Babies Should Sleep in Cribs

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Parents, don't let your baby share a bed with you. New guidelines for preventing sudden infant death syndrome from the American Academy of Pediatrics say infants should not sleep in the same bed as their parents.

In 2000, the American Academy of Pediatrics released a position paper that said in some situations sharing a bed with an infant can be dangerous. The new guidelines bluntly say parents should never allow a baby to sleep in shared bed.

Research published in 2003 in the journal Pediatrics found babies who sleep in an adult bed face a risk of suffocation nearly 40-times greater than babies who sleep in standard cribs.

The new recommendations advise parents that babies should sleep in a crib, bassinet or cradle in the parents' bedroom. The policy statement also says babies should not sleep in beds with other children or with an adult on a couch or armchair.

The policy restates some of the old guidelines: Babies should sleep on their backs, on a firm mattress, and with a thin sheet for cover. No pillows or comforters should be in the crib with the infant. Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of SIDS, and giving pacifiers at naptime and bedtime are associated with a reduced risk of SIDS.

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SOURCE: American Academy of Pediatrics position paper, released Oct. 20, 2005