Medical professionals believe in the benefits of sleeping near one's baby -- but not in the same bed.
+ Technology/Innovation
Jamie Barrand | Feb 13, 2016

Study outlines benefits of sleeping near baby, not in same bed

A new study, conducted by researchers from Boston University and funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), shows that mothers who sleep in the same room -- but not in the same bed -- as their infants are no less likely to breastfeed than those who sleep in the same beds.

Previous studies have found babies who sleep in the same bed as their mother have a higher risk of dying as a result of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). These studies led to the development of NIH's Safe to Sleep campaign, which encourages mothers to sleep near, but not in the same bed with, their babies.

Proponents of co-sleeping feel not sharing a bed with their babies might make mothers less likely to breastfeed. However, the Boston University study showed that while 65.5 percent of survey respondents slept in the same room but not the same bed and 20.7 percent were co-sleeping, overall 30 percent of the respondents were exclusively breastfeeding their babies.

The study also indicated that most of the women who were room-sharing but not bed-sharing were doing so because they had been advised by a health professional.

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