What do you guys know (not think, not opine ) about the true risks of co-sleeping.
I co-slept with all of mine, and Dr. Sears (whom I greatly admire) recommends it, but I never hear anything but bad things about it. When my infant daughter was hospitalized the nurses didn't want me to sleep with her on my cot. I hear nurses warning new mothers against it. What confuses me is that in the anti-SIDS recommendations they advise against co-sleeping, though my understanding is that SIDS is, by definition, *not* suffocation.
Is co-sleeping dangerous because we westerners don't tend to sleep on mats on the floor? Can its dangers be mitigated in some way? Or is the danger a bit of hype.
I lOVE it, the AAP finally has (albeit, rather grudgingly) gave the "OK" for parents to co-sleep. Kinda. Thanks for the link zcalla, I hadn't heard this. The last I heard the AAP were still saying we were going to kill our kids if we slept with them. Glad they are reconsidering.
This is my favorite part of the Dr Sears article: Do not sleep with your baby if #3...You are exhausted from sleep deprivation. This lessens your awareness of your baby and your arousability from sleep.
I have never had a new mom able to sleep through a crying baby though -
This wasn't in immediate postpartum but when my DD was born I was working, breastfeeding, supplementing, then pumping 2-3 times a night. My DH was in Iraq so I was alone. Shortly thereafter (about 2 weeks) my DD started sleeping through the night. In hindsight I think I actually didn't hear her crying and unknowlingly let her "cry it out." I still feel bad about it, but I guess I will never know.
This will always be a highly debated issue (like so many others!) because it involves feelings of vulnerability and guilt for parents....I did not co-sleep with my twins (now 18yrs. old) but did with my son (now 13 yrs.) and my youngest daughter (now 9)....they are all just fine! None of them have any attachment issues!
It all boils down to what works for your family. We also used an attached co-sleeper bed that worked really well. It is probably the safest solution, although my husband and I often joked during that time that we should just lay about three king sized mattresses side to side across our bedroom floor and let everyone sleep in there with us! Babies grow up so quickly and in the long haul a few years of babies in your bed is a wonderful inconvenience to reminisce about!
Funny how I was never interested in this thread before now. But. I knew it existed, having seen it scroll by the last few years. So, when the topic came up at my house, I knew where to look to read oodles about it.
I saw something called an Ambybed that looks really neat.
I can't afford one but I would get it if I could.
This is what I'm looking at. I like the idea of having my baby right next to me for breastfeeding purposes, and because it's supposed to let them sleep better, but I'm scared to truly co-sleep. My husband and I like our fluffy blankets and pillows, and I also would rather be able to cuddle with my husband at night as well (personal preference there though). The amy co-sleeper looks great as far as attaching right next to me on the bed, but my baby can still sleep with no blankets, pillows, etc.
I know it's an old thread someone brought up, but I hadn't read it before and wanted to comment.
So many cultures do it. The US is one of the few countries that do NOT traditionally cosleep. Everybody sleeps better that way - if you do it safely. Nobody's advocating downing a 12-pack and lying down next to your baby. But our son is 3.5 years and we STILL occasionally cosleep as we have been pretty much since he was born.
At my hospital in the past 10 years (and we only have about 400-450 deliveries/year), we've had 2 babies fall from the bed onto the floor when moms were trying to sleep with the babies in their beds. Thankfully both were fine.
We also had one baby suffocate under it's mother's breast when the mother fell asleep nursing in bed.
We have signs up in the rooms discouraging sleeping with the baby.
I have never had any damage come to a baby, and probably a good 70-80% of my mamas co-sleep. I show moms how to do it safely, and everybody does fine. We pull up the siderails on the side where baby's sleeping, roll a bath blanket in the small crack between siderail & bed. Mom sleeps on her back, baby sleeps on his back beside her with the HOB down. Everybody's good to go & everybody gets at least a couple hours uninterrupted sleep.
The only time when we are absolutely strict about mom not co-sleeping or being alone in the room with baby is when she's on pp mag, just because of the decreased muscle tone/strength as well as just plain feeling lousy. We have had one baby fall out of mom's arms in that situation (not my patient). Baby was fine.
If, for whatever reason, a parent doesn't want to cosleep, nobody (including me) forces them to.
I'm looking forward to reading this topic. I've read the first few posts and am looking forward to following through all of them. I've heard stories on both sides and I can tell you my own experience. I was against it b/c I was so scared and my hubby would say please let him sleep in the bed with us so we can all get some sleep but I would not do it without the use of one of those cosleeper things that has rigid sides and you put the baby in it between the two parents. Well he slept in his corificeat, bassinet, etc. and then finally we got him to a crib and a little while after he didn't sleep there well anymore so we moved to cosleeping, but it wasn't til he was over a year old. I felt a bit less scared then and I slept with my arm around him and holding him. We still cosleep and he is 2. It is how we all three get sleep LOL ROFL.
BUT...I don't advise my patients on it, I give them the information that our hospital provides regarding SIDS and what not, I do not mention that I am a cosleeper. I've not had anyone come out and ask me yet thankfully. But I can honestly say I would be scared to have a brand new baby in bed with me.
Anyway looking forward to reading all the good stuff here!
) about the true risks of co-sleeping.
zcalla
5 Posts
I know this a new post to an outdated thread. This might help the debate.
Dr.Sears love him or hate him
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/10/t102200.asp
WomensHealth.gov
http://www.4women.gov/breastfeeding/index.cfm?page=235#sleeping