What to Avoid When Bed-Sharing with Baby and Benefits of Bed-Sharing with Baby
When bed-sharing with your baby, avoid:
– Covering their head during sleep
– Placing the bed close to blinds or draperies as babies may be strangled or caught in by cords
– Placing your baby on your chest while sleeping
– Sleeping on rockers, recliners, or couches
– Using swaddles, sleepers, or weighted blankets around or on the baby
– Drinking alcohol, smoking, or taking medications that make you sleep more [3]
Below are some benefits of bed-sharing with your babies:
– Babies would fall asleep more quickly and stay asleep longer
– Parents can sleep better as well as they do not have to walk around at night when the babies cry
– Breastfeeding at night is easier and more convenient
– Babies may develop a strong emotional connection with their parents
– Improve the feelings of closeness and parental emotional regulation in the babies
– Babies may synchronize their breathing to regulate the body temperature better [4]
