Informed Choices: Bed-Sharing

Babies sometimes sleep with their parents. This has pros and cons you should be aware of.

Many parents bring their baby into their bed to sleep. For some babies this is their main night-time sleep space, but for the many babies this is not where they always or usually sleep. Bed-sharing mostly happens for part of the night, or for a couple of nights a week. Sleeping with baby in an adult bed (bed-sharing) is common and may happen intentionally or accidentally and is a type of co-sleeping (parents and infants sleeping together).

Why Parents Bed-Share

They choose to do it

Parents who choose to bed-share cite a variety of reasons. One UK study (Ball 2002) found that 72% of babies who were breastfed for a month or more were at least occasional bed-sharers compared to 38% of babies who had never breastfed. Mothers in the UK and around the world have identified ‘ease and convenience of breastfeeding’ as an overwhelming reason for sleeping with their babies at night (Ball 2002; Baddock et al., 2007; McKenna and Volpe, 2007; Ateah and Hamelin, 2008). For more information on breastfeeding and bed-sharing see here.

Other reasons why parents chose to bed-share included the enjoyment of close contact with their baby; anxiety regarding their baby’s health; ease of settling an irritable baby; and a family bed parenting philosophy. Studies in the US and Canada found that mothers reported bed-sharing despite being told not to, because the risks seemed “to be outweighed by the perceived benefits and convenience” (Ateah and Hamelin, 2008, p. 279) and “their sleep arrangement was the only way that worked for them” (Kendall-Tacket et al., 2010, p. 30).

They have no alternatives

In the study by Ball (2002), some parents living in impoverished circumstances slept with their newborn out of necessity rather than choice, being unable to afford a cot, or the space to house a cot. This has been shown to be a particular issue in the US amongst African American families of low socio-economic status. Joyner et al. (2010) found that in addition to space issues, bed-sharing was regarded as protective against environmental dangers arising from poor housing conditions (e.g. vermin) or living in high crime areas. The association between poverty and bed-sharing in some disadvantaged communities drives programmes which aim to provide all infants with a cot to sleep in.

It happens accidentally

Many of the tragic outcomes associated with bed-sharing seem to have occurred when parents fall asleep with their babies without intending to, and without ensuring that the environment is as safe as possible for the baby. Exhaustion is one reason that parents fall asleep with their infant in their bed (Ball, 2002). Breastfeeding releases hormones that makes the mother and infant sleepy, so can result in bed-sharing even if unintentional (Ball and Klingaman, 2007). Safe sleep guidance is to prepare safe sleep spaces, such as a safe sleep environment in the bed, prior to sleeping to ensure there are quick safe options for your infant.

Sometimes people fall asleep with their babies accidentally or without meaning to. In the vast majority of sudden unexpected infant death (SUDI) cases a parent or care-giver has been under the influence of drugs or alcohol while in charge of a baby (Blair et al., 1999). Blabey and Gessner (2009) examined 13 years of data on Alaskan infant deaths while bed-sharing. In 99% of cases at least one additional risk factor was present. The most common of these was maternal tobacco use (75%), followed by sleeping with an impaired person (43%). Blair et al (2009) in the UK found that 25% of babies who died while co-sleeping were doing so with an adult who had consumed 2 or more units of alcohol, and in a subsequent paper Blair’s team found that sleeping with a baby on a sofa or after drinking 2 or more units of alcohol were both associated with a very high risk while sleeping with a smoker was a lesser risk, but still high for babies under 3 months old. But, in the absence of these well-documented hazards there was no increased risk associated with bed-sharing for babies of all ages (Blair et al 2014).

Recommendations advising parents to ensure their babies always sleep alone in a cot are aimed at eliminating these sorts of tragedies by attempting to ensure that babies can never fall asleep with a care-giver who is inattentive or even unconscious. The increase in deaths while sofa-sharing may be partly related to parents leaving the bed-room to feed or settle a baby, and falling asleep accidentally on a sofa or couch (Rechtman et al., 2014). This can be especially dangerous as babies can get wedged or trapped between the cushions of a sofa. For more information on sofa-sharing see here.

Learn More

Click through leaflet resources from trusted partners including the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, La Leche League, and UNICEF:

How Parents Bed-Share

What Happens When Breastfeeding Mothers Share a Bed with Their Baby?

For many breastfeeding families, sharing a sleep space feels natural — and research supports this instinct. Observational studies carried out in homes, hospitals, and sleep laboratories have shown remarkably consistent results when it comes to how breastfeeding mothers and their babies behave while bed-sharing (Richard et al., 1996; Baddock et al., 2006, 2007; Ball, 2006a, 2006b).

These studies show that breastfeeding mothers tend to adopt an instinctive sleep position that helps keep their baby close and safe. This position is known as the “C-shape” or “Cuddle Curl” where the mother curls around her baby with her knees bent up under the baby’s feet with one arm positioned above the baby’s head. Babies are usually placed on their backs, level with the mother’s breasts, and away from pillows — a position that helps support breastfeeding while also reducing risk.

No matter the size or setting of the bed — from narrow hospital beds to spacious home mattresses — breastfeeding mothers and babies consistently sleep facing each other, within touching distance, and wake together more often. This mutual awareness and responsiveness throughout the night is thought to help protect infants from overheating, smothering, and other sleep-related risks (Baddock et al., 2006; Ball, 2006a, 2006b; Young et al., 2001). See the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine’s (ABM) leaflet on physiological normal infant care and safety.

Feeding Type Matters: How Breastfeeding Shapes Bed-Sharing Behaviour

Research shows that breastfeeding mothers and babies tend to bed-share in a distinctive and protective way — and this may help explain why some babies avoid the expected hazards of adult beds, such as suffocation or becoming trapped (Nakamura et al., 1999).

In comparison, formula-feeding families have been observed to sleep quite differently. In one home-based video study, breastfed babies were consistently placed flat on the mattress, level with their mother’s chest and below pillow height. Formula-fed babies, however, were more likely to be placed higher in the bed, at face level with parents, and sometimes in between or on top of pillows — which can increase safety risks (Ball, 2006).

Breastfeeding mothers also showed more face-to-face orientation with their babies and adopted the protective curled “C-position” much more consistently. They tended to wake more often and more in sync with their babies than formula-feeding mothers — a pattern linked to responsiveness and safety (Ball, 2006).

These differences make sense when you consider how breastfeeding hormones encourage close contact, bonding, and heightened awareness of the baby (Uvnäs-Moberg, 2003). This hormonal feedback loop isn’t activated in the same way for non-breastfeeding parents, which may explain some of the variation in bed-sharing behaviour.

For parents who’ve never breastfed — including fathers or caregivers who bed-share — we simply don’t yet know whether they adopt the same instinctive protective behaviours (Ball, 2025). Some evidence suggests that parents who breastfed in the past may retain these habits, even if they switch to formula feeding. But for those who’ve never breastfed, safe sleep positioning needs to be taught rather than assumed.

That’s why some safe sleep guidance suggests that non-breastfeeding parents should avoid bed-sharing, and instead place their baby on a separate, safe sleep surface close by — such as a bedside crib or co-sleeper.

More research is needed to understand how different feeding styles affect sleep behaviour. But for now, feeding type is an important factor to consider when making sleep decisions — especially when it comes to bed-sharing, but all parents may find themselves bed-sharing at some point, and so all need to know how to do so as safely as they are able. Read La Leche League’s Safe Sleep 7 Infographic, which discusses the seven considerations for safe infant sleep when breastfeeding.

Is Sleep Quality Affected?

While bed-sharing promotes closeness and responsiveness, it may come with trade-offs. Some studies suggest that co-sleeping mothers sleep less soundly than those whose babies sleep separately. One study found that at three and six months, co-sleeping mothers experienced more night wakings, longer periods of being awake during the night, and shorter stretches of uninterrupted sleep (Volkovich et al., 2015). This is likely due to increased breastfeeding and greater nighttime awareness of their baby’s needs.

Interestingly, this lighter, more interrupted sleep may actually help keep babies safe. Both mothers and babies who sleep close to one another spend less time in deep sleep and more time in light sleep, with frequent micro-arousals — a pattern that researchers believe offers a protective advantage against SIDS (Mosko et al., 1997).

The Takeaway

Bed-sharing between breastfeeding mothers and their babies appears to be an instinctive behaviour that supports infant feeding and safety. However, it may impact maternal sleep quality. Being informed about how these patterns work can help families make decisions that balance safety, sleep, and feeding in ways that work for them. Read Unicef’s comprehensive guidance on caring for your infant at night.

🛏️ If you’re considering bed-sharing, it’s important to learn how to do it as safely as possible. Read more about safe sleep guidelines or speak with a healthcare professional for personalised advice.

Prevalence of Bed-Sharing

Sharing a bed with your baby is a common practice around the world — and in the UK, too. Many parents find themselves doing it, whether planned or unplanned, particularly in the early months.

Over the past two decades, research has shown that around half of UK parents sleep with their baby in the same bed at some point during the first month of life. One study in the North East of England found that 47% of families bed-shared during their baby’s first month, falling to 29% by three months (Ball, 2002; 2003). National data from the larger CESDI study reflected almost identical results — 48% at one month, dropping to 24% at three months (Blair & Ball, 2004).

Other studies have found that around 1 in 5 babies bed-share on any given night in their first month (McCoy et al., 2004; Blair & Ball, 2004). Moreover, the Lullaby Trust performed a survey and found that 9 in 10 babies have co-slept at some point, but less than half of those families reported having received safe sleep guidance from a healthcare professional (Lullaby Trust, 2023). Many first-time parents say they don’t plan to bed-share — but by three months, most have done so, especially breastfeeding mothers (Ball et al., 1999). This finding has been echoed in many other studies around the world, and in some studies the prevalence of bed-sharing appears to be increasing.

Global Trends in Bed-Sharing

Bed-sharing is a global practice. Research from New Zealand, the US, Canada, Brazil, Australia, and across Europe reports similar rates — usually between 40% and 50% of families sharing a bed with their infant in the early months (e.g. Tuohy et al., 1998; Willinger et al., 2003; Santos et al., 2009; Kendall-Tackett et al., 2010).

Culture, Ethnicity and Bed-Sharing

Bed-sharing is also closely linked to culture and tradition. In the UK, South Asian families are more likely to bed-share, yet their babies have much lower rates of SIDS than White British babies — about four times lower (Ball et al., 2012). This suggests that how bed-sharing is practiced matters just as much as whether it happens at all.

In the US, Black families are statistically more likely to experience infant sleep-related deaths. A review found that this is often related to unsafe sleep environments, such as soft bedding or heavy covers, rather than bed-sharing itself (Salm Ward & Doering, 2014). These practices are shaped by beliefs, norms, and access to information — not just personal choice.

What matters most is how you bed-share — making sure it’s done safely, if and when it happens.

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Last Reviewed: July 2025