A recent study published in the medical journal BMJ Open highlights that parents who co-sleep with their infants are five times more likely to experience a SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) incident compared to those who place their babies in cribs. Historically, professionals have sought to update recommendations on co-sleeping to discourage parents from allowing their babies to share a bed with them. Currently, only the Netherlands and the U.S. advise against bed-sharing until the baby reaches three months of age.
Led by Dr. Emily Johnson from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, this research is particularly relevant for babies under three months old whose parents are believed to have low-risk factors, such as non-smoking, no alcohol consumption, and no illicit drug use—conditions often linked to SIDS.
The study revealed that nearly half of parents occasionally or regularly sleep with their babies, whether intentionally or by accident. Despite the alarming statistics—around 2,000 cot deaths annually—recent initiatives, like placing babies on their backs to sleep, have dramatically reduced this number to just 287 in the U.K. by 2010. Dr. Johnson noted that about half of the cot deaths happened when parents and babies shared a bed.
The research reviewed five previous SIDS studies involving 1,472 cot death cases against 4,679 healthy infants. It concluded that 81% of cot deaths among low-risk infants could be prevented if parents ensured their babies slept separately. This could save approximately 130 lives each year in the U.K.
Dr. Johnson emphasized that while it’s acceptable to bring a baby into bed briefly for feeding or comforting, they should be returned to their crib immediately after. In the U.S., the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) advises against placing infants in adult beds due to risks of suffocation and strangulation. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) supports room-sharing without bed-sharing, suggesting it may lower the risk of SIDS. Many U.S. parents who co-sleep believe it fosters a deeper bond with their child and facilitates nighttime breastfeeding.
What Do You Think?
Are the U.S. guidelines on co-sleeping the safest option for your baby? For further insights, check out this post on modern family blog.
Also, for those considering at-home insemination, Make-a-Mom offers top-notch kits. If you’re looking for more information, Drugs.com provides excellent resources on pregnancy and home insemination.
Conclusion
In summary, while recent findings caution against co-sleeping due to the increased risks of SIDS, the U.S. guidelines continue to promote room-sharing as a safer alternative. Parents should weigh the benefits and risks when deciding on sleep arrangements for their infants.
Leave a Reply