INFANT-PARENT CO-SLEEPING IN AN EVOLUTIONARY PERSPECTIVE - IMPLICATIONS FOR UNDERSTANDING INFANT SLEEP DEVELOPMENT AND THE SUDDEN-INFANT-DEATH-SYNDROME

Evidence suggests that infant-parent co-sleeping represents the specie s-wide pattern of sleep in which human infant physiology evolved. The hypothesis evaluated in this manuscript is that the co-sleeping enviro nment may foster development of optimal sleep patterning in infants an d confer other benefits, including reducing the risk of the sudden inf ant death syndrome (SIDS). These postulations by McKenna are considere d from different perspectives by the coauthors. Using evolutionary, cr oss-species, crosscultural, physiological and behavioral data. our obj ective was to present a conceptual framework for assessing the develop mental consequences of solitary sleeping and infant-parent co-sleeping .