Co-Sleeping With Your Baby
Co-sleeping is a topic with a lot of controversy surrounding it in much of today’s society. Some people do not think it is safe for the baby, or fear that it can cause SIDS. Breastfeeding mothers often choose to co-sleep with their newborn because they feel that they get more sleep in those first few months than they would if they had to get up and stay awake while feeding their baby. Other parents just feel happier having their baby’s close by and sleeping near them.
There are many ways to co-sleep. Baby product manufacturers actually make co-sleepers that attach to the bed and keep your baby within arms reach. These make it easy for a mother to lie in bed and nurse her baby while not worrying about her baby accidentally rolling over from the weight of the parents in bed. They also have sleep positioner’s that you can place your baby in, so that they stay either on their side or back and are unable to move. These are also good when your baby can roll, because they are blocked on either side and can not roll off the bed.
Co-sleeping is practiced widely by parents who parent on demand or consider themselves doing a form of attachment parenting. It is a way for parents to keep their babies close by at all times, in hope that the baby will feel more secure and have his needs met quickly. It many ways it is just a matter of convenience for parents and their new baby.
Safety
In order for co-sleeping to work both parents have to be aware and in agreement that they will do co-sleeping. If a parent is aware, then subconsciously, even when they are asleep, they will tend to make room for the baby and know they are there so that they do not move around too much in bed.
Decide How Long
From the beginning you want to know how long you will be co-sleeping. There is nothing wrong with co-sleeping indefinitely, or planning to do it till your baby is big enough for a real bed. However, if you plan on only doing it for a few months you will want to know that too and prepare for it. Have a crib ready for your baby already to help the transition. Once you start the transition, try not to go backwards as it might be confusing for the baby.
Nap Time
If you plan on co-sleeping indefinitely then when it comes to nap time you will want to have a positioner or rails on your bed to keep your baby from rolling off. If you do not plan on co-sleeping indefinitely, you can actually lay your baby in his bed for naps, in an effort to get him used to sleeping there and hopefully make the transition later easier.
Sleeping Through the Night
For parents who co-sleep, they may find that it seems like it takes longer for their baby to start sleeping through the night. Mothers are very tuned into their baby’s wants and needs, especially at night when they are half asleep. Any small whimper may cause a woman to think that her baby is awake and needs something, leading her to respond. In many of these cases, especially as the baby gets older, it is possible that the baby is just settling himself and isn’t really “awake”. In these cases, if left alone the baby would probably fall back into a deep sleep on their own. If the baby is in his own bed, in a different room, mom and dad would probably never hear him making noise and he would be sleeping through the night.
There is no right or wrong place to bed your baby. It is a decision that has to be made by weighing the pros and cons of the situation and making the best choice for your family.
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