The American Academy of Pediatrics has updated its recommendations to protect against sleep-related infant deaths — babies should sleep in the same room as their parents for the first six months to one year of life, but on a separate surface.
Putting babies to bed in the same room as their parents can reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS, by as much as 50 percent, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The updated recommendations advise parents to place babies on their backs on a firm surface, like a crib or bassinet, with no blankets, bumpers, pillows or soft toys.
The AAP also says that babies should never be placed on cushioned chair or sofa alone or to sleep with an adult.
About 3,500 babies in the U.S. die each year due to sleep-related deaths. In the past two years in Maine, about 15 baby deaths have been associated with unsafe sleep environments.
