3's a crowd

Co-sleeping is when an adult shares a bed or other sleep surface with their child. The Lullaby Trust stands by its advice that ‘the safest place for a baby to sleep is in their own clear, flat, separate sleep space, such as a cot or Moses basket.’ They add that ‘they know that many parents find themselves co-sleeping whether they mean to or not.’ Hence, they ‘recommend making your bed a safer place for baby.’ It is vital that parents follow all The Lullaby Trust safer sleeping guidelines with regards to co-sleeping, considering any risks before every sleep.

Many parents co-sleep with their baby or child at least some of the time. Your little one may co-sleep with you right from the start of the night or may come into your bed at some point during the night. In other instances, you may be sleeping in your child’s bedroom. After countless efforts to settle your little one back to sleep, this may be the last attempt at everyone getting a little extra sleep, or so you thought!

For some parents and children, co-sleeping can negatively impact sleep. You may find that the subtle sounds and movements made by your little one are enough to wake you frequently, leaving you exhausted in the morning. You might also be in a situation whereby your child’s sleep is disrupted by sleeping with you, hence impacting their sleep as well as yours. Not to mention that 3’s a crowd, too, if you know what I mean?!

It can be really hard to have any downtime in the evenings if you are co-sleeping. Ultimately, this may be the only time during the day that you get to unwind, spend time with your partner, or even crack on with your to-do list! Of course, we all adore our children, but it is perfectly natural to look forward to the evenings! So, if you find that sleep has gone out of the window and co-sleeping is no longer for you, then it may be time to make a change. It is absolutely possible to reclaim your sleep space again, and with a simple plan of action, we can bring this to fruition.