Advantages of bed-sharing
Disadvantages of bed-sharing
Sharing your bed with your baby has been seen as a very normal sleeping arrangement in many parts of the world. In more recent years, bed-sharing has become a more controversial issue, particularly in western societies. This is because it is often perceived by many as the parents 'making a rod for their own back' (in other words, nurturing a habit that may be hard to alter later on).
There is also some concern about
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or SIDS. At present the research into SIDS is ongoing and there are still many unknown factors as to why it can sometimes occur, or whether there is a link with bed-sharing. The current stand on bed-sharing in relation to SIDS is quoted from SIDS Australia:
"There is an increased risk of SIDS when mothers who smoke bedshare with their babies. Most studies suggest that there is no significantly increased risk of SIDS for babies of non-smoking parents who bedshare. However, bedsharing is still unsafe if your baby slips under the bedding or into pillows, is trapped between the bed and a parent or the wall, falls out of bed, becomes too hot from too much bedding or is rolled on. And, of course, don't bedshare if you have been drinking alcohol or are affected by other drugs."
Ways of addressing these concerns could include: