Updated / Tuesday, 9 Mar 2021
12:25
Co-sleeping isn t for everyone, but it s one method to try. Photo: Getty
Co-sleeping, specifically bedsharing, has long been a controversial, and emotive subject. The HSE advise against it, saying it can be dangerous as it can increase your baby s risk of suffocation. They can slip under the bed covers, roll under an adult, get trapped between the bed and the wall or fall out of the bed. They advise that a separate cot is safest, preferably in the same room as their parent/mother.
However, a growing body of research, such as this report from the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, highlights the relationship between continued breastfeeding when an infant sleeps with their mother, and suggests a need for further study and more individualized and non-judgmental advice for parents in this area.