Time To Make The Bed-Sharing Experience A Positive One

Sharing the family bed may be daunting at first, but if done right, can be something to really look forward to!

- Pam Larouche and Elisa Costanza-Reyes

If your family has made the proactive decision to bed share, or have been thrown into it out of necessity, there are guidelines that should be followed to ensure the safety of your little one. Being equipped with the knowledge to do it safely can make the bed-sharing experience a positive one.

Experts recommend that your baby sleeps in a bassinet or crib beside your bed, or in the same room as you for the first six months. She must sleep in her own bed, on her back, and with nothing in bed with her. But as a new parent, great sleep seems like a passe. For some families, bed-sharing is done out of belief and desire. For other families, it is done out of pure survival. In those circumstances, it may be the only way anyone can get sleep!

CO-SLEEPING VS. BED SHARING

There is actually a difference between the two. Co-sleeping is sleeping in the same room in close proximity to your baby, while they are in a bed of their own. Bed-sharing is when you share the bed with your baby. If you choose to the later to help your family get their much-needed rest, follow these tips to make it safer.