Co-Sleeping vs. Crib Sleeping: Pros and Cons to Identify Which is Best

When it comes to choosing the best sleeping arrangement for your baby, parents often find themselves weighing the pros and cons of co-sleeping versus crib sleeping. Each option has its advocates and detractors, and understanding the benefits and potential drawbacks of both can help parents make informed decisions that best suit their family’s needs.

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What is Co-sleeping?

Co-sleeping refers to parents and infants sleeping in close proximity, often in the same bed. This practice is common in many cultures and is sometimes promoted for its potential benefits. There are variations of co-sleeping, such as room-sharing (where the baby sleeps in the same room but not the same bed) and bed-sharing (where the baby sleeps in the parents’ bed).

Pros of Co-sleeping

Bonding and Security

Co-sleeping can enhance the emotional bond between parents and their baby. The close physical proximity allows for more skin-to-skin contact, which can promote a sense of security and comfort for the infant.

Easier Nighttime Feeding

For breastfeeding mothers, co-sleeping can make nighttime feedings more convenient. The baby is within arm’s reach, reducing the need to fully wake up and leave the bed to nurse.

Improved Sleep for Parents and Baby

Many parents report that co-sleeping helps their baby sleep better and longer, which in turn can lead to better sleep for the parents. The ability to quickly soothe the baby back to sleep can minimize nighttime disruptions.

Monitoring and Safety

Having the baby close by allows parents to monitor their infant more easily. This can be particularly reassuring for parents who are concerned about sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) or other health issues.

Cons of Co-sleeping

Safety Concerns

Bed-sharing, in particular, has been associated with an increased risk of SIDS and accidental suffocation. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends room-sharing without bed-sharing to reduce these risks .

Parental Sleep Quality

While some parents sleep better with their baby nearby, others may find their sleep quality suffers. The presence of an infant in the bed can lead to more frequent awakenings and less restful sleep for some parents. 

Difficulty Transitioning

Babies who are used to co-sleeping may have a harder time transitioning to sleeping independently in their own crib. This can be challenging as the child grows older and parents may desire more personal space .

Impact on Relationship

Sharing a bed with a baby can affect the parents’ relationship. The lack of personal space and potential disruptions to intimacy can be a downside for some couples.

Co-sleeping may be used to refer to several different sleep practices: bed-sharing; room-sharing and rooming-in National Sleep Foundation

Guidelines for Safe Co-sleeping

If you choose to co-sleep, it's crucial to follow safety guidelines to minimize risks:

Firm Mattress 

Use a firm mattress and ensure there are no gaps where the baby could become trapped.

Avoid Soft Bedding                                                                                

Keep pillows, blankets, and other soft items away from the baby.

No Smoking or Alcohol    

Ensure that no one in the bed has consumed alcohol or drugs and that no one smokes in the home.

Baby's Sleep Position 

Always place your baby on their back to sleep, as this position reduces the risk of SIDS.                                                                                            

What is Crib Sleeping?

Crib sleeping involves placing the baby in a separate crib or bassinet, typically in their own room or a shared nursery. This is the most common sleeping arrangement recommended by pediatricians in many Western countries.

Crib sleeping involves placing the baby in a separate crib or bassinet, typically in their own room or a shared nursery. This is the most common sleeping arrangement recommended by pediatricians in many Western countries.

Pros of Crib Sleeping

Enhanced Safety

Crib sleeping, when done correctly, is considered the safest option for infants. A crib that meets modern safety standards provides a secure environment that minimizes the risk of SIDS and accidental suffocation.

Additionally, using a baby monitor further enhances safety by allowing parents to keep a close watch on their baby at all times. With features like real-time video and audio monitoring, motion detection, and breathing alerts, parents can quickly respond to any unusual activity or distress, ensuring their baby's well-being even when they are not in the same room.

Independence

Encouraging a baby to sleep in their own crib can promote independence and self-soothing skills. Babies learn to fall asleep and stay asleep without needing constant parental intervention.

Better Sleep for Parents

Many parents find that they sleep better when their baby is in a separate crib. Without the worry of rolling over or disturbing the baby, parents can enjoy a more restful and uninterrupted sleep.

Routine and Structure

Crib sleeping can help establish a consistent bedtime routine. This routine can be beneficial for both the baby and the parents, creating a predictable and calming environment for sleep.

Cons of Crib Sleeping

Nighttime Feeding Challenges

For breastfeeding mothers, having to get up and go to another room for nighttime feedings’ can be tiring and disruptive. This can make it harder to maintain breastfeeding, especially during the early months.

Reduced Bonding Time

Some parents feel that crib sleeping limits the amount of bonding time they have with their baby. The physical distance can make it harder to respond quickly to the baby’s needs, which can be challenging during the early weeks and months.

Transition Period

Moving a baby from the parents’ room to their own crib can be a difficult transition. Some babies may resist sleeping alone, leading to more frequent awakenings and increased stress for both the baby and the parents.

Space and Cost

Having a separate crib requires additional space and can be an extra expense. For families living in smaller homes or on a tight budget, accommodating a crib might be challenging.

Infants should sleep in the parents’ room, close to the parents’ bed but on a separate surface designed for infants, ideally for at least the first six months. America Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)

Guidelines for Safe Crib Sleeping

To ensure your baby sleeps safely in a crib, follow these guidelines:

Approved Crib 

Link to Liangliang

Use a crib that meets current safety standards and has not been recalled.

Firm Mattress

Ensure the mattress is firm and fits snugly within the crib, leaving no gaps.

No Soft Bedding

Avoid using pillows, blankets, bumpers, or stuffed animals in the crib.

Sleep Position

Always place your baby on their back to sleep.

Room-sharing

Consider keeping the crib in your room for the first six months to a year to reduce the risk of SIDS.

Making the Best Choice for Your Family

Deciding between co-sleeping and crib sleeping is a personal choice that depends on various factors, including your baby’s temperament, your parenting style, and your family’s needs and preferences. Here are some tips to help you make the best decision:

• Evaluate Your Sleep Needs

Consider how each sleeping arrangement will affect your sleep quality. If you value uninterrupted sleep, crib sleeping might be the better option. If you prioritize convenience and frequent nighttime contact with your baby, co-sleeping could be more suitable.

• Consider Safety Guidelines

Always prioritize your baby’s safety when making a decision. If you choose to co-sleep, follow the guidelines to create a safe sleeping environment. This includes using a firm mattress, avoiding soft bedding, and keeping pillows and blankets away from the baby.

• Trial and Flexibility

You don’t have to commit to one arrangement permanently. Some parents find that a combination of co-sleeping and crib sleeping works best for them. Be open to adjusting your approach based on what works for your family.

• Consult Your Pediatrician

If you’re unsure which option is best, consult your pediatrician. They can provide personalized advice based on your baby’s health and development, as well as address any concerns you may have.

Conclusion

Both co-sleeping and crib sleeping have their advantages and disadvantages. Understanding these can help you make an informed decision that promotes both your baby’s well-being and your own peace of mind. Remember, the best sleeping arrangement is one that ensures your baby’s safety and meets your family’s needs.

By weighing the pros and cons and considering your unique situation, you can create a sleep environment that supports healthy growth and development for your baby while also fostering a restful and harmonious home.

Some babies just love to get up close and cuddly with a soft toy or comforter when they’re going to sleep.  Interestingly, the formal name for a soft toy is a ‘transitional love object’, because they help infants to make the emotional transition from dependence to independence. [1] 

Comforters are also a form of substitution for the parent for times when a baby is physically separated from their parent.  This means that if the baby’s sleeping environment needs to change because they’re at daycare or the family is away from home, the comforter can be a consistent sleep association wherever the baby is settling. 

What exactly is a comforter?

Comforters are generally a soft toy, blanket, doll or teddy which the child builds an attachment to. Sometimes it can be hard for parents to work out what it is exactly about a particular comforter which appeals to their child.  But what’s important is that it’s important to the little person who gains so much from having their own special, emotionally soothing toy which gives them so much.

When is the best time to introduce a comforter to my baby?

Wait until your baby is at least seven months old before introducing a comforter. According to red nose guidelines, soft toys need to be kept out of a baby’s sleeping environment until they are aged over seven months. Soft toys can cover a baby’s nose and mouth and interfere with their breathing. Before seven months, the risk versus benefits from a soft toy are too high.

Between eight and nine months of age, babies start to progress through a stage of development where separation becomes very important.  When a parent isn’t close or a stranger approaches, it’s normal for babies to become upset and seek reassurance from the people with whom they’ve built a strong attachment. When a baby builds an attachment to a particular toy or object, this can help them to manage separation from their main carers.

Does it mean my baby is insecure if they want a comforter?

It used to be thought that babies who emotionally attach to a soft toy were somehow more insecure or weak. However, there is no evidence to support this theory. What does support a baby’s emotional security is love and predictability in a parent’s responses. If your baby shows an interest in cuddling a safe, soft toy, then there’s no harm in supporting this.   

What’s the best way to introduce a comforter to my baby?

You may find you don’t need to do anything very special.  Your baby may just start to show interest in a particular toy and the decision has been made!

At first, you could try just giving your baby a comforter when they’re awake and playing, just so they become familiar with it. Each time your baby is settling for a sleep, have their comforter close and encourage them to hold onto it.

If you feel your baby would benefit from having a comforter, try:

• Giving your baby their comforter when they start to show tired signs. You may want to keep the toy in their cot, rather than have it around during their wakeful periods.
• Including the comforter as part of your final cuddling before settling your baby. Then placing the comforter in the cot with your baby when they go down for their sleeps.
• Make sure the comforter is around for all sleeps, both day and night.
• When your baby needs resettling, or wakes as they transition between sleep cycles, offer them their comforter. If you need to pick your baby up, have the comforter close and place it back into the cot as your baby goes back in.

Making sure a comforter is safe

It can be hard to know what constitutes a ‘safe’ comforter and won’t pose a risk to a baby’s safety. There is no clear evidence around safe sizes of comforters, other than them needing to be small enough not to cover a baby’s face.

Make a comforter has no:

• Button eyes.
• Button or other style batteries.
• Loose ‘toy’ parts or the comforter includes ‘toys’ with string even if hung across the cot.[2]
• Loose ties or ribbons.
• In-built ‘sound’ mechanisms. Toys which include white noise or ‘shshers’ are not safe to use in close proximity to a baby’s ears.

10 Practical tips to manage a comforter

1. If your baby builds a strong attachment to a particular comforter, try having more than one in the house. It’s often easier to source the same toy just after it’s bought, rather than wait a few months to see if they’re still available.
2. You may want to encourage a comforter which you can live with as well. If, for some reason, you find a particular soft toy irritating or unappealing, you could try persuading your baby to build an attachment to another kind of toy. But be prepared for your baby to have the final say!
3. Keep a few of the same comforters on rotation. It can be enticing to pack one of the same types of comforters as a spare, or away ‘just in case’, but babies can often sense what’s familiar and what’s new. Comforters which have that ‘loved up’ exposure are often more familiar and soothing.
4. Appreciate the usefulness of a comforter in your baby’s life. Some parents find that they can’t go anywhere without making sure the comforter comes along as well, but the benefits generally outweigh the disadvantages.  
5. Make sure your baby’s comforter is safe and doesn’t pose a safety risk. Button batteries, loose ties, buttons, small beads or parts which could break off are all dangerous to infants and small children. Comforters made from fabrics which are light, breathable and easy to wash are ideal.
6. Try not to be swayed by advertising claims that a particular comforter guarantees improved sleep. Individual babies will form their own attachment to a particular toy and it’s often unclear why.  
7. Try not to worry if your baby starts sucking their thumb or fingers when they’re cuddling their comforter. Sucking is a normal and common way for babies and young children to self soothe. Speak with your dentist if you’re concerned about your baby’s teeth. Generally, thumb or finger sucking is not a problem unless the child continues into the years when their permanent teeth erupt.
8. Throw away any comforter once it’s showing signs of wear and tear, even if you think it’s fixable.
9. If you don’t have a spare comforter of the same make and model, do the best you can in terms of replacing it. Babies and young children are adaptable, often much more than we give them credit for. Even if you can’t find exactly the same style, sometimes near enough is good enough.
10. Give the comforter a name so you can talk with your baby about where it is and giving it a cuddle. After only a short time, you’ll find your baby looks for it and will start to mimic the name.

One final tip about comforters!

Understand that no matter how attached your baby may be to their comforter, it’s not a replacement for you. Amongst all the other strategies you’ll use when you’re settling your baby, a comforter is just another part of the emotional support system your baby will need as they are growing.

About the Author:

Written for Safe Sleep Space by Jane Barry. Jane has qualifications in general, paediatric, immunisation, midwifery and child health nursing. She holds a Bachelor Degree in Applied Science (Nursing) and has almost 35 years specialist experience in child health nursing. She is a member of a number of professionally affiliated organisations including AHPRA, The Australasian Medical Writer’s Association and Australian College of Children and Young People’s Nurses. 

References

https://rednose.org.au/article/soft-toys-in-the-cot

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/Pages/Transitional-Objects.aspx

[1] https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/Pages/Transitional-Objects.aspx

[2] https://rednose.org.au/article/soft-toys-in-the-cot

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