Safe sleeping has received a lot of attention in recent years, yet some confusion and conflicting information still persist.
Back to Sleep. Unless otherwise specified by your pediatrician, infants should always sleep on their backs. Soft bedding materials, including pillows, quilts, comforters and stuffed toys, should not be present. Also, be careful to not overdress your baby, and only if necessary, use a thin covering or receiving blanket tucked tightly into the mattress. Following these precautions has been found to significantly reduce the occurrence of suffocation and SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).
Cribs. Beware of older cribs as they may not be safe for your baby. Crib slats should be spaced no greater than 2 3/8" apart and corner posts should not extend more than 1/16" of an inch above the end panels. Also be sure that there are no loose or missing parts and that the mattress fits snugly within the crib on all four sides. The crib should not be adjacent to a window, window coverings, dangling cords or wall mounted decorations. Lowering the mattress to the lowest level and keeping the side rail up will reduce the likelihood of a child climbing and falling out.
Co-Sleeping. Infants sleeping next to their mothers in an adult bed came was discouraged in a report by the Consumer Products Safety Commission in 2002. Their recommendation against co-sleeping has since been refuted by multiple studies and experts. There are real hazards of having a child in an adult bed, but they can been mitigated with a few simple precautions. Do not co-sleep if either parent is a smoker or if the adult bed has a plush pillow top mattress. Make sure there are no gaps between the mattress and the headboard and wall or bed-rail. Most importantly, never co-sleep if either parent has ingested drugs, alcohol or prescription medications as that may diminish your awareness of the baby.
With proper precautions, safe infant sleep can be achieved either in a crib or via co-sleeping. Breastfeeding mothers in particular appreciate the convenience of co-sleeping but it is very much an individual decision. Whichever, location you choose for your baby, be sure to follow the basic "Back to Sleep" precautions and never allow a baby to sleep on a couch, pillows or beanbag chair or unaccompanied on an adult bed.