1. Room for Baby
Co-dependent sleeping, or co-sleeping, is part of a natural approach to parenting. This form of sleeping can help to ease the transition from bed to crib to, ultimately, the child's own room for both baby and mom. Even parents who usually have their child sleep separately, usually make some exceptions. Perhaps the child has a separate bedroom but can sleep in the parent's bed following a bad dream. Some families watch a movie before dozing off in the parents' bed on Friday night or sleep together while away on vacation. Almost every family co-sleeps at some point.
2. Various Methods of Sleeping Together
True co-dependent sleeping has the baby sleeping with one or both parents. Two extensions of co-dependent sleeping which can be nearly as convenient include the baby sleeping in the a sidecar-style crib that fits up against the parent's bed or sleeping in a separate bassinet or crib in the same room.
3. Breastfeeding and Co-Sleeping
Exclusive breastfeeding is another component of natural parenting, and co-sleeping is the easiest way to facilitate feeding your baby. You won't have to worry about getting up and walking down the hallway to baby's room. Your infant also can nurse on demand, which is important during the early months, and you won't have to worry about sleeping through your baby's cries.
4. Consider the Safety
Co-sleeping has many health benefits for babies. The close proximity to either parent helps to regulate a baby's temperature and breathing, reducing the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. However, co-sleeping has been linked to some infant deaths. Usually, those cases involve drug or alcohol consumption by the parents. Never sleep in the same bed as your baby if you've consumed alcohol or after taking certain medications. If you smoke or have a water bed, you shouldn't co-sleep. You'll have to remove pillows and heavy blankets from your bed as well. You'll also have to make sure your mattress fits tightly to the headboard and that there are no gaps between your bed and the wall in which the baby can become wedged and suffocate.
5. Allay Your Worries About Co-Sleeping
Many parents fear that if a baby sleeps in their room, the baby will never get used to sleeping on his own. Babies' needs vary based on age and developmental stage, and they thrive on close human contact. As babies and children grow older, they become less dependent. Having a healthy attachment as a baby fosters healthy emotional development later in life. Provide your baby or child with exactly what she needs at the moment. The stability and comfort your child experiences will help her transition to the next developmental stage with ease.
