Baby Safety & Health

Co-sleeping, also called the family bed, is a practice in which babies and young children sleep with one or both parents. It is standard practice in many parts of the world outside of North America and Europe. more...

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One 2006 study of children age 3-10 in India reported 93% of the children co-sleeping. Co-sleeping was widely practiced in all areas up until the 19th century, until the advent of giving the child his or her own room and the crib. In many parts of the world, co-sleeping simply has the practical benefit of keeping the child warm at night. Co-sleeping has been relatively recently re-introduced into Western culture by practitioners of attachment parenting. A 2006 study of children in Kentucky in the United States reported 15% of infants and toddlers 2 weeks to 2 years co-sleeping.

Proponents variously believe that co-sleeping saves babies' lives (especially in conjunction with nursing), promotes bonding, lets the parents get more sleep, facilitates breastfeeding, and protects against sudden infant death syndrome ("SIDS"). Older babies can breastfeed during the night without waking their mother. Opponents argue that co-sleeping is both stressful and dangerous for the baby, and argue that modern-day bedding is not safe for co-sleeping. They point to evidence that co-sleeping may increase the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome ("SIDS"), and argue that the parent may smother the child or promote an unhealthy dependence of the child on the parent. On the other side, they note that this practice may interfere with the parents' own relationship in terms of reducing both communication and sexual intercourse at bedtime.

According to some advice, co-sleeping is likely to end after a year or two if the child is not forced to co-sleep. The child may choose a place of their own, possibly on a surface that would appear to be uncomfortable by adult standards. Hot weather and weaning can encourage this natural separation.

Safety and Health

Co-sleeping triggers conflicting advice among health care professionals. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission warns against it. However, many pediatricians, breast-feeding advocates, and others have harshly criticized the CPSC recommendation.

Advantages

There may be health advantages to co-sleeping. One studied reported mothers getting more sleep by co-sleeping and breastfeeding than by other arrangements. Further, it has been argued that co-sleeping evolved over five million years, that it alters the infant's sleep experience and the number of maternal inspections of the infant, and that it provides a beginning point for considering possibly unconventional ways of helping reduce the risk of SIDS.

Read more at Wikipedia.org