Not only is it safe, but it may also be beneficial. As long as the mother does not fall asleep, it’s ok for the baby to doze off while latched onto the breast. The main danger could be accidental suffocation or sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), but this risk is greatly reduced when parents follow safe sleeping recommendations.
Once your baby falls asleep, detach them gently from the breast and place them on their back, inside the crib. If they get fussy you can give them a pacifier, which has been shown to reduce the risk of SIDS [1].
This is easy enough during the day, but things can get tricky at night when a tired mother can fall asleep with her baby latched onto her breast. For this reason, many moms prefer to nurse their babies at night while sitting on a chair, but this can pose a greater danger than nursing on the parental bed if the mother falls asleep. The safest scenario is to nurse your baby on your bed, and then transfer them to a crib or bassinet close by [1], this applies to breastfed babies and to those whose parents are unable to nurse or have chosen to give their baby formula.
If you are able and have chosen to breastfeed, an added advantage could be melatonin. Newborn babies do not produce their own melatonin (the sleep hormone), but the one you produce at night will get into your breast milk and may help your baby sleep. Studies have also shown [2] that melatonin not only regulates sleep but also reduces the frequency of colic in babies. All things considered; it is common for babies to literally fall asleep at the breast, and that’s ok; just make sure to maintain control of the situation and always follow safe sleeping recommendations.
