Co-Sleeping

Most new mothers love lying down and having a snooze with their infants. A baby cuddling into its mom as it sleeps is a beautiful image. However, in September 1999, and again in May 2002, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) made bold statements cautioning against co-sleeping as well as the "hidden dangers" in the adult bed. Needless to say, this created a panic among parents who only wanted to share bonding moments with their babies.

The reason these statements caused such controversy-aside from the fact co-sleeping had been practiced in many different cultures in countries worldwide for centuries-was that they were made with no solid scientific research to back them up. In fact, there's more research indicating the benefits of co-sleeping than the dangers of it. (Research has indicated that there are also risks and dangers of putting an infant into its crib, which the CPSC neglected to include in their report.

The point is parents who choose to co-sleep with their infants and children should be given information on how to avoid such dangers and risks so they're prepared. After all, don't doctors or nurses tell you the right ways to set up your baby's crib to help prevent SIDS and other sleep risks?
The following is information taken from an issue of Mothering magazine focusing on the subject of sleeping with your baby. It's called the "Sleep Environment Safety Checklist." The list is a compilation of various sources representing recognized precautions to maximize infant safety in cribs as well as for parents who choose to bedshare.

Recommendations for both cribs and adult beds:
Use a firm mattress. Softer mattresses or futons can result in suffocation.
Be sure there are no gaps between the mattress and the bed/crib frame.
Any bedding should fit snuggly around the mattress.
Baby bedclothes that have strings or ties should be avoided.
Items such as stuffed animals, feather pillows or comforters should be avoided.
Be sure that baby's face isn't covered.
Baby should be on his or her back.
Adults should avoid smoking.
Overheating a room or overdressing baby should be avoided.
Be sure that crib or bed is away from window cords or sashes.

Crib specific recommendations:
Lower mattress once baby learns to sit so they won't fall or climb over the side rail. (Lower mattress to lowest point once baby learns to stand.)
Baby should be put into another bed entirely once they reach 35 inches or the side rail is three-quarters of his or her height.
Crib bumpers should have at least six ties, which should be no longer than six inches in length.
Mobiles should be placed out of reach once baby is five months old or they learn to sit, whichever comes first.
Remove crib gyms once baby can move on all fours.
The best way to keep baby warm is with a blanket sleeper. If a blanket is used, be sure baby's face isn't covered.

Additional information for bedsharing:
Parents with very long hair should keep it fastened or tied back to avoid suffocation.
Parents who use alcohol, drugs or prescription drugs that cause deep sleep should avoid bedsharing.
Head/foot rails need to have spaces no wider than those allowed in safety-approved cribs.
Bed rails should be avoided with babies under a year as they can become wedged between the mattress and bedrail.
Don't bedshare on a waterbed.
Adult bed should not be placed alongside furniture or wall as babies can become trapped within the space between bed and furniture/wall.

As general advice, sleeping with baby on sofas or overstuffed chairs should be avoided as baby could get wedged or entrapped then suffocate. And never leave baby to sleep on his or her own in the adult bed.

I am a mother of four children who chose to co-sleep with each of my children, at least for the first several months of their lives. Because I wasn't able to breastfeed (and my oldest daughter has severe sensory sensitivities), it was important to me to have special bonding time with them when I could. I also heard the warnings by the CSPC and was heavily cautioned against bedsharing. But I also knew parents who'd lost babies due to SIDS who took all necessary precautions in cribs. This shows that no one environment guarantees baby will be entirely risk free but that there are ways to reduce as many risks as we can.

Parents who want to share the adult bed with their baby should feel comfortable with their decision and be proactive in creating a safe, loving environment. With the proper information and enough preparation, they'll now be able to do so.