It is natural for babies and children to want to sleep with their parents, or very close to them. It is a primal response. Look at young dependent mammals – they all sleep next to their parents/mother.
Stop Co-Sleeping with Your Baby at Age Two
It is an essential method that is used by most parents to help kids feel less stressed at night. And while there is no question that there are numerous health benefits, it is always best to end co-sleeping by the end of age two at the latest.
Children who can sleep alone still prefer to sleep with their parents because of the following reasons: Fear of the dark. General anxiety. Loneliness.
Recent studies indicate that near-epidemic proportions of children are co-sleeping with parents today. According to Parenting's MomConnection, a surprising 45 percent of moms let their 8- to 12-year-olds sleep with them from time to time, and 13 percent permit it every night.
Dr. Basora-Rovira says there is no specific age that is “too old” for co-sleeping. She encourages parents to not begin practicing co-sleeping in the first place. And, if you are already co-sleeping with your child, to transition him or her out of your bed and into his or her own room as soon as possible.
It's natural for babies and children to want to sleep with their parents, or very close to them, as it's a primal thing to do. A look at young dependent mammals will attest this - they all sleep next to their parents/mother.
Sleeping in the same bed with your children (co-sleeping) is a parent decision, not a medical decision. In general, bed-sharing is not recommended because it results in poor sleep for many parents. Also, once begun, it's a hard habit to break. So think carefully before you allow your child to start sharing your bed.
DEAR CONCERNED: It is not appropriate for parents to co-sleep with adolescent children, partly because adolescents need and deserve some privacy, as they engage in the developmentally important process of figuring out who they are and what they're about.
A survey of over 3,400 new parents, carried out by The Lullaby Trust, has shown that 9 in 10 co-sleep with their baby.
n. the practice of placing sibling infants, such as twins, in the same crib, bed, or incubator.
Experts recommend that your child sleep in a separate, infant-appropriate bed in your room with you. Their bed should be close to yours. This is ideal for at least the first 6 months. If you keep your child's bed close to yours, you'll be able to breastfeed or help with their other needs more easily.
You can explain that it's important that he sleep in his own bed so that everyone can get enough rest, and that you and he need to work together to help him do this. Then talk to him about your specific plan — for example, "I'll cuddle with you for a little while, but then I'll need to take you back to your own bed."
What our expert says “There is nothing wrong with cuddling your eight-year-old in bed and, on occasion, sleeping with them for comfort when they're stressed or ill,” says Janet Morrison, a psychological associate from Toronto who assesses children, adolescents and families.
Pro: It fosters closeness
Co-sleeping does provide that bonding experience between parent and child — on both ends. Kids feel safe throughout the night. If a kid starts in the parents' bed, the child will consider that bed to be theirs all the time.
For example, co-sleeping during the school-aged years has been associated with problems initiating sleep, less nighttime sleep, more daytime sleepiness, more bedtime resistance, increased nighttime awakenings, and greater levels of sleep anxiety (Blader et al.
In fact, research shows that while co-sleeping may result in a temporary dependence on a parent, in the longer term it results in a child who is more resilient, gaining the skill of solo sleeping when they are more able to cope. A child who co-sleeps also does not necessarily continue to co-sleep.
Answer: Nighttime is frequently a time of peak anxiety for children and as a result, lots of children find it hard to fall asleep alone. Many children need the reassurance of a parent being present to get to sleep in the first place and/or to return to sleep when they wake in the night.
Primary hypersomnia has no identifiable cause. Secondary hypersomnia in children can be caused by infections, kidney problems or disorders such as myotonic dystrophy. Research is ongoing, but idiopathic hypersomnia may be the result of problems with the brain's sleep-wake cycle.
The AAP's safe sleeping guidelines, which were updated in June 2022, state that parents should never let their baby sleep in the bed with them—citing the risk of suffocation, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and other sleep-related deaths.
Bed-sharing supporters believe — and some studies support their beliefs — that bed-sharing: encourages breastfeeding by making nighttime breastfeeding more convenient. increases how many months a mother breastfeeds her baby. helps babies fall asleep more easily.
As kids grow up they might want more privacy and need their own space, especially if they're sharing a bedroom with a brother or sister. While it's not illegal for them to share, it's recommended that children over the age of 10 should have their own bedrooms – even if they're siblings or step-siblings.
According to Parenting's MomConnection, a surprising 45% of moms let their 8- to 12-year-olds sleep with them from time to time, and 13% permit it every night.
It's common for toddlers this age to go through another wave of separation anxiety, making it harder for them to separate from caregivers at sleep times. Children who've been falling asleep on their own may suddenly want their parents to stay with them at bedtime until they fall asleep.
Establish a Healthy Bedtime Routine
1 A warm bath, a few good books, and some cuddling can help your child get ready to sleep in his own bed. Then, when it's time for lights out, shut off the lights and leave the room so he can practice falling asleep on his own.