Co Sleeping Is It Right for You?

February 22nd, 2011 franktibss 0 Comments

Co-Sleeping – Is It Right for You?

Bringing a new baby home from the hospital can be a little overwhelming, to say the least. There are so many decisions you have to make. Should you breast feed, or is a bottle best? What kind of formula should you use? What kinds of diapers are best for your baby? How can you get your baby on a good sleep schedule? This last question is of paramount importance to most people. After all, establishing a good sleep routine right from the start with your baby not only sets them up for a lifetime of good sleep habits, but it also helps you find your way back to a good night’s sleep as well! One question facing parents when it comes to establishing a sleep routine with their baby is whether or not they should co-sleep. Co-sleeping is one of those issues that has passionate defenders both pro and against, and parents will likely find themselves facing a barrage of different opinions from other parents on the issue. With all of this conflicting advice out there, how do you know what the right answer is? The fact of the matter is that there is no “right” answer, just a right answer for you. The best thing you can do is arm yourself with all of the facts.

Co-sleeping may be a term that is new to some people. It is really just a fancy way of saying letting your baby sleep with you. Many parents find that they let their babies sleep with them on occasion, but there are many parents out there who have their babies sleep with them all of the time, on principle (and of course there are still others who never let their babies sleep with, also on principle). There is actually very strong evidence that co-sleeping could be a bad thing. The medical community is certainly not a fan of co-sleeping; in fact, the avoidance of co-sleeping is one of the top ways to American Pediatric Association says parents can reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). It is not that co-sleeping causes SIDS per se, but many babies have lost their lives when parents have rolled over on them in the night or after they have been suffocated by adult size bedding. In addition to the physical concerns over co-sleeping, many point to the fact that co-sleeping can be habit forming. Sure, it might be nice to snuggle up to your little baby in their first year, but are you going to want that child in your bed when they’re almost in high school? Co-sleeping could set your child up for co-dependency. They may end up needing you for a good night’s sleep.

However, many parents rave about the co-sleeping experience. They find that keeping the baby with them lets them get more sleep – they can react to the baby’s cries without getting out of bed, and they don’t play that game of laying there in bed thinking, “did the baby just cry?” Likewise, many parents find co-sleeping a great way to bond with the new baby.

One thing is certain about co-sleeping. If you decide to go down this road, it needs to be carefully managed. You must make sure you baby is safe from harm and that there is no risk of you rolling over on them in the night. You also need to make sure to establish a routine for your child of sleeping in their own bed before they are old enough to know the difference, or you will pay for it later. Properly managed, co-sleeping is a viable choice for any family.

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