Cosleeping

Where Should My Baby Sleep?

The practice of cosleeping, or parents sharing a bed with their infant, is controversial. Supporters of cosleeping believe that a parent's bed is just where an infant belongs. But is it safe?

Why Do Some People Choose to Cosleep?

·     encourages breastfeeding by making nighttime breastfeeding more convenient

·       makes it easier for a nursing mother to get her sleep cycle in sync with her baby's

·       helps babies fall asleep more easily, especially during their first few months and when they wake up in the middle of the night

·       helps babies get more nighttime sleep (because they awaken more frequently with shorter duration of feeds, which can add up to a greater amount of sleep throughout the night)

·       helps parents who are separated from their babies during the day regain the closeness with their infant that they feel they missed

Is Cosleeping Safe?

Despite the possible pros, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns parents not to place their infants to sleep in adult beds, stating that the practice puts babies at risk of suffocation and strangulation. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends the practice of room-sharing with parents without bed-sharing. The practice of room-sharing according to the AAP is a way to reduce the risk of SIDS.

Cosleeping is a widespread practice in many non-Western cultures. However, differences in mattresses, bedding, and other cultural practices may account for the lower risk in these countries as compared with the United States.

Cosleeping advocates say it isn't inherently dangerous and that the CPSC went too far in recommending that parents never sleep with children under 2 years of age. Supporters of cosleeping feel that parents won't roll over onto a baby because they're conscious of the baby's presence — even during sleep.

When You Shouldn't Cosleep

·       other children — particularly toddlers — because they might not be aware of the baby's presence

·       parents who are under the influence of alcohol or any drug because that could diminish their awareness of the baby

·       parents who smoke because the risk of SIDS is greater

Other Options

·       Put a bassinet, play yard, or crib next to your bed. This can help you maintain that desired closeness, which can be especially important if you're breastfeeding. And the AAP says that having an infant sleep in a separate crib, bassinet, or play yard in the same room as the mother reduces the risk of SIDS.

·       Buy a device that looks like a bassinet or play yard minus one side, which attaches to your bed to allow you to be next to each other while eliminating the possibility of rolling over onto your infant.

Source: kidshealth.org

My Opinion

    For the reasons stated above, I believe that cosleeping is dangerous. I believe that cosleeping is a great option for some families, but for me, it is not something that I am comfortable with. What I have decided is best is to put my baby to nap in their crib, so that they are used to sleeping in their nursery and then sleep with my baby at night in my room.  I am planning on buying a cosleeper that attaches to my bed so that I can breastfeed at night and conveniently keep an eye on my baby for the first six months. Once they outgrow the cosleeper, it changes into a playpen which packs up easily for travel.