Breastfeeding is Convenient
When cosleeping, breastfeeding is much more convenient. The breast is more easily accessible, therefore both you and your baby don't have to wake fully. To feed your little one, you don't have to get out of bed and make a bottle while your little one fully awakens as well and becomes increasingly impatient for milk. In addition, it has been proven that cosleeping moms tend to breastfeed approximately twice as long as moms who don't sleep with their babies. Read more below.
Awareness of Baby and SIDS
When sleeping with your baby, you are more aware of your baby than if you were in two separate rooms. This may lead to less worry on your part. It can also be very beneficial to your baby because if there is a health problem at night, such as sleep apnea, you are much more likely to catch it since you're right there by your baby to notice your baby's lack of breathing. Also, your breathing pattern may help your baby's respiratory system settle into a healthy pattern by helping your baby to remember to breathe. New research is showing that cosleeping may, in fact, reduce the incidence of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). But, this is only if non-smoking cosleeping parents follow specific safety guidelines and avoid certain medications, drugs and alcohol.
Added Closeness
Sleeping snuggled up to your baby allows for more feelings of closeness. This is especially important when mom (and dad) works outside the home and is away from baby during the day. It has also been discovered that children who coslept with their parents as babies have much higher self-esteem, confidence and emotional security than other children, along with less intimacy issues later on in life. Cosleeping babies tend to trust their parents more to address their needs, which has to do with self-esteem as children grow older. Children are less likely to have fears of the dark and nightmares when they have coslept as babies.
Better Sleep for Everyone
When your baby sleeps with you in your bed, he or she sleeps much better and so do you and your partner. When your baby wakes during the night, resettling is much easier and quicker. Babies feel more safe and secure being right next to mom; many times going back to sleep on their own. This way, parents keep from becoming sleep-deprived, particularly when the mother is breastfeeding. Cosleeping also makes bedtime routines easier, with less struggle. Babies tend to fall asleep easier snuggled next to mom.
More info on Bed Sharing:
Bed Sharing: Is it Taboo?
Cosleeping Risks
Tips for Sleeping Safely with Baby
