Mothers take note! Babies sleep better in their own room

Sudden infant death syndrome is the sudden unexplained death of a child less than one year of age.

New Delhi: A new research has revealed that babies may sleep better in their own room rather than sleeping with the mother.

A team of researchers in the US have found that babies who shared a room at four months were more likely to have a blanket, pillow or other unapproved object that could increase the chances of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

SIDS is the sudden unexplained death of a child less than one year of age.

Ian Paul, Professor of Pediatrics at Penn State College of Medicine, Pennsylvania, US said,"Waiting too long (for room separation) can have negative effects on sleep quality for both parents and infants in both the short and long term."

Paul added,"Inadequate infant sleep can lead to obesity, poor sleep later in life and can negatively affect parents."

For the study, researchers used data they had collected from the INSIGHT study which included 279 mothers, who gave birth at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, and their babies.

At four months, children who slept independently in their own room averaged 45 minutes longer stretches of continuous sleep than those who shared a room with a parent.

At nine months, the gap widened to one hour and 40 minutes, according to the findings published in the journal Pediatrics.

Additionally, babies who shared a room were more likely to be moved into their parent's bed overnight at both four and nine months old.

The study challenge the American Academy of Pediatrics' (AAP) recommendations for parents to keep babies in the same room with them to sleep for the first year to prevent sudden infant death syndrome.

Paul said,"Our findings showing poorer sleep-related outcomes and more unsafe sleep practices for babies who room-share beyond early infancy suggest that the AAP should reconsider and revise the recommendation pending evidence to support it."

(With IANS inputs)