love.
The truth is, your baby’s body is best supported by a firm space to rest. 
And though your baby will one day be a pro at untangling themselves from any blanket or pillow that comes their way, newborns are still not quite used to the art of getting themselves unwrapped or untangled from any fabric that covers them.
What’s why many experts suggest waiting to bed share until baby is old enough to easily get unstuck from any bedding they get tangled in.
However, with the help of a bedside co sleeper, you’ll be able to co sleep from the first night your baby is born–without having a single safety concern.
That’s because babybay bedside sleepers are specially engineered to give your baby the safe, firm, and far-from-your-blankets sleeping space they need to rest comfortably and securely all night long.
Which is why parents who are wondering why is co sleeping bad for newborn babies? need to understand that the how of co sleeping is important, especially when determining what age is co sleeping safe for your baby.
With the right safe co sleeping solution by your bedside, you can enjoy rest-filled nights and the other many benefits of co sleeping from the first day baby is brought home, while being fully confident that your baby is safe and comfortable in a bedside co sleeper made just for them.
What’s the Best Age to Transition from Co Sleeping?
As we said: no one knows your baby’s needs better than you.
Though the best age to transition from co sleeping will eventually come, there’s no hard and fast rule of when this will be for you.
The best thing you can do is keep track of your baby’s developmental patterns, and know that there might be a time when baby’s sleep habits or your own needs make you feel ready to move baby to a separate crib or room of their own.
When that time eventually comes, just know that your baby will be well-prepared to take on the nighttime routine changes ahead.
And the next time you hear a fellow parent ask Why is co sleeping bad for newborn babies? just like you did, you’ll be able to tell them straight out…
It’s not! You just need the right safe co sleeping solution by your bedside.
