Risk associated with co-sleeping

[maisiemog]

I am getting confused now with regard to the risk associated with co-sleeping. We half co-sleep with ds (8 months). We put him in his cot for naps and when he first goes to bed, otherwise he falls out of bed. Then he comes in later and stays there for the rest of the night.
He has slept with me since we were in hospital together and he refused to sleep in the cot, and as he had problems bfing initially we needed lots of skin to skin.
I fully intend to continue to co-sleep, as the whole family enjoys it. And will co-sleep with any subsequent children.
I had always believed there was no real difference in the risk of cot death, whether babies were in a cot or in a bed (apart from when on drugs etc...), so thought on balance, I could choose to do whichever suited me best.
However, there has been recent publicity regarding co-sleeping, and the increased risk of cot death. All I can find on the topic is the increased risk if the parents are smokers (though I can't imagine that sleeping in a cot would help in that case)
In this article, smoking was sited as the main deterrent from co-sleeping, (but the article also outlined the possible risk to bfing if mums were encouraged to put their babies into cots.)
So is that why we are ALL being told not to co-sleep. I am an ex-smoker and haven't smoked for years, but am confused by this recent advice. Do they mean me?

[TracyK]

I did the same for ds and he's fine.

[CarolinaMoon]

I think some v recent research was reported in the media as being about co-sleeping in bed, but actually included deaths resulting from napping together on sofas and chairs, which is more risky.

[ruty]

i saw some specialist talking about it on TV a few months ago. She said the latest research proves no risk to co sleeping over the age of 8 weeks unless you smoke or someone smokes in the house, or if you drink or take medications or drugs. I'm not sure what the risk is under 8 weeks but i think it is low unless same factors. The fact that you used to smoke shouldn't be relevant i think.

[CarolinaMoon]

Actually, there's evidence that SIDS (as opposed to death caused by smothering) is less likely if you bf and co-sleep, partly because the baby will be lying on its back or side and partly because of the way your sleep cycle synchronises with the baby's, which means that you tend to rouse the baby out of deep sleep when you sleep lightly yourself. Under this theory, SIDS is thought to result from babies sleeping too deeply to wake up if their breathing is interrupted.

[ruty]

very interesting.

[maisiemog]

Hi, thanks for that info. I do remember looking at a website with something by the co-sleeping doctor Sears, forget his first name.
He argued that the mother regulated her baby's breathing in the way that you said Carolina.
I know when my ds was in bed with me in the first few months, I was aware of him and would wake up and check him constantly.
On the days when he was in his carry cot, a much longer time would elapse without my checking him.

[milward]

See the UNICEF babyfriendly website - have a pdf leaflet on co-sleeping.