Baby Rolls Away While Sleeping—Mom's Quick Thinking Caught on Camera

Newsweek

14-05-2025

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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A co-sleeping mom has captured her quick response to her baby rolling away from her in bed.
Jillian Sigurdson (@jillianmothers) from Ontario, Canada, posted footage from a camera she installed in their bedroom where she sleeps with her 13-month-old daughter.
In the Instagram reel, the baby rolls away from her mom in their shared bed, and despite being "dead asleep" Sigurdson's arm instinctively reaches out to ensure she knows where she is.
Footage from bedroom camera showing a mom and 13-month-old baby in bed together in the night.
Footage from bedroom camera showing a mom and 13-month-old baby in bed together in the night.
@jillianmothers
"She wasn't in any danger–she could have rolled away with no issue–but that's not the point of the video," the 30-year-old told Newsweek.
"It showcases the deep-rooted bond between mother and child: as soon as she stirs, I respond. I'm completely asleep and have no recollection of it happening, but even in my sleep, I'm aware of where she is."
For Sigurdson, co-sleeping wasn't the original plan when she had her first child just over a year ago. "I had every intention of using a bassinet, a crib and following the ABCs of sleep," she said.
But her daughter refused to sleep unless she was right beside her mother. "She woke up within seconds of being laid down, every single time," Sigurdson said. "I didn't try once or twice; I tried for months. I had no other options. In my case, it became a risk evaluation."
Her setup is carefully designed for safety–a floor bed in a fully baby-proofed room.
"There's a specific set of guidelines called the Safe Sleep Seven that outlines how to do it safely," she told Newsweek. "If you meet the criteria and can co-sleep safely, the benefits are immense for both mother and baby."
Isadora Ambrose, a certified holistic health infant sleep specialist and mom of three believes it's important to normalize the conversation around co-sleeping so families feel empowered to make informed choices.
"The blanket message to never co-sleep often leads to unsafe co-sleeping practices, as exhausted parents fall asleep unintentionally in unsafe environments like sofas or recliners," Ambrose said.
In her five years' experience of supporting co-sleeping families, many parents lie about their choice to co-sleep for fear and judgment.
This silence prevents them from accessing the education and support they need to create safe sleep environments.
"Parents are often told to trust devices, gadgets or external solutions over their own instincts and biological connection to their baby," she said.
Clocking up six million views, Sigurdson's reel has drawn mixed reactions online, with hundreds of comments of support and criticism.
"The comments are very mixed, about 50/50 between mothers who can relate and staunch anti-co-sleepers," she told Newsweek.
Instagram appears to show comments based on the viewer's perspective: supporters often see supportive comments, while critics tend to see critiques, Sigurdson said.
"That's important to know–the comment section doesn't truly lean in one direction," she added.
Beyond the attention and new followers, Sigurdson hopes to use her platform to educate.
"Teaching safe co-sleeping to new mothers is harm reduction," she said. "The U.S. has some of the highest rates of sleep-related infant deaths among wealthy nations, despite their strict guidelines against co-sleeping. Shaming mothers who co-sleep doesn't protect babies–education does."