Could
someone explain the dangers of bed-sharing and parents who
smoke. I occasionally nap with my 4 month old, and I am a
smoker (1/2 pack per day). Could I be putting my baby at some
kind of risk? Please let me know.
Many
moms who breastfeed end up co-sleeping with their babies. Besides being enjoyable, it makes life so much easier.
Sleeping
with my babies is one of my happiest memories!
As long as common sense is used by the parents in terms of
providing a safe sleeping environment for an infant, it is
probably a safer place to sleep that a crib. I assume you read
somewhere that parents who smoke should not be co-sleeping?
Smoking is one of the risk factors associated with SIDS.
According to Dr. William Sears, author of "SIDS: A Parent's
Guide to Understanding and Preventing Sudden Infant Death
Syndrome", "mothers who smoke have lower levels of
prolactin, the hormone that regulates milk production and
affects mothering behavior." He goes on to say:
"Diminished maternal awareness of an infant's needs has
been implicated as a risk factor of SIDS, and a mother with less
prolactin going through her may have less awareness of her
infant, an especially worrisome situation when one considers
that these infants are already compromised due to their exposure
to smoke and nicotine."
But he also stresses that the safest place for a baby to sleep
is with its mother. As long as you are not actually smoking in
the bed, I can see no added dangers.
Cher Sealy RN, BSN, IBCLC, LLLL
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