Experts as well as parents believe that a single bed for the family can be a good way to strengthen bonds with the parents and the baby. Likewise, they are certain that it can simplify the nursing task and increase the cuddle moments. However, it can never be taken from others that expect otherwise. Of course, they exclaim that this will prevent infants to learn to sleep alone. It is also said to discourage independence, not to mention disruption of sleeping patterns.
With this in mind, it can be difficult to decide which side to pick. As a parent, you should be able to determine this for your baby before it will be too late to act. Hence, here are a few pros and cons regarding co sleeping with your baby on your family bed.
List of Pros of Co Sleeping
1. Encourages Breastfeeding.
Mothers sometimes find it hard to feed their babies when they sleep on another bed by themselves. In fact, this will even be a lot harder when a mother wakes up when the baby cries in the middle of the night because he or she is hungry. By allowing co sleeping, it can provide ample time to breastfeed the baby or attend to his or her needs quickly without even getting out of bed.
2. Nursing Moms Can Sleep in Sync with Babies.
Those mothers who need to feed the baby can get the advantage of co sleeping. Moreover, it can also get her sleeping cycle in tune with that of her baby’s. For this reason, nursing moms can make the experience even more comfortable and favorable for her little one.
3. Won’t Disrupt Baby’s Sleeping Time.
The moment your baby comes to bed with you, he or she can fall asleep faster. Likewise, the baby can also go back to sleep without any trouble when waking up during the night. Thus, it can improve the hours of sleep the baby needs.
List of Cons of Co Sleeping
1. Can Cause Potential Risks.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, co sleeping can be risky for baby. This is because parents can’t be aware that they already have covered the face of the infant as they sleep soundly. For this reason, the baby can suffocate or worse.
2. Less Sleeping Hours for You.
It is understandable that infants do everything they like as they lie and sleep with you during the night. However, this can also pose a lesser time for you to sleep, particularly when they make some noises or hit your face as you slumber.
3. No Time for Couples to Cuddle.
You have to admit it – allowing the infant in the middle of the parents can be a disaster. This is because the usual time that you and your partner have can be replaced with hours of nursing or breastfeeding in a single night alone. If you are still a young couple eager to spend some time to cuddle and more before sleeping, then perhaps this is not your thing.
Crystal Lombardo is a contributing editor for Vision Launch. Crystal is a seasoned writer and researcher with over 10 years of experience. She has been an editor of three popular blogs that each have had over 500,000 monthly readers.