There are plenty of ways parents can bond with a new baby, but co-sleeping (or sharing a bed) should never be one of them.

Sleeping next to your newborn is dangerous and can even be fatal, says pediatrician Rebecca Reamy, M.D. She’s seen babies die from suffocation and other causes after co-sleeping. Lately, those cases have been on the rise at her hospital.

Where should your baby sleep?

“The best place for a baby is in a crib or a bassinet,” Dr. Reamy says. When babies are young, she encourages parents to keep the crib or bassinet in their bedroom. Still, infants should never sleep in their parents’ bed.

Suffocation is a common culprit in co-sleeping deaths. However, the practice poses other dangers for children, too, like rolling off the bed or becoming trapped between the mattress and headboard.

Educating parents about safe sleep for babies

At her hospital, Dr. Reamy and her colleagues talk to parents about the safest ways to care for their newborns. Still, she recognizes that even well-intentioned parents may only absorb some things at a time.

“The problem is, how much do you remember when you just had a baby and you’re exhausted?” she says. “You can’t retain everything.”

She and other doctors push the message as often as possible. Dr. Reamy is also an advocate of Safe to Sleep, a public health campaign promoting the best ways for babies to rest.

She says that when pediatricians and other providers repeat warnings about co-sleeping, they help new parents who may misunderstand or need reminders. As babies grow into toddlers, parents can decide the best ways for them to sleep, but in infancy, they should be put to bed the same way.

Baby sleep safety: What puts your child at risk?

Co-sleeping – even only on a couch – is always a bad idea. Parents should also avoid the following:

• Crib bumpers. “There’s absolutely no use for them,” Dr. Reamy says. “There’s a significant danger of suffocation.” Unfortunately, she adds, retailers continue to stock bumpers and photograph them in cribs. Parents should note that not everything sold for babies is safe for them.
• Blankets and pillows. “Babies don’t need blankets,” Dr. Reamy says. A fitted sheet is all an infant requires in the crib; anything else could endanger them.
• An overly warm room is unsafe for babies. They should wear just one more layer than adults.

The safest sleep position for your baby

A baby’s sleeping position is also crucial: Parents should always put their babies to sleep on their backs. While they’re awake, babies should have regular tummy time, which promotes neurodevelopment and prevents heads from becoming misshapen.

If parents are concerned about the affordability of cribs and bassinets, they can talk to doctors about reduced-cost or free options. Federal programs can help, and some hospitals offer free bassinets.

Dr. Reamy knows that caring for a newborn can be overwhelming, but the baby’s sleep routine doesn’t have to be. She recommends that every parent follow the ABCs of infant sleep: alone, on their back, and in a crib.

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