Infant Sleep Architecture During Bedsharing and Possible Implications for SIDS

A Comparison of the Sleep?Wake Patterns of Cosleeping and Solitary-Sleeping Infants

“…Our data, using a different methodology still, show no differences in the proportion of the night spent in quiet sleep for the cosleeping and solitary sleeping infants. The data do support the findings of Mosko et al 18 however, that cosleeping infants experience more awakenings. Clearly, the issue of whether or not cosleeping and solitary sleeping infants experience differences in sleep architecture awaits further research.…”

“…18 The authors conclude that this reduction of time spent in the deep stages of sleep and the increase in number of arousals when cosleeping are potentially protective against SIDS events, which may relate to an infant's ability to arouse from sleep. Recently, however, Hunsley and Thoman 19 challenged this finding using nonpolygraphic methods.…”

Infant Arousals During Mother-Infant Bed Sharing: Implications for Infant Sleep and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Research

“…48,49 In a previous report of sleep architecture in the same 35 infants described herein, we revealed that the amount of stage 3-4 sleep and the duration of stage 3-4 episodes were significantly reduced on the bed sharing night compared with the solitary night, regardless of the infants' routine sleeping arrangement. 30 Together with the immediate effects of bed sharing on EW frequency and the long-term effects on TA frequency discussed presently, these findings demonstrate that normative values for infant sleep established in solitary sleeping infants are not necessarily representative of infants in social sleeping environments. Separate norms should be established.…”

“…Furthermore, there was no evidence that the reduction in stage 3-4 sleep in infants was explained by rebound of stage 3-4 sleep during solitary sleep before the mothers retired or on other nights when infants slept alone. 30 We suggest that, by limiting the infant'stage 3-4 sleep, bed sharing might enhance the infant's ability to arouse spontaneously in response to a dangerous or life-threatening condition. Furthermore, in the mother, curtailment of stage 3-4 sleep and augmentation of arousals should promote her ability to monitor changes in the infant's status.…”

“…Also, total stage 1-2 sleep was reciprocally increased in infants, but individual episodes of stage 1-2 and REM were both longer. 30 The impact of bed sharing on infant arousals was not reported. None of these effects in mothers or infants habituated when bed sharing was routine.…”