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Even though there is a lot of evidence in favor of having your child sleep in their own bed, more and more information keeps coming out about the benefits of sharing your bed with your baby. More families are going against "the norm" of society and choosing the "family bed." But, the decision is a personal one.
As the parent, you must decide for yourself whether or not a co-sleeping arrangement is best for you. Some parents share their bed for the nursing months and then wean their baby into their own bed, but others co-sleep for years. Some argue for privacy while others opt for family togetherness.
There are a lot of factors to consider before deciding which is best. You should learn both sides and then choose for you and your family.
It has been argued that sleeping with your nursing baby increases nighttime nursing and that this causes dental problems such as milk decay. A baby usually only wakes up if he or she is hungry to eat. Even if the parent falls asleep while feeding, the baby stops eating when full. The suckling that some babies continue to do at the breast does not cause milk to leak. The baby simply is not drawing milk out. Nighttime nursing is much easier on the parent when they are sleeping with their baby. Both wake up much less during the night and the parent is not on edge listening to see if the baby is alright because he or she is with them in bed.
The argument that co-sleeping deprives children of the chance to learn how to fall asleep on their own is debatable. If anything, babies sleep better with their parents. Their sleep cycles synchronize with the parents' and they tend to fall asleep at the same time each night.
People argue that co-sleeping interferes with the baby developing a strong sense of independence and becoming a separate person. Babies that sleep with their parents feel the importance of loving touch and remain in touch with that love throughout the night. When they are afraid, they can look at their parent or hear their parent breathing in the dark. Then they are reassured and go back to sleep. This develops a higher self-esteem and helps them have a greater ability to empathize and show affection with others.
Co-sleeping helps babies have less nightmares or night terrors than babies that sleep alone. They do not develop separation anxiety when weaned into their own bed. They have learned that their parents are near them and are not leaving them alone at night.
The rumor that a parent could roll over and crush the baby or push the baby off of the bed is unsubstantiated. The chances of that happening are close to the chances of getting hit with lightening. The subconscious is aware of the baby and will wake the parent up when moving around.
The best benefit from sleeping with your baby is the bond that is formed when you raise an infant in the "family bed." The baby is safe, warm and where the both of you want him or her to be.
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