Is co-sleeping advisable?

What you need to know about sharing a bed and sleeping together.

When you're raising a child, getting enough sleep is especially important. Co-sleeping—sleeping in the same room as your baby and typically within reach of them—is a popular method used by many parents to get the most out of their sleep and spend time together.

In spite of simple admittance to your little one, a few types of co-resting can destructively affect your and your child's wellbeing.

According to Geisinger pediatrician Marie Lena, MD, "some parents find bed-sharing helps them and their babies get to sleep more easily, and they feel it provides more bonding time." However, there is evidence to suggest that it is not beneficial for the child or parent, in addition to the potential tragic consequences."

Is it safe for you and your baby to sleep together? Know what's good and bad. An educated choice on dozing plans can start your child's wellbeing off very well.

How does co-sleeping work?

When you and your baby sleep together, this is called co-sleeping. Because newborns require a great deal of attention, this is a common practice. Safe cosleeping is recommended by pediatricians until your child is at least six months old. These advantages include:

The psychological benefits of co-sleeping are also enough to convince parents to adopt it. Less time spent checking on your baby, less separation anxiety, easier breastfeeding, and more time to sleep for both of you. When you and your baby co-sleep, you and your baby form a strong emotional bond. Additionally, it may reduce crying for attention, providing more energy for brain development.

Co-sleeping with your baby may appear to be an obvious option, but there are important distinctions to be made.

Types of co-sleeping 

When you place a bassinet, crib, or co-sleeper for your baby in the room where you sleep, you are practicing room-sharing. Bedside sleepers, which sometimes attach to your bed and provide your baby with a separate bed, count as room sharing.

Bed-sharing is when you and your baby sleep on the same bed, sofa, or chair. To put it another way, bed-sharing is a type of co-sleeping, but not all co-sleeping is bed-sharing.

It's possible that you'll be tempted to sleep with your baby in bed. After all, if the baby is right next to you, feeding or checking on them in the middle of the night will take even less time. Before you do however, ensure you realize the dangers implied so you can rehearse safe bed-offering to your child. 

Why sharing a bed might not be right for you 

Sharing a bed might make it easier for your baby to fall asleep if you are there when they wake up. By making nighttime feedings easier, it can also encourage breastfeeding. However, evidence suggests that sleep deprivation often affects both the parent and the infant.

Dr. Lena states, "Infants typically move around and make sounds while they sleep, which could disturb your sleep or cause you to wake up because you think your baby needs something." If you pick up your baby at the first whimper, you may prevent them from falling back to sleep on their own because infants occasionally whimper, wake up, and go right back to sleep during the night.

Babies who sleep next to their parents tend to wake up more frequently and spend less time in deep sleep stages.

Dr. Lena advises, "Putting a crib or bassinet in your bedroom can be a much safer and more comfortable option for both you and your baby." "If you want to make nighttime feedings easier and keep your baby close while sleeping without the safety risks," she says.

But some parents decide that sharing a bed is better for them. Others don't settle on the cognizant choice to impart a bed to their newborn child — it simply kind of works out. If you know why sharing a bed can be dangerous for your baby, you might reconsider.

Risks of sharing a bed

 When people share a bed, they are more likely to die of SIDS or SUID (sudden unexpected infant death). A baby in your bed is close to obstacles and dangers of suffocation like:

Blankets, a soft mattress, sheets that don't fit, long hair, necklaces, bed rails, soft cushions—all of these things should keep your baby safe if you accidentally fall asleep with them. The most dangerous furniture is thought to be sofas and armchairs.

It is possible to share a safe bed with your baby, but there are risks. Bed sharing is not recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The academy generally recommends safe co-sleeping to lessen the likelihood of SIDS and SUID. 

Dr. Lena advises, "They should be placed to sleep on their back on a firm surface in order to ensure that they are always safe while sleeping." Additionally, fluffy pillows, blankets, and stuffed animals should not be placed in their bassinet or crib because they can cause suffocation.

Even though it may be difficult to sleep without your cuddly newborn, it is better for both of you in the long run.