There are calls for new mothers to be given consistent advice on the safest ways to bed-share with their babies.
Guidance admonishes health professionals not to “adopt a position of blanket discouragement” but warning against a high risk if combined with other factors.
But some mothers claim they are told not to co-sleep at all – meaning they are not told the safest ways to do it.
The Welsh Government said parents are offered contribute to creating best available context for their baby.
NHS Wales says bed-sharing can increase the risk of infant death, especially when combined with factors such as drinking, smoking, taking drugs or feeling very tired.
But mother-of-three Samantha Gadsden, a Caerphilly-based doula( a woman who supports another woman during pregnancy and birth ), said the recommendations on bed-sharing can vary depending on the health provider’s personal opinion.
“It’s biologically normal to co-sleep, ” she said.
Image copyrightSamantha GadsdenImage caption Samantha Gadsden shares a bed with her three children
“But you still get the ‘oh my god you’re going to kill your baby’, from healthcare professionals and other mothers which sets newborns more at risk as ladies are falling asleep on sofas and armchairs trying to stay awake.
“It shouldn’t be down to personal belief, it should be down to the actual guidance.”
Public Health Wales “re saying it” endorsed Welsh Government advice and did not recommend total despair of co-sleeping, but urged parents to eschew it when the risk factors are present.
Health professionals is of the view that babies should ideally be placed on their backs in their own crib with no loose blankets or soft toys. Sometimes, they may notice a risk factor and discourage a parent from co-sleeping without flagging up their individual danger so as not to “point a finger”.
The Royal College of Midwives( RCM) concurred wives should be informed of the pros and cons of co-sleeping, but added there used situations where it was inadvisable to sleep with the newborn and midwives could advise mothers about this.
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Media captionHere’s how to put your babe to sleep
In the UK, more than 200 babies die suddenly and accidentally each year( Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or SIDS, sometimes known as cot death ), typically while asleep.
Unicef said about half of SIDS babes in the UK die while co-sleeping – but 90% of those had additional risk factors. It added sleeping in close contact helps babies settle and substantiates breastfeeding, which in turn protects them.
