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Where should babies sleep, alone or with parents?
Abstract   Peer reviewed

Where should babies sleep, alone or with parents?

P S Blair, P J Fleming, I J Smith, M Ward Platt, Jeanine Young, P Nadin, P J Berry and J Golding
Proceedings of the 6th SIDS International Conference, p.33
SIDS International Conference, 6th (Auckland, New Zealand, 08-Feb-2000–11-Feb-2000)
2000
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http://www.ispid.org/fileadmin/user_upload/textfiles/SIDSI2000_handbook1Feb.pdfView
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Abstract

Paediatrics and Reproductive Medicine sudden infant death syndrome
Whilst the benefits of the supine sleeping position for infants are now clear, there is no consensus on where the infant should sleep in relation to the parents. The risks associated with different sleeping environments and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) has been investigated. Methods A three year case-control study conducted in 5 of 14 Health Regions in England (population ~ 17 million, 500,000 livebirths). Parental interviews were conducted for each infant who died and for four controls matched for age and time of sleep. Ascertainment was over 90% [1][2]. This analysis includes 325 SIDS and 1300 matched controls. Results In the multivariate analysis infants who bed-shared and were then put back in their own cot were not at an increased risk (OR=0.67 [95%CI:0.22-2.00]). There was an increased risk associated with those who bed-shared for the whole sleep or were taken to and found in the parental bed (OR=9.78 [95%CI:4.02-23.83]), infants who slept in a separate room from their parents (OR=10.49 [95%CI:4.26-25.81]) and infants who shared a sofa (OR=48.99 [95%CI:5.04-475.60]). The risk associated with being found in the parental bed was not significant for older infants (>14 weeks) or for infants of nonsmoking parents. Certain risk factors specifically associated with the cot environment (e.g. prone position, headcovering) served to increase the significance associated with bed-sharing. In a moren relation to the parents. The risksassociated with different sleepingenvironments and sudden infant deathsyndrome (SIDS) has been investigated. restricted a priori model controlling for recent maternal alcohol consumption (>2 units), duvet covers (>4 togs), parental tiredness (infant slept =4 hours for longest sleep in previous 24 hours) and overcrowded housing conditions (>2 people per room of the house), bed-sharing became nonsignificant. Conclusions There are certain circumstances when bed-sharing should be avoided, particularly relevant for infants less than 4 months old. Sofa-sharing with infants should always be avoided. There is no vidence that bed-sharing is hazardous for infants of non-smoking parents.

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