A cot is the right place for a baby to sleep, say experts

The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths found a third of 428 parents polled had shared a bed with a baby.

In a campaign, it will be highlighting the higher risk of cot death associated with smokers sleeping with their baby, even if they do not smoke in bed.

FSID says the safest place for any baby to sleep is a cot in the parents' room.

Its advice particularly applies when the child is under six months old.

Survey findings 34% of parents bedshare with their babies at some point 38% of smokers bedshare with their baby 28% of smokers who bedshare wrongly think this is safe so long as they never smoke in bed 17% of parents mistakenly thought it was safe for a parent to fall asleep with a baby on a sofa or armchair 'Nobody warned me of the risks'

Its survey found 95% of parents knew it was unsafe for a baby to bedshare with a parent who smokes in bed, but 22% thought it was safe for a baby to bedshare with a smoker who never smoked in bed.

In fact, it makes no difference where or when they smoke - if a smoker bedshares with a baby it increases the risk of cot death even if they never smoke in bed.

This is because children of smokers tend to be smaller, and to have damage to their respiratory system, and so are vulnerable to the tiny risk associated with bedsharing, which is so small that it is not a factor for more robust babies.

Information campaign

FSID is sending new advice cards to all midwives and health visitors across the country, so they can distribute them to parents.

Posters are also being sent for display in clinics and maternity units.

Minimise the risk Do not let anyone smoke in the same room as your baby Place your baby on the back to sleep Do not let your baby get too hot Keep baby's head uncovered If your baby is unwell, seek medical advice promptly Do not share a bed with your baby if you or your partner smoke, having been drinking, taking medication or are very tired

FSID director Joyce Epstein said: "The results of this poll are worrying.

"With seven babies dying as cot deaths every week and the high proportion happening when sharing a bed - especially when parents are smokers - we must not be complacent."

Claire Jolly is a health visitor whose baby son Charlie died as a cot death in 1997.

She said: "It's fine to breastfeed your baby in bed but if you smoke at all - even if not in the bedroom - you really must protect your baby and put them in their cot to sleep."

Rosemary Dodds, of the National Childbirth Trust, said it was right to emphasise the risk of cot death was increased if smokers bedshare with their babies.

However, she added: "It's not clear that sharing a bed with your baby is risky if you don't smoke or have other risk factors.

"There is some evidence that mothers who breastfeed and co-sleep with their babies, are more likely to continue breastfeeding.

"As not breastfeeding is associated with increased short and long term health risks, we are worried that telling women not to co-sleep may reduce the duration of breastfeeding."

Andrew Radford, of the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative, said it was not realistic simply to tell all mothers not to bed share.