MADISON, Wis. -- The death of a 3-month-old infant in Reedsburg this weekend has renewed the debate over the practice of co-sleeping.

In this instance, the child's parents said their young son wasn't breathing and that he had been sleeping with his parents in their bed after an early-Sunday morning feeding, police said. The mother drove the baby to Reedsburg Hospital while the father performed CPR.

Police said that they continue to investigate, but said they don't suspect foul play.

However, the practice of co-sleeping is common, WISC-TV reported.

Alison Dodge, a Madison mother of three, said she did research before her first child was born to decide on the best sleeping arrangement.

"The research I did showed that safe co-sleeping can be safer having your baby in close proximity," Dodge said.

She said she continued the practice with her second and third child.

"I felt better knowing that they were close by and could kind of keep an eye on them," said Dodge.

However, not everyone agrees that a parent's bed is the safest place for an infant. Jim Savage, a safety advocate and spokesperson for the Kohl's Kids Safety Center at the American Family Children's Hospital, said the potential risks of co-sleeping outweigh the benefits.

"The baby can roll over and suffocate. The adult that's in the bed can roll over and suffocate the baby or we've also seen cases where the baby has rolled off the bed onto blankets or pillows and suffocated that way," said Savage.

Savage said the best place for an infant to sleep is in a basic crib, alone and without bumpers or blankets.

Lea Wolfe is another local parent advocating for co-sleeping. She said the birth of her now 8-year-old son and the risk of Sudden Infant Death drove her to try co-sleeping.

"I'm Native (American) and Native people actually have the highest rate of SIDs of all ethnic groups and so for us, looking at reducing SIDs and how to do that was of the utmost importance," said Wolfe.

Wolfe and Dodge both said they make sure to practice safe co-sleeping. They recommend following a checklist that includes keeping sheets tight, removing excess bedding and never sleeping with an infant after having an alcoholic drink.

"I think the most important thing you can do as a parent is just feel like you've covered your bases in terms of research," said Dodge.

Several recent infant deaths linked to co-sleeping prompted the Milwaukee County Health Department to launch an awareness campaign in December 2009 that encourages parents to practice safe sleeping habits.

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Read more about the Milwaukee County campaign and the dangers of co-sleeping at Web site