Sleep sharing or co-sleeping is where you regularly share your bed with your baby while sleeping.
It is a common practice in many countries around the world and is becoming acceptable in more western countries with a greater number of parents.
The decision to co-share your bed with your baby is one that needs to be made on a personal basis and you shouldn’t let the opinions of others affect your decision.
There are reasons for and against sleep sharing with the major concern of those who are opposed to it being a fear for the baby’s safety.
Many mothers find that the convenience of having their baby in bed with them when it is time for feeding can help them to get more sleep and to sleep better knowing that they have access to their baby at all times through the night.
There is of course the concern that it might be difficult for the baby to sleep alone as it grows older.
Some babies actually sleep better alone and if that is the case then co-sleeping is not really an option.
If you and your partner are particular restless sleepers then co-sleeping will usually make this a bigger problem and there is also the danger of a baby sleeping with restless parents getting smothered unintentionally in the night.
This is the biggest concern of those people who are opposed to co-sleeping.
There are other factors that need to be taken into consideration such as the effect it will have on your intimacy with one another.
This can place additional strain on a relationship when it is often already stressed due to the addition of a new member to the family.
Sometimes it is a little more difficult to wean the baby off breast feeding as they have had the convenience of feeding whenever they like through the night.
As with most decisions you make concerning your baby there will be pros and cons for the actions you take and your decision to co-sleep needs to be made entirely based on your own personal preferences and circumstances.
You can always try it for a few nights and see whether it is a success or not.