Room sharing for newborns
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Being a new parent is hard and the Barren River District Health Department is doing all they can to make sure moms and dads feel prepared.
On Facebook, the department made a post about “room sharing” for babies, and in that post they heavily advised against “bed sharing”. News 40 sought out for more details on this, and child safety specialist Jeanna Phelps told News 40 the risks and benefits of the practices.
Phelps said “room sharing” or having your baby sleep in the same room as you is good for bonding, and can also help with you parental response time. If you’re in the same room, it’s easier to feed at night and hear the baby if they are in distress.
Phelps warned about “bed sharing”, saying there’s an increased risk of “sudden infant death syndrome” as well as the terrible possibility of rolling over your baby or getting them caught in the blankets with you. Phelps offered an ABCD method for new parents to decrease choking, strangulation and suffocation risks.
The specialist said you should try to room share until a year old if possible, but 6 months at the least.
