Infants should be sleeping in the same room as their parents, but not the same bed, for at least the first six months of their lives.
Optimally, infants should sleep in the same room as parents through their first year.
A new report from the American Academy of Pediatrics says it can reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, known as SIDS, by as much as 50 percent.
The Academy recommends children sleep on their backs and on a separate surface within the same room, such as a crib or bassinet, but never on a soft surface, armchair or couch.
The reasons behind the protective effect of room-sharing, but not bed sharing are not fully understood.
An estimated 3,500 babies die from SIDS and other sleep-related complications in the united states each year.
