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Co-sleeping is the practice where the child sleeps in bed with his parents. Not surprisingly, it is one of the most hotly debated and controversial topics related to pediatric sleep.
Let’s see why.
Some people argue that co-sleeping is the right and natural way to raise a child because the practice fosters a stronger bond and a more secure attachment.Conversely, others will tell you that co-sleeping is risky, ridiculous, or even dangerous and they don’t want it for their family.
So, which approach holds the truth?
First, it’s important to understand that co-sleeping is not magic.
Numerous couples have reported that their babies did not necessarily sleep deeper or longer because their parents were close by. In fact, some parents found that their child slept longer and woke less frequently when they stopped co-sleeping and moved him into his own crib.
However, whether families choose to co-sleep or have their children sleep independently is a personal decision. If both parents and child are safe, rested, and fulfilled, co-sleeping is nothing to worry about.
If you decide to do co-sleep, this commitment requires some very careful thinking.
Questions to ask yourself in regards with Co-sleeping
- Is it nice to think about enjoying the coziness of sleeping in close proximity?
- Does one or more of us tend to stay active during sleeping – potentially disrupting the others?
- Is everyone in our family in favour of co-sleeping, or are we leaning toward it because one of us feels strongly?
- Are we willing to commit to being quiet after our child falls asleep, or do we like to watch TV or talk in bed?
- Will we enjoy being able to feed our baby more often throughout the night, or will have him next to us make it tougher to wean nighttime feeds?
- Are we agreeable to getting into bed when our child does, to ensure his safety?
- For working parents, does sleeping next to our child allow us to feel more connected to him?
As expected, co-sleeping has both advantages and disadvantages.
Let’s take a closer look at them:
Co-sleeping Pros
• Constant closeness whenever the child is awake. Many children and parents enjoy this feeling.
• Immediate action and support for any sleep-related problem
• The ability to nurse and respond to other nighttime wakings without getting up
• More time to spend with the child.
• Possibly better sleep for both the child and the parents, if the child was sleeping poorly to begin with.
Co-sleeping Cons
• Parents may sleep poorly if their children are restless sleepers.
• They may end up sleeping in separate rooms, and possibly become angry at their child or with each other.
• Children’s and adults’ sleep cycles do not coincide.
• Parents may have to go to bed at a very early hour with their children and be left with little time for their own evening activities.
• They have little privacy.
• There may be a slight increase in the risk to the infant from SIDS and related causes.
The decision to co-sleep should be yours, made by the parent – or parents – and based on your own personal philosophies, not on pressure from your child or anyone else. Another family’s good or bad experience with co-sleeping should not influence your decision: your child is unique and your family is not the same.
I want out! That’s the message your toddler will send – one way or another – when he’s ready to wave goodbye to the crib and say hello to a big-kid bed. Your child might actually verbalize displeasure, or more likely, simply climb out of the crib.
So, what needs to be done?
First, resist the temptation to move him too early.
Most experts recommend doings so around age 3. Unless your child is climbing out of his crib or needs more space than a crib can provide – his body is growing at an astounding rate – it’s better to keep him in the crib, which allows him to feel safe.
This way, your child can feel comfortable taking giant developmental leaps during the day but still regress to the security of his old crib at night.
Moreover, until age 3, toddlers are very impulsive, and your child’s difficulty in understanding and being able to follow directions or rules (like staying in bed all night) will make sleeping in a bed a real challenge.
If you transition to a bed before age 3, you can plan on waking up to a little visitor next to your bed pretty much every night.
When the time comes, however, you need to help your child transition smoothly to sleeping in a bed.
How to transition from crib to bed?
1. Create a safe environment
Safety proof your child’s room and any adjacent areas he may be able to visit into the middle of the night. Secure windows, tops of stairs, that can be tripped over. Even better, you can install a safety gate at your child’s door. Also, a small night-light in his room to help him orient himself and avoid hurting himself.
2. Pick the mattress
Go to the mattress store – or any other store that sells mattresses – and let your child help you choose the mattress or bed. With safety in mind, all you need is a twin-size mattress and box spring and some safety rails for the side.
You should adjust the height of this new bed accordingly, as it will need to sit low on the floor for some time until your child gets used to it.
Get some fun new sheets, some special pillowcases and you’re set to go.
3. Disassemble the crib (together)
Once the new bed comes home, ask your child to help you to take down the crib. This way, your child will feel part of the transition process and will also be able to say good-bye to the crib.
4. Set up the bed:
Put the bed in a corner of your child’s room so that the head and side of the bed are flush against the wall for protection.
Add a safety rail to the exposed side of the bed. Your child will feel safe this way, just as he did in his crib.
5. Explain the rules of bedtime:
If your child is verbal before the first night of sleeping in the bed, go over the rules of bedtime with him. Tell him that he is a big boy now who needs to understand that when we go to sleep, we only wake up when the sun is nice and bright.
6. Do your bedtime routine:
During the first few nights your child is sleeping in his new bed, take an extra 10 minutes of reading time together to make him feel comfortable in his new environment. The idea here is to make your child feel safe. If your child seems excited about the new bed from the very start, you’re one of those luck people who has made this transition easily.
This article is based on the program, “Baby Sleep Miracle” by Mary Ann Schuler. Featuring scientifically-backed insights from a certified child psychologist, the book is an invaluable source of practical, hands-on advice. It is filled with easy-to-implement tips, and suggestions not only for baby sleep issues but for other, related behavioural problems.
The best part of this program is the “Good Sleep At Every Age”, in which the author describes in minute detail every developmental phase of a child from birth up to five years of age, providing custom indications on how to adjust the sleeping strategy to any child’s personality.
You can visit Mary Ann Schuler’s website HERE: babysleepmiracle.com
Please note that this post may contain affiliate links and any sales made through such links will reward me a small commission – at no extra cost for you. PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO.
