Co Sleeping and Your Baby

Last Saturday we started putting my daughter in her crib so she will learn how to sleep on her own and at the same time, she will sleep better, because every time we move she would always wakes up. We have been co-sleeping since the time we took her home. Maybe not so much when she was a baby because she sleeps on a bassinet most of the time but when she outgrow it, our bed became her bed.

An image of a baby and parents dozing off is such a pretty site for me. But the practice of co sleeping or sharing a bed with your infant is very controversial in the United States.

So why do parents choose to co-sleep with their children?

• encourages breastfeeding by making nighttime breastfeeding more convenient. I can say that these is for real. I breastfeed my daughter and it makes it real easy if the baby is co sleeping.
• makes it easier for a nursing mother to get her sleep cycle in sync with her baby's.
• helps babies fall asleep more easily, especially during their first few months and when they wake up in the middle of the night.
• helps babies get more nighttime sleep (because they awaken more frequently with shorter duration of feeds, which can add up to a greater amount of sleep throughout the night)
• helps parents who are separated from their babies during the day regain the closeness with their infant that they feel they missed.

Although co-sleeping is not for everybody, for those who choose to co-sleep with their little one, here are a few precautions that you can follow to make sure that your little one is always safe.

• Always place your baby on his or her back to sleep to reduce the risk of SIDS.
• Always leave your child's head uncovered while sleeping.
• Make sure your bed's headboard and footboard don't have openings or cutouts that could trap your baby's head.
• Make sure your mattress fits snugly in the bed frame so that your baby won't become trapped in between the frame and the mattress.
• Don't place a baby to sleep in an adult bed alone.
• Don't use pillows, comforters, quilts, and other soft or plush items on the bed.
• Don't drink or use medications or drugs that may keep you from waking and may cause you to roll over onto, and therefore suffocate, your baby.
• Don't place your bed near draperies or blinds where your child could be strangled by cords.

Of course, where your child sleeps — whether it's in your bed or a crib — is a personal decision. You have to weigh the pros and cons, talk to your child's doctor about the risks, possible personal benefits, and your family's own sleeping arrangements.

Source: KidsHealth.org

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