Why Sharing Same Bed With Your Kids Might be a Big Deal

Two young brothers have been taken away from their mother and put up for adoption over concerns that they were sleeping in her bed.

The family court judge ruled that adoption was the only realistic option for the boys, aged under four, after both were found injured.

The Sun reports that Social Services initiated court proceedings after bruises were spotted on the two young lads.

The Judge Peter Greene, concluded that one was unintentionally injured by his father’s use of “excessive force” and the other probably hurt as a result of the “rough, abrupt manner” in which he was handled by his mother.

Social workers had been told to supervise and support the family and warned the mother against co-sleeping.

“Co-sleeping” is the act of a parent sleeping in the same bed as their baby.

Social workers disclosed that the children’s mother was “continually ignoring their advice against having him in bed with her” and also rejecting the advice about feeding.

Adding to this, the judge said she “always thinks that she knows best” and she acts “brusque and physically forceful” with her children dismissing professional advice.

However, Judge Greene said evidence showed that the couple loved their children and would not deliberately hurt them.

The Department of Health says that the safest place for a baby to sleep is in a cot in the same room as its parents for the first six months of their life.But around half of all mums admit to nodding off in the same bed as their infant at some time during the first few months after the birth.

This can be dangerous especially if parents fall asleep holding their babies while in armchairs or on sofas. Risks include the baby falling out of the bed or off the sofa or armchair, as well as being trapped if the parent rolls over while sleeping.

It has also been shown to increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome.