Find out the benefits of sleeping close to your baby
New parents are often nervous and unsure of themselves, especially when it comes to taking care of their newborn’s needs during the night. ‘Will the baby wake up? Will we be able to hear the baby?’ When you’re sleeping close to your baby, you’ll hear everything and more!
RELATED: Co-sleeping or the crib
When sleeping close to your baby
More often than not, new parents or even experienced parents, choose to have their newborn sleep in the same room with them for the first 2 to 3 weeks. This is done more out of convenience and comfort for the new mum than anything else, but nonetheless, it’s perfectly normal and acceptable to place the cradle or crib in your room for the comfort and ease of both.
How to sleep close to your baby
When parents ask ‘how’ to sleep close to their baby, they are usually thinking of two options:
• Sleeping in the same bed as their baby
• Putting the baby’s crib in the bedroom with them
So, is sleeping close to your baby all benefits and no harm? Find out!
As a matter of fact, only one of those options are recommended! If you insist on sleeping close to your baby, you really only have one choice. The only safe way to sleep close to your infant is to have their crib in the same room as the one you sleep in. Anything other than that is unsafe and unacceptable. By placing the crib in your room, you will be able to hear the baby cry before waking anybody else up. By sleeping in the same room, you eliminate waking other children when you tend to the baby’s nighttime needs. By sleeping close to your baby in this manner, you often feel more at ease and worry less about SIDS, choking, abductions and other possibilities of safety hazards.
RELATED: Establishing a bedtime routine
While sleeping in the same room as your baby isn’t the worst thing in the world you could do, there are some drawbacks you need to consider. You need to consider what it will do to your love-life. Most couples are more focused on not waking the baby up than they are on satisfying and enjoying each other. If you’re a light sleeper, every sound your baby makes will put you on ‘mum-alert’. You won’t be able to help it. That’s just part of being a mum. And finally, your baby may not rest well in your room. They may be the type who needs the peace and complete silence.
It’s up to you and your hubby, as long as your baby isn’t in your bed, the choice of sleeping close to your baby (in the same room) is one you have to make for yourself.
Are you for or against sleeping close to your baby? We’d love to hear from you!
For more on sleeping close to your baby, watch this video:
