Bed sharing may actually reduce the risk of SIDS?

gypsymystic

According to this article, bed-sharing with mom may actually reduce the risk of SIDs. Though it seems to go against a lot of what we learn about 'safe sleep', women have been sharing their beds with their LOs for centuries. It also notes that in cultures like America where baby sleeping separately is more common, the risk for SIDs actually increases. What is your take on this?

https://www.llli.org/nb/nbmayjun99p68.html

caballo718

I do it and I've been told by everyone I shouldn't be doing it. I put DS in the rock n play in the beginning of the night but once he wakes for the MOTN feeding I bring him into bed with me and I love it! I also nap with him in my bed. I've been told time and time again that I'm creating bad habits but to be honest I don't care. This is what works for us. Plus I know he's happy and sleeping like a champ. Everyone wins.

momthatlifts

I hate bed sharing. I lose more sleep when I do it. I am always so extremely concerned that I'm going to accidentaly smoother her.

flockofmoosen3

So, in response to this article (from 1999), does dream feeding increase the risk for SIDS?

I bed share after the first feeding. She sleeps 12am to 4/430am. Once she is in bed with me she wakes every 2 hours to eat and then sleep again until 10am. I have started trying to put her back im her crib after the 430a feed, but bed sharing for 6am feed and on... though we have been successful with side-lying nursing and bed sharing, sometimes I dont trust myself if I feel like im sleeping heavily. Generally I sleep facing her with my knees and one arm in front so im not likely to roll forward. ETA: to finish the post...had issues on my tablet

LeeLee86

I believe that 100%. Your breathe encourages them to keep breathing. DD would never sleep unless it was with us for the first 2 months. We got an in bed co sleeper and I loved it. She got too big for it and moved to her room but for the next baby I will def be getting a side bed co-sleeper.

jenb_99

kitchencolors said:

From an evolutionary perspective it's a hard sell for me that bed sharing inherently dangerous. We don't do it because I don't sleep well with a baby in my bed.

Ditto.

I'm not 100% for or against any reasonable sleeping arrangement. Babies whose parents allow bed sharing die of SIDS. Babies whose parents follow all the latest rules and spend hundreds of dollars on fancy gadgets die of SIDS. Babies whose parents are flexible and just do whatever works die of SIDS. It's just not possible to completely prevent a tragedy whose causes aren't even fully understood.

Craved1

We bed share, seldom does his sleep in his bassinet at night that is next to our bed. During the day LO sleeps alone, 50% in his bassinet/ 50% in our bed, (has yet to make it to his crib ) but most nights he sleeps between DH and I. DH & I both prefer it, love the closeness we feel. Although I admit at times we don't always get a great nights sleep but LO does. I shared a bed with first DS, and he never had any problems transitioning and like @sexypumpkin‌ said, we keep all pillows and blankets away.

gypsymystic

My mom said she side nursed in bed with each of her 4 daughters. I never put DS1 in the bed- and never got any sleep. DS2 bed-shares with me, most times H sleeps in DS1's room because he moves around too much at night. I get a great night's sleep, and so does LO. I wonder why I never did this with DS1 but I had intense anxiety, from PPA/PPD. I too, was worried about smothering him. But I find I do not sleep heavy with baby in the bed. Like others mentioned, the pillows stay away from him and the blanket stays at my feet, I just wear a warm pair of PJs.

waldothewiener1

I'm glad you posted this. DS happens to sleep great in his rnp but if he didn't I would absolutely bed share. Sometimes if he wakes up for a MOTN feeding and I'm really tired I'll bring him to bed to side nurse. I felt so guilty for doing it for awhile but I'm not a very heavy sleeper, at least when he's there with me.
I've had so many instances where my weiner dog, who burrows under the covers by my feet, will make his way up by my side and it wakes me up and I think it's the baby under the covers and I freak out and whip them off and he's just looking at me wagging his tail lol.. Damn dog

runningyogimama

Othe people bed sharing doesn't bother me, but I don't want any babies or toddlers in my bed. Our bed is ours. They have their own beds. We co-sleep in the sense of in the same room until 5 or 6 months, but I have absolutely no interest in sharing my bed with my kids.

usernewname

JmeJme said:

Othe people bed sharing doesn't bother me, but I don't want any babies or toddlers in my bed. Our bed is ours. They have their own beds. We co-sleep in the sense of in the same room until 5 or 6 months, but I have absolutely no interest in sharing my bed with my kids.

Same here. Except DS is now in his own room since 8 weeks. We've all slept so much better.

I don't mind like evening or morning snuggles in my bed when no one is really sleeping. But for sleep sleep - you're in your own bed kid.

Mimaloo

JmeJme said:

Othe people bed sharing doesn't bother me, but I don't want any babies or toddlers in my bed. Our bed is ours. They have their own beds. We co-sleep in the sense of in the same room until 5 or 6 months, but I have absolutely no interest in sharing my bed with my kids.

Ditto. 

mimzgoy

caballo718 said:

I do it and I've been told by everyone I shouldn't be doing it. I put DS in the rock n play in the beginning of the night but once he wakes for the MOTN feeding I bring him into bed with me and I love it! I also nap with him in my bed. I've been told time and time again that I'm creating bad habits but to be honest I don't care. This is what works for us. Plus I know he's happy and sleeping like a champ. Everyone wins.

This exactly!!! Thank you!

Tifers777

Same here! We snuggle in the morning but that's it. My sister let my niece bed share til she was one and she's 6 and still isn't a good sleeper. She's always up coming to my sisters bed. On the other hand my nephew was in his crib since 3 months and he's sleeps like a champ and is now 4. So nope I'm keeping my bed to myself and baby in his own!

gypsymystic

My first son slept on his own since day one home from the hospital. He won't get out of our bed now for some reason. I am not quite sure it encourages them to sleep here or there, if that was the case, our first would sleep on his own no problem. lol.

pistolpackinmomma

If done safely/correctly then there are no issues with it. We went to see DH (he's only working 4 hours away right now) and DS1 slept in the bed with us. I brought the PNP for DS2 only because DS1 moves so much at night. I have to say, I kinda miss snuggling with him at night like that. I have put DS2 in his crib in his own room simply because he sleeps better and it allows DH and I to have sex still. Totally selfish I know but with 2 kids (one a toddler) it's harder to sneak it in during the day and with limited time together we have to do what we can. So for is it's easier to have him in his room so we can do our thing in our room. I still bring him to bed with me sometimes when DH isn't home.

thefussybunch

I do it when she wakes for her MOTN feeding. I really try to put her back in her RnP, but can't do it sometimes out of pure exhaustion. I must say though, I don't sleep well at all when we bed share.

bridetobe9132013

Does anyone else constantly worry about sids? It makes me sick worrying about it but I cant help it!