Cot death risk not increased by sharing a bed with a baby

Results of a new study have shown that there may not be a direct link between a parent sharing a bed with their child and the risk of sudden infant death syndrome.

Although people have previously been warned against sharing a bed with their child, it is now thought that the practice could be safe as long as other factors are avoided.

Heavy bedding, adult pillows and soft mattresses should not be used and parents should try not to fall asleep on the sofa.

Belinda Phipps, chief executive of the National Childbirth Trust, welcomed the news saying that she knows "a lot of parents prefer to do it but feel guilty because they are unsure about the risks".

Last week, research by scientists at the Universite de Montreal found that 90 per cent of children between the ages of six months and six years old have a sleep-related problem.

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