Co-Sleeping with Your Baby: The Pros and Cons

Parents never really give much thought to what happens after the baby is delivered.  Everybody eagerly waits to see the newborn then everything else comes afterward. For instance, no one thinks about whether they will be sharing a room with a baby or if he will sleep in a separate room. If the baby has stomach issues or is ill somehow, you will likely be sharing space much more closely.  Experts have revealed that sharing a room with your child has both positive and negative effects on how you and your baby will sleep. Some parents prefer putting together nurseries for their little ones while others will only rest if the baby is sleeping next to them. Here are the benefits and disadvantages of sharing a room with your baby:

THE BENEFITS

1. It makes it easier for the mum to breastfeed the baby.

This is much easier when the baby is sleeping only an arm's length away. All you have to do is reach out for the bassinet, lift out your baby, and feed him. Every mother can agree that this is much easier than having to get out of bed and walk to the baby's nursery to breastfeed him.

1. It makes it easy to monitor the baby

If your baby is sleeping within an arm's length, you can always sit up and check up on them. According to experts, sharing a room with your baby helps prevent and reduce the risks of SIDS. When the mother has constant access to a child, she can sleep well knowing that her baby is just warm enough, or that he is breathing properly. Compare this to walking in and out of the baby's room every hour or so.

1. It makes it easy to comfort the baby at night

Babies cry a lot, especially at night. Few things are as tiresome, annoying and frustrating to parents as having to get up every hour to go check up on the baby and soothe them back to sleep. Whether they need to have their pacifier replaced or they are going through a sleep regression, it is much easier to sit up, pick them up and resolve the fussiness.

THE DISADVANTAGES

1. The Noise

This is really bad if you have a snorer in your bed. It's also equally bad if your baby is a snorer. Neither of you is likely to get any sleep despite your baby blackout blinds.

1. The paranoia

If your baby is sleeping next to you, then you may not get much sleep. You find yourself checking up on them every 20 minutes or so.

1. Bad sleeping habits

Your baby will be likely to develop some bad sleeping habits if you keep giving them the breast or pacifier every time they cry. Try a few different positions of course, from the reclining leather chair to the bed.  This is very tempting when all you want to do is stop the crying and get back to sleep. In the future, the baby may not be able to go to sleep unless they are breastfed.

Conclusively, co-sleeping with your baby is a good idea if you don't want to keep going to their room to soothe them and check up on them every now and then. It is, however, a bad idea if you mind your sleep and your baby's too.