Should i use a co sleeper

For example, some parents who co-sleep with their babies believe that it helps their babies feel safe and secure. Also, some parents co-sleep because they find it more practical.

Breastfeeding and resettling during the night can be easier. Some parents feel that it helps with establishing breastfeeding. This is a broad term that includes SIDS and fatal sleeping accidents. Co-sleeping increases this risk even more if:. Sleeping with a baby on a couch or chair is always unsafe. A co-sleeper bassinet is much safer than sleeping with the baby in the bed. There are some things to consider with safety when purchasing a co-sleeper, but those will be discussed shortly.

If you choose a quality co-sleeper bed, your baby will be safe and secure. A co-sleeper does mean that the baby is very close to the bed. If you need to get up in the middle of the night, it can be more challenging to maneuver around the co-sleeper crib. Many people feel that it does not promote independent sleeping by the baby. However, parents have been co-sleeping since the beginning of time, and evidence is conflicting as to whether or not it actually causes long term complications.

This is a much safer method than putting the baby directly into bed with you. Choosing a co-sleeper bassinet is like choosing other baby gear. Each parent must select the one that is best for them.

Examine anything that you choose for your baby in person, if possible. We have nine things that you should think about when you make that decision. There are a few safety features you will want to make sure are available when choosing a co-sleeper bed. First, you want to make sure that the sides are ventilated in some way.

A wooden co-sleeper may have sides like a crib. You will want to make sure that those sides adhere to the same safety standards that all cribs do. Others come with mesh sides like a portable play yard. In this case, you will want to make sure that the mesh is in good condition and does not get any rips or tears. Also, make sure that it is not easy for your baby to roll and slip between the co-sleeper crib and mattresses.

Most co-sleeper bed injuries occurred from this type of accident. Mattresses also need to be firm and secure in the bedside bassinet. Bassinet mattresses are not standard sizes, so you will want to purchase the appropriate mattress for your equipment and ensure the sheets you choose fit properly. Loose or ill-fitting sheets can be a safety hazard. If your bassinet is inconvenient, you will not find it valuable. By clicking the button, you agree to our policies and to get emails from us. Join BabyCentre.

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See all in Pregnancy. The practical benefits of bed sharing are obvious. Not only are parents close by to respond to the baby if something goes wrong, but co-sleeping makes it easier for the breastfeeding mom to nurse throughout the night.

Then, of course, there's the irresistible sweet intimacy of it. Working women who don't get to see their babies all day may be especially attracted to co-sleeping to make up for the missed contact. What about sharing a bed with older children, for whom co-sleeping poses no significant health risks? Samantha Gadsden, a birth doula in Caerphilly, Wales, shares a bed with her three children , even though the U. When other risk factors are not present, official discouraging of co-sleeping is "coercion and scare-mongering, and treating women like they are not intelligent," Gadsden told BBC News in November Even the AAP says sharing a bedroom just not a sleeping surface with your baby is beneficial: It recommends infants snooze in the same room as their parents for up to a year, optimally, but at least for their first 6 months of life.

Lynelle Schneeberg, Psy. Sharing a family bed almost always, eventually, becomes problematic for a variety of reasons, says Dr. Schneeberg, including the following:. If you do choose to follow the co-sleeping route, make sure the togetherness you desire addresses your child's needs and not just your own.

If you're a single parent or your spouse is often away from home, for instance, you should not allow your child to sleep with you just to stave off your own loneliness. Children who start co-sleeping at an early age aren't likely to "grow out" of it once it has become as commonplace as sleeping with a pillow to them, Schneeberg warns. The long-term effects can be socially damaging too. If you've been sharing your bed because you feel it will be easier for your little one to sleep that way, it's not too late to break the habit.

You can certainly teach your child to fall asleep in her own bed within a few days. I breastfed and let my last two children sleep in the bed with me. I would do it again. They remained in the bed until circumstances allowed them to be on their on.

I see how it can be problematic for some individuals, which means each one should be decided on a case to case situation.