Co-Sleeping with Baby: Bassinet & Bed

Co-Sleeping with Baby

A full eight hours of sleep? What a dream (no pun intended). Getting a little one to sleep peacefully through the night can be a challenging task—one that leaves both parent and baby feeling exhausted during the day.

Many parents attempt to remedy this fitful sleep by co-sleeping with their little one, but this hot-button issue is one that has both pediatricians and parents on opposite sides.

Let’s delve into co-sleeping and learn the safest ways for your baby to sleep peacefully through the night.

Read through our full guide or use the links below to jump right to a specific section:


What is Co-Sleeping?

Co-sleeping—in the most general sense—refers to sleeping in close proximity to your child.

There are several reasons a parent might choose to co-sleep with their baby:

  • Improved sleep: When baby stirs, Mom or Dad can quickly soothe them, letting both baby and parent get back to sleep sooner.
  • Attachment parenting: Some parents believe that co-sleeping enhances the bond they have with their little one.
  • Improved breastfeeding: Breastfeeding during the nighttime hours is easier when your little one is within reach, and breastfeeding throughout the night helps maintain your milk supply.
  • Personal preference: Co-sleeping is a personal parenting choice made by many. Who doesn’t love the idea of waking up to the peaceful face of their little one in the morning?

Whatever the reasons for co-sleeping, it’s important to consider how to appropriately do so without putting your little one in danger. In order to do that, let’s examine the different types of co-sleeping.

Ready to start co-sleeping with your baby?

Make sure your baby is always within reach with the Lotus Bassinet.

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Types of Co-Sleeping

The term co-sleeping can be used in a several ways. Co-sleeping may refer to several different sleeping scenarios:

  1. Sharing a bed with your little one, where they sleep side-by-side with you.
  2. Putting a baby to sleep in the same room as you, in a separate crib.
  3. Putting baby to sleep in a bassinet at the side of a parent’s bed.

The first co-sleeping scenario tends to be controversial for several reasons. Sharing the same bed as baby has been associated with a higher risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

According to a recent study published in Pediatrics, 69 percent of infants who died from SIDS were bed-sharing at the time of their death.



Unfortunately, experts agree that there are many dangers related to putting babies to sleep in adult beds.

Putting a baby to sleep in your room in a separate bassinet can be a great alternative, but many parents want to be able to reach out and touch their baby in the middle of the night without having to leave bed.

Luckily, there’s a happy compromise—co-sleeping scenario number three.

With bedside co-sleeping bassinets, you can keep baby within arm’s reach during the night.


Is Baby Co-Sleeping Safe?

While bed sharing should be avoided, the UK’s Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID) advises the safest place for your baby to sleep is in a crib or bassinet in your bedroom.

Baby co-sleeping beds are designed to be separate from your bed, while still providing you with immediate access to your child in the middle of the night.



Studies show that this type of co-sleeping can actually reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) by as much as 50 percent.

While the reasons for this reduced risk aren’t clear cut, it’s theorized that having other people in the room makes your little one sleep less deeply. It’s also thought that keeping a little one within Mom’s reach makes it simpler to breastfeed—breastfeeding has been reported to cut the risk of SIDS by 70 percent.

Keeping baby in your bedroom for those first 12 months of life might also help enhance your bond, as you can provide comfort more quickly and respond to your little one’s needs immediately.

Bottom line: Is it bad to co-sleep with your baby? Not if you take the right precautions and use the right co-sleeping bassinet.


Lotus Co-Sleeping Bassinet

Lotus co-sleeping bassinets are designed to sit level with your bed so your baby is always within reach, whether you need to provide a soothing rock, provide a midnight feeding, or just for your own peace of mind.

Turn your Lotus co-sleeping bassinet into a soothing rocker or keep it stationary; simply rotate the rockers up and out of the way for a quick way to tailor your little one’s sleeping environment. Our infant co-sleeping bassinet is perfect for newborns and infants up to 18 pounds.


Lotus Co-Sleeping Bed

If you want to move your little one’s bed, whether that be away from your bedside or into another room, use the bassinet expansion attachment to convert your travel bassinet into a portable Everywhere Crib.

The ClearView Mesh side access door allows easy access for cuddles, feeding, and visibility during the nighttime hours, and the lightweight crib can easily be moved from room to room to ensure your baby has a safe, comfortable place to nap during the day.

Looking for a portable co-sleeping crib for your baby?

The Lotus Travel Crib is light-weight and can easily be transported from room to room.

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The Lotus Co-Sleeping Bed is sturdy enough for toddlers to play or sleep in, and works well for infants and little ones up to 3 years old.

With an easy conversion process, you can take your Lotus Co-Sleeping bassinet to play crib and back again within minutes.

When to Stop Co-Sleeping with Your Baby

While the decision to move baby from your room to their own is a personal one, many parents choose to transition their baby to their own room within the first year.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, babies should sleep in their parents’ room—but not in the same bed—for at least the first six months, and ideally for a whole year.


Babies typically become more aware of their surroundings after 6 months, which can make the transition process a bit more challenging should you wait until later.

For many parents, a year might be too long. If you’re ready to move your little one into their own room before then, that’s totally okay, too. Every baby is different, and it’s important to do what’s best for your family.


Co-Sleeping Tips and Tricks

If you want to co-sleep with your little one, keep these tips in mind to ensure your baby sleeps safely and soundly:

  1. Don’t sleep with your little one in your bed
  2. Place your baby in a bedside co-sleeping basinet
  3. Make sure your baby is sleeping on his or her back
  4. Make sure your baby’s head is uncovered during sleep
  5. Keep the room cool—too many bodies in one space can cause temperatures to rise
With the Lotus co-sleeping bed, you can snooze alongside baby happily (and more importantly, safely) through the night. Use these tips to make co-sleeping more restful for everyone.

Learn more about the features of our popular travel crib and keep baby sleeping safely and soundly whether you’re at home or on vacation.