How Does Co-Sleeping Work?

Co-sleeping is one of those things that a parent either swears by or won’t even think about practicing. It’s hard to find a middle ground. In this article I want to help you understand what co-sleeping is and the risks (and benefits) that may be associated with it. First and foremost, co-sleeping should never happen with a newborn. They should always be in their own safe environment for sleep time in order to reduce the risk of SIDS. So, how does co-sleeping work? Let’s find out…

What is co-sleeping?

Co-sleeping is the idea of bringing your little one into your bed to sleep through the night, rather than setting them up in their own cot or toddler bed. The idea of co-sleeping stems from our need as parents to be within arm’s reach of our babies at all times, as close as possible to them to comfort them and to make sure we’re near if something happens to them. Parents used to co-sleep with their children throughout history, before there came a point in time where studies linked the practice with an increase in the risk of SIDS. Nowadays, co-sleeping is a highly personal choice.

Why do parents co-sleep?

Parents choose to co-sleep for a number of reasons:

They enjoy the close body contact
They feel that it’s rewarding
They believe it’s good for the relationship between them and their child
They want to be as close to their child as possible through the night

Should I co-sleep with my baby?

Ultimately, the choice is yours. When it comes to babies and sleep, safety should be the number one priority. If you have a completely safe co-sleeping setup and your baby is at least 6 to 12 months old, it might be the way you choose to sleep. Regardless of safety, co-sleeping can sometimes cause rifts between parents if they’re both not on the same side. So, talk to your partner before introducing any sleeping methods and make sure they’re on the same page. As I’m big on helping babies learn self-sleeping skills, I don’t suggest co-sleeping as a method when I work with families. It can sometimes lead to separation anxiety and issues when it’s time for baby to move into their own bed when they’re older.

If you’d like any advice about your baby’s sleeping skills, please do get in touch. I want to help you and your little one sleep sweetly and deeply all night long.

As always, sweet dreams! x

Find out how to keep your child in their room at bedtime.

📸 Heike Mintel on Unsplash