Parents are being warned not to risk their babies lives by sharing a bed with them while sleeping.

父母们注意，与孩子一起睡觉可能会危及孩子的生命。

Sharing a bed increases the risk of sudden infant death

Latest evidence released by the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID) shows bed sharing is implicated¹（纠缠） in about half of cot deaths（婴儿猝死综合症）.

The risk is greatest if either parent smokes, has been drinking, has taken sedative²（使镇静的） medication（药物治疗） or is "very tired".

Even without these factors, the charity said that the safest place for a baby to sleep was its own crib（婴儿小床） or cot.

Small babies - those born prematurely³（过早地，过熟地） and those weighing less than 2.5kg are particularly at risk.

FSID's director, Joyce Epstein, said: "We recognise the urgent need to raise awareness⁴ of the dangers associated with bed or sofa sharing with your baby.

"It's fine to breastfeed in bed, but if you smoke at all - even if not in the bedroom - or you've drunk alcohol - you really must protect your baby and put them in their cot to sleep."

Mr John Pollard, a coroner for the Manchester South District, said he sees many families whose lives have been devastated⁵（毁坏） by the sudden death of their baby.

"The numbers of infants that we continue to find dead in beds, on sofas or armchairs is unacceptable.

"We need to make all parents aware that the most comfortable place for them to sleep is the most dangerous place for their baby."

Data from Dr Marta Cohen, paediatric（儿科的） pathologist（病理学者） at Sheffield Children's Hospital, showed that of the 50 cases she investigated between 2004 and 2007, 31 were found to have been sharing a bed or sofa with a parent.

Dr Chris Wright, consultant⁶ perinatal（围产期的） pathologist at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle, examined 15 cases of unexpected death in infants between 2008 and 2009 - seven were found in the parental⁷ bed and two had died on a sofa.

In the London area between 2005 and 2008, 173 babies died suddenly and unexpectedly. And 85 of these infants were found dead after falling asleep in bed with an adult or on a sofa.

Informed choice

But the Royal College of Midwives said catch-all advice was unhelpful to parents.

Cathy Warwick of the Royal College of Midwives said: "It is a terrible tragedy for the parents when they suffer the sudden death of their child, so any research that sheds light on the potential causes is important.

"However, the situation around co-sleeping is complex, and blanket advice to avoid it is perhaps unhelpful to parents who may want to do it.

"A number of factors need to be considered by parents before and if they do this, and they need to discuss this with their midwife to make an individual and informed decision."

The RCM says many factors can contribute to the safety of co-sleeping, including cultural practices, whether the baby is being breastfed, what kind of bedcovers are being used, and where the co-sleeping is taking place.

It recommends that parents discuss the issue with their midwife（助产士，接生婆）, and that based on the evidence they can make an informed choice about co-sleeping.

The RCM has also issued guidance on bed sharing and co-sleeping.