Pros & Cons of Baby Sleeping in His Bed
Co-sleeping is a practice that happens all around the world. Parents who allow their babies to sleep in bed with them have many different reasons for doing so, ranging from convenience to reduced worrying. Co-sleeping frequently occurs up until the time babies are weaned. Even after they are weaned, however, they may continue to sleep with their parents. According to the Natural Child Project website, 44 percent of babies in the United States, ages 2 to 9, co-sleep with an adult in the bed at any given time. If you decide to have your baby sleep in his own bed, you should know the pros and cons involved.
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Convenience
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There are many conveniences of having your baby sleep with you, instead of in his crib. Breastfeeding is one of them. It is easier to feed your baby because she is lying right next to you. According to the Baby Center website, mothers who breastfeed and practice co-sleeping tend to feed their babies for a longer period of time just because of the convenience. Co-sleeping babies also sleep better and wake up less. When your baby wakes up crying, you can easily reach over and sooth her.
Love Life and Lack of Sleep
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A benefit of having your baby sleep in her own bed is that your love life is less likely to suffer than if she were co-sleeping. With a baby sleeping in your bed, spontaneous lovemaking is difficult because it may wake up the baby. Couples may end up looking for another room in the house for lovemaking. Another benefit of your baby sleeping on his own is that you will get the sleep you need to be productive the next day. If your baby sleeps in your bed, her kicking, wiggling and possible crying can interrupt your sleep.
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Safety Risk
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If your baby sleeps in her own bed, the risk of accidental death may decrease. According to The Baby Bond website, co-sleeping causes approximately 60 accidental deaths in infants ranging from birth to the age of 2 on a yearly basis. Parents can roll on top of the baby, causing her to suffocate; the baby can hurt herself by falling off the bed and the possibility of Sudden Infant Dead Syndrome (SIDS) is always present even though it has not been confirmed that co-sleeping causes this.
Transitioning to Her Own Bed
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If your baby starts off co-sleeping in your bed, the transition to her own bed can be a lengthy and difficult one. It is especially difficult if the child spent a long time co-sleeping. The transition period can take anywhere from a few days to months. The younger your baby is, the easier it will be. Starting off the transition by sleeping with your baby in a cot next to your own bed can be effective.
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References
- Photo Credit baby sleeping in basket image by Tatyana Gladskih from Fotolia.com
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Comments
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Mar 03, 2011
This article is complete crap, its not a pros and cons its just cons. I could go on for hours about the benefits on co-sleeping, SIDS is reduced by 44% with infants that co-sleep, not only that but they are more advanced mentally and physically then babies who sleep in there own beds. And the love making part is ridiculous, you have to get a little more creative which I see as a positive thing. My son co-slept for the 1st year and when we transitioned him to his crib he was ready and we were able to reason with him and he understood that we were in the next room and he quickly transitioned.
