Co-sleeping is one of those parenting topics that gets emotions high.
Admit you do it and you become criticised for endangering your baby, say you are against it and get accused of being cruel or cold.
It’s a difficult subject.
While experts caution parents not to co-sleep, studies show more than 50% of parents do. While most studies have examined the effect of the babies and the dangers associated with co-sleeping a new study has looked, for once, at the impact it has on the parents and their stress levels.
The study, published this month in the journal Developmental Psychology tracked 139 couples who co-sleep.
Co-sleeping is one of those parenting topics that gets emotions high. Image via IStock.
The families actually allowed cameras into their bedrooms at various stages throughout the infant’s development.
Top Comments
Yeah, correlation is not causation. It may be that more fussy babies need to co-sleep to get to sleep, and a more fussy baby also equals a more tired, stressed mum. Putting 'co-sleeping is a recipe for disaster', a quote from a psych not analysing the study, and then putting something about the study in the byline is really misleading journalism.
Doing analysis of it is complicated.
I didn't see anywhere if the baby was breastfed. I co slept because I breastfed and it gave me the best possible chance of sleep, even though I had very little sleep and was a chronic insomniac. If I bottle fed I would of gone insane. It would be interesting to read more detailed research and Australian participants.
The dissatisfaction can also relate to mummy having to look after feeding needs at night, so dad might get to have his sleep and that is why he is contented and less stressed?? I know parents who co-slept who bottle fed and dad and mum and they seemed to have more satisfaction (anecdotally). Having a cot in the room or bassinet on the floor also allows for a really fed and settled baby to get some sleep whilst the parents can have some me time.