Bi*ches love Bedsharing

My son has started to cut his first teeth & his sleep quality has rapidly declined because of it. To beat the teeth & keep the minimal amount of sanity we have left, we decided to bedshare.

Contrary to popular belief, bed-sharing is normal and safe and can be beneficial for both mom & baby’s sleep, granted you take the appropriate safety precautions.

My family and I have bed-shared off & on throughout the last 7 months but we recently started to do it more regularly in order to function. Before doing some digging, I was under the impression that bed-sharing was the quickest way to SIDS; which is absolutely not the case.

Let’s de-bunk some bed sharing myths, shall we?

Bedsharing is Dangerous

Um hi, what do you think people did before cribs were invented? What do you think people do in other countries? Not everyone drops a few hundred dollars on a bassinet their baby only fits in for .7 seconds just to find out their baby only sleeps when being held anyway. Bedsharing is not dangerous if you follow the Safe Sleep 7. In fact, it can be beneficial for the whole family.

My Baby Will Never Learn to Sleep on Their Own

When’s the last time you met a whole ass adult who still bedshared with their parent? Yeah, exactly. Your kid will be fine. You will get your bed back again. It’s much easier and less stressful if you parent for the sleep stage your baby is in now and stop trying to plan for how you think they’ll sleep down the road. Honestly that advice goes for all things parenting.

I Won’t Get to Sleep With My Partner Anymore

Now, this is definitely a preference so do whatever is best for your family. There is a way to safely bedshare with your partner and baby but you might want to get used to just the two of you in bed first. If you’re worried about your sex life, get creative!

You Have to Go to Bed at the Same Time as Your Baby

This is false. You can still have your baby sleep in a bassinet or a crib or babywear if you want during the beginning of your night. Then when you go to bed, bring them with you! Babies are very adaptable and if they’re tired, they will go back to sleep. Baby sleep is not a one size fits all and it is okay to change things up as your baby grows.

My Baby Will Over-Feed and Reverse Cycle

False. Your baby will eat what they need and go back to sleep. Babies are much smarter than we credit them for and often know what they need before we do. Sometimes it is best to just follow their lead.

Moral of the story- you know what is best for you and your family so do that.
If co-sleeping is best, do it.
If bed-sharing is working, sweet.
If starting your baby in their own room is best, hell yeah.

Seriously, being a new parent is all about survival. Don’t get caught up in the “should” & “should-nots” and focus more on enjoying the little time you have snuggling your baby!

With love,

Sleepy Sista

*I exclusively reference mother because it is a recommendation to only bed-share if you are breastfeeding. I understand that everyone’s definition of a mother may look different.