NHS Updates Its Guidance on Bedsharing: What Parents Need to Know

As a holistic sleep consultant who has regularly attended training with the Baby Sleep Information Source (BASIS), I was delighted to see the NHS update its guidance on bedsharing in March 2023.

For years, NHS advice around co-sleeping and bedsharing was clear-cut: “Never bedshare.” However, the latest update now reflects the NICE guidance (originally published in 2014) — bringing UK recommendations more in line with the latest evidence on safe infant sleep.

This is an incredibly positive step forward for parents and practitioners alike.

From the NHS website on Bedsharing Guidance

Be safe if you share a bed with your baby:

If you share a bed with your baby (co-sleeping), you should:

• make sure they sleep on a firm, flat mattress lying on their back

• not have any pillows or duvets near them

• not have other children or pets in the bed at the same time

It's important not to share a bed with your baby if they had a low birthweight (less than 2.5kg or 5.5lb) or if you or your partner:

• smoke (no matter where or when you smoke and even if you never smoke in bed)

• have had 2 or more units of alcohol

• have taken recreational drugs

• have taken medicine that causes drowsiness

What the Lullaby Trust Says About Bedsharing

The Lullaby Trust still advises that “the safest place for a baby to sleep is in their own clear, flat, separate sleep space, such as a cot or Moses basket.”

However, they also recognise that: "Many parents find themselves co-sleeping, whether they mean to or not.”

Because of this, they encourage parents to make their bed a safer place for baby and to consider risks before every sleep — especially if circumstances change, such as illness or alcohol consumption.

This guidance reflects the real-life experiences of families and the need for practical, harm-reduction-based advice.

Why This Update Matters for Parents

Research shows that around 75% of parents will bedshare at some point. Until now, NHS professionals were often in a difficult position — knowing many parents would co-sleep, but being unable to offer safety guidance beyond “don’t do it.”

This new NHS update empowers both parents and practitioners to have open, informed conversations about safe sleep.

It helps remove the guilt and stigma parents have often felt when making an informed decision about bedsharing.

Why a Holistic Approach to Bedsharing Is Important

While the NHS update is a great step forward, I believe there is still more progress to make.

For example, the blanket advice that “you should not bedshare if your baby had a low birthweight” doesn’t consider the nuance of individual family situations.

Some families — particularly those with premature babies — may find that bedsharing becomes necessary for practical or emotional reasons. In those cases, parents should be given clear, evidence-based information about how to make bedsharing as safe as possible.

As a holistic sleep consultant, I support families to make informed, compassionate, and safe choices about sleep that work for them — without guilt or fear.

Final Thoughts

The updated NHS bedsharing guidance marks a long-overdue shift toward realistic and supportive sleep advice for parents.

By focusing on how to bedshare safely rather than discouraging it entirely, the NHS is helping parents make confident, informed decisions that balance safety, connection, and sleep quality.

For families who choose to co-sleep — or who find themselves doing so unexpectedly — this change is a very welcome one.

Every family’s sleep journey is unique — and it’s okay if yours includes bedsharing. Get personalised, evidence-based advice that supports both safety and connection.👉 Explore my 1:1 sleep support packages or book your free discovery call today.