Benefits of Co-Sleeping

By Ina Woolcott

Much research has been carried out into the benefits of co-sleeping, and below is a summary of some of these.

Benefits for infants:

Co-sleeping promotes physiological regulation - the closeness of a parent may help the infant’s immature nervous system learn to self-regulate during sleep (Farooqi 1994, Mitchell 1997, Mosko1996, Nelson 1996, Skragg, 1996).

It can also assist in the prevention of SIDS by preventing infants from going into sleep states that are too deep. In addition, the parents’ breathing may help the infant "remember" to breathe (McKenna 1990, Mosko 1996, Richard 1998).Gaps in breathing are normal during the early months of infancy. It is very likely that the mother's breathing gives her infant important cues, reminding them take a breath following exhalation, preventing a SIDS situation developing. Should this system fails, the mother is still close at hand to help by wakening the infant. Breastfeeding mum’s and babies generally have a coordinated sleep and dream cycle, making the mum highly sensitive to her baby. Being close by means she will wake if the baby is having trouble. If the baby is alone, this life-saving intervention can’t happen.

Both infant and parents sleep better - as mum’s are so close by, infants never need fully awake and cry to get a response. Thus, mum’s are able to tend to the infant before either of them are fully awake (McKenna). Therefore mum’s are more likely to have positive night-time experiences (McKenna, 1994) as they tend to sleep better and don’t awaken fully (McKenna & Mosko 1997).

Babies receive more attention, protective care and nurturing - co-sleeping definitely increases breastfeeding (Clements 1997, McKenna 1994, Richard et al. 1996). Even the conservative AAP (American Academy of Paediatrics) acknowledges that co-sleeping gives definite breastfeeding advantages (Hauck 1998).

Co-sleeping mum’s breastfeed on average twice as long as non co-sleeping mum’s (McKenna). As well as this, an infants suckling raises the oxygen flow. This is very beneficial for both growth and immune functions.

A co-sleeping infant also receives a lot more attention and protective care. Co-sleeping mum’s display 5 times the number of "protective" behaviours than mums who sleep apart from their babies e.g. checking baby is not too hot/cold, adjusting blankets, cuddling, stroking (McKenna & Mosko 1997). Co-sleeping mums also demonstrate an increased sensitivity to the presence of the baby in the bed (McKenna).

Long-term benefits of co-sleeping for children

Display greater self-esteem - in one study by Lewis & Janda,1988, boys who co-slept with their parents between birth and 5 years old, had considerably higher self-esteem. They also experienced less anxiety and guilt. Girls, who co-slept with their parents during childhood, felt less discomfort when it came to physical contact and affection as adults.

Co-sleeping seems to promote self-esteem, intimacy and confidence, perhaps because attitude of parental acceptance is reflected(Crawford, 1994).

Display greater positive behaviour - study carried out on parents on military bases found that co-sleeping children rwere given higher evaluations from their teachers than did children who slept alone (Forbes et al. 1992).

A recent study in England found that there was a definite trend amongst children who never slept in their parents bed, to be less happy, harder to control and having far more tantrums. These children were also in fact far more fearful than children who always slept in their parents’ bed, all night (Heron 1994).

Display higher life satisfaction - a large, cross-cultural study carried out on 5 different ethnic groups in large U.S. cities found that across all groups, co-sleepers displayed a general feeling of satisfaction with life (Mosenkis 1998).

Parents think that….

Co-sleeping enhances sensitivity - lots of co-sleeping parents feel they naturally become more attuned to their baby/child. Their sensitivity to the needs and patterns of their child(ren) convert into daytime sensitivity as well.

Bedtime struggles are lessened - parents know their children, when sleeping in their bed, have no reason to be afraid of bedtime. As children get older, and move into their own rooms, they have secure and positive feelings and images of sleep time. There is no motif to relate bedtime to being alone, or abandoned.

An environment of acceptance is promoted - co-sleeping is a willingness to understand and fully accept a child's need for the parent both day and night. Therefore parents in essence convey that while the child is small and needful, they will be there no matter what to meet the child’s needs. They also are inclined to believe that this willingness to respond to the child's needs carries over into the daytime, powerfully contributes to the relationship with the child as a whole.

Co-sleeping is just as safe, or even safer than alone in a cot - existing studies DONT prove co-sleeping to be inherently unsafe. It is the elements of the sleeping environment that decree the danger level to the infant. For instance - for non-smoking parents, who don’t abuse alcohol or drugs and sleep on a firm mattress with no fluffy bedding, co-sleeping is a safe environment.

On top of this it is extremely likely that countless children’s lives have been rescued by sleeping next to their parents. For instance, there is anecdotal evidence, of mothers who have noticed their child is not breathing and thus were able to stimulate them to breathe.

EDITORS COMMENT:

Some people may consider co-sleeping some form of ‘dependency’, but when the children get older, they will be far more stable and secure mentally, therefore gaining independence over time, before being ready to ’leave the nest’, and go into their own beds, happy and content in the safe knowledge that their parents love them. And the parents to, will be happy that they dome all they could to give their beloved child the best start to life, not regretting anything or feeling guilty. Personally, again, I co-sleep. It is one of the best things I have done for my daughter, as well as the fact that I am still breastfeeding after 22 months.

Related link: Organic Cotton Mattresses, Safe, Non-Toxic

DISCLAIMER:

This information is for educational purposes only and is NOT meant to be SIDS prevention advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. NO claims are being made that co-sleeping or using a non-toxic mattress will prevent SIDS since this has not been 100% scientifically proven, and there can be other factors involved in SIDS. None of the information or options presented above or in related articles are considered to be SIDS prevention advice.