Teach your baby to sleep in their own bed for naps and at night-time (while their bed is in your room). Settle your baby all the way to sleep with either feeding or rocking, then transfer them to their bed. Repeat this process each time they wake overnight.
Many parents who sleep with their children report that children usually want their own beds by the age of 2-3 years. It can take longer than this, though, and sometimes parents want to stop co-sleeping before their child does.
Co-sleeping enhances an emotional attachment between parent and child. Co-sleeping makes nighttime breastfeeding more convenient. Co-sleeping makes it easier to soothe an infant back to sleep in the middle of the night. Studies suggest the mother's sleep becomes more in synch with her infant's sleep.
Although not recommended for any age, a 7-year-old sleeping with their parents is considered normal in many families and cultures. Co-sleeping is not recommended, but a 7-year-old child sleeping with parents is considered normal in many families and cultures.
Is my child too old to be co-sleeping? Dr. Basora-Rovira says there is no specific age that is “too old” for co-sleeping. She encourages parents to not begin practicing co-sleeping in the first place.
Not always, of course, some kids just want to stay up where the action is but children who insist on parents lying down with them or who won't stay in bed unless their parents do, that can be a sign of separation anxiety. Now let's be clear, co-sleeping doesn't cause this.
Co-sleeping with older children can be especially detrimental as it can create stress for the entire family, lead to poor sleep patterns for both parents and children, and inhibit the ability of children to develop independence.
Bed-sharing increases the chance of suffocation, strangulation, and SIDS. An adult bed has many safety risks for a baby, including: suffocation from a soft mattress, memory foam, waterbed, or loose or soft bedding such as pillows, blankets, or quilts.
Experts generally recommend around the age of 3 is when children are capable of self-soothing and can move to independent sleeping.
Staying close to the adult's body helps the baby remain at a more stable body temperature. Physical contact, in close cosleeping, helps babies to "breathe more regularly, use energy more efficiently, grow faster, and experience less stress," says McKenna.
For example, co-sleeping during the school-aged years has been associated with problems initiating sleep, less nighttime sleep, more daytime sleepiness, more bedtime resistance, increased nighttime awakenings, and greater levels of sleep anxiety (Blader et al.
Bed-sharing means sleeping in the same bed as your baby, or sharing the same sleeping surface. Co-sleeping means sleeping in close proximity to your baby, sometimes in the same bed and sometimes nearby in the same room (room-sharing).
If you've found that your baby sleeps better in your bed, there are several reasons for that. Here are the most common: Your baby feels safer and more secure, making it easier to fall asleep. Your baby recognizes your face, voice, and touch more easily.
It's called a cuddle curl, and it's nature's way of protecting a baby during sleep. Your knees come up and your arm tucks under your head or pillow, or curls around your baby, creating a protected space. There's no way for you to roll towards your baby because your bent legs won't let you.
The American Academy of Pediatrics strongly recommends room-sharing but discourages bed-sharing. Although these experts do not recommend bed-sharing, they acknowledge that many caregivers still choose to sleep on the same surface as an infant.
Bed sharing can be dangerous for babies. Reason: risk of suffocation. After 12 months, there is no proven risk of harm. There is no evidence that bed-sharing produces children who are more spoiled or dependent.
Sharing a Bed Has Positive Psychological Effects
Reports also show that children who co-slept in their parent's beds allowed relationships to foster between the child and their parents. The extra time spent together, even when sleeping creates a tight bond and closeness with each other.
A child's anxiety, lower self-esteem, and dependency behaviors during the daytime are related to their inability to sleep alone at night. The impact of chronic co-sleeping includes memory loss, fatigue, low energy, depression, and obesity.
Pro: It fosters closeness
Co-sleeping does provide that bonding experience between parent and child — on both ends. Kids feel safe throughout the night. If a kid starts in the parents' bed, the child will consider that bed to be theirs all the time.
There's no need to stay with your child until they fall asleep. Telling them you'll lie down with them for 15 minutes can be the perfect compromise to give them the snuggles they need while still giving you some precious time to yourself at night. And don't underestimate the benefits you'll feel yourself!
I see it as a child's natural response to their desire to feel safe, secure and comfortable going to sleep. It may be that your daughter has simply developed a habit of sleeping with her parent (whichever one she is staying with at the time).
In fact, research shows that while co-sleeping may result in a temporary dependence on a parent, in the longer term it results in a child who is more resilient, gaining the skill of solo sleeping when they are more able to cope. A child who co-sleeps also does not necessarily continue to co-sleep.