I think you should read your first referenced link, because it actually refutes what you say. It states "Mothers who routinely sleep with their infants get at least as much sleep as mothers who sleep without them."

The article further suggests that careful co-sleeping may prevent SIDS.

Finally, co-sleeping has a lot of circumstantial evidence that it is right: Our ancestors did it before they had 8 bedroom suburban mini-mansions, as do non-human primates like chimps and bonobos.

I take that as evidence that co-sleeping is what babies need, but I would love to see more hard evidence for that so that others can be convinced to co-sleep carefully, if it makes sense for them to do so.

Posted by: Brian Haugen | Oct 26, 2005 2:46:33 PM

In a 8 year study, only 1.5% SIDS cases took place in the parent's bed. That means that 98.5 took place elsewhere, overwhelmingly the crib. Doesn't that indicate the crib is more dangerous?

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/10/t102200.asp

Posted by: Amie | Oct 26, 2005 3:29:36 PM

As far as nursing more when co-sleeping... well for me, for SIX MONTHS by son did not sleep with us til after 5 am, because I was trying to do what i was told was right (crib sleeping).

I would trudge up those stairs, or have my husband bring the baby to me, he would nurse for 40 minutes or more, I'd try to sleep for that hour and 40 minute break and then we'd start over again. FOR SIX MONTHS (and that even adding some cereal into his diet). So, this stat, unfortunately isn't accurate for my son. Whether in bed with me or not-- he still ate ALL THE TIME, like clockwork (every 2 hours, and 40 minute sessions each time).

It is all a matter of how comfortable you are and preference. ;-) For me, I needed to do SOMETHING so that I could function day to day with the little sleep I was getting.

Posted by: bethany | Oct 26, 2005 5:08:04 PM

I'm with you on the "easy for dad to say" part, because when I tried cosleeping with my son I was never able to fully fall asleep because I was constantly in fear of rolling over him or I would just snap awake at the tiniest noise. And then there were the times dad's snores woke baby up - I can't quite put into words how wonderful that was for me as the provider of milk.

But we're going to give it another shot with #2, and a cosleeper attached to our bed, to see if that helps. If not, we'll do crib sleeping again, and yes that means hell for me in waking up many times a night and going down the hall, but at least the two hour snatches of sleep I *do* get will be deep ones.

Many of my friends have found peace with the halfway point you suggest for those who choose cribs... dad's responsible for getting baby from and returning baby to crib, mom does the feeding in bed. We might try that, I don't know. I'll certainly be more assertive about not doing all of the feeding work for so long by myself this time around.

Posted by: Cynical Mom | Oct 26, 2005 11:47:04 PM

I nursed and bottle-fed infant triplets 24 hours a day for the first six months, and all I can say is that in my experience, anything that allows you an extra half-hour of sleep or even a good doze is better than the alternative. I didn't fully co-sleep until we were nine months out, because various "experts" scared me out of it, but when I finally succumbed (because I needed to break out of the exhaustion-fueled depression, for one thing), it made a huge improvement in our quality of life.

I would never, ever say that one sleep solution fits everyone, because one of our three babies needed a stimulation-free environment and would never have survived as a co-sleeping baby. She wouldn't have slept. But I'd also never generalize from her experience, because we had two other babies who needed the presence of a heartbeat and a warm body to regulate their own sleep states.

Our most mommy-dependent infant sleeper is now the only one of the three kids NEVER to wake up with nightmares and need comforting. She falls asleep like a champ. The never-co-slept infant can often be found in bed next to me in the morning. She crawls into our bed in the wee hours. It can't possibly be considered an imposition, because thanks to a king-sized bed, I don't even realize she's there until we both wake up.

I'm baffled as to the statistical justifications made by the AAP regarding SIDS and co-sleeping, but that's neither here nor there in this debate. What I do know is that nothing was more destructive to my mothering in the first year than sleep deprivation. For me, for my three infants, and for my husband (who was handling babies regardless of where any of us slept, obviously: two adults, three infants, you do the math), co-sleeping was a very worthwhile solution to the exhaustion problem.

And you know, if I'd co-slept more in the first nine months, I bet I would have saved a bundle on supplementary formula. Nighttime breastfeeding can be a very effective means to overcoming nursing difficulties during the day, not to mention a huge boost to overall milk production. And if you're going to breastfeed in the dark, you might as well be lying down.

Posted by: Jody | Oct 27, 2005 12:10:27 AM

co-sleeping or practicing the family bed is a family choice, like many others. whether or not it is good for each family, each parent, each child should be a family exploration.

the aap i feel has done a diservice to families by leaving the impression that co-sleeping causes sids. the evidence just doesn't support that. in fact, there is evidence to the contrary - that it may actually prevent sids.

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/10/t102200.asp

rather than give parents good information on this issue the aap has resorted to fear mongering. as a trusted source for parents, the aap should hold itself to much higher standards.

Posted by: natalie white | Nov 17, 2005 10:59:31 AM