Everything you want to know about co-sleeping!

Everything you want to know about co-sleeping

Parenting is a wonderful experience. What’s more beautiful are the initial days when you are taking care of your baby. Parents undertake the enormous responsibility of rearing a newborn that is completely reliant on them for its survival. This is especially true in the case of the mother who now can see and hold the child for whom she had labored over several months.

Many parents wish to carry their baby and try to spend most of their time with their baby. This is because they love their baby and it is their responsibility to care for their child. What’s more? They may worry about the welfare of their baby and hence wish for it to remain in their presence. Sometimes, parents wish to sleep at their baby’s side. At other times, they fall asleep with the baby while caring for it. Hence it is important that parents get to know about the concept of ‘Co-sleeping’. Co-sleeping refers to going to sleep with one’s baby on the same bed. Many parents remain unaware of the benefits, risks, precautions and other important facts associated with co-sleeping. This article is specially created to help you understand all that you need to know about co-sleeping. So, let’s dive in!

 Pros-

Co-sleeping is a truly beautiful experience that is very rewarding. Here are some of the major pros from co-sleeping with your baby:

Easier to nurse the baby

It is easier to nurse the baby when you are co-sleeping with it. This is probably one of the main reasons why mothers co-sleep with their child. It is more convenient to nurse the baby and, once it falls asleep, lay it near the mother without risking waking up the baby.

●      Easier to pacify the baby

It is easier to pacify the baby when you are co-sleeping with the baby. Imagine that the baby wakes up in the middle of the night. In such a scenario, it would be easier for the parents to care for and pacify the child without having to leave the bed themselves. This is especially useful if the parents are heavy sleepers, in which case it would be safer if the baby co-slept with them so that they can be easily alerted in case the baby cries.

●      Easier to protect the baby

In co-sleeping it is easier for the parent to protect the baby. Some parents wish to keep their baby by their side and hence it would relieve them to co-sleep with the baby. This way they will not have to worry much about harm befalling their baby while they also sleep.

●      Useful while travelling with baby

Practicing co-sleeping is especially useful in case the mother has to travel a lot or for long hours or overnight with the newborn. In such circumstances, the mother cannot part with the baby or find a cradle for the baby to sleep in. Hence co-sleeping is especially useful for mothers travelling with their babies.

●      Increase parent-baby bonding

Psychology tells us that co-sleeping helps to increase the bond between the baby and the parent. It allows for the baby to feel the warmth, love and protection of the parent; thus, promoting sleep and better emotional wellbeing. It also promotes the wellbeing of the parents who are able to feel the love and warmth of the baby curled against them.

Cons-

●      Risk of SIDS

Co-sleeping could possibly result in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome due to accidents that occur such as suffocation or injury or consumption of drugs by the parent. This could result in severe injuries or even death of the baby if parents are not too careful.

●      Strained relationship with partner

Parents who sleep with their baby fail to enjoy a marital or sexual relationship with their partner as co-sleeping prevents them from spending personal time with each other and ends up becoming a burden which causes their relationship to be strained.

●      Poor sleep

Co-sleeping could affect the sleep of the parents by making them excessively self-aware or anxious about SIDs during co-sleeping or disturbed by the child waking up in the middle of the night.

●      Sleep crutch for the baby

Co-sleeping causes the child to depend on the parent whenever it needs to sleep to the extent such that sleep becomes difficult without the presence of the parent.

Myths-

The most prominent myth that many parents believe in about co-sleeping is that it increases the risk of SIDS. This is not necessarily true. As long as the parent is a light-sleeper and is careful, parent’s have nothing to worry about. Experts recommend that parents avoid co-sleeping until the child is over 6 months old, until which they can practice sharing the room with their child but making the child sleep in a crib rather than share the same bed.

Co-sleeping is a beautiful experience which many should try. It is not co-sleeping that causes SIDS but lack of awareness about the proper guidelines for co-sleeping that actually causes it. So be aware, be prepared and be responsible while co-sleeping with your baby!