Until What Age Can You Practice Co-sleeping? – Being Parents

Co-sleeping is very common and has its advantages and disadvantages. It is a consequence of the weakness of human nature. In this regard, you should know that we are the most defenseless mammals at birth. Add to this that we need the care of our parents much longer than other mammals.

This ancestral instinct makes children want to sleep with their parents. In short, it’s something that’s in our genes. Although some say that babies are manipulators, in reality newborns have a deep need for protection and have a natural instinct to be close to their mother.

In addition, many mothers find it easier to sleep with the baby than having to get up several times at night to take care of it.

Among the few disadvantages of co-sleeping, there is the risk of crushing the baby at night when he is still too small. We can also mention also the fact that children get used to it and that it is very difficult to get them out of our bed.

Until when do co-sleeping?

If you have chosen to sleep with your baby, you may ask yourself: how long is it healthy to do so? When is the best time to get the baby out of bed? Unfortunately, we cannot give you a specific answer.

On the contrary, the timing will depend on the dynamics of each family and the individual characteristics of the baby. However, what is certain is that if you cannot sleep well or if this is causing you relationship problems, you will have to think about your space.

Something that has helped many couples is to use a special crib, which is attached directly to our bed. You can also place your normal cradle very close to the bed. Thus, the baby does not feel alone, he still feels protected. But at the same time, it leaves you plenty of room to sleep well.

Is he ready to stop co-sleeping?

One sign that he’s ready is that he can sleep through the night. If so, then it’s very simple: you can place it near you, and that’s it. There are exceptional babies who sleep for several hours as soon as they are very small, but they are in the minority.

On the contrary, the most common thing is that they get up to nurse several times at night. Some people think that the sooner he sleeps in his room, the better.

Making him sleep in another room before 3 months is not healthy

This practice can be dangerous. The reason is that the level of cerebral stress undergone by a child when he feels abandoned is so high that he falls asleep because the brain secretes a large number of “sedatives” serving as neurological protection. In rare cases, they can even convulse.

This doesn’t mean that you are going to have to sleep with your baby for life or that you should feel guilty about the decision you make. However, it is important to understand that it is normal for a baby to want to sleep with his parents.

You should always keep in mind that they are not programmed for today’s world, in which the mother, besides being a mother, has a lot of responsibilities to play.

Get him out of your bed firmly, but with love

If you have a big kid – over 3 years old – and want to get him out of your bed, do it with love. Give him a nice bed just for him; try to convince him that he is already a big one; negotiate with him and stand firm. Do not turn this step into misfortune for the child.

What also shouldn’t happen is that one of the parents plans to sleep with the baby forever. Especially if it bothers the spouse. There must be room for privacy. It should not be forgotten that the marital bed is a place for two and should be considered as such.

The best time to stop co-sleeping

Ultimately, the best time is when you are doing your child a favor and not harming him by getting him out of the room. If you force him out of the room, the baby will do it because he is weaker. He will struggle, even if in the end he will give in; then you will think you won. But have you thought about how he experiences change? Does it generate stress and an anxious personality?

Parenting is tiring, but it is natural that we are willing to respect their natural processes, as most primitive animals do. The eagle will not send her young to fly before or after the hour, because she knows how to recognize the right moment.

Therefore, do not get carried away by social pressure: every child is different and deserves to be loved individually. The good news is that no matter how hard you try, sooner or later your baby will get out of bed. And this, even if sometimes you don’t want to.