An obese parent may not be aware of their baby’s position in the bed 13. The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine recommends further research into how maternal obesity may affect the risks and benefits of bed-sharing (ABM, 2020).īreastfeeding is associated with a lower risk of SIDS and formula is associated with an increased risk.A premature or low birthweight baby has an increased risk of SIDS 12.Nils Bergman has an interesting theory as to why this is protective 10 11. It is recommended that babies are placed on their backs to sleep not on their side or tummy (ABM, 2008). #5 Do not lie your baby on his tummy to sleep (prone position) A responsible adult should be present at all times and a baby should not be left alone on an adult bed 9. #4 Do not bed-share with your baby while bed-sharing with other childrenīabies less than 12 months old should not sleep with other small siblings. These substances, including some general medications, could change your awareness when you are asleep (ABM, 2020). #3 Do not bed-share if you have taken alcohol or drugs They are also at risk of accidental death as they can easily slip into a position where they are trapped and can’t breathe. Reason: the risk of SIDS is 50 times higher for babies when they sleep on a sofa or armchair with an adult. It is not recommended to bed-share on a waterbed either 8.Įxcerpt from Safer Sleep for Babies a Guide for Parents, Unicef/BASIS/Lullaby Trust, 2019 #2 Do not sleep with your baby on a sofa, armchair or waterbedĪ sofa, settee, armchair or soft surface like a pillow are not safe spaces as a baby can get trapped in them (ABM, 2020). His list of Safe Co-sleeping Guidelines explains that safe sleep starts with a smoke free pregnancy and continues with breastfeeding your baby and a continual smoke free atmosphere. McKenna is Director of the Mother-Baby Sleep Laboratory, University of Notre Dame. But you can minimise your baby’s nighttime exposure to smoke by keeping his bed away from yours, by bringing him into your bed only for feeds, and by staying between him and a partner who smokes. With regard to room-sharing with a parent who smokes, the authors of Sweet Sleep, 2014 say:Įven if you or your partner smokes, most research and health organisations still suggest keeping your baby in your room at night for at least the first half-year. The Lullaby Trust says that bed-sharing is not advisable if either parent is a smoker, even if they never smoke in the bedroom 6. The risk of SIDS is said to be 10 times higher if a baby shares a bed with a smoking parent 7. Smoking around a baby has been shown to increase the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (unexplained deaths) when using both cots and bed-sharing arrangements. There is a strong association between SIDS and smoking exposure. It is therefore important that all parents know the safety issues and how to bed-share safely, even if they don’t initially plan to take their baby into bed. Many of these parents did not plan to bed-share but found their baby settled better there and breastfeeding was easier. Research reveals three quarters of breastfed babies sleep with their mother or parents some of the time in the early months 3. Once the safety issues are accounted for The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine says: Excerpt from ABM Clinical Protocol #6: Bedsharing and Breastfeeding, Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine (ABM), 2020.Įxisting evidence does not support the conclusion that bedsharing among breastfeeding infants (i.e., breastsleeping) causes sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in the absence of known hazards Safety issues: plan ahead And mothers like to be close to their babies to check on them. However bed-sharing remains popular because a baby wants to be close to his mother and often can’t sleep well without her. In addition, bed-sharing when a baby isn’t breastfed, could introduce changes to a baby’s physiology, health and behaviour 2. 1īed-sharing with baby is more complicated because modern thick duvets, soft pillows, mattresses and high beds have potential safety issues surrounding them such as overheating, suffocation risk or falls from the bed. Room-sharing day and night with baby sleeping in their own cot close to a parent for the first six months, is widely promoted as a safe place for a baby to sleep. Sleeping close or “co-sleeping” can describe both a baby sleeping in his own cot close to his mother in the same room (separate sleep or room-sharing), or when mother and baby share a sleep surface (bed-sharing).
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