Co-Sleeping the Right Way
Co-sleeping the Right Way
Expecting parents are faced with an abundance of decisions that must be made both in preparation for, and after, a new baby’s birth; most tend to focus on how they would like to decorate the nursery, whether they want to know the sex of the baby, and what his or her name will be; along with many other things. One very important decision that most new parents over look is what the new sleeping arrangement will be. The Birthing Site author Amanda Schewaga argues that “co-sleeping has received a bad reputation in the western world due to poor practices that have resulted in infants being smothered by bedding or crushed by parents”. Due to this reputation, there is not enough information provided to parents who would like to co-sleep, or for those who simply find that it is easier for them once they have brought their baby home. Parents must conduct their own research and make a decision off of their own personal findings; some new parents never put very much thought into it, before making the choice to bring their child to bed. I strongly believe that every parent should be aware of the facts in order to make a realistic and safe decision; knowing the specifics of safe co-sleeping, as well as the hazards and risks involved, could either sway a parent away from the idea or at the very least help them to do it in the safest possible way. ”The evidence against co-sleeping is confused and conditional and there is also evidence in its favor. So, with due care, individuals are surely entitled to make up their own minds” (Leach 183). Many of those who do not research this subject make this very important decision impulsively, when they are lacking sleep, and tired of waking up to tend to their little one on numerous occasions throughout the night. In my own experience, as well as with observations I have made of fellow moms and dads that I’ve known throughout my adult life, a lot of people think the safety of the situation is common sense; this
Expecting parents are faced with an abundance of decisions that must be made both in preparation for, and after, a new baby’s birth; most tend to focus on how they would like to decorate the nursery, whether they want to know the sex of the baby, and what his or her name will be; along with many other things. One very important decision that most new parents over look is what the new sleeping arrangement will be. The Birthing Site author Amanda Schewaga argues that “co-sleeping has received a bad reputation in the western world due to poor practices that have resulted in infants being smothered by bedding or crushed by parents”. Due to this reputation, there is not enough information provided to parents who would like to co-sleep, or for those who simply find that it is easier for them once they have brought their baby home. Parents must conduct their own research and make a decision off of their own personal findings; some new parents never put very much thought into it, before making the choice to bring their child to bed. I strongly believe that every parent should be aware of the facts in order to make a realistic and safe decision; knowing the specifics of safe co-sleeping, as well as the hazards and risks involved, could either sway a parent away from the idea or at the very least help them to do it in the safest possible way. ”The evidence against co-sleeping is confused and conditional and there is also evidence in its favor. So, with due care, individuals are surely entitled to make up their own minds” (Leach 183). Many of those who do not research this subject make this very important decision impulsively, when they are lacking sleep, and tired of waking up to tend to their little one on numerous occasions throughout the night. In my own experience, as well as with observations I have made of fellow moms and dads that I’ve known throughout my adult life, a lot of people think the safety of the situation is common sense; this
Cited: “Family Bed Sharing.” Sleepcare.com.Sleepcare. n.d. Web. 4 Dec. 2012 Leach, Penelope Schewaga, Amanda. “The Facts of Co-sleeping.” Thebirthingsite.com. The birthing Site. 7 Jun. 2011 “Sleep-Sharing: The Family Bed.” Babycenter.com. Babycenter. Sep. 2011. Web. 4 Dec. 2012 Tennant, Sarah 2008. Web. 5 Dec. 2012