Co-sleeeping with your baby
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Co-sleeping: sleeping in safety
What is co-sleeping?
The term co-sleeping brings together two distinct practices:
- room sharing;
- bed sharing (also called shared sleeping).
In the case of room sharing, the baby and his parents sleep in the same room, but in different beds. In the case of bed sharing, the baby sleeps in the same bed as at least one of his parents.
What are the recommendations regarding co-sleeping?
The United Kingdom Paediatric Society recommends that babies 6 months or younger be put to sleep in a bassinet installed in the parents' room. This is the safest place for a baby to sleep.
The United Kingdom Paediatric Society recommends against bed sharing, as this practice would not be safe. In fact, infants die every year while sleeping with their parents. The American Academy of Paediatrics also recommends against bed sharing. Instead, they recommend room sharing for the first 6 months and, if possible, the first year.
Other specialists, however, believe that sharing a bed with a baby can be safe, if parents respect safety rules.
Bed sharing and sudden infant death syndrome: Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) refers to the sudden death of a healthy baby under 1 year of age while sleeping. To date, the cause of SIDS remains unknown.
Several experts, however, associate bed sharing with SIDS. SIDS affects fewer than one in 1,000 babies in The United Kingdom. The risk is greatest the first 6 months.
Research shows that room sharing can help reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. When bed sharing, the risk of SIDS is lower if your baby:
- Was born at term (after 37 weeks of pregnancy) and healthy;
- Weighed more than 2,500 g (5.5 lb) at birth;
- is over 4 months old at the time of co-sleeping; is breastfed.
- The longer you breastfeed, the more protected your baby will be against SIDS.
Risk factors for sudden infant death syndrome: University studies have concluded that bed sharing is the main risk factor for sudden infant death syndrome, especially in the first 6 months.
When a baby dies while sleeping in the same bed as his parents, the investigation generally reveals the presence of at least one other risk factor (the first two are the most common):
- Being exposed to maternal smoking during pregnancy and second-hand smoke after birth;
- Sleeping on your stomach;
- Sleeping near an adult whose state is impaired by alcohol, drugs, medication or very tired (more than usual);
- Having difficulty breathing or suffocating because of a soft bedding item (e.g. pillow, comforter) or a soft sleeping surface;
- Being too hot (sweating) due to excess clothing, too many blankets or the temperature in the room being too high.
Even if no risk factors are present, there is still an increased, but very small, risk of sudden death when a baby shares the bed with his parents, a study totaling 1,000 cases concluded.
The limits of studies on co-sleeping: Published studies on bed sharing are often the subject of criticism from experts and organizations working with parents and their babies. Here are their main criticisms:
- Researchers group the different types of bed sharing together without distinction. For example, the study will not take into account the fact that sleeping with a baby on a couch is riskier than sleeping with him on a firm bed.
- Researchers do not consider other risk factors associated with deaths during co-sleeping, such as smoking and parental consumption of alcohol, drugs or medication.
- Generally speaking, the results would not allow us to determine whether bed sharing is, in itself, a risk factor for sudden infant death syndrome or whether it is rather the conditions in which it is practised that could be dangerous. To date, there are no studies to discourage or encourage bed sharing.
Risks associated with bed sharing: According to an United Kingdom survey conducted in 2017 and 2018, 33% of mothers surveyed said that someone had frequently shared their child's bed when they were a baby. Bed sharing was occasional for 27% of the mothers interviewed, while 40% of mothers had never resorted to this practice.
According to experts: an adult bed would not be safe for a baby, especially when the child can move around easily. He could then find himself stuck in the various structures of the bed or between the mattress and the wall;
when sharing a bed, the parent could also roll over their very young baby, especially if their state of alertness is impaired by alcohol or drugs or if they are very tired (more than usual); the baby could fall and be seriously injured if sleeping on an elevated surface.
Not on the couch! All experts agree: sleeping with your baby on a couch, recliner or cushioned chair is dangerous.
The baby risks finding himself caught between the cushions and the parent. In recent years, the number of deaths occurring in these circumstances has increased in Scotland.
Benefits associated with bed sharing:Mother who co-sleeps and breast-feeds
However, the risks associated with sharing a bed with a baby are not unanimously agreed upon within the scientific community. Some experts are in favour of this practice.
Here are the benefits associated with it:
Easier breastfeeding: This is the reason given by the majority of parents who sleep with their baby. Studies show that mothers who share their baby's bed breastfeed more often and approximately 3 times longer.
Less disrupted parental sleep: Bed sharing allows parents to feed or comfort their baby in the first months without having to get up. Better responsiveness in the mother: Mothers who share their child's bed check his child's condition more often and therefore respond more quickly to his signals.
That said, there is not enough data to demonstrate that bed sharing actually causes these benefits. The benefits associated with bed sharing come more from expert opinions or small studies.
Basic Safety Rules for Safe Baby Sleep: Here are the rules to follow to make sure your baby is safe when sleeping. They apply as much to babies who sleep in their own bed as to those who share their parents' bed. They should be followed at all times, regardless of the location (e.g.: at home, on a visit, on holiday).
- The safest place for a baby to sleep is in a bassinet, cradle or bassinet that meets United Kingdom safety standards.
- Avoid exposing your baby to any tobacco or cannabis smoke or any vaping products. You should always protect your child from second-hand smoke too.
- Always lay your baby on his back, whether for the night or for a nap. The number of SIDS cases decreased markedly (more than 50%) wherever parents followed this instruction.
- When the child is able to turn around on his own (usually around 6 months of age), it is no longer necessary to place him on his back.
- Do not sleep with your baby if you are very tired (more than usual) or if you have taken alcohol, drugs or medication that makes you sleepy.
- An obese parent (body mass index 30 or more) should also not share a bed with their baby.
- Make sure the space where your baby sleeps is safe so that your baby does not fall or get stuck between two objects (e.g.: the mattress and the wall or the mattress and another piece of furniture).
- Some experts suggest that the bed be made large enough and the base removed. They also recommend placing the mattress on the floor in the centre of the room, away from walls and furniture.
- If you bring your baby into your bed at night, let the other parent know if they are sleeping with you so they can be more vigilant. However, the safest thing is for your baby to be in the bed with only one parent.
- Make sure your baby is not too hot. When your baby sleeps next to you, your body heat warms him. Don't dress him too warmly to sleep, as being too hot increases the risk of SIDS.
- Tie up your hair and wear clothes without drawstrings. Long hair and cords pose a strangulation hazard to your baby.
- Do not let your baby sleep alone in an adult bed.
- Never let your baby sleep with another child, an adult who is not their parent, or an animal.
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A safe position to sleep with your baby is to lie on your side and place your baby on his or her back with his or her head level with your chest. This way, it is less likely to end up at the head of the bed and in the ears