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Background Debate about mother and infant bed sharing has been polarized between supporters of bed sharing and public health policies that attempt to mitigate the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Differences in group demographics may be an important aspect in co-sleeping acceptability. Research aims The first aim of this study was to investigate infant sleeping location in a dataset of mothers with strong breastfeeding outcomes. The second aim was to investigate the association between infant sleeping location and breastfeeding (exclusive breastfeeding to 6 months and total breastfeeding duration). Finally, we aimed to investigate predictors of breastfeeding duration. Methods Participants comprised 174 women who had applied to train as counselors with the Australian Breastfeeding Association. Data were compiled from a survey of the participants’ lactation histories, including questions related to the exclusivity and duration of breastfeeding, concerns about and problems encountered during breastfeeding, type of birth, medications during birth, demographics, and infant sleeping location. The study design was a cross-sectional, one-group survey design. Results A high proportion of participants in this study bed shared and room shared: At 0–1 month ( n = 58), 33% of participants bed-shared, which increased to 58% by 6–12 months ( n = 80). Infants who co-slept were more likely to be exclusively breastfed at 6 months (χ2 (2, n = 116) = 4.83, p = .03) and had longer breastfeeding duration ( t (62.61) = 3.81, p < .001). Conclusions Breastfeeding targets have been difficult to achieve globally, and innovative ideas are required to improve breastfeeding outcomes through public health messaging. There was a strong association in the current study between breastfeeding outcomes and degree of closeness of the infant to the mother at night. This finding should be brought into the discourse on breastfeeding and infant sleep arrangements, accompanied by evidence-based advice about safe sleeping and the promotion of breastfeeding.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends against bed-sharing between infants and caregivers due to an association with suffocation. Caregivers continue to share a bed with their infant despite these recommendations for a multitude of reasons. A close examination of the bed-sharing literature reveals that the debate is fundamentally about theoretical differences. The major theories used to frame this problem include the triple risk model of bed-sharing and evolutionary theories. Nurses are masters of multidisciplinary collaboration and are well positioned to unify the triple risk and evolutionary views of infant bed-sharing to guide future innovations in health care practice and research.

Objective/Background: Our primary objective was to describe and identify predictors of any and predominant bed-sharing at 4 and 12 weeks postpartum among Chinese-Canadian mothers. Participants: We ...

The practice of infant bed-sharing remains controversial in countries such as the UK and the US, despite its prevalence, and healthcare professionals are often faced with the task of advising parents on bed-sharing without the support of consistent or up-to-date guidelines. This article explores UK and US recommendations on infant bed-sharing, considering the existing evidence. The possible relationship between infant bed-sharing and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is explored, alongside other factors that may be linked to SIDS. Areas where further research is required are identified and appropriate resources are provided, with a view to empowering healthcare professionals to support parents in making an informed and proactive decision about infant bed-sharing.

Background From early life, children are exposed to a multitude of environmental exposures, which may be of crucial importance for healthy development. Here, the environmental microbiota may be of particular interest as it represents the interface between environmental factors and the child. As infants in modern societies spend a considerable amount of time indoors, we hypothesize that the indoor bed dust microbiota might be an important factor for the child and for the early colonization of the airway microbiome. To explore this hypothesis, we analyzed the influence of environmental exposures on 577 dust samples from the beds of infants together with 542 airway samples from the Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood2010 cohort. Results Both bacterial and fungal community was profiled from the bed dust. Bacterial and fungal diversity in the bed dust was positively correlated with each other. Bacterial bed dust microbiota was influenced by multiple environmental factors, such as type of home (house or apartment), living environment (rural or urban), sex of siblings, and presence of pets (cat and/or dog), whereas fungal bed dust microbiota was majorly influenced by the type of home (house or apartment) and sampling season. We further observed minor correlation between bed dust and airway microbiota compositions among infants. We also analyzed the transfer of microbiota from bed dust to the airway, but we did not find evidence of transfer of individual taxa. Conclusions Current study explores the influence of environmental factors on bed dust microbiota (both bacterial and fungal) and its correlation with airway microbiota (bacterial) in early life using high-throughput sequencing. Our findings demonstrate that bed dust microbiota is influenced by multiple environmental exposures and could represent an interface between environment and child.

Radiant warmers are widely used in hospital neonatal care departments. Particular requirements for the basic safety and essential performance of infant radiant warmers are regulated by EN 60601-2-21:2009 + A1:2016. This standard doesn’t include the maximal air flow value over the infant bed while the standard 60601-2-19:2009 describes the maximal air flow values for incubators. This study shows fluctuation of the air flow over the infant bed and it leads to think, that a more preventive care of infants ambient is needed in the system. Authors have investigated the impact of air barriers on direct air flow value. Studies show that barriers can significantly decrease air flow over infant’s bed and potentially lower infant’s t heat losses by convection on infant bed.

Objective. Despite educational outreach, bed-sharing prevalence is rising. Mothers’ and fathers’ bed-sharing practices, prevention message source, perceived source credibility, and the effectiveness of the prevention message were evaluated. Methods. Data were collected from 678 community parents via an online survey. Results were analyzed using descriptive statistics and phi tests. Results. Bed-sharing reasons focused on comfort and ease. Mothers were more likely to receive prevention messages from individual professionals or organizations, whereas fathers were more likely to hear prevention messages from spouses/coparents and grandfathers. Physicians were the most common source, and physicians and grandmothers were rated as the most credible and effective. Conclusions. Prevention message source varies between mothers and fathers, highlighting the need for continued research with fathers. Grandmothers and physicians are effective and credible sources of prevention messages. Although less frequent, prevention messages from grandmothers were most effective. There was no evidence of effective messages from educational campaigns.

Background In infancy, fatal events associated to sleep and bedding may occur. While in industrial countries accidents and suffocation have become rare due to manufacturing regulations for infant beds and bedding materials, the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is still a relevant ‘cause’ of death in infancy. Although the final pathway of SIDS has not been clarified thus far, soft mattresses and cushions may represent a risk factor. Furthermore, materials compromising thermoregulation may play a major role. The same holds true for environmental conditions like excessive temperature and nicotine exposure. Recently, also bedsharing and sleeping on sofas have been identified as factors potentially contributing to SIDS risk. Recommendations for safe infant sleep Worldwide, paediatric societies and other health professionals have launched campaigns for a ‘safe infant sleep’ by promoting recommendations how to bed babies. These recommendations include (slogans of individual campaigns in brackets): - Same room, but individual beds for baby and parents (avoidance of bedsharing) - Infant beds according to safety regulations - Avoidance of soft underbedding and (soft) cushions - Bedding in supine position for every sleep (‘Back to sleep’) - Avoidance of overheating (‘Keep cool, baby’) - Preferably sleeping bags instead of blankets (‘Bag to sleep’) - Neutral thermal environment (16°C–20°C) - Consideration of pacifier use for every sleep - Avoidance of nicotine exposure - Only small toys if any Consequences of campaigns Recent recommendations have led to a significant reduction of SIDS incidence in many countries. While between 1970 and 1990 SIDS rates were in some countries as high as 2 per 1000 liveborn infants, the introduction of preventive measures have significantly reduced the incidence of this fatal event. In some countries and regions (eg. Netherlands, Styria/Austria) SIDS incidence is now as low as 0,1 per 1000 liveborn infants. Today, SIDS occurs almost exclusively in families not adequately following the recommendations mentioned above. Conclusion Altogether, it remains unsolved in which way the different preventive measures are able to modify the fatal cascade leading to SIDS. Nevertheless, due to the proven effects, as many of these preventive measures as possible should be applied. By doing so, the risk to experience SIDS in an individual infant can be reduced to almost zero and thousands of lives can be saved worldwide in this way every year.

Objective: Bed-sharing is associated with sudden infant death syndrome and accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed. The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors for newborn bed-sharing. Methods: Postpartum mothers from a university maternity service were contacted by phone to complete a survey. Demographic and environmental data were collected; newborn bed-sharing and sleep environment were self-reported. Results: A total of 1261 mothers completed surveys; bed-sharing was reported by 79 mothers (6.3%). Multivariate logistic regression identified referral to a nurse (odds ratio [OR] = 10; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.5-30) and sleep location “other” than a crib, bassinet, or Pack and Play (OR = 7.1; 95% CI = 1.9-25.9) as factors associated with an increased risk of bed-sharing; formula feeding (OR = 0.4; 95% CI = 0.20-0.77) and crib sleeping (OR = 0.49; 95% CI = 0.26-0.86) reduced this risk. Conclusion: Infants with no identifiable places to sleep, significant health issues, and who are breastfed are more likely to bed-share. Interventional studies should be directed at these factors.