co-sleeping

noun

co-sleep·​ing (ˌ)kō-ˈslē-piŋ 

: the practice of sleeping in the same bed or close by in the same room with one's child

Parents should be aware of potential co-sleeping risks, including accidental smothering and children falling off the bed.

—Nicky Cohen

Besides making a baby feel safe, co-sleeping extends the quality time that parents can spend with her.

—Martin E. P. Seligman

compare bed-sharing

co-sleep

(ˌ)kō-ˈslēp 

intransitive verb

co-slept (ˌ)kō-ˈslept  ; co-sleeping; co-sleeps

… a mom of two in Atlanta. She loved breastfeeding, she returned to her career in marketing after maternity leave, and she co-slept with her babies for years.

—Parenting

Examples of co-sleeping in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The proud mom went on to state that motherhood was found in the playdates, school meetings, co-sleeping and emergency-room visits. — Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 23 June 2026

No official autopsy has been released, but court documents indicated that the cause of death was suffocation from co-sleeping. — Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 27 Feb. 2026

After a three-day trial, a Leavenworth mother was found guilty in the co-sleeping death of her infant daughter in the fall of 2022. — Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 26 Feb. 2026

Co-sleeping Is More Common While the debate rages on in America about whether or not co-sleeping is safe, in many African countries, including Kenya and South Africa, as well as Latin America, co-sleeping—whether bed-sharing or room-sharing—is an accepted practice. — Katrina Donham, Parents, 25 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1966, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for co-sleeping

• beekeeping
• bookkeeping
• gatekeeping
• housekeeping
• peacekeeping
• safekeeping
• timekeeping
• beeping
• creeping
• heaping
• keeping
• leaping