Co-Sleeping

I know that their are MANY people who co-sleep with their babies, and I am not judging anyone, but I have a pretty firm stand against "co-sleeping" with my baby. Way before I was a parent myself, I had my mind made up that my baby would not sleep in my bed, and thankfully I married a man that has that same opinion. I have read so many stories and (when I worked in the Emergency department) have seen first hand the dangers of co-sleeping. Don't get me wrong, when Colton won't stop crying at 2AM and I know that putting him in bed with me will make him stop, it's VERY tempting to just slide him in my bed so that we can both get some sleep. But, I know the negative effects that it could have and my sleep is just not worth the risk.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), are saying that bed-sharing isn't safe because letting your baby sleep in their own crib can reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), as co-sleeping ups the chances of accidental suffocation from parents' pillows, bedding, and blankets. There's also a danger that a parent can unintentionally roll onto the baby, accidentally smothering them. Another reason why I am anti (for lack of a better word) co-sleeping is that when a baby can sleep alone, and more importantly fall asleep on their own (self-soothe), it cultivates independents. Babies who get used to falling asleep next to Mommy may have trouble sleeping when they're left with a relative, caregiver or babysitter.

Some people praise the family bed. They argue that it's not only convenient (especially for nursing moms) and pleasurable (for both of you), but co-sleeping helps cultivate emotional bonds and a baby's attachment to the parents and beats a baby's loneliness. There is a way to cuddle with your baby in bed and still keep them safe. If you want to bring your baby into your bed when you feed them at night, the AAP says that's fine, as long as you return them to their own sleeping quarters before you fall asleep.

Obviously, there are many pros and cons when it comes to the issue of co-sleeping, and every parent will make the decision they feel best for their child. According to the Consumer Product Safety Committee, at least 515 deaths were linked to infants and toddlers under 2 years of age sleeping in adult beds from January 1990 to December 1997.

• 121 of the deaths were attributed to a parent, caregiver, or sibling rolling on top of or against a baby while sleeping
• more than 75% of the deaths involved infants younger than 3 months old

Pros to Co-Sleeping

Encourages breastfeeding by making nighttime nursing more convenient

Helps a nursing mom get her sleep cycle in sync with her baby's

Helps babies fall asleep more easily/quickly when they wake up during the night

Leads to more nighttime sleep overall for babies

Helps parents who don't see their baby during the day regain a sense of intimacy with their child

Cons to Co-Sleeping

Potential risks. Again, the AAP advises against sleeping in the same bed for safety purposes   

Less sleep for you. Infants toss and turn, burp and make noise in their sleep   

Less sleep for baby. Super-attentive tendencies can (at times) do more harm than good

Less whoopee. Honestly, can you really let it all hang out when your baby is sleeping (or cooing)  

      in the same bed? If so, more power to you, your baby won't remember a thing. But, if you're like
      most couples, your child will have to go for the passion to flow   

Potential problems later on. Experts argue that the longer you wait to move your baby out of your

      bed, the greater the chances they'll have a tough time adjusting when you finally do

I'm an advocate for babies sleeping in their own beds, but if a parent does choose to co-sleep, there are ways to make it as safe as possible

Always place your baby on his or her back to sleep to reduce the risk of SIDS

Always leave your child's head uncovered while sleeping

Make sure your bed's head/footboard don't have openings that could trap your baby's head

Make sure your mattress fits snugly in the frame so that your baby won't become trapped in

      between the frame and the mattress

Don't place a baby to sleep in an adult bed alone

Do not place a baby on a soft surface to sleep such as a soft mattress, sofa, or waterbed

Don't use comforters, quilts, and other soft or plush items on the bed

Don't drink alcohol or use medications or drugs that could keep you from waking or might cause

      you to roll over onto your baby

Don't place your bed near draperies or blinds where your child could be strangled by cords