Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

The objectives of this study were to determine mothers' practices and experiences of bedsharing with their infants and also to determine their knowledge of the risks.

DESIGN:

A self-report questionnaire was mailed to 1,122 mothers of infants.

SETTING:

Manitoba, Canada. Participants: The participants in this study were the mothers of infants aged 3 months whose contact information was obtained through the Manitoba Health Information Privacy Committee.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE:

Maternal-infant bedsharing practices and maternal knowledge of risks.

RESULTS:

There were 293 completed questionnaires received (26% return rate). Key findings suggest that although 89% of participants agreed that sleeping with one's baby has some risks associated with it, 72% reported that they bedshared with their baby on either a regular or an occasional basis. Mothers who breastfed were twice as likely to have bedshared. Approximately 13% of respondents who had bedshared reported an experience(s) with bedsharing in which they had rolled onto or partway onto their infant.

CONCLUSIONS:

Although the majority of participants agreed that bedsharing had risks for infants, almost three quarters of respondents reported bedsharing on a regular or an occasional basis. Reports by respondents of rolling onto or partway onto their infants support the conclusion that health care professionals should promote safe sleeping environments that include a separate sleep surface for infants.