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Myths Blog 3: Co Sleeping

This is the third of my blogs taken from the fabulous new book called Great Myths of Child Development (Hupp & Jewell, 2015). Hupp & Jewel weigh up the research available about certain parenting myths in a well-written and excellently researched book.

The particular topic that caught my eye was the Myth around ‘Attachment Parenting’. Over the past two blogs, I have looked at their research on extended breastfeeding up to 7 years and immediate bonding within the first two hours of birth. Today, in this final blog, I will look at their review of the literature on co-sleeping.

Co-sleeping with your baby – Attachment parenting promotes co-sleeping with your baby as a method to enhance attachment and bonding. This is such a difficult subject, so lets look at the evidence:

  • There is no evidence that babies who co-sleep are better adjusted or bonded to their parents.
  • There is evidence that babies who co-sleep with their mothers are more likely to breastfeed and for a longer period.
  • There is evidence that co-sleeping with unsafe practices increases the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Unsafe practices being – baby under the bed covers, parents drinking alcohol prior to sleep, co-sleeping on a couch.
  • The American Academy of Pediatrics has a firm recommendation to not co-sleep, siting this and the back to sleep campaign as two important parts to decreasing SIDS.

This leaves the issue open to you. Essentially, if you do choose to co-sleep – do so safely and don’t prioritize it thinking it enhances emotional foundations.

Meg faure

Meg Faure

Hi, I’m Meg Faure. I am an Occupational Therapist and the founder of Parent Sense. My ‘why’ is to support parents like you and help you to make the most of your parenting journey. Over the last 25 years, I’ve worked with thousands of babies, and I’ve come to understand that what works for fussy babies works just as well for all babies, worldwide.