by R. Hake

Created on: January 03, 2009

I personally chose co-sleeping for my daughter and I. Before my daughter was born I thought I had planned everything out, including sleeping arrangements. She had her own crib, an entire crib set in a pretty floral pattern, and that was where she would sleep for the night. She has yet to sleep the night in that crib more than but a few times a week, to the dismay of many family members and friends that are eager to inform me that this will make it "impossible" to break her into a habit of sleeping on her own later on. Although it is true that it makes it more difficult to break the habit, I personally disagree with the advice.

I believe that part of this decision was based on my paranoia that if she did not sleep with me there was a greater chance of her suffering from SIDS, since I could not see her if she was in a different room at night. Although it is not recommended that infants sleep in bed with their parents because of rolling and suffocation, I knew that I did not roll in my sleep. Actually, my daughter slept in a bassinet right beside my bed until she outgrew it at 4-6 months, and it was not until then that she moved to my bed. Although studies suggest that children that are near their mothers tend to have a lesser chance of SIDS, there is no recommendation for co-sleeping.

Another large part (which was probably the most important to me in the long run) of why I decided to keep my daughter in bed with me is because I am not a stay at home mom, and the guilt of working during the day made it important for me to spend the night with her. It is our time alone, and I think it has helped us bond more. It may not be the best decision for parents with other, older children, but for me it is really nice (for now). I will never get this time back with my daughter and I want to make the best of it. She is growing up at an unbelievable pace, which is something I know that all mothers would agree on. I will cross the "Now honey, you need to start sleeping in your own bed now" bridge when I come to it.

My advice to anyone that is struggling with this subject is that only you know what works best for you and your child. You see why I chose co-sleeping, but it ultimately depends on your situation. Although advice from others normally would not support my decision, I will still listen to it, but I will not let it control the way I decide to raise my child. You are the parent and as long as the child's safety is your first priority, you are free to decide which choice will be best for your family.

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