If you're one of 14 percent of parents who share their bed with their baby, you
might want to rethink your sleeping plan. Suffocation risk is 40 times higher for
babies who sleep in adult beds rather than cribs, according to a recent study by
the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which compared suffocation deaths in
infants 11 months and younger. Adult beds aren't designed for infants who lack
the motor skills to escape from potential hazards like soft bedding or entrapment
between the bed and wall. To sleep closer to your baby, N. J. Scheers, Ph.D.,
lead author of the study, recommends moving a crib next to your bed.
Child Care