Sleeping with baby on sofa can lead to cot death, parents warned

PARENTS have been warned against sleeping on the sofa with their babies amid a rise in cot deaths.

Campaigners say newborns are at risk of sudden infant death syndrome (Sids) after a survey showed more than 40 per cent of parents are not co-sleeping safely. A poll of more than 8,500 parents by the Lullaby Trust, a cot death charity, to mark Safer Sleep Week has shown that 76 per cent have co-slept with their baby at some point.

However, more than 40 per cent of parents admitted to having done so in dangerous circumstances such as on a sofa, after drinking alcohol, or as a smoker. All of these circumstances greatly increase the risk of Sids.

Co-sleeping on a sofa or armchair was the most prevalent risk, with 40 per cent of parents having done so and 25 per cent more than once.

An adult falling asleep on a sofa or armchair with a baby increases the risk of Sids by up to 50 times.

Twelve per cent of respondents had smoked and shared a bed with their baby and 9 per cent said they had done so after drinking alcohol.

Studies have found that sharing a bed with your baby after drinking alcohol, taking drugs, or if you are a smoker has a very high risk of death.

Around 133 babies die each year in co-sleeping situations, many of which are high-risk circumstances.

Jenny Ward, acting CEO of the Lullaby Trust, said: “Co-sleeping needs to be discussed with all families.

“We know from talking to parents that if they are told not to co-sleep they will then feel they cannot discuss what actually happens.

“As a result they will not get important advice on how to co-sleep more safely. Even if parents do not plan to, many still fall asleep with their babies unintentionally.

“If given the right advice, parents can prepare for planned and unplanned co-sleeping that will help to mitigate those risks and reduce the chance of Sids.”

The Lullaby Trust is urging parents to speak with health professionals on co-sleeping to do it more safely.

Parents should not co-sleep with babies born prematurely (before 37 weeks of pregnancy) or weighing under 2.5kg or 5½lbs when they were born.