How a Co-Sleeper Bassinet Works
Co-sleeping is the practice of infants and children sleeping with their parents and a subject of debate between parenting experts. Its purpose is to deepen a mother-baby bond and make night feedings more convenient. Traditionally, co-sleeping involved putting an infant in bed with both parents. The American Pediatric Association supports mothers co-sleeping with a specially designed bassinet that is attached to the side of the bed with a lower side so the infant is close to the mother.
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History
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Although co-sleeping is widely practiced in most areas of the world, in Western countries co-sleeping is not favored. According to Dr. James McKenna, Western social values favor independence and autonomy, which has led to another theory of infant sleep called the "Cry it Out" method.
Benefits
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A breastfeeding mother benefits most from a co-sleeping arrangement. This allows her to wake the infant and feed him in bed, allowing both mother and baby more sleep. According to Breastfeeding.com, co-sleeping favors more night feedings, which in turns gives the baby more immunity-building breast milk that helps the infant build natural antibodies. According to the Psychology of Attachment and Separation, mothers and babies who co-sleep produce fewer stress hormones, which may help fight postpartum depression.
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Controversy
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The "Back to Sleep" campaign in 1994 began to shed a negative light on co-sleeping. The campaign characterizes bed-sharing as hazardous. Since the campaign began, cases of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) have fallen by 50 percent. However, the recent invention of a co-sleeping bassinet allows a mother to reap the benefits of co-sleeping without putting her child at risk.
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References
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- Photo Credit mother and baby drinking breast-milk image by hans slegers from Fotolia.com
