How Long Should Your Baby Sleep in Your Room?
All new parents seek the best way to get their baby to sleep at night. There is no one "best" way to get babies to sleep soundly, but there are "right" ways to help them sleep safely. One important safe sleep tactic is sharing a room with your newborn.
But how long should a baby sleep in your room? The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that babies should share a room until they're at least 6 months old. However, your little roommate must sleep in a crib or bassinet—not your bed.
Learn more about why you should share a room with your baby and how and when to transition them to their own spaces.
The AAP recommended that infants share a room, but not your bed, for at least their first 6 months. Research shows this practice can cut babies' risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) by half when compared with other sleeping arrangements.
Experts cite several reasons why having your baby sleep in your room may protect them from SIDS:
The AAP warns that having your baby sleep in your room turns from a safety measure to a health hazard when parents and caregivers bring their babies into their beds rather than keep them in a separate crib or bassinet.
Co-sleeping with a baby in your bed can be very dangerous. Hazards of bed-sharing include:
Whether your baby is sharing your room or not, the safest place for them to sleep is in a crib or a bassinet on a firm mattress that fits snugly into its frame. Do not add any soft bumpers, blankets, or pillows into their sleeping space.
Once they're 6 months old or older, your baby can safely "move out" into their own room. Being in their own rooms may help older babies sleep more soundly. One study showed that 9-month-olds sleeping in their parents' rooms get 40 minutes less shut-eye overnight than same-aged babies sleeping in separate rooms.
Babies between 6 months and 1 year should still sleep in a crib with a firm mattress and no soft bedding. To protect against SIDS further, follow these safe sleep tips:
Do you feel the need to monitor your baby? Although a baby monitor has not been shown to keep babies safer, feel free to use one if it helps your peace of mind.
If your baby resists moving to their own room, you may find that taking baby steps helps. Some people find that incrementally moving their crib closer to the door of their room until their baby is eventually in their own room can help make the transition feel less abrupt and scary.