"Oct. 10 - Dr. Sears speaks out against new AAP policy on co-sleepingThe American Academy of Pediatrics recently published a new policy on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome prevention (To view the policy visit http://www.aap.org/ncepr/sids.htm). They state that side-sleeping may pose a risk of SIDS and now advise parents to avoid the side sleeping position. Back sleeping is the safest, and we agree. They also cite research that suggests pacifier use may decrease the risk of SIDS. We don’t recommend breastfed babies use a pacifier, but parents should make that decision for themselves.
What we do disagree with is that the AAP continues to recommend against co-sleeping with a baby in the parents’ bed. In our experience and review of worldwide research, sleeping with a baby in the parents’ bed dramatically reduces the risk of SIDS. While the AAP policy doesn’t say co-sleeping causes SIDS, it says the risk of accidental suffocation of approximately 65 babies each year in a parent’s bed (which isn’t SIDS – it’s accidental death) warrants avoiding co-sleeping. What the AAP continues to ignore, however, is the fact that virtually all of the 2500 cases of SIDS each year in the U.S. occur in cribs.
The logical conclusion is that a baby is much less likely to suffer an accidental suffocation in a parent’s bed then they are to die of SIDS. Therefore, co-sleeping is much safer. And if parents follow our safe-sleeping guidelines (click here) they can ensure their baby will be sleeping in the safest possible environment.
Research around the U.S. has shown that about half of American families co-sleep with their babies. We should focus our efforts on teaching parents to do this safely instead of trying to get them to change their parenting instincts and use a crib. "
(from Pediatric News Updates courtesy of the Dr. Sears website)
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