Show Notes
Does bedsharing have benefits for infant development or attachment? The quick answer is no. Systematic reviews (the highest form of scientific evidence) consistently show that bedsharing is associated with:
1️⃣ Longer breastfeeding duration
2️⃣ Increased risk of death
3️⃣ More frequent night waking
Bedsharing might be your preference, and that's ok, but it's important to understand both the risks, and the reality - babies who sleep in cots are just as well attached to their parents, as those who share a bed with their parents.
Drs Fallon & Laura (PhDs, Sleep Practitioners) dive head first in to the scientific literature on bedsharing, so you can make an informed decision for your little one
✅ Need additional support? Join our Sombelle Paediatric Sleep Clinic Programs, where we have an entire chapter dedicated to helping you resolve sleep pressure difficulties. Or visit our wonderful sleep clinic, via Telehealth or in person if you're local to Melbourne.
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If you choose to bedshare please follow the RedNose guidelines for safer cosleeping: https://rednose.org.au/safe-sleep-and-safer-pregnancy/newborn-to-1-year/co-sleeping-with-your-baby/
REFERENCES:
Das, Rashmi Ranjan, Sankar, M. Jeeva, Agarwal, Ramesh, Paul, Vinod Kumar, Is “Bed Sharing” Beneficial and Safe during Infancy? A Systematic Review, International Journal of Pediatrics, 2014, 468538, 16 pages, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/468538
Baddock, et.al. The influence of bed-sharing on infant physiology, breastfeeding and behaviour: A systematic review, Sleep Medicine Reviews, Volume 43, 2019, Pages 106-117, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2018.10.007.
Horsley T, Clifford T, Barrowman N, et al. Benefits and Harms Associated With the Practice of Bed Sharing: A Systematic Review. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2007;161(3):237–245. doi:10.1001/archpedi.161.3.237
A Morneau, A Vallieres, 0949 Should Parents and Children Share the Same Bed? A Systematic Review of the Consequences of Bedsharing on Sleep and Child Development, Sleep, Volume 43, Issue Supplement_1, April 2020, Pages A360–A361, https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsaa056.945
Wolf et. al., (2025). Mother–Infant Bed-sharing Is Associated with Increased Breastfeeding: A Systematic Review. Breastfeeding Medicine, 20 (4).
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