Bedsharing and Your Child
Cosleeping; Taboo or Ok?
Cosleeping, also sometimes called "the family bed" or "shared sleep" means that your baby or child sleeps with you (or very close to your bed such as in a special cosleeper crib that sits up against your bed). Babies and their parents sleep together in close to all cultures around the world. For approximately 90% of the world's population, cosleeping is just simply the "norm" and has been for thousands of years. That is, except for some areas of Europe and also in North America. In industrialized societies in recent years, sleeping has become more of a private affair. Many babies now sleep away from their parents, in cribs, bassinets or cradles; often in completely separate rooms starting from the time they are born. Read more below.
Today in the United States, cosleeping is high on the list of controversial topics, right along with circumcision. It seems everyone has an opinion about cosleeping; parents, grandparents, doctors and researchers alike. Even though it has been a subject of much debate, over half of babies in the United States still sleep with one parent (or both) at least part of the time. One cosleeping poll showed that up to 70% of babies sleep with their parents occasionally, but parents are just scared to admit it to their doctor because of the fairly recent movement toward independent sleep. Opinions on cosleeping can be derived from sometimes bias research, cultural beliefs, advice from family and friends and popular literature, personal past experiences, stories we have heard about cosleeping, need for privacy and "adult time" as well as safety and sleep quality concerns.
Parents choose (or choose not) to cosleep with their babies for many reasons. Some parents believe that babies simply belong in the parent's bed, while others have serious concerns about SIDS and safety. While some parents feel cosleeping is detrimental, dangerous and/or an invasion of privacy, others feel just as strongly that cosleeping is the best thing for them and their baby. Most people will agree that cosleeping has both advantages as well as disadvantages. There is no right or wrong place for your baby to sleep, as long as your baby's safety is top priority. Not sleeping with your baby doesn't make you a bad parent. The type of sleeping arrangement you decide on must be what works best for your family. If you decide to cosleep, please read our article "Cosleeping with Your Baby Safely".
More info on Bed Sharing:
Bed Sharing: Is it Taboo?
Cosleeping Risks
Cosleeping Pros
Tips for Sleeping Safely with Baby
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