Co-sleeping-the natural way to a better night’s sleep!

By Jayne Garrod

In recent times, more and more parents of babies and young children are embracing the traditional practice of co-sleeping, or sleep sharing, a practice that has been the norm in most cultures for thousands of years. Co-Sleeping to these families has many benefits; not the least being longer and better sleep for not only babies, but also the whole family. Not to mention the increased sense of closeness experienced by both the child and its parents. This is regarded in many cultures as a natural continuum from mother’s womb to mother’s bed, and most of the families in these cultures wouldn’t dream of doing things any other way. A separate nursery is a strange concept to most of the world’s parents. In a survey of 186 traditional societies throughout the world, in most cultures mother and baby shared a bed, and none of the societies studied endorsed the western ideal of babies sleeping in a room alone. To people who haven’t been lectured and conditioned to believe sleeping with a baby is “a bad habit” the ideas of Controlled Crying, or letting a baby Cry It Out, seem bizarre and alien. Why would you not do something so natural as co-sleeping that allows the whole family a decent night’s sleep?
However in mainstream modern Western society, it is largely still looked down upon and considered strange, even undesirable, by many. Somehow, we as a society seem to have moved further and further away from listening to our own instincts.
Parents nowadays are being told that they must “teach” or “train” a baby to sleep, and in some cases are even being told that demand breastfeeding is wrong. This goes against all of a baby’s natural biological rhythms and needs.
Studies citing the benefits of co sleeping aren’t solely restricted to tribal and traditional cultures. A child care book written back in 1840 the “Management of Infancy” states “there can be no doubt, that at least during the early months, and during Winter and early Spring a child will thrive better if allowed to sleep besides its mother and cherished by her warmth, than if placed in a separate bed.”
Dr William Sears, well known advocate of sleep sharing notes “Over years of noting all the good things that happen to babies when they share sleep with their parents, one medical benefit that stands out is that these babies thrive. The health benefits of sharing sleep have been recognized for many years.”
In addition, in 2003 the Australian Association for Infant Mental Health released a paper stating their opposition to the Controlled Crying technique, based on research they had conducted. Their research suggested leaving a baby to cry was not consistent with what infants need for their optimal emotional and psychological health, and may have unintended negative consequences.
So, even though many anthropological studies of tribal and traditional cultures all tell us co-sleeping is considered normal and beneficial, mothers are still being told by many heath professionals, that this practice is wrong. We are told things such as “You’re making a rod for your own back”, “Babies need to learn to put themselves to sleep” or the classic “You’ll never get him/her out of your bed”. This all seems rather ridiculous.
Why the obsession with making babies so independent? Babies by their very nature are dependant beings, and if a baby has his needs met and feels safe, loved and secure, then he will grow up to be a well adjusted, independent child.
Remember though, in the 1950s, breastfeeding was considered controversial. Some health professionals promoted the new scientifically manufactured formulas as being superior to human breast milk. We now know that while formula is a very good substitute, breast is most certainly best. This has been medically proven. So, just as breastfeeding has come back into favour, so too, hopefully, sheep sharing will make its own evidence based comeback.
The Many Benefits of Co-Sleeping
So, in case you needed more persuading, here are some of the many benefits of sharing a bed with your baby…

Survival Benefits
Babies do not sleep like adults for a very important reason-it is a survival mechanism. Babies are able to wake easily in their early months, when they experience discomforts such as hunger, cold, difficulty in breathing etc. When they wake, they are only able to communicate their needs in one way - by crying. Being close to your baby means you are often able to anticipate their needs, and respond to them, before the crying has a chance to escalate.
Babies go to sleep better
Young babies enter sleep via the “light sleep stage” which typically lasts around 20 minutes. They need to be helped to sleep, as they are incapable of putting themselves to sleep in the same way that adults and older children do. Being held, or lying close to Mum/Dad or being breastfed to sleep, is the ideal way to put a baby to sleep. This fosters trust and intimacy, and sleep is something to look forward to, rather than something to fear or fight.
Babies stay asleep better
The constant presence of a familiar caregiver lying next to baby through the night is very comforting and so babies are more likely to settle back to sleep more readily after passing into a light sleep stage, than if they were alone in a cot or bed.
Breastfeeding is easier
Co-sleeping is wonderful for breastfeeding mothers - it means it isn’t necessary to get up out of bed. This is an incredible bonus to a tired mum of a newborn baby. Once breastfeeding is properly established, and a baby is a little older, it is even possible to breastfed without properly waking up. Breastfeeding mothers sleep patterns often fall into sync with their babies. They quite often wake up just before baby does. By anticipating the feed, mum can breastfeed bubs back to a deep sleep before baby fully awakens.

Better sleep for the whole family

Babies and mother’s who co-sleep, are in what paediatrician Dr William Sears refers to as “night time harmony”, meaning that their sleep cycles are synchronised with each other. So as previously mentioned, getting up out of bed, and settling an unhappy baby become almost always unnecessary.
Many people don’t like the idea of co-sleeping because they believe it’s dangerous. This is not true. In fact, co-sleeping is believed to lower the risk of SIDS for two main reasons. Firstly, the mother is right there with the baby, and is immediately aware of any distress the baby may experience. Many mothers immediately know when a baby stops breathing while sleeping next to them, and many potential tragedies have been avoided. Secondly, some doctors also believe that the mother’s breathing helps regulate that of the baby, and that this is perhaps a natural survival mechanism. You do need to be aware of some safety guidelines though, just as you would when using a cot or basinet to put your baby to sleep .

Recommended Guidelines for SAFE co-sleeping
• Don’t co-sleep if you have a water bed, or other very soft mattress.
• Don’t use heavy bedding, like lots of blankets and quilts up around baby’s head. It’s better for baby to have separate blankets than those you use yourself.
• Don’t co-sleep if you are under the influence of drugs or any kind or alcohol.
• Sleep with baby between the mother and a guardrail or wall. Make sure there are no crevices baby can fall into.
• Put baby to sleep on his back.
• Don’t use pillows around small babies.
• Don’t co-sleep if one partner is a smoker.

Some people worry about rolling on their baby, but this is not at all likely. Mums have an inbuilt natural reflex that prevents this happening. However, dads don’t always have this, so it’s better that the baby sleeps only next to mum when it’s very small. Remember too, the most likely reason for dangerous co-sleeping is when the parents are not regular co-sleepers, and are not correctly informed of the safety guidelines.
Sometimes, for whatever reason co-sleeping in the parents bed doesn’t work. Co-sleeping essentially means sleeping in close proximity to your child. It may be in the same bed or just in the same room. Some ways of co-sleeping that different families use are:

Family Bed: Parents sleep in the same bed with the child.
Sidecar arrangement: Placing a cot along one side of the parent’s bed, next to the mother. Three sides of the baby's cot are left intact, but the side next to the parents' bed is lowered or removed so that mother and baby have easy access to one another.

Different beds in the same room: This might include having baby's bassinet or cot within arms reach of the parents (easier at night) or just in the same room
Child welcomed into parents' bed as needed: The baby/child has her own bedroom, but is welcomed into the parents' bed at any time. In many families, children start their overnight hours in a separate bed or room, but are welcomed into the parents' bed after a night waking.

www.askdrsears.com
www.kellymom.com
http://www.aaimhi.org/documents/position%20papers/controlled_crying.pdf
The Management Of Infancy-Andrew Combe (1840)

Jayne Garrod is a co sleeping mother of 2 and owner of Hip Bubby Baby Slings (www.hipbubby.com) and Alternative Baby (www.alternativebaby.net) website.

Article Source: http://www.therepozitory.com.au

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