Maternal bedsharing practices, experiences, and awareness of risks.

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.