Sue Jacoby wrote:
<Well, I have a BIG problem with it.  It is conflating SIDS with overlaying.>

It isn't even mentioning either, for goodness' sake. It's highlighting the fact that there is an increased risk there.


<Drugs, alcohol, smoking?  Sure they are linked to SIDS.  But not in the way the poster depicts it.  If a mother smoked (and to some extent, used drugs and alcohol) during pregnancy, she has increased her babies' risk of SIDS, whether she sleeps with him or not!>

However, bedsharing with a smoking parent increases the risk considerably more than just *having* a parent who smokes (which, of course, is still not a good idea.)

[...]

<If you did none of the above, and you breastfeed, take your baby to bed!  It's protective for SIDS>

Unfortunately, the evidence doesn't support this. Bedsharing in the early months of life consistently comes out as a risk factor in studies even when allowing for risks such as smoking/drinking/sofa sleeping. See http://parentingmythsandfacts.com/2011/12/15/the-truth-about-bedsharing-risks-and-why-it-may-not-be-what-you-think/, where I've written about this in a lot more detail.

Of course, if done with all regard to safety the risks are low enough that a 'never bedshare' message is too simplistic and has its own drawbacks, but the risks are not non-existent and the evidence certainly doesn't support telling parents it's protective.


Best wishes,

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