What do you think of co-sleeping?

Question

Almost everybody I have talked to co-slept with their baby. What do you think?

Answer 1

Its ok as long as you are careful and your bed meets the same requirements as a crib mattress, although it is better to use a side sleeper or let your baby sleep in a crib in your room.

Answer 2

I have a 6 months old and I've been doing it off and on almost every night. I was not born American and I can assure you all babies in my family spent their first year in their parents room. I assume this is an American method trying to raise your baby totally independant from early days. In other societies co-sleeping is concieved as a normal way of sleeping. And It has worked great for me beast-feeding at night. I personally believe this is a natural way to care for a baby. If you look at animals you see even though their babies are born at a more advanced stage than humans' they all get together for sleep. Do you think the cave woman left her baby in another cave for the night?:-) I don't think so. It works for nursing through the night, it's an enjoyable and bonding experience. It means much better sleep for the baby and the parents. It reduces the risk of SIDS, and apparently it leads to having a more confident kid. So why not? And let's not forget the incredible and irreplaceable joy of waking up besides a smiling baby! Anyhow I found it great & natural. Jut make sure your bed meets all the safety measures and there are no hazardous objects around. Enjoy your little one 'cause he grows so fast you don't want to miss a moment. Good luck!!

Answer 3

Really I think it depends on your circumstances. Like do you have a partner sleeping with you? Do you or they roll, thrash or anything that would be a risk to the baby? If not then it's a personal choice. I find it a lot easier, as a breastfeeding mom, to sometimes just let her stay in bed with me when she falls asleep after nursing but I also have a bassinet on my side of the bed I can slip her off into when I need my space.

Do what is best for you and your little one. They're only this tiny for such a short time and if you like snuggling and sleeping with them (as long is you do it carefully) Enjoy it!

Answer 4

No, I do not co-sleep and I will never co-sleep. It is not recommended by the AAP.

Here are a few reasons why:

suffocation caused by an adult rolling on top of or next to a baby
suffocation when an infant gets trapped or wedged between a mattress and headboard, nightstand, wall, or other rigid object
suffocation resulting from a baby being face-down on a waterbed, a regular mattress, or on soft bedding such as pillows, blankets, or quilts
strangulation in a headboard or footboard that allows part of an infant's body to pass through an area while trapping the baby's head

Answer 5

I did after my daughter got to big for her bassinet, since I was breastfeeding it was just easier to have her right there, then in a crib in the other room. But the down side was that my husband chose not to share a bed with us and slept on the couch. At 8 months I put my daughter in her crib, and stopped nursing at 9 months. It took a lot of adjusting on my child's part to sleep in another bed, but finally she got use to it.
I did not co-slept with my oldest, since her crib was in the same room with me.
I am expecting my 3rd child in May and do not plan on
co-sleeping, even though I am breastfeeding again.

Answer 6

Everyone gets more sleep this way and night nursing is so much easier! Cosleeping is a wonderful option as long as it is done safely.

http://www.attachmentparenting.org/cosleepwork.shtml

ETA:
For all those who are afraid of rolling over on baby.....are you on drugs? Going to bed drunk? Morbidly obese? Have some kind of sleep disorder? If not, it's not likely you will roll over on your baby. When is the last time you fell out of bed? YOU DON'T. Because even when you are asleep, you have a sense of where the edge of the bed is. It's the same thing.....you have a sense of where the baby is in the bed as well. This is ESPECIALLY true of nursing moms who are often so in tune with their cosleeping nurslings that the mom will wake up a few seconds BEFORE the baby wakes to nurse.

Answer 7

Anyone who has co-slept will tell you there is no way you could roll over on your baby. You never sleep the same once you become a mom.

It is a choice, and like all parenting choices it isn't right for all babies or all families.

But there is substantial evidence that co-sleeping reduces the risks of SIDS, and let's face it human infants are not designed to be left alone in a room far from their parents. Humans are primates, primate milk is high in sugar and relatively low in fat because humans need to drink often. Human and primate babies are unable to defend themselves or even run from predators at birth (unlike deer, for instance). They need the constant protection of their parents. Human infants also are very bad at regulating their temperature, they rely on their parent's for that too.

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/7/T071000.asp
http://www.kellymom.com/parenting/sleep/familybed.html

Answer 8

I started co-sleeping with my baby in the hospital, our very first night... The nurses let me sleep with him swaddled and lying beside me. At first, I didn't intend to do it once we got home, I was all paranoid about SIDS and suchlike at first... But on coming home from the hospital (and finding his crib was still chock full of unsorted baby stuff, being too tired to sort it out), I just continued to take the baby to bed with me. Gradually it went from him "not sleeping in his crib yet" to "he sleeps with mommy and daddy" to "the family bed." I've done my research, talked to other moms about this, and I feel this is the best decision for my family. My husband is ok with this arrangement, and says the baby can sleep with us "until he's 5, for all I care." It feels natural, much more comfortable than putting him in isolation for the night.

As for the NUMEROUS people who have informed me, "You better cut that out NOW, while you still can!!" I have to say... I don't intend to cut it out, I like him to be there. He will stop when he's ready (or at least five according to dad).

Answer 9

My husband and I co-slept with all 4 of our children. All are alive and well today. It was so nice not to have to get up and feed the baby.

Answer 10

Its a fine thing if you want to continue this. But remember, when you along with the childs other parent decide you don't like this arrangement that you can't be upset with the child when you want to stop. It only takes 3 times to create a habit, so be happy with your choice. The other option would be to place your infant in a nice bassinet or cradle next to our bed. That way you can check on the baby and not disturb the child nor the father! :) PS, having baby in the bed makes for easy and cheap birth control! hehehe