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It seems everywhere we turn today there is misinformation about a host of baby-health related subjects. One that has been given a bad name in pop culture media and certain U.S. groups is cosleeping. However, top pediatricians, family physicians, and health professionals continue to advocate for conscious, safe, non-drugged/non-smoking, breastfeeding and cosleeping mother/baby couplings. Research is conclusive that sleeping within an arm's reach of your baby is best for baby, and best for mom for many well documented reasons.
It should be noted that cosleeping is not necessarily the same as bed sharing. A cosleeping mother and her infant may bed share (i.e. sleep on the same safe surface) or they may share sleep (cosleep) in another fashion - such as with two mattresses together on the floor, in a side-car arrangement, a cosleeper by the bed, or a crib that has been turned into a co-sleeper. Depending on one's needs and resources, different parents may choose to cosleep by bedsharing, or by sharing sleep within an arm's reach of their baby on separate surfaces. Both offer the physiological, hormonal, and psychological benefits for mom and baby.
Join in further conversations about baby sleep with others at: Facebook.com/CoSleeping
Articles:
How the Stats Really Stack Up: Cosleeping Twice as Safe
Babies: Not Designed To Sleep Alone
The Science of Sleep Sharing
CoSleeping and Biological Imperatives: Why Human Babies Do Not and Should Not Sleep Alone
The Family Bed: It's Safe and Here's Why *article needs updated link
Where Should Babies Sleep At Night?
Breastfeeding & Bedsharing: Still Useful and Important after all these Years
Ask the Experts: CoSleeping & SIDS
The No-Cry Sleep Solution (excerpt from Pantley's, The No-Cry Sleep Solution)
Seven Benefits of CoSleeping
Sleeping With Your Baby
Attachment Parenting: CoSleeping
Sleeping: Babies Need Mom Beside Them
Time to Abolish Cribs?
Three in a Bed: Why You Should Sleep with Your Baby (Three in a Bed Book Link Here)
Sleep with Me: A Trans-cultural Look at the Power and Protection of Sharing a Bed
Sleeping Like a Baby: How Bedsharing Soothes Infants
Who Wants to Sleep Alone?
The Complexity of Parent-Child CoSleeping: Researching Cultural Beliefs *article needs updated link
A Foot in Your Face: Or, 10 Other Reasons to Family Bed *article needs updated link
Bed of Roses: Overcoming 9 Obstacles to Happy CoSleeping
Hospital CoSleeping After A Cesarean
Solitary or Shared Sleep: What Is Safe?
Bedsharing Research in Britain
Bedsharing Among Maoris: An Indigenous Tradition
UK Study shows children sleep safest with parents
Confessions of an Accidental Bed Sharer
10 Reasons to Sleep by Your Child
Night Waking Protects Against SIDS
Solo Sleep Training: Higher Stress, Lower Serotonin May Increase SIDS
Family Bed Safety
Getting Ready for Baby (excerpt from Having a Baby Naturally) *article needs updated link
Turn Your Crib into a Co-Sleeper
Co-Sleeping vs. Crib Fact and Statistic Sheet
Baby Sleep Institute and McKenna Library of Research
To connect with other parents and get in on Sleep Forums:
SafeBedSharing.Org
Books:
A collection of useful baby sleep books, as well as those that specifically pertain to sleep sharing can be found here. Books with related information include:
The Attachment Connection: Parenting A Secure and Confident Child
Attachment Parenting: A Commonsense Guide to Understanding and Nurturing Your Baby
Attachment Parenting: Instinctive Care for Your Baby and Young Child
The Baby Bond
The Baby Book
The Baby Sleep Book
The Biology of Love
The Continuum Concept: In Search of Happiness Lost
The Family Bed: An Age Old Concept in Child Rearing
The Fussy Baby Book
Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering
Good Nights: The Happy Parents' Guide to the Family Bed (And a Peaceful Night's Sleep!)
Nighttime Parenting
The No-Cry Sleep Solution
The No-Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers and Preschoolers
The No-Cry Nap Solution
The Natural Child: Parenting from the Heart
Natural Family Living
Our Babies, Ourselves
The Premature Baby Book
Primal Health: Understanding the Critical Period Between Conception and the First Birthday
The Science of Parenting
Sleeping With Your Baby: A Parent's Guide to CoSleeping
The Vital Touch
Why Love Matters
Subscriptions:
Compleat Mother Magazine
The Mother Magazine
Mothering Magazine
Pathways to Family Wellness
Whole Woman Magazine
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My daughter is 2 1/2 and she still sleeps in my bed most nights :)
ReplyDeleteI wake up with three in the bed! I'm having another in three months...I think it's time for the older ones to transition to their own beds. :)
ReplyDeleteMaybe this page should be renamed "cosleeping resources"? I love co-sleeping and fully intend to do it with my own babies someday, but right now I need sleep resources with other options! I'm working as a home care provider for a new mom who wants to be able to sleep at night, so three nights per week I essentially co-sleep with her baby. However, lacking the maternal and hormonal connection, I'm terrified to fall asleep while holding him, and my health is suffering! Are there any resources you know of to help a baby sleep more peacefully when his mom wants 2-3 hours of uninterrupted sleep at a time? Or is there no way other than staying up with him bouncing on a birth ball for hours and singing?
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I've spoken up gently to her, but my role is not to dictate mothering philosophies to her. The baby is thriving and the mom is incredibly grateful, since she is still recovering from her c-section and her husband works out of town for several days each week. It's just not an ideal situation. I say that in case I'm accused of compromising my principles or something. I need the money, since my husband is out of work, and she needs the help. I just wish I could make it easier on myself and the baby.
I was disappointed not to see "The Family Bed" on your book list. It affirmed my natural inclination and gave me the courage to stand up to my mom's criticism. It also helped convince my hubby.
ReplyDeleteprevious poster:
ReplyDeleteNote above under "BOOKS" it is mentioned that, "A collection of useful baby sleep books, as well as those that specifically pertain to sleep sharing can be found here" and includes a link back to books such as "The Family Bed" (great book!) and others in our sleep sharing collection:
http://astore.amazon.com/peacefparent-20?_encoding=UTF8&node=29
Cosleep certainly creates the natural bond between infant and parent, and the safe feelings that helps infant sleep well.
ReplyDeleteI am pregnant and we plan on cosleeping with our little one. I wanted to know if there are any special considerations for sleeping with a newborn in specific, or if these guidelines are meant for sleeping with any baby in general. Thank you :]
ReplyDeleteMy baby use to sleep with me but somewhere along the line she outgrew it... :(.. sigh but every once in ahwile when she is really tired we take naps together... it's the best!
ReplyDelete