Cosleeping: Is it Safe
Too Much of a Risk to Ignore?
Possibility of Suffocation
If cosleeping parents don't take safety seriously and are unwilling to use common sense, the possibility of their baby suffocating is dramatically increased. If one of the parents (or another child) rolls onto the baby or if the baby becomes trapped between the mattress and wall or headboard, the baby can suffocate. Blankets, comforters, pillows, quilts, stuffed animals and even pets can suffocate your baby as well. Your baby should be in a blanket sleeper if needed. Sleeping with your baby on a sofa, recliner, waterbed, beanbag chair or a pillowtop mattress can lead to suffocation. Read more below.
Possibility of Falls
There is always a risk that a cosleeping baby can fall off the bed. Babies should never be left alone on an adult bed, even for one second without supervision. The best way to avoid serious injuries or death from falls is to have your mattress on the floor flush against a wall on 2 sides or to use a special 3-sided cosleeper that is the same height as your bed but that your baby cannot fall out of.
Increase in Possibility of SIDS
If one or both cosleeping parents smoke, the secondhand smoke increases the SIDS rate. Multiple family members sleeping together should be avoided, such as older children. Also, if you are normally a very sound sleeper or are overly tired, awareness of your baby in bed with you is decreased. This could lead to rolling on your baby without realizing it or your baby being in distress and you not waking up to know it. If you or your partner use tobacco, over-the-counter or prescription medications that make you sleepy, drugs or alcohol, then do not cosleep with your baby! These circumstance can lead to SIDS. If you follow specific safety guidelines, cosleeping may actually reduce the incidents of SIDS.
Possibility of Marital Intimacy Inference
It is possible for cosleeping to become a barrier to intimacy, if you let it. Intimacy with your partner doesn't have to suffer when you choose to cosleep with your baby. Cosleeping is a wonderful opportunity for couples to get creative. Making love other places than the marital bed may actually add to intimacy and be exciting to try. Or, letting grandma baby-sit one evening a week may spice things up again! If couples are only interested in making love in bed, cosleeping may put a damper on lovemaking temporarily.
More info on Bed Sharing:
Bed Sharing: Is it Taboo?
Cosleeping Pros
Tips for Sleeping Safely with Baby
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