If you’re a brand new mom it’s natural to want to be with your baby as much as possible. Spending time together is important to help nurture and strengthen the special bond that exists between mother and child. Many moms extend this closeness to bed time by allowing the new baby to sleep with them. Although the custom of infant bed sharing has been practiced throughout history in almost all cultures, it’s recently come under scrutiny due to potential health concerns. Should you share a bed with your baby?

While there are advantages to infant bed sharing such as the opportunity to bond and a greater sense of security for both parties, sharing the bed baby has its risks and drawbacks, particularly from a safety standpoint. Studies have shown that more than fifty percent of deaths related to SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) occurred when an infant shared the bed with a parent.

Why does infant bed sharing increase the risk of SIDS? When parents share beds with an infant, the baby is more likely to have access to soft pillows and other bedding materials that could increase the risk of suffocation. A baby who shares a bed with mom is also more likely to sleep in an unstable sleeping position such as on his side or stomach.The ideal sleep position to reduce the risk of SIDS is to position a baby on his back.

An article published in American Family Physician emphasized that infant bed sharing was most dangerous for babies younger than four months of age as well as premature, low birth weight babies. The risk to infants older than four months of age weren’t as apparent. Another drawback to infant bed sharing is the effect it can have on sleep patterns. Sharing beds with baby can make sleep more fragmented for both parties. It’s also critical that infant bed sharing not take place if one or both parents smoke or use alcohol.

What’s the solution? The safest compromise may be to baby close at night by placing his crib in the same room as mom and dad. This can provide the new mom with a sense of security, knowing that baby is within easy reach without the potential risks of SIDS that come with infant bed sharing. A crib is a better alternative to a bed for a young infant since it’s designed to meet safety standards. The good news is you’ll sleep better knowing you have baby close by.