The thought of having a baby, especially a
newborn, is
extremely exciting for most parents.
The
enthusiasm associated with having a new little person in your life is so
special, that many parents want to spend every moment with their child,
even
while they are sleeping. For this
reason, many parents enjoy cosleeping.
“Co-sleeping” is the act of having an infant
sleep in the
same bed with his parents. There
are
many reasons a parent would decide to cosleep many of which include the
ease of
nighttime breastfeeding, or the ability to get the child back to
sleep.
“‘Co-sleeping”
can be very disruptive to sleep of both the child and the parents, it
may also
disrupt parental intimacy, and may lead to problems with the child
sleeping
independently later on,” says Sarah Hampl, MD, pediatrician at
Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics.
Oftentimes,
children who cosleep in the same bed with their parents, eventually
become
dependent upon sleeping with the parent, or in the parent’s bed which
makes it
difficult for the child to make the transition back to their own
bed.
“Co-sleeping”
may also be dangerous. “Co-
sleeping”
babies are at risk of suffocation caused by a parent rolling on top of
the
baby. Suffocation if the child gets trapped underneath a pillow or
blanket, as
well as strangulation.
Following
are recommendations for infants and toddlers who are sleeping in a
crib.
·
Leave your
child’s head uncovered while sleeping
·
Do not
place
draperies near the crib, where a child may be strangled by
cords.
If
you choose to “co-sleep” with your child, please use these
precautions:
·
Do not
smoke,
drink or take medications that may keep you from
waking.
·
Make sure
your
headboard and footboard do not have openings or cutouts that could trap
your
baby’s head.
·
Make sure
your
mattress fits snugly on the bead, so your child can not become trapped
between
the crib and the mattress.
