Saturday 28 July 2012

Co-sleeping, parents sharing the bed with their children



:-•:*"*:•.-:¦:-•* Greetings *•-:¦:-•:*'''*:•-:

The plan was to go sleep after watching the Olympics Opening Ceremony but nearly two and half hours later I’m still wide awake. Therefore, I decided I was going to talk you about something that has been on my mind since I’ve found out I’m pregnant, Co-sleeping. Co-sleeping is the term to describe a mother sleeping with her newborn or young children in the same bed.

The reason I want to talk about this is because I’m for sharing a bed with my newborn, I did so with my wild child and I’m planning to do so with this unborn sprog once the time comes. But, I’ve come across a lot of information that isn’t totally against co-sleeping but highlights the best place for a baby/child is a cot in the same room as the parents. This information doesn’t make me doubt my choice but does make me feel that my choice isn’t supported. I know that organisations believe that a cot is the best place for your child/baby because it reduces the risks of SIDs (Sudden Infant Deaths) and also any chance of the baby/child being accidently suffocated by the parents etc. However, statistically, the level of risk for children those die from SIDS while co-sleeping are the same as the level for children that die from SIDS while sleeping in a cot, so why aren’t we told that the risks are the same? As for children being accidently suffocated  by the parent/s, bedding or even the risk of dropping of the bed, all of these hazards can be prevented in the same manner parents take precautions even when a child sleeps in a cot.

I believe its personal preference but the idea of placing my child in a separate bed/cot/basket straight after he/she spent nine months in my womb doesn’t sit well with me. My wild child wouldn’t sleep unless he was in my arms and I tried letting him cry himself to sleep, talking to him, singing, walking around until he fell asleep then putting him in the cot but nothing worked, however the moment I got into bed with him I didn’t need to do anything he fell asleep and hardly woke up through-out the night. Now looking back I believe co-sleeping helped us bond stronger and helped us build a routing in sync with each other. And, those are some of the reasons I’m not even planning on buying a cot this time, just a bed rail.

If you think about the amount of people around the world that share a bed with the children, how we survived before cots/baskets/cribs were invented, you’d probably understand what I mean when I say it can’t be unsafe, it’s natural if anything. But the question is what do you think of co-sleeping? Are you for or against co-sleeping and why?

Well, that’s it for tonight my lovelies, until next time,

:-•:*"*:•.-:¦:-•* Ta-ra *•-:¦:-•:*'''*:•-:

2 comments:

  1. I was initially against co-sleeping purely for the fact that I was told it was wrong by my midwife, parenting books, parenting forums, parenting magazines... yada yada. But as you probably remember from your first child things have a way of not going the way you planned before you give birth, and now Jared (who is 17 months next week) has been co sleeping with us regularly for around four months now, and before that he used to about once a week. I co slept with my Mum and I think it helps us bond- not saying that those who don't co sleep don't bond, I'm just talking from personal experience!
    xx

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  2. I am for co-cleeping, we ended up doing it with our little one when he was small as quite simply we all got more sleep! We are getting a cot for the new baby but its likely he'll be in our bed too.
    I think the reason they dont advise it is probably due to worry that people wont take the proper steps to do it safely.

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