The Dangers of Sharing a
Bed with Your Baby

The image of a newborn nestled between its parents in the family bed conjures a nurturing image and may feel like a matter of practicality to sleepdeprived parents who must get up many times a night to tend to their infant’s needs.

But all too often this image of family intimacy can turn to a scene of tragedy — one that Southcoast Hospitals is working to prevent.

In Bristol County, accidental infant death from bed sharing has increased from two fatalities in 2004 to six in 2005. That is why Southcoast has joined forces with the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office to educate people about the dangers of bed sharing.

“We consider it our obligation to educate new families about the risks of bed sharing,” said Janine Fontaine, RN, Director of Women’s Health Services at Charlton Memorial Hospital, Southcoast’s Fall River site. “As health care providers and concerned members of the community, we feel that this information is important to improve the health of our community as well as provide for the safety of our infants.”

“The safety and well-being of our new parents and their babies is a top priority,” added Ronald B. Goodspeed, MD, MPH, President of Southcoast Hospitals Group.

Southcoast is offering parents and caretakers free educational materials on safe sleep environments for their babies. The DA’s Safe Sleep program provides free bassinets to families in need with infants 6 months of age and younger.

Charlton and Southcoast’s other sites — St. Luke’s in New Bedford and Tobey in Wareham — are the primary providers of maternity services in the South Coast region, delivering about 3,500 babies each year.