7 Co-Sleeping Safety Tips

The Stir has a list of 7 helpful tips for co-sleeping safely. It's a great place to start if you're interested in co-sleeping with your little one.

It's important to remember that co-sleeping and bed sharing are different, but if you plan on practicing either you should know:

1. Don't drink or use illegal substances while co-sleeping. Studies have found a link between SIDS, co-sleeping and recent parental use of alcohol or drugs.

2. Don't co-sleep on the couch. Babies need firm surfaces to sleep on.

3. Don't co-sleep with older kids and a baby at once. The term family bed can be misleading. Experts generally warn against older children being in bed with infants and their parents because older kids might not be aware of the baby's presence and safety requirements.

4. Consider a co-sleeper. Babies don't have to be in the bed to be sharing a bedroom with you — there are a number of co-sleepers out there that attach to the bed, allowing baby to be within arm's reach but protecting them from a parent rolling over on them, as well as offering that firm mattress and blanket-free space.

It's possible to co-sleep and be safe. If you're practicing co-sleeping make sure you're following all the tips for safer co-sleeping from TheStir.com as well as the advice of your pediatrician.