healthykids


Co-sleeping makes breastfeed- ing easier. Studies published by the Acta Paediatrica, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Jour- nal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics confirm a consistent link between co-sleeping and breastfeed- ing in countries as disparate as Brazil, Britain, Malaysia and Sweden. Breast milk provides immunological benefits, transfers symbiotic gut bacteria and promotes bonding between mother and child. It’s especially nutritious if the mother’s diet is healthy, and breast milk is the only food experts agree the human body is unquestionably de- signed to consume.


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very young mammal on Earth sleeps in close contact with its mother and other family members.


They’ve been co-sleeping for security, warmth, comfort and protection for mil- lions of years of evolution. Although it is generally frowned upon in the United States, many human cultures, including most in East Asia, the Pacific islands, South America, Africa and much of southern Europe, have a rich tradition of co- sleeping. In At Home: A Short History of Private Life, Bill Bryson relates that


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Co-Sleeping in the Family Bed by Mark Sisson


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until very recently, most domiciles centered around a central room, or hall, where everyone slept together. Even today, adults and children almost always sleep together in the same beds in non-industrialized, traditional soci- eties worldwide. The modern practice of placing


babies in separate rooms at night, of- ten to cry themselves to sleep, appears to be a historical aberration. Co-sleep- ing, conversely, is the age-old norm because it offers so many benefits to both parents and children.


Co-sleeping improves sleep. A mother that can breastfeed without leaving the bed will get more sleep. Also, more research from the American Academy of Pediatrics shows a lower incidence of sudden infant death syn- drome when breastfeeding is practiced. In the clinical experience of James


McKenna, Ph.D., a University of Notre Dame professor and leading anthro- pologist in the field, “Breastfeeding mothers typically keep their babies away from pillows, positioning their infants on their backs, while placing them below the parents’ shoulders and raising their arms above them.” Plus, the adults “lay on their sides in ways that can prevent accidental overlays.”


Co-sleeping builds parent-child bonds. Research published by the Sleep Research Society shows that moth- ers who co-sleep with their babies are more attuned to their sleep/wake habits and can respond quicker to their needs. According to the journal Alternative


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