Baby Zzzz's
Is it OK for Baby to Sleep in Our Bed?

There are tons of nicknames for what happens when it's time for baby to get some shut eye and you opt to bring your baby to sleep with you- in your bed. There's co-sleeping, the family bed, snuggle time- but what it typicallly boils down to is that it is the last resort of the sleepless- because so many of us succumb to it.

A recent study found that one-fifth of parents bring their baby into their bed- regularly. Is it OK? It really depends on how you intend to raise your child and your baby's mood. All doctors give some warnings- which should be followed. Keep your baby away from covers and pillows- even the lightest of sheets or thinest of blankets can suffocate an infant. Don't roll over on your baby- you might think it sounds silly, but the combination of new parents exhaustion and lack of sleep, even the lightest sleeper wouldn't know it if they rolled over on a cotton ball. Put your baby to sleep on his back and be sure he can't get caught between the bed and the wall or fall out in any way. 

There are several products on the market that are designed to protect infants who sleep in the family bed. One we love is the Supreme Snuggle Nest with Incline from Baby Delight. It inclines (which helps with reflux) and features a LED light for late night feedings and it comes with two sheets. 

Always check with your pediatrician. There's always a little unintentional peer pressure going on from other new parents. Do your research, ask the right questions and and then make the decision that's right for you and your family. You also have to keep in mind that pediatrician recommendations vary. What you hear from your pediatrician may be very different from what your girlfriend's pediatrician recommend for her baby.

What do child experts say? There's a range of opinion:

Dr. William Sears’s technique: Whatever works best to get the whole family some sleep is the best thing. So if you're comfortable with your child in bed with you, then that's fine. Co-sleeping can actually facilitate bonding and make your child feel more comfortable at night, which means a better night's sleep for everyone.

Dr. Richard Ferber’s style: Since the whole goal of sleep training is to get your baby to sleep on his own in his crib, then the family bed is not the best way to get to that prize. But there is some room for flexibility in Ferber's latest revisions, especially for very young infants who can benefit from the comfort and security of being near a parent all night. Just be mindful that you will want to transition your child to his own bed at some point, and the longer everyone sleeps together, the harder that transition will be.

Dr. Spock says: While Dr. Spock revised a lot of his positions, he never changed his stance on co-sleeping, which is that it's bad for sleep development. He even says that having two kids in the same room, while practical, can also make sleeping independently difficult. The goal is to keep working on getting your child as comfortable as possible in his own bed as early in his life as possible.

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