I am on a committee that that works on various neonatal guidelines for a
number of hospitals within the zone that my hospital is part of.  The issue
of the safety of breast feeding babies co-sleeping in hospital has arisen in
relation to SIDs sleeping guidelines we are working on.  I realise
co-sleeping in a hospital environment is a complex isssue when so many
mothers have had caesarians, pain relief, may be overtired etc. and are
sleeping in relatively narrow beds but there can be significant benefits as
well.  From the preliminary reading I have done, I believe that it will be
relatively easy to support co-bedding for breast fed babies (where baby
feeds in bed but is put back into bed to sleep when mum sleeps) but I really
need the hard evidence for those occasions when safe co-sleeping may be
considered.

I have looked in the archives and I have accessed the UK  BFHI Unicef site
for their co-sleeping guidelines and am in the process of accessing and
reviewing relevant research.  However I was wondering if anybody could
privately email me their guidelines for co-sleeping (either pro or against)
and any references you may have that supports or refutes this practice.  I
am particularly interested in any Australian Guidelines and what Australian
hospitals are doing and  I would welcome Lactnet discussion on this.  Our
national (NHMRC) Infant feeding Guidelines for Health Workers clearly
recommend health workers promote the principles of the Baby Friendly
Initiative so that is a good place to start but unfortunately don't address
the issue of co-sleeping. Does anybody know anything about the contents of
the recent pamplet put out by BFHI Australia, Maternity Coalition and
Australian Lactation Consultants on co-sleeping?


Thanks
Marian Rigney RN IBCLC

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