As a new mom, you want to be as close as you can be to your baby. You want to be aware of every movement they make and miss no moment of their development.
This could also be because you want to make sure the baby is safe and out of danger, and that would give you the idea that you share the bed with your baby so that you keep a close watch on them.
All this is good and well because it comes from a place of deep love and care, but co-sleeping with your baby comes with a lot of risks and you would find that you are doing more harm than good, for both you and the baby.
These are the disadvantages of sharing a bed with an infant that new mothers need to be watchful of.
Increased risk of SID: The Parents publication states that sleeping in the same bed with your baby increases the possibility of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. “Parents or objects (like pillows or blankets) may unknowingly roll onto the baby at night, leading to injury, suffocation, or death.” According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, co-sleeping poses a particular risk if the infant is under 4 months old, was delivered before full term, or has a low birth weight. “The risk also increases if someone in bed smokes, drinks, or takes drugs—or if the co-sleeping surface is soft and has bedding.”
Baby developing anxious behaviours: Dr. Lynelle Schneeberg, director of the behavioural sleep program at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, states that kids will grow to expect interactions such as back massage, patting, and being held while they sleep because they are used to it. “They may be misdiagnosed as anxious because, since they have a hard time falling asleep without a parent nearby, they sometimes display anxious behaviours to convince a parent to stay nearby at bedtime,” she states.
Your quality of sleep might be affected: According to Parents, children might wake up their parents by kicking or writhing around because they are known to be restless and active sleepers. It is stated that this could lead to exhausted parents.
Also see: How to ease off the teething journey for your baby
