The risk of sudden infant death syndrome is multiplied by five for infants under three months who sleep in their parents’ bed, according to a British study.
Sleep with your infant in the same bed because it is easier at night to breastfeed? A bad idea… It multiplies by 5 the risk of sudden infant death syndrome! And this is a risk quite independent of other factors, such as the presence of a blanket, or the smoking of the parents.
This risk estimate was established by a team of British researchers from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. She studied 19 studies on sudden infant death syndrome, or 1,472 cases. Result: 22% of recorded deaths occurred in families where we practiced “co-sleeping” or “cosleeping”.
The team also estimated that 88% of these unexpected infant deaths “probably” would not have occurred if the children had been lying in their cribs.
“This risk was already known to specialists but for the first time, it quantifies it in a precise and independent way, underlines Dr. Inge Harrewijn, pediatrician at the reference center on unexpected infant death in Montpellier. This gives us an additional argument to convince young mothers, or young parents, who want to sleep with their infant, either for convenience or to calm possible anxieties. “
In France, each year, around 250 babies are affected, according to the study by the Institute for Public Health Surveillance in 2009. 90% of deaths occur before the child’s six months and the 2 to 4 months are the most exposed. “We believe that there is still room to reduce the number of deaths,” adds Dr Harrewijn. In 1994, a national information campaign had made it possible to make it fall by 75%! Since then, there has been no communication, yet we see that a sleeping problem is mentioned in 46% of deaths. “
Listen to Dr Inge Harrewijn, pediatrician at the reference center on unexpected infant death at the Montpellier CHRU. ” It is estimated that 100 to 150 deaths could be prevented “.
If putting your baby in his bed is an aggravating risk factor, conversely sleeping in the same room is a protective factor. “We recommend it for around 6 months,” explains Dr Inge Harrewijn. Afterwards, it is less profitable for the child and for the parents. ”
Is the fashion for cradles glued to the bed a good solution? “Why not, you just have to follow a few simple sleeping rules”. Namely, lay your baby on his back, in his sleeping bag, on a firm mattress, and in a crib without cushion, sheet, duvet, baby wedge, or bumper … The room must not be overheated (18 ° C to 20 ° C) and the air must circulate (see the 10 golden rules). It is necessary to be vigilant, but “we must not be afraid, tempers the pediatrician. It’s no use going to see your baby every two minutes. “
Listen to Dr Inge Harrewijn. ” The golden rules of sleeping. “
Do we know the causes of these unexpected deaths? Doctors evoke several tracks. “We know that children between two and four months old are in a critical period of development, both cardiac and pulmonary. Then there are factors that make infants more vulnerable such as parental smoking, premature birth, low birth weight. Then, we also determined the triggers, such as lying on his stomach, or lung infections, so the number of deaths from sudden death is higher in winter. “
Listen to Dr Inge Harrewijn. ” Factors make the child more vulnerable, such as the mother’s smoking, premature birth, low birth weight. “
To intensify research and increase prevention, pediatricians from the 34 French reference centers on unexpected infant death have decided to combine their efforts. An association was formed to create a national register of sudden infant deaths, and also to call on the public authorities to relaunch an information campaign for the general public.
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