# Official WHO position on cosleeping?



## Smokering (Sep 5, 2007)

Heya

I'm writing an article in defense of cosleeping (for a fairly mainstream parenting mag, but the editor seems pretty cool). I'm reading through all the Mothering cosleeping articles, which are GREAT; but I'm having a hard time finding out the official position of the World Health Organisation on cosleeping. (I'm in NZ, so not as interested in American-centric studies). Google won't tell me... anyone?


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## mamadaan (Jun 12, 2007)

It is not official WHO, but it is the UK baby friendly initiative:
http://www.babyfriendly.org.uk/pdfs/...bedleaflet.pdf

Do you know about this:
http://www.bfmed.org/ace-images/protocol6.pdf

If you wanted to e-mail me, I could send you some more things, but they are not the WHO-policy (if it exists).


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## veganone (May 10, 2007)

Why don't you ask them? http://www.who.int/mediacentre/en/index.html

They have contacts for media, which you are if you're writing an article.


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## tea4tamara (Jul 9, 2007)

If you do find out the WHO position, please post it -- I would love to know! Thanks!


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## mamadaan (Jun 12, 2007)

I have been able to find this:
http://www.who.int/nutrition/publica...n_step_eng.pdf
Try page 64!

It is old, but might be interesting.


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## Smokering (Sep 5, 2007)

mamadaan: Great! That's helpful, thanks. I'm trying to find some resources that don't ALL end up linking back to _Mothering_ magazine.









The other links are helpful too, thanks people.


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## milkybean (Mar 19, 2008)

This is just a thought, so it isn't really going to help, but since it's the WORLD health organization, and so much of the *world* has family beds, perhaps it doesn't feel it needs to have an opinion, since it's so normal for so much of the world?

Perhaps a different way to go about it, if you can't get a position from them, would be to find out how many cultures and countries traditionally share sleep? And contrast it with how few don't share sleep, or who have moved away from their traditions (the cynic in me would say "so they can be more American along with eating McDonald's" ugh)?


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## OkiMom (Nov 21, 2007)

Im not sure if its the "offical" standing but http://rbm.who.int/partnership/wg/wg...docs/pcpnc.pdf in the newborn care and breastfeeding sessions they suggest having the infant in bed with the mother.. Especially with premies they suggest keeping skin to skin contact day and night (which would suggest the baby is sleeping with the mom).


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## mamadaan (Jun 12, 2007)

These are not what you asked for, but may be interesting:
http://webdrive.service.emory.edu/gr...an%20sleep.pdf

and http://courses.ki.se/co-sleeping_as_...df?node=144565

and http://pediatrics.aappublications.or...t/115/1/S1/269

Good luck!


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## Smokering (Sep 5, 2007)

Okimom: Interesting. I know James McKenna does not recommend bedsharing for preemies or underweight babies; but he does agree with the skin-to-skin thing. How exactly you are supposed to maintain skin-to-skin without bedsharing, I don't know. Putting the baby in a cosleeper with the mother's hand resting on the baby? Sounds awkward, to say the least...

mamadaan: Thanks.







It's late, but I'll look at those links tomorrow. At the rate I'm learning, this darned article's going to be 5000 words, not 1500!


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