Children should only sleep with their mother

Bad news for fathers, because the doctors recommend that children should sleep with their mother until at least 3 years old.

This controversial advice has just been released yesterday by Dr. Nils Bergman of the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Bergman said that 2-day-old babies sleeping alone in cribs will not be able to sleep deeply and soundly as babies lying next to their mothers.'The baby's heart will be under greater pressure , ' he said.

Moreover, sleeping separately from the moment of birth will make it difficult for the mother and daughter to bond with each other. It also hurts the development of the brain, which is easy to cause bad behaviors when children grow up.

Therefore, Dr. Bergman believes that babies should sleep on their mothers' chests for at least the first few weeks. After that, they should share a bed with their mother until they are 3 or 4 years old.

However, this advice is contrary to the traditional child-rearing mentality of the West for training the independence for children right from childhood. In addition, many previous studies about sharing a bed with parents will increase the risk of suffocation in children (due to the parents covering the baby's face, or parents accidentally pressing on the child while sleeping .) also against Dr. Bergman's position.

Most recently, a British study found that two-thirds of sudden infant deaths occur when children lie with their parents.

More stress?

But Dr. Bergman retains his opinion.'With unfortunate babies suffocating, the cause is not the presence of the mother. It can come from a very strong fragrance, from cigarette smoke, alcohol, too big pillows or dangerous toys. '

He said he tracked 16 babies sleeping on his mother's chest and slept in a crib, with a crib capped in his mother's bed. The results showed that the hearts of babies sleeping alone beat three times faster, meaning that the heart suffered three times higher pressure.

In addition, there are only 6/16 babies sleeping deeply and not 'wailing' in the middle of their sleep. The fact that children cannot sleep deeply will affect their later brain development, said Dr. Bergman.

'Animal studies have shown a relationship between stress and lack of sleep with unusual behaviors during the teen years. Similarly, in humans, stress and lack of sleep also make it harder for maternal relationships to be attached. '

However, Professor George Haycock of the Mortality Research Fund (FSID) said that the safest place is still in a cot in a parent's room, and that bed sharing should only be done when parents do not smoking, not drinking, not taking drugs and both are not obese, not sick or exhausted.