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Urgent
10 BENEFITS AND 10 DISADVANTAGES OF CO SLEEPING WITH YOUR BABY
It must be quite confusing in making decision on whether or not to make your baby co-sleep with you. Read this AIH’s post to know if co-sleeping is safe for the baby and if they will benefit from this practice.
Common ways of co-sleeping are:
- Family bed or bed sharing: Where one or both the parents sleep with the child in the same bed.
- Different beds same room: Here, the baby sleeps in a crib or bassinet, or in the same room an arm’s away from the parents’ reach.
- Sidecar arrangement: The crib is attached to one side of the bed, next to the mother. This side can be removed or lowered so that it is easy to breastfeed the baby.
- Baby welcomed when needed: The child is made to sleep in her bedroom and is taken when needed. Parents usually welcome their babies followed by a night waking.
Benefits Of Co-Sleeping With Your Baby
- Research studies reveal babies are at a lower risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) when they sleep in the same room as parents.
- It improves the sleep time for both mother and baby. There is no need for you to wake up, get up from the bed and go to the baby to feed or comfort her.
- You will face fewer bedtime hassles. Your baby, if she is a toddler, feels secure and warm beside you.
- It will decrease the chances of nighttime separation anxiety.
- Breastfeeding during night time is easier.
- A baby can fall asleep soon, and get back to sleep quickly if she wakes up in the middle of the night.
- Not only the mothers but also the fathers will enjoy co-sleeping with their children, as it leads to a great bonding time. Infants go through several feelings such the warm touch of the mother, her movement, smell and comfort that would help in their overall development.
- You will be able to monitor the baby well during illnesses.
- Helps working mothers spend more time with their babies while sleeping, and gain a sense of intimacy.
- Sleep-sharing offers a safer environment for children, helping them develop confidence.
There are so many benefits of co-sleeping but some families have their babies sleep separately because of some disadvantages:
- The baby can get strangulated or suffocated due to a lack of enough space.
- Co-sleeping is known to promote unhealthy dependency on the parents.
- Some mothers complain of not being able to sleep as the constant or sudden movement of the child disturbs their sleep pattern.
- Co-sleeping can be risky if the parents have certain infectious health conditions.
- Co-sleeping should not be practiced if the parent is under any heavy medication or therapy.
- If either or both the parents have a habit of smoking, drug or alcohol abuse, then co-sleeping is known to pose severe health risks.
- Once the baby is used to sleep with the parents, it will be difficult for her to sleep independently at a later point.
- Conditions like separation, divorce or death of any parent could leave the child in a deeply disturbing situation.
- Babies who co-sleep till older may have more trouble shifting to a larger bed later.
- The couple may be deprived of intimacy.
Ultimately, there is no right or wrong – it all depends on what works for your family best! Every baby is different, and every family’s circumstances are different, so you’ll have to make a choice that’s tailor-made for you. If you choose to co-sleep with your baby, you should follow safety guidelines to avoid fatalities.
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