What is the difference between room sharing and bed sharing?

Room sharing means the baby sleeps in the same room as the parents on their own separate surface, such as a cot or crib. Bed sharing means the baby is on the same surface as an adult. Safer sleep guidance recommends room sharing on a separate surface.

How long should a baby room share with parents?

Safer sleep guidance from bodies like the Lullaby Trust recommends babies sleep in the same room as their parents for at least the first six months, day and night. Follow the current advice for your family.

Can twins share a room safely?

Twins commonly share a room, and often a room with their parents in the early months, each on their own safe sleep surface. Most twins adapt to each other's noise. Follow safer sleep advice for each baby's sleep space.

What is room sharing? A plain-language definition

Room sharing

In short

Room sharing means a baby sleeps in the same room as their parents but on their own separate sleep surface, which safer sleep guidance recommends for at least the first six months. It is different from bed sharing, where a baby is on the same surface as an adult. For twins, room sharing usually also means the babies share a room with each other, which is common and generally works well once they get used to each other's noise. Always follow current safer sleep advice.

Room sharing means a baby sleeps in the same room as their parents, but on their own separate sleep surface such as a cot or crib. It is not the same as bed sharing, where a baby is on the same surface as an adult. Safer sleep guidance recommends room sharing on a separate surface for at least the first six months.

For twin parents, room sharing carries a second meaning: the two babies sharing a room with each other. This is common and generally works well, though in the early weeks twins can wake one another until they get used to the other's noise.

Whatever the arrangement, the sleep surface and setup for each baby should follow current safer sleep advice from a source like the Lullaby Trust.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between room sharing and bed sharing?: Room sharing means the baby sleeps in the same room as the parents on their own separate surface, such as a cot or crib. Bed sharing means the baby is on the same surface as an adult. Safer sleep guidance recommends room sharing on a separate surface.
How long should a baby room share with parents?: Safer sleep guidance from bodies like the Lullaby Trust recommends babies sleep in the same room as their parents for at least the first six months, day and night. Follow the current advice for your family.
Can twins share a room safely?: Twins commonly share a room, and often a room with their parents in the early months, each on their own safe sleep surface. Most twins adapt to each other's noise. Follow safer sleep advice for each baby's sleep space.

Room sharing

Frequently asked questions

Sources

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