In the early 1990s, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) initiated Back to Sleep to
decrease infant mortality from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). A decline in SIDS
followed; however, accidental deaths from asphyxiation, overlaying, falls, and suffocation
increased. Classified as Sudden Unexplained Infant Deaths (SUID), these deaths occurred more
frequently in infants who bed-shared. To minimize the risk of SUID, the AAP released
guidelines in 2011 advising against bed-sharing. However, despite the new guidelines, bedsharing
rates remain near 50%. The purpose of this systematic literature review is to examine
why women bed-share. The author found better sleep, breastfeeding, closeness, convenience, and
safety as frequent reasons for bed-sharing. Less commonly found were culture and financial
limitations. A greater understanding of the reasons women bed-share can help providers discuss
this issue with parents, guide interventions to reduce bed-sharing, and improve compliance with
AAP guidelines
