A LEADING North-East sleep expert has challenged new advice that parents should not sleep with their new babies because it increases the risk of cot death.

The conclusions of a major European study of cot death risk factors published in The Lancet medical journal today suggest that bed-sharing with babies aged less than eight weeks increases the risk of cot death.

On the basis of those conclusions, based on 745 cot death cases, the main UK cot death charity, the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths, has changed its advice to new parents.

The FSID is now saying the safest place for a baby to sleep is in a separate cot in the parents' bedroom.

But Dr Helen Ball, director of the sleep lab at Durham University, who has filmed hundreds of parents sleeping with their new babies, is concerned at the strong emphasis placed on not bed sharing.

One of her strongest objections is that the first few weeks is when the physical bonds are established which encourage breast-feeding, which highly beneficial for infants.

"That is something I would take quite a big issue with because that is when it is most beneficial to breast feeding," said Dr Ball, who is currently in the middle of a major research project involved 90 mothers and babies at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary.

"I think their recommendation is going to hinder breast feeding," she added.

So far as cot death risk factors are concerned Dr Ball said the report seemed to be putting too much emphasis on not bed sharing at an early stage.

"This is much less of a risk than the baby sleeping in a separate room. I think people are putting a disproportionate emphasis on certain things and not others," she added.

Dr Ball said she agreed with the report's warning to smokers that they should not share the bed with a young baby.

This is the third time the Durham scientist has spoken out over bed sharing.

On two occasions she has contradicted warnings from coroners about the potential dangers of parents sleeping with their babies, urging parents to carry on with the practice.

But she recommends that parents who had been drinking, were on medication or are smokers should not sleep with a young baby.