Scientists Now Claiming Babies Must Sleep In Mom's Bed Until They Reach 3 Years Old

Oct 10, 2018

When you tell other people that your baby or toddler sleeps in your bed, they might look at you like you should rethink your parenting skills, as most parents use a crib or bassinet. However, there is a new study that has revealed positive effects of babies sleeping with their mothers until they are about three years old.

The cuddles that you get from being beside your baby at night are among the reasons as to why you might want to keep your baby in bed with you. It's also easier to monitor your baby and to feed your baby in the middle of the night instead of getting up and down. However, there are a few parents, especially fathers, who aren't too sure about keeping a baby in the bed.

Some doctors try to get parents to keep babies out of the bed while other doctors encourage the bond that develops between the baby and the parents. This is, after all, a time when you can get your baby adjusted to your sleeping schedule while also nurturing your baby, letting him know that you're the parent and that you're going to offer protection and safety.

A recent study headed by Dr. Nils Bergman reveals that there are a few benefits of co-sleeping with a baby. The study focused on 16 babies. Some of the babies slept in a crib while others slept in a bed with the mother.

When doctors examined the babies, the ones that were in cribs exhibited anxiety and higher levels of stress compared to those who were in bed with their mothers. These babies also had more trouble getting to sleep and staying asleep at night. Only six of the babies showed signs of sleeping peacefully at night.

When the hormones associated with stress are triggered, there could be issues with the child's behavior in the future. If a baby is comforted by its mother as much as possible, especially at night while trying to sleep, then the stress hormones are not triggered as often as they are when the baby sleeps in a crib alone.

After the results of the study were compiled, Dr. Bergman suggested that babies should sleep with their mothers for the first few months of life, even for the first two to three years. The best place for the baby would be on the mother's chest as this is a comforting area of the body and allows the baby to hear the mother's heartbeat.

What do you think? Did you let your children sleep in bed with you, or did they sleep in a crib? Let us know in the comments and show this article to a fan (or hater) of co-sleeping!

Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation with your doctor. Your health is important to us!