Consumer Reports is directing citizens to a new study out of the United Kingdom which enforces the idea that babies are in greater danger of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome if they sleep in the same bed as their parents.
The research, which can be found in a publication called BMJ Open, took a look at nearly 1,500 cases of SIDS throughout the UK. The study specifically analyzed those children who did not seem like they would be predisposed to the condition. The parents in the cases studied generally abstained from drug usage, alcohol consumption, and smoking. Researchers came to the conclusion that more than four out of five instances of SIDS could have been avoided if the newborn was placed in his or her own sleep environment.
This study aligns with recommendations previously offered by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 1992. At that time, the organization proclaimed the advisability of placing a child in his or her own crib. In the years since, those directives have gone even further. The AAP asks that parents place their kids on their backs. Stuffed animals and blankets should be removed from the crib, and if parents still want to keep an eye on their children, then it’s acceptable to keep the crib in the same room as the parent.
Parents can also ensure safety by making sure their cribs meet the standards of the CPSC.