In majority of the countries all over the world, it is a normal practice that small babies and children sleep with their parents. This sleep sharing is known as family bed or co-sleeping. A recent survey in India showed that 93% of children between the age group 3 to 10 shared family bed. Earlier even in the western countries ( USA & Europe) and Australia, co-sleeping was a standard practice. Only after 19 th century, the practice of allotting a separate room to a child was followed in these countries

But now once again, the concept of sleep sharing or the family bed is being advocated in the western countries. The percentage of sleep sharing is on the rise; in US it has increased from 5.5% to 12.8% during the years 1993 to 2000. Many advantages of this concept are sited: -

Advantages of sleep sharing:

1. Breastfeeding (or even bottle feeding) during nights is made easier.
2. Possibilities of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) are reduced considerably as proximity of parents makes it easier to detect any changes in baby’s breathing etc.
3. Research has shown that mothers get better sleep by sleep sharing -- family bed.
4. The stress hormone cortisol is found to be less in co-sleeping mothers as well as babies. For the proper growth of a baby, lower levels of stress hormone are always helpful.
5. The baby remains warm at nights and also this strengthens the parent-child bond.
6. Studies have shown that the co-sleeping babies are both physiologically and emotionally more sound than the children who sleep alone. The children in habit of sleep sharing are found to be more content, have less behavioral problems, exhibit less anxiety and develop better self-esteem than the children who sleep alone.

However, the co-sleeping is advised against, too. The negative points given are: -

Disadvantages:

1. A baby may get suffocated by any one parent and such similar unsafe reasons could increase the chances of SIDS
2. If one or both parents smoke, drink or use drugs’, then co-sleeping is not considered a good for the health of the baby.
3. The bedding, pillows, quilts, comforters that are used in an adult bed are considered dangerous for a small baby. A firm bed is preferable for baby cot.
4. Also, there are chances of baby falling off the adult bed or chances of getting hurt by older children kicking in sleep while sharing the family bed.
5. Sleep sharing – family bed might enhance the child’s dependence on parents, which may prove unhealthy in the long run and later develop into sleeping disorders.
6. Presence of children and babies can affect the relationship between the parents.
7. It might prove difficult to wean the baby once it gets used to night feeding. Babies may wake up often and demand feeding because of the proximity of the mother.