The Family Bed: To Share Or Not To Share

Should you really be co-sleeping with your child? We explore the risks and rewards while debunking the myths that surround this highly debated topic.

The recent science behind co-sleeping has proven that it fosters healthier children and promotes family bonding. Why then is there so much contention surrounding it?

Co-sleeping is the shared sleeping arrangement between parents and their child. Here in Asia, co-sleeping is widely considered to be the norm, thanks in part to limited living space in densely populated cities like Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore. A 2012 study by National University Hospital (NUH), found that 80.9% of families in Singapore co-slept.

However, this is an entirely different story in the West, where co-sleeping remains a controversial issue, and not for no reason. While some believe that sleep-sharing is a wonderful way to bond with your children, others fear it makes them too dependent and needy. Such reservations are common for those against sleep-sharing. These fears however, have been debunked by experts who believe that co-sleeping is extremely beneficial to children.

Beauty Sleep Assured

Tired of being woken up by a tired baby in the dead of night? That’s where co-sleeping parents have you beat. Nestled safely between their parents, bed-sharing children are less likely to be roused from slumber. In turn, the parents sleep better because they aren’t waking to check on their child. It also makes breastfeeding so much more convenient for mothers, who can fall right back to sleep once the child has latched.