With approximately 3,500 infants in the United States dying annually from sleep-related causes including sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), health experts are emphasizing safe sleep practices. As new parents often face extreme sleep deprivation, understanding the risks associated with bed sharing and co-sleeping is critical for infant safety.
AAP Safe Sleep Recommendations
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends several specific practices for all infants. These include placing babies on their backs to sleep using a firm surface with only a fitted sheet. Parents should keep blankets, pillows, toys, and soft items out of the sleep space and avoid using couches, armchairs, swings, or car seats for sleep, except when traveling in a vehicle.
Additional Preventative Health Measures
To further reduce risks, experts suggest sharing a room with the baby for at least the first six months without sharing a bed. Other preventative steps include breastfeeding when possible, staying up to date on vaccines, offering a pacifier at sleep time, and avoiding exposure to alcohol, drugs, and smoke.
Risks of Baby Sleep Products
The use of products designed to keep babies close to parents remains a point of caution. While the US Consumer Product Safety Commission has established standards for bedside sleepers that attach to a parent's bed, the American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend them due to insufficient research regarding their impact on sleep-related death risks. Similarly, in-bed sleepers placed directly on adult mattresses lack specific CPSC standards and have limited research available.
Managing Feeding and Sleep Deprivation
Alanna Brickley, MD, a pediatrician at University of Utah Health, noted that infants require frequent feedings that often occur while parents are sleep-deprived. She stated that the American Academy of Pediatrics has acknowledged that parents frequently fall asleep during these feedings. If a parent does fall asleep while feeding, they should avoid using couches or armchairs and should place the infant back on a separate sleep surface as soon as they wake up.
Advice for Co-Sleeping Parents
For those who choose to co-sleep, Dr. Brickley recommends using a bedside sleeper that provides a separate sleep surface, noting that the risk of bed sharing is particularly high during the first four months of life.
Informed Decision Making and Bonding
Dr. Brickley acknowledged that co-sleeping can be viewed positively regarding maternal sleep and parent-infant bonding. She stated that while parents are entitled to make decisions they believe are best for their families, her role is to provide the evidence behind recommendations so parents can make informed choices. Parents unsure of the safest setup are encouraged to consult with their child's pediatrician.
