I wanted to take a minute to talk about the pros and cons of co-sleeping and dispel some myths that go along with it.
1. co-sleeping is not safe.
Not true. It is not safe if you are overweight, a drinker (even occasionally), a drug user, on medication, or you sleep with other small children or pets.
2. you will smoosh your baby.
I will not smoosh my baby. As any new mom can testify; I am constantly checking her breathing and am startled awake every time she moves. it's built into us to know our surroundings as mothers. The reasons listed above can influence your ability to be alert enough if sleeping with a baby.
3. you will smother your baby with the blankets.
Simple solution; remove all unnecessary blankets and pillows from the bed. We use one comforter, and 1 pillow each. Also the mattress we have is not sooo soft that she can smother herself in it.
4. your baby won't know how to fall asleep without you.
Just because they bond with you and get more comfortable with sleeping with you doesn't mean they don't know how, it just means they don't like it as much. You like sleeping with your spouse right? you might have a slightly harder time falling asleep without them, but you can do it. Plus, if baby is sleeping well in your bed to begin with why would you kick them out?
5. you can't be intimate if you co-sleep.
Hello?! as a new parent you already have a hard time finding a good moment to be intimate. Just get a little more creative with the locations, it will be good for your sex life anyway.
over the myths? Here are some other great things to note:
1. Co-sleeping makes breast feeding easier. I literally lift up my shirt and she latches! I fall back asleep and so does she. Once she's done, I awaken (remember any movement or non-movement wakes me up) and recover my boob and fall back asleep.
2. DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH. Be informed. Read a book about it. But, please, don't let uneducated (on the subject) people tell you it's dangerous and believe them, if you take their uneducated opinion at face value you might miss out on some valuable sleep (and wonderful cuddling time) It has been forced down so many people's throats that co-sleeping is dangerous, so a new mom might decide that she better go feed her in the chair in the living room or on the couch. She is SO tired she falls asleep in an unsafe manner and ends up smooshing the baby. That is not a healthy co-sleeping situation, a bed with the appropriate amount of room would be a better solution to trying to nurse somewhere else without as much room. I guess my point is; use common sense.
3. Non-organic cribs and mattresses off gas. The fumes and flame retardants emitted from a hand-me-down mattress and even new mattresses can cause nervous system damage! know your sleep surfaces, since cribs are temporary most people skimp on the organic aspect because of the outrageous price and the fumes from a baby sleeping in their own bed can be more detrimental than co-sleeping. (p.s. please don't use the argument; I slept in a crib and I turned out fine, yeah so did I, but with a nation suffering from a plague of autism and ADHD and such, I'd rather not take my chances with my daughter)
Hope this was informative enough to help you consider your sleeping options as a parent.
-Jenn
*disclaimer, if you do choose to co-sleep don't cite me as the expert, I'm not , like I said do your own research. I've done mine :)
