13 Parent Infant Co-Sharing Room

The Advantages of an Infant and Parent Co-Sharing a Room

The American Association of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends the practice of safe co-sharing of a room between infant and parent. They further recommend that an infant stay in the same room as their parent for at least the first six months of their life. The motto for parent and infant co-sharing of a room is to share a room, but NEVER a bed. For the sake of baby safety, an infant should have a separate sleep area of their own. Having the parent and baby in the same room provides a sense of nearness and comfort for both the baby and parent, and gives the baby time to transition into an independent room at the appropriate time in their physical and mental development.

Data shows that parent and infant co-sharing of a room is associated with lower rates of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). While an infant ideally should share a room with a parent for a year, it is important for parents to know that after they move the child into their own room there will be a period of adjustment for the baby as they become accustomed to their new environment.