As a mum, we've all been there; exhausted, so worn from lack of sleep we could scream, but the baby just won't settle. So, we've given in to our resolve and let the baby sleep in our bed, so desperate are we for just an hour or two of shuteye.
Co-sleeping is something we hear a lot about. It can happen organically for some mums who might realise that the baby sleeps soundly when they do, simply because they are in close proximity to their mum or it can happen because you simply realise it's the only way to get your baby down - at all. Even Kourtney Kardashian spoke about the subject, saying that co-sleeping was virtually the only way she got any sleep herself when her children were young.
However, needless to say, even with all the care in the world taken, there can be risk factors that come with doing this. Co-sleeping has been linked to numerous deaths in the UK, following a study earlier this year. And after a devastating tragedy, a mum has spoken out about her story, and is determined to raise awareness of the risks that can come with co-sleeping, as a result. The young mum, a single parent, has said she is "heartbroken" at the death of her six-week-old son.
The 20-year-old mum told of how she had brought her son into bed with her at 3am to be fed, and feeling dizzy, fell asleep. When she woke up at 8am, tragically, he was not breathing. She said he had been on his back on his mum's pillow when he was being fed, but was found lying on his front when she woke a few hours later.
“Although there was no conclusive evidence to suggest bed sharing impacted on this tragic event, I am hoping more can be done in future to raise awareness of the risks of bed sharing to prevent any more parents suffering as I have,” she told the Telegraph. “The loss of my precious son has left me deeply heartbroken."
And whatever sleeping system you may have for baby (we generally say whatever works for you, go with it) , HSE guidelines for safe sleeping advise that you generally shouldn't co-sleep with your baby for safety reasons (advising that it could help prevent cot death), especially if the baby is premature or less than three months old. They recommend having a baby sleep in their own cot in your room while lying on their back.
"The safest place for your baby to sleep at night is in a cot in your room for the first 6 months. Bed-sharing can be dangerous especially if parents are smokers or if baby is premature or less than 3 months old," they advise on their website.
Similarly, parents are advised that if they do opt to co-sleep, this should also happen according to known safety guidelines, never falling asleep on a sofa, couch, armchair or beanbag.
