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Resources > Sleeping

Know the pros and cons of co-sleeping

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By GreatDad Writers

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Is it okay to let the baby share your bed with you? There is no single correct answer to this situation. It is up to you, as a parent, to decide after knowing its pros and cons:

Advantages of co-sleeping

Sleeping with your baby can foster a closer bond between you and your child.
It gives you more time to spend with your baby. This is especially important for working couples.
According to some studies, breastfeeding is higher amongst babies who share their parents’ bed
Babies who sleep with their parents are believed to enjoy better sleep.
Some studies report that babies who co-sleep wake less often during the night and fall asleep faster.
Co-sleeping tends to reduce crying amongst babies.
It is easier for parents to attend to the baby’s needs at night.
Co-sleeping enables parents to respond immediately to babies when they cry.

Disadvantages of co-sleeping

Once they get used to sleeping with them, babies may refuse to sleep in the parents’ absence.
It may be difficult to teach co-sleeping babies to sleep alone later.
Sleeping with a restless baby may disrupt the parents’ sleep.
Parents may see a baby in bed as an intrusion in their love life.

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	By roxanne, From tampa WE co-slept til my son was 5 months and started kicking me too much... transition was nightly from my bed to playpen, throughout the night and then eventally from my bed to crib in other bedroom... worked well for us as we were breastfeeding and i got to get plenty of sleep with co-sleeping By Jessica, From Wilsonville Parents need that intimate time when the baby is asleep in their crib. Your child also doesn't have the anxiety of being left alone. By Niki, From Florida We've co-slept with our two babies. We'd co-sleep at night but the baby would be in a crib for day time naps. Transition to a crib later was easy because they were already used to it. It makes breastfeeding much easier and the bonding is great. If you're concerned about hurting your baby while you sleep, the arms reach co-sleeper is great. We used one the second time around. It just hooks up to your bed, the baby is right there, but she'll have her own sleeping space. Another advantage, at least for us, was that we had to get a little creative with our sex life. Some nights we'd put the baby in her crib until we were actually ready to sleep but usually she'd already be in bed and we'd have to think of other places. By Alenochka, From Charlotte me & my husband slept with each of our 3 kids. I breastfed them all and it is just happens. We are happy with our choice because i could start breastfeeding right in the bed. when i sleep with the baby through the whole night i listen to baby's breath, and i feel the baby how she is doing,(it's like an additional feeling - you always feel your baby), i.e. you don't sleep that hard as if you would sleep with no baby in bed. i would recommend it to careful parents. By Mike, From Queen Creek We've co-slept with our three children up to age two or so. The bonding is great, but I'm always paranoid, the infant is going to get squished by mom or fall out of bed one too many times. So, I recommend snuggle time for the bonding and crib/bed time for the child. ;-) By Dad, From Vancouver We sleep with our 11 month old in our bed and I believe we all sleep better. She never has a chance to cry for long because all of her needs are right beside her (Mom). I wouldn't do it any other way. By Dad in Des Moines, From I would never sleep with a baby in the bed. It's just too weird. By Dad in Des Moines, From I would never sleep with a baby in the bed. It's just too weird.