Co-Sleeping Positions: How to Share a Bed With Your Baby More Safely

As a new mom, you may be faced with the dilemma of keeping your baby close at night but worried how to keep them safe while you sleep. Bed sharing seems appealing as it would be easier for you to breastfeed through the night, soothe your little one and feel close to them especially during those exhausting early months.

It's natural to have questions about where your baby should sleep and which positions are safest. In this guide, we’ll walk you through common bed-sharing positions, explain the risks, and explore what to consider around the sleep environment so you can make informed decisions about your baby’s sleep.

Quick Answer: What Is the Safest Co-Sleeping Position?

The C-curl position is commonly discussed in bed-sharing guidance. In this position, a parent lies on their side facing the baby, curves their body around the infant, keeps their lower arm above the baby's head, and bends their knees below the baby's feet.

Advocates describe this arrangement as a way to create a defined space around the baby. However, the C-curl has not been established as a medically safe sleep position, and it cannot eliminate the risks of bed-sharing. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends placing babies on their backs on a firm, flat, separate sleep surface, ideally in the parent's room for at least the first six months. [1]

Key Takeaways

• The C-curl position is a commonly discussed bed-sharing arrangement, not a guarantee of safety.
• While co-sleeping, make sure the baby's face and head uncovered as pillows, duvets, loose sheets, and adult bedding may obstruct breathing or cause overheating.
• Check the entire mattress and bed frame for soft surfaces, gaps, unstable edges, and spaces near a wall or headboard that may create hazards.
• Always place your baby on their back as side and stomach positions are not recommended for routine infant sleep.
• Do not rely on accessories such as bed rails, baby nests, breathable pads, and other products which cannot make an adult bed equivalent to a safety-approved infant sleep space.

How Is Co-Sleeping Different From Bed-Sharing?

The term co-sleeping is often used to describe different ways parents sleep near their babies. Understanding the terminology helps you identify which advice applies to your situation.

• Room-sharing means that the baby sleeps in the same room as the parent but uses a separate sleep surface, such as a crib or bassinet.
• Bed-sharing means that the baby and parent sleep on the same surface, usually an adult bed.
• Surface-sharing is a broader term for sleeping on the same surface, including an adult bed, sofa, or armchair.

These arrangements are not equally safe. The AAP recommends room-sharing without bed-sharing because a separate infant sleep surface reduces the risks associated with suffocation, entrapment, and other sleep-related deaths. [1]

Still, some parents intentionally bed-share, while others fall asleep unintentionally during nighttime feeding. As a parent, once you understand safer-sleep principles, you act proactively, recognize hazards and avoid especially dangerous situations.

Why Do Some Parents Choose to Bed-Share?

As parents to a newborn, there is a lot going on, so you opt for everything that offers convenience and safety. Parents consider bed sharing during the newborn stage to make feeding and settling easier as it happens throughout the night.

Easier Access to Nighttime Breastfeeding

When you have a baby close by, you get to pick on the hunger cues instantly and begin feeding. As a breastfeeding mother, you may find that side-lying feeding is more comfortable, particularly during recovery after childbirth.

Keeping the Baby Close

Physical closeness connects you to your baby where you get to respond promptly, as soon as the baby wakes up. However, holding your baby, talking softly, and providing supervised skin-to-skin contact while awake supports bonding without requiring bed-sharing.

Note: A comfortable feeding position is not automatically a safe sleeping position. To ensure safety, plan ahead and avoid feeding lying down, or on a sofa where chances of you dozing off are high.

The C-Curl Co-Sleeping Position

The C-curl, also called the C-shaped or cuddle-curl position, is one of the most widely discussed arrangements in bed-sharing guidance. In this position, the parent lies on their side facing the baby and curves their body around the infant. The parent's lower arm is positioned above the baby's head, while their knees bend below the baby's feet. The arrangement is intended to create a defined space around the infant and keep the parent's body and bedding away from the baby's head.

Potential Concerns With the C-Curl Position

The C-curl is sometimes described as a protective boundary, but it has not been proven to prevent suffocation or sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). An adult may change position during sleep, and a baby may move into an unsafe position or become obstructed by bedding.

If you are considering bed-sharing, do not assume that maintaining the C-curl will protect your baby if you fall into a deep sleep. The recommended sleep arrangement remains a separate, firm, flat surface with your baby placed on their back.

The Spooning Co-Sleeping Position

The spooning position is another arrangement described in some bed-sharing resources. The adult lies on their side, with the baby's back facing the adult's chest. Unlike the C-curl, where the parent faces the baby, spooning places the infant in front of the parent with their back toward the parent's body.

Potential Concerns With Spooning

When an adult and baby sleep close together, the adult may unintentionally roll forward or press against the infant. The baby's face may also become obstructed, or the infant may move into loose bedding.

The key distinction: The C-curl and spooning describe how a parent and baby may be positioned relative to each other. Neither replaces the recommended practice of placing an infant on their back on a separate sleep surface.

How to Prepare a Bed if You Plan to Share It With Your Baby

Be proactive! If you are likely to bring your baby into bed for feeding or comforting, prepare the environment in advance. This is particularly important if you are worried that you might fall asleep unintentionally.

1. Check the Mattress Firmness

A baby's sleep surface should be firm, flat, and level. Soft mattresses, waterbeds, sagging mattresses, and surfaces that form deep indentations allow an infant's face to sink into the surface or become trapped. [3]

An adult mattress has not been safety-tested for infant sleep in the same way as a crib or bassinet. If your mattress is soft, damaged, sagging, or uneven, do not bed-share, replace it first.

2. Remove Pillows, Duvets, and Loose Bedding From the Baby's Area

Loose bedding may cover a baby's nose and mouth or cause overheating. A baby may not be able to move away from an obstruction, particularly during the newborn stage. [4] Before bringing your baby into bed:

• Move pillows away from the baby's area.
• Keep duvets and adult blankets away from the infant.
• Remove loose sheets that could bunch around the baby's face.
• Keep stuffed toys, cushions, and other soft objects out of the baby's space.
• Keep the baby's head uncovered.

Protip: Keep adult bedding away from the baby and use a well-fitted baby sleeping bag as a way to provide the infant with their own bedding. [2]

3. Check for Gaps Around the Mattress

Gaps can occur between the mattress and the bed frame, wall, headboard, or other furniture. An infant may become trapped in these spaces. Inspect the entire bed rather than focusing only on the area where you plan to lie. Check for gaps at the sides, foot of the bed, and near the headboard. [3]

Do not assume that pushing a mattress tightly against a wall eliminates entrapment risk. Bed frames and mattresses may shift, creating new gaps during the night.

4. Remove Hazardous Headboards and Bed Accessories

Slatted or decorative headboards create openings in which a baby's head or body may become trapped. Remove or avoid hazardous features when possible. Bed rails are not a substitute for a safe infant sleep surface. They may introduce additional gaps and entrapment hazards, and they cannot guarantee that a baby will not fall or become trapped.

If you are concerned about falls, a separate crib or bassinet is preferable to attempting to make an adult bed safe with barriers.

5. Keep the Baby Away From the Edge of the Bed

An infant may fall from an adult bed, even if they are not yet crawling. Babies shift unexpectedly, and older infants may roll or move farther than their parents anticipate.

Never leave a baby unattended on an adult bed, even for a short period. If you need to get up, transfer your baby to a safe, separate sleep surface. Do not rely on pillows or rolled blankets as barriers as these objects obstruct breathing and create additional hazards. [4]

6. Keep Other Children and Pets Out of the Bed

Do not bed-share with your baby alongside another child or pet. An older child may roll over without realizing where the baby is, and a pet may move unpredictably. The AAP identifies bed-sharing with anyone other than the infant's parent, including other children, as a significant risk factor. [1]

If both parents share the bed, discuss the arrangements before bringing the baby in. Everyone should understand the risks and agree to avoid situations involving impaired alertness.

How Can You Reduce Overheating During Bed-Sharing?

Overheating is an important consideration because babies cannot regulate their body temperature as effectively as adults. Sharing body heat, wearing too many layers, or being covered by adult bedding may cause a baby to become too warm.

Choose Appropriate Sleepwear

Dress your baby in clothing appropriate for the room's conditions. A properly fitted, nonweighted baby sleeping bag may help provide warmth without loose blankets. Moreover, avoid weighted swaddles, weighted sleep sacks, and other weighted products.

Keep the Baby's Head Uncovered

Do not cover your baby's head with a hat, blanket, or adult bedding during sleep. Keep the face visible and ensure that the baby's nose and mouth remain unobstructed. Check your baby's chest or the back of their neck for signs of overheating. Hot or sweaty skin may mean you need to remove a layer.

Avoid Excessive Bedding and Heat

Use comfortable room conditions and avoid excessive layers. There is no single room temperature that makes bed-sharing safe, and a fan or open window cannot compensate for an unsafe sleep surface. Keep the baby's area free from loose bedding and avoid placing the infant directly against heating devices or other heat sources.

The Safe Sleep 7 For Bed-Sharing

The Safe Sleep 7 is a set of harm-reduction guidelines promoted by some breastfeeding and bed-sharing advocates. It commonly includes seven conditions intended to reduce certain hazards:

1. No smoking or nicotine exposure.
2. No alcohol.
3. No drugs or medications that impair alertness.
4. Breastfeeding.
5. A healthy baby born at full term.
6. Placing the baby on their back.
7. A firm, clear sleep surface with the adult positioned protectively around the baby.

These conditions are not an official AAP safe sleep protocol, and they do not establish that bed-sharing is safe. Even if a family meets all seven conditions, risks associated with sharing an adult sleep surface remain.

Note: Use the Safe Sleep 7 as a way to understand the risk factors discussed by bed-sharing advocates, not as a checklist that guarantees protection.

Products That Help Create a Safer Sleep Environment

Products make nighttime care more convenient, but they should not be used to justify an unsafe sleeping arrangement.

Bedside Bassinets and Cribs

A safety-approved bassinet or crib beside your bed is the recommended option for keeping your baby close while providing a separate sleep surface.

If you are comparing options, the guide on bedside sleepers vs. traditional bassinets will help you understand the differences in design and use. The Grownsy baby bedside bassinet helps you keep your baby nearby. Additionally, it features 6 adjustable height levels to fit different types of adult beds and can rock the bassinet to comfort your baby as they fall into sweet dreams. 

Baby Sleeping Bags

A properly fitted, non-weighted sleeping bag provides warmth and helps keep loose bedding away from the baby.

Bed Rails and Guardrails

Bed rails may be marketed as a way to prevent falls, but they introduce entrapment hazards. They should not be treated as a safety solution for bed-sharing with an infant.

Baby Nests, Pods, and Breathable Mattress Pads

Soft nests, pods, and padded products are not recommended as infant sleep surfaces. Marketing terms such as breathable do not establish that a product prevents suffocation or makes an adult bed safe.

White Noise Machines and Baby Monitors

White noise machines may be used as part of a bedtime routine, and baby monitors help parents hear or observe their baby. Neither makes an unsafe sleep surface safe. Keep devices, cords, and accessories away from the baby's sleep space. Do not rely on a monitor to detect or prevent every sleep-related emergency.

How Does Bed-Sharing Change as Your Baby Grows?

A baby's abilities change throughout the first year, but increased mobility does not remove all sleep-related hazards.

What Should You Do Next?

• If your baby will not settle in a bassinet, read up on how to get your baby to sleep in a bassinet for practical settling strategies that may come in handy.
• If you want to keep my baby close at night, compare bedside sleepers and traditional bassinets to understand the available separate-sleep-space options.
• If you are unsure of what makes a bassinet suitable, explore how to choose a safe bassinet before deciding which product is appropriate for your baby.

The Bottom Line

Bed-sharing is a personal choice some families make for reasons including breastfeeding, convenience, and closeness. If you are considering it, understanding the C-curl position, bedding hazards, mattress conditions, and circumstances that make bed-sharing especially dangerous will help you recognize important risks.

However, no sleeping position or accessory guarantees safe bed-sharing. The safest recommendation remains to keep your baby close in a separate, firm, flat sleep space, place them on their back for every sleep, and keep their sleep area clear.

References

[1] American Academy of Pediatrics. Sleep-Related Infant Deaths: Updated 2022 Recommendations for Reducing Infant Deaths in the Sleep Environment.
https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/150/1/e2022057990/188304/Sleep-Related-Infant-Deaths-Updated-2022-Recommendations

[2] The Lullaby Trust. Co-Sleeping.
https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/baby-safety/safer-sleep-information/co-sleeping/

[3] NHS. Safe Sleep Advice for Babies.
https://www.nhs.uk/best-start-in-life/baby/baby-basics/newborn-and-baby-sleeping-advice-for-parents/safe-sleep-advice-for-babies/

[4] National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Safe Sleep Environment.
https://safetosleep.nichd.nih.gov/reduce-risk/safe-sleep-environment