I've pretty much always had my daughters sleep in bed with me. Well, since there wasn't a risk of sids. I've seen that a lot of people are against this type of sleeping arrangment. Why? Their father has worked night shift since we started dating. When he's working, the kids are in the bed with me. He's working out of state right now but we still have the same arrangement. When he's home on weekends, they sleep in their beds and we have no problem. Besides the difficulty in breaking the habit, is there any other reason that cosleeping is bad for a child's developnent?
2007-01-02 14:23:28 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Toddler & Preschooler
Butch is right...lol. I just turned 21 last month and my angels are 1 1/2 and 2 1/2.
2007-01-02 14:35:11 · update #1
Oh, I'm not bothered that they sleep in my bed. It actually reassures me. If someone breaks in, I can protect my babies; If my house catches on fire, there's a less of a distance I'll have to run to get them
2007-01-02 14:37:03 · update #2
In a survey of 172 societies, all infants in all cultures do some co-sleeping at night, even of only for a few hours. The U.S. consistently stands out as the only society in which babies are routinely placed in their own beds and in their own rooms. But, for many breastfed babies, night waking is normal and necessary. Night waking is as normal as co-sleeping with your child in almost every culture, except the United States.
If you and your partner both work during the day, co-sleeping can give you some extra time to spend with your baby. The nurturing and closeness that happen during the night can help create a stronger relationship between you and your child.
CO SLEEPING BEST FOR BABIES
babies who co-sleep with their parents are more independent, more outgoing, and more confident as children. As adults, they have higher self-esteem, better stress-management skills, and are more comfortable with intimacy than adults who slept alone as babies. However sleeping arrangements on their own cannot make your baby into a particular type of person.
2007-01-02 14:30:24 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
I personally don't see anything wrong with it. But once your child is a certain age they need to sleep in their own bed, otherwise they'll never be able to sleep alone. But... You yourself said the arrangement works fine for you. Most people only have an issue with co-sleeping because of the risk of SIDS. But I think it's all a bunch of crap. If your child is happy that's all that matters.
2007-01-02 14:36:46 · answer #2 · answered by Wiccan~Momma 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Cuz *gasp* they'll never learn to be independant if you don't leave them screaming in their crib when they are 2 months old!
/sarcasm
Seriously, I co-sleep --mostly. There have been periods where my son has preferred his crib. And I am sure he will move into his own bed at some point. It also isn't that hard to transition them out if you work with your child's temperment as opposed to what the "experts" say.
Also, co-sleeping has been shown to reduce the risk of SIDS.
Honestly if I couldn't feed in my sleep I would have killed someone long ago. My 10 month old is still up every 3 hours to eat. I don't care because I don't wake up. But before we learned to nurse laying down I was a wreck. I have insomnia and I had to get up during the night and go to another room, I'm up.
There have also been studies that prove that children who co-sleep for long periods of time (age 5 and beyond) suffer LESS mental illness as adults.
2007-01-02 14:31:46 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Co-sleeping is very natural. In our society we train our babies not to sleep with us, which is very unnatural. Of course babies and toddlers need the closeness of mommy and daddy. And there is no risk of SIDS with co-sleeping.
That being said, we didn't co-sleep after the first few weeks. Mostly, because my husband didn't sleep well with the kids in our beds. And it is kind of nice being able to sleep on our own now. If I was in your situation, I would so be co-sleeping too. Sounds nice! Get some good baby snuggles. :)
2007-01-03 11:08:42 · answer #4 · answered by avalonlee 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The only thing I worried about while cosleeping with my two kids was their father. He is a very deep sleeper so I always slept with me in between the baby and my husband. If I did roll over with them I kept my leg against my husband to keep him from rolling over. I think as long as you are aware of the potential problems of co sleeping and can avoid them it's fine.
2007-01-02 15:44:54 · answer #5 · answered by TMS 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I reccommend co-sleeping. It's very good for the kids. There is absolutely no reason why children shouldn't sleep with their parents.
Breaking the habit is not difficult. When the time comes, you may have to lie down with your child in her room until she falls asleep. Each child will adjust in her own time. Having two daughters who can share a room will make the transition easier becasue they will have each other.
2007-01-02 14:34:32 · answer #6 · answered by limendoz 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The biggest problem with co-sleeping is accidentally rolling over on a baby. Also, pillows and blankets can pose a suffocation risk. So really, if you are thoughtful about it, I don't think there is a problem. Maybe with a newborn. I mean I can't imagine rolling over onto my baby. I have slept with my son plenty of times (he is now 2), and never once was I worried about that. I think most moms are always half awake anyway! As far as your baby's development, I think co-sleeping may be even better for them. Talk about feeling secure and loved!
2007-01-02 14:31:15 · answer #7 · answered by Rebecca O 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It depends on what your level of comfort is. Some people find their bed to be the place they can relax, a place for intimacy with their husband and not communial.
I am one such person. While I enjoy my children (and I am the opposite of you, I co-sleep until weened from the breast or old enough to crawl out) I need to go to bed alone. I have insomnia and stay up watching tv and if the mood strikes me I want to be able to.... ahem.... please myself?
Maybe too much info but still, the kids have their own rooms for a reason- so I don't wake up in a pee spot or get kicked in the boob at 2am.
2007-01-02 14:32:36 · answer #8 · answered by iampatsajak 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
My son will be 3 on the 6th and he sleeps with me. His dad works out of town and is only home every other Saturday for right now, but even when he is home he sleeps with us. I found it's been helping my son deal with the absence of his father and makes me feel better having someone to cuddle!
2007-01-02 18:03:44 · answer #9 · answered by Kandy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My daughter always slept wih us until recently, she just turned 2. But we kind of had a similar situation wih my husband working offshore and gone most of the time. I feel as you do, i like to have my daughter close to me when im alone in the house. Sine my husband is home every night now, she is in her own bed every night as well.
2007-01-02 15:06:29 · answer #10 · answered by Aubrey 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋